On the road again: Our tuk-tuk wants to go home
Actor Ray MacDonald has journeyed round the world in his TV travel shows, but his last odyssey
On the road again: Our tuk-tuk wants to go home
Actor Ray MacDonald has journeyed round the world in his TV travel shows, but his last odyssey – “TT Rider”, aired on One Channel last year – was definitely his favourite, so much so that he wants to do it again.
Ray drove a tuk-tuk nicknamed Lumdaun across Thailand and into Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. Now he wants to take Lumdaun to meet “her” grandpa, which means driving to the birthplace of the vehicle we call the tuk-tuk.
There were some trying experiences on that first trip as well as thrills, Ray tells 247 magazine. Lumdaun was constantly breaking down and, since he didn’t have a mechanic in tow, he was always hunting for garages along the way or figuring out how to fix the beast himself.
Nevertheless, it was fun and educational enough that a Season 2 of “TT Rider” is underway. This one should be an emotional ride for Lumdaun, returning to her native land – but what exactly is her native land? Ray hasn’t revealed that part, other than to say it’s beyond our borders.
So the crack research team at Soopsip set to work on Google and uncovered the fact that Thailand got its first tuk-tuks from Japan. Imagine that. We made a few changes so they’d break down more often, but they’re basically Japanese. And where did Japan get the idea? The world’s first vehicle resembling a tuk-tuk car was made in Italy.
However, further investigation determined that “TT Rider” has a map of its route-thus-far on its Facebook page, and Ray has aimed north and is now in Laos again, apparently heading for China. That’s quite a detour if he’s trying to get to Japan – or Italy.
Diplomatic dynamite
Kittipong Kittayarak has been travelling too. The executive director of the Thailand Institute of Justice reports on Facebook that he’s been to the United Nations in New York and met Ambassador Virachai Plasa. It was Virachai who presented Thailand’s case before the International Court of Justice when we were bickering with Cambodia about the Preah Vihear Temple on the border.
Quickly, before everyone reaches for their guns and flags, Kittipong restricted his reporting to Virachai’s musical talents. Apparently he and other UN ambassadors have formed a band called UNRocks. Denmark, South Korea and Tonga are also represented, and the lead singer is Simona Miculescu, who represents the UN Secretary-General in Belgrade, Serbia.
Probably the only rock band allowed to perform in the UN General Assembly Hall, they have a minor hit with the peace-theme “Strong UN, Better World” with a melody by Emmy-winning composer Gary Fry and lyrics by Miculescu. It’s being released for the UN’s 70th birthday on a CD that also includes UNRocks’ cover of John Fogerty’s “Rocking All Over the World”.
You really ought to buy a copy at Amazon, CDBaby or iTunes because the proceeds go to Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, which does nice things for the world. Get a preview and see the band in action at www.YouTube.com/watch?v=FT-IXp4D_bo.
