Mae Sot under the Microscope
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Restless Souls is uncomfortably accurate when contending that well-meaning gollowa get exasperated and finally turn their frustration against the Karen, Burmese or Thai people they work with, seeing them as the major cause of “failure.” Many lose themselves in Mae Sot’s endless game of intrigue, secrecy and gossip.
Unlike the foreigners who adopt cynicism, sarcasm, or silence to hide their ignorance, or don overpriced adventure wear that makes them look like bad reality TV contestants, Thornton acknowledges his own confusion, limitations and occasional impatience with people. While his understanding might have increased if he had ventured to learn Karen, Burmese or Thai, the time spent researching and writing this book exceeded by far the posting of an average NGO worker, academic researcher or those donors and journalists who drop by for a few days to evaluate or monitor projects.
David Scott Mathieson is a PhD student at the Australian National University.
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