The crab in Krabi

One thing we missed in our recent trip to Krabi, Thailand, is to have our pictures taken at the giant crab sculpture on the main boulevard along the shoreline of Krabi river.  I guess the hectic schedule of the Asean meetings kept us from getting off the van each morning on the way to the conference site.  We couldn't also do it in the afternoon because it was already dark when we return.  But to everyone who has visited Krabi, this giant crab sculpture would be forever etched in our minds.  And it has nothing to do with the town's name at all!  Even if our head of delegation (HOD), Ner Porciuncula of CAB, would like to insist to this day.

But maybe, we can learn a lesson or two from these crabs (the sculpture consists of one big crab with three smaller ones around it), and how the terrifying-looking crustaceans add to the already bursting tourism revenues of the town.  All hours during the day, and especially in the evening when the sculpture is illuminated by flattering lights, people flock to the crabs and have their pictures taken with it.  Children and adults alike take turns in posing with the ferocious monsters from the sea, and post their pictures in their travel blogs.

The funny thing is, the crabs are probably the only most significant tourist attraction in Krabi town itself.  As we have written a week ago, Krabi is a small town of less than 30,000 population, it's located on fertile land at the mouth of Krabi river, and the settlement is a thriving fishing community.  The better attractions are the Buddhist temple (or “Wat” in Thai) which is common in all towns in Thailand anyway, and maybe the main tourist street with all the restaurants, dining places, and Thai massage and foot spas lining up on each side.  Other than that, our colleague in DOTC, Ruby Manzo said, “there's just this 3-story mall, one grocery which look like a hypermart, and the rest are 7/11 stores.”  I'm still at a loss on the number of 7/11 outlets, but it's kinda convenient if you need anything anytime.  Good for tourists, too!

But numbers don't lie, and realities are proven when you search the web - Thailand had 22 million tourist arrivals last year, as compared to our target of 5 million this year, and the sheer number of multi-lingual visitors from all parts of the world is enough evidence of Krabi's enigmatic attraction which pull all sorts of people to its shores (and to the crabs at the riverside boulevard).  Krabi is just the jump-off point to the scores of island-beaches that surround and which images flood the internet.  Just search “islands of Krabi” and you will get pages and pages of enticing island vistas and literally shout “come on” to the eager traveler.  There are at least 10 islands or island groups, and all of those may simply be called “Krabi.”

Maybe the key is, you don't run out of attractions in Krabi.  And besides the already formed rocky islands and beaches, shaped by geologic events thousands of years ago, they also created new ones - some without even any hint of sense.  Take the crabs, for example.  There is no cogent reason why they should be there, or what they mean to the place.  But they're there and people stop and have their pictures taken there.  Search “crabs of Krabi,” and you will see what I mean by their popularity.  But it's not the origin of the town's name regardless of what Ner will say, nor does it have any connection with their cuisine.  They invented it.

In the main tourist street, there is a museum of sorts, and there are metal plaques on the wall facing the street.  On each is engraved basic historical information of the history of Krabi, dating back to pre-geologic times, when dinosaurs roam the earth.  They also say that primate ancestors of pre-historic man inhabited that area 27,000 - 37,000 years ago, and that there are wall paintings by pre-historic man in the cave sites around Krabi.  Many of the data, especially those of pre-historic events may still need further scientific proof, but the fact is, they are capitalizing on these to boost their tourism attraction.  In one intersection of the town, they even have primate-like monuments carrying what looked like attaché cases where three lights flash, one after the other, red, yellow, and green!  And people stop and take pictures!

No wonder the Thai government decided to host the meetings there.  If there is a good way to invite citizens of other Asean countries to their land, bring their government officials there first.  Let them see the crab …