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Photo: Hill tribe villagers, Chiang Rai What's On This Page? |
Thailand - Introduction Part 1A special time to be in Thailand
Many special events took place during 2006 and there will be more to follow at the end of 2007 with the King's birthday falling on 5th December. Keep an eye on the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) web site for details. เรารักในหลวง
My intention was to keep this site quite brief but already it has started to grow larger than I had anticipated. To aid navigation around the site and to assist with finding information the Site Map may help. Clicking on thumbnail images will display larger images in a pop-up window.
It means different things to different people and they come for different reasons. They come in their millions every year, in fact. As a vacation destination it has become one of the hottest destinations on the planet in the last 20 years. It's an intoxicating country for many visitors. A vacation in Thailand is often the start of a relationship with Thailand which leads to more vacations and maybe even a more permanent move to the country. But what is living in Thailand really like day-to-day after the novelty and the vacation feeling have worn off? I was intoxicated by Thailand and the Thais and moved to Thailand in 2003 after quite a few vacations. Situated geographically between India and China, Thailand's unique culture has been influenced by both countries - and quite a few others. Along with other Southeast Asian nations it is desperate to achieve developed country status yet most of the population are rural poor with little education who work mainly in agriculture for a few thousand Baht each month. Meanwhile, Bangkok continues to race ahead building huge transport infrastructure projects, massive shopping malls and high-rise, luxury condominiums which sell for enormous sums of cash.
The economy grew enormously in the early 90's but unfortunately it was a huge bubble which burst in 1997. The financial crisis that resulted caused much pain for many Thais; the Baht was devalued and the IMF, who came in with a rescue package, imposed austerity measures. After a long, very prosperous run the dream ended abruptly. Thailand woke up suddenly to globalisation and the power of foreign markets. Globalisation and foreign currency speculators were blamed for what had happened but, even though it was hard to admit, the Thais realised that they were also to blame. Corruption, cronyism, money politics, bad lending and a host of other domestic ills were also to blame for what had happened. A new constitution was drafted which set about making sure that the same thing couldn't happen again. Checks and balances were set in place with the introduction of such bodies as the National Counter Corruption Commission, Election Commission and Constitutional Court. In the late 90's a knight in shining armour appeared on the scene; a man who had already grown a huge business empire (and a massive personal fortune to boot) in a remarkably short space of time. He claimed to understand the 'game' of business and convinced the Thais he was the one who could fight back and allow Thailand to compete - and win - in the new battleground of globalisation.
Unfortunately it took the Thais a full five years to realise what his true motives were. He worked his way around the 1997 constitution (making a mockery of the checks and balances that had been put in place), gagged the media, abused human rights, caused huge unrest, angered NGOs and human rights groups, got in bed with military dictatorships, planned to sell off Thailand's state assets, and then sold his corporation which included state assets he had won as government concessions to Singapore. And during all this his personal family fortune grew even larger. Towards the end of 2005 an old ally called Sondhi Limthongkul started to tell the Thais what was really going on. The anger grew and after five or six months the voices reached a crescendo calling to get rid of the man who had seemed such a hero only a few years before. He has identified all the worst traits of politics in Thailand but had then proven himself to be the worst culprit of all. So, after what has been a monumental struggle for the Thais to achieve good, transparent governance - the kind they deserve - it looks as if they will just go back to the drawing board in 2006 to start all over again and to hope that the next leader is someone who really has the interests of Thailand at heart, not himself. There are a lot of poor in Thailand but it is not a poor country. The country has vast natural resources and a growing educated, middle-class with a lot of very talented people. The culture is unique and powerful even though some aspects of the culture are a hindrance. With the right leadership and a few small cultural shifts, Thailand has the potential to be one of the greatest countries on earth. If they get it right, other countries will be beating a path to Thailand's door to find out how the Thais have managed to be so successful yet still have retained a happy way of life. Western societies have already lost all sense of work/life balance. Some people are getting richer but unhappier at the same time and societies are becoming divided which leads to all kinds of problems. This is the primary reason I am in Thailand because work/life balance is a massive strength of the Thais. They want success but Thai culture will not allow them to lose the fun in life because life would then not be worth living. The Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) used to run an advertising campaign titled 'Amazing Thailand'. I agree, it is amazing, but with good leadership it could, and should, be 'Incredible Thailand'.
Last updated: 3rd February 2008
If you think that cultural differences relate to matters such as eating with a spoon and fork instead of a knife and fork and wai'ing instead of shaking hands, think again. Thais think completely differently to Westerners and have a completely different value system in life to Westerners. This is of little significance to the average two-week package tourist sitting on Patong beach but if you are a Western man considering taking a Thai wife, for example, it is very significant. It is easy to come to Thailand and think you understand - even after several visits. The problem, though, is that when you know so little you don't know what you don't know. You therefore think you know a lot but unfortunately that isn't the case. Occasionally ignorance can be bliss but at other times it can be a major drawback. I came to Thailand to learn about the country and the people. I am the first to admit that I know very little but every day I work on trying to improve my knowledge. This site is just about sharing some of my experiences. I don't advertise this site and there is no charge for looking. On the contrary, it costs me money to host it. You arrived here by yourself and if you don't like it you can leave by yourself. I find myself continually rewriting things and there is always something I wrote previously that now I don't agree with which needs rewriting. It's a never-ending process. I thought I understood certain things but I didn't so I had to make changes; and I continue to make changes. The target audience, I guess, is people like myself - those who came to Thailand, got seduced by the country and its people, and are thinking about making a more permanent move. I don't expect much of what I have to say will mean very much to tourists sitting on Patong beach; and most farangs who have been in Thailand for more than six months already know it all anyway. Or at least, they think they do. The site is made up of observations, experiences and opinions. Some experiences are of quite a practical nature so, for example, if you are looking to get a work permit or driving licence they may be helpful.
This is not the Middle Ages where you needed to be the rich owner of a printing press to speak to the world, or the early 20th century where you needed to be a rich press baron. The liberating effect of the Internet means that any idiot with a computer can publish a web site and there is lots of software available to make the process very easy. Buddhism tells us not to believe anything we hear or see and that advice is especially relevant to Thailand. Take everything with a grain of salt and then go and find out for yourself. It's the only way. I have included a number of links to other Internet resources and given details of books I have read that I have found useful. I've tried to remain fairly neutral even though I have strong opinions on certain matters. I have no axe to grind and no personal agenda. I am neither an old man who eventually found happiness with a little Thai woman after a life time of misery and will now have nothing negative said about Thailand, nor am I a bitter-and-twisted English teacher who continually gripes about Thailand. My life in Thailand is a mixture of good and bad (just the same as it would be anywhere else) and I have tried to cover both aspects. Life can never be perfect but what we can do is try to find lives for ourselves where the good things outweigh the bad. There are lots of good things about Thailand but some crazy things also. I just speak about things as I see them. Please remember that regardless of whatever I say, Thailand is where I choose to live so it can't be that bad. On the contrary, I love it most of the time because the country provides an opportunity for me to live a far happier lifestyle than I could where I was born. It wouldn't be for everyone, however. I have many friends back in the UK for whom my lifestyle would be completely wrong but I'm not them and they're not me. There are as many ways to live life as there are people on the planet and it is up to all of us personally to find the lifestyle that suits us best because no one else will do it for us.
Political Correctness and Censorship Last updated: 3rd February 2008
Believe it or not, I do realise when I write something that may upset someone but it is because I find certain types of foreigner in Thailand extremely boring. Those that are in Thailand primarily for sex - be they Malaysians visiting southern towns for the weekend, farangs on their annual sex vacation or (s)expats living in Thailand permanently - are one such group. Backpackers are another group that I find quite tedious. They are, for the most part, cliched, unoriginal, unimaginative and about 30 years out of date.
The power of the Internet is that anyone can publish their thoughts about any subject without editorial control or commercial pressures. If you read a Lonely Planet entry for any Thai town it won't give you any idea what it is like about actually living in that place. I want to describe what it is like but to do that means uncovering some unpleasant truths, revealing some frustrations and unfortunately, in the course of doing that, some people may get a little upset. This site is self-censored for a couple of reasons. Certain subject matter is taboo (and actually illegal) in Thailand and writing about it, apart from being insensitive to my Thai hosts, could actually lead to far bigger problems. Besides, most of what I hear is just gossip and hearsay anyway which doesn't bear repeating.
Lonely Planet Guide to Thailand
In the 70's Thailand didn't really have a tourist industry. Obviously, foreigners have been visiting Thailand for hundreds of years in various capacities but it is only recently that millions have been flocking there for their annual vacation. Before mainstream tourism arrived it was known in travel agent terms as a 'frontier country'. When I first visited in 1987 there were few tourists and places like Koh Samui were almost completely deserted. Lonely Planet, with its 'Southeast Asia on a Shoestring' guide plugged a huge gap in the market with useful information for independent travellers and as a result it became very successful. But at the same time, Thailand was evolving very quickly as a tourist destination. A 70 year-old couple without any knowledge of Thailand whatsoever could turn up at Don Muang airport now and survive in Thailand perfectly adequately. They could get money from an ATM at the airport, speak English to someone at the hotel reservation desk at the airport in order to find somewhere to stay, get around and eat without any problems at all. Thailand's tourist infrastructure is huge and fairly efficient and most Thais involved in the tourist industry speak English well enough to make communicating easy. The need for an independent traveller's guide may have existed in the 70's and 80's but it just doesn't exist now.
If your idea of a trip to Thailand is donning a pair of baggy fisherman pants, shaving your head, partaking of mind-altering substances during a 'Full-Moon' party on Koh Pha-Ngan and treating your copy of Lonely Planet as if it were some kind of bible you have my sympathies. You're about 30 years too late for the hippy trail and show a complete lack of originality. Get off the backpacker trail, throw away your Lonely Planet, open your eyes and start seeing something of the real Thailand before it is lost forever due to globalisation. Thailand is changing at a pace that is far too fast for comfort but there are still large parts of the country that remain almost unaffected. Get away from the greedy tourist areas to discover a way of life that is poor in monetary terms but richer than anything any developed country has to offer.
If you think I'm wrong about something, tell me what you disagree with and why. One of my biggest regrets about this site was starting it too soon. To even begin to understand Thailand you have to live in the country continuously for at least a couple of years (preferably longer) and make a major effort to observe and understand. Sorry guys but I don't care how many years you've been going to Patong or Pattaya for a three week vacation, it is impossible to understand Thailand on that basis. I started to adopt a bit of an arrogant, smug, know-it-all attitude after about my fifth visit as a tourist but it wasn't until I had lived in the country for about a year I realised just how little I really knew. Just being in the country permanently doesn't mean learning about it either. I've met a number of farangs who have been in Thailand for many years but still understand nothing. They act smug as if they do but a quick conversation reveals their ignorance. One guy I spoke to in Penang while on a visa run started telling me absolute rubbish about what people could and couldn't do in Thailand with different kinds of visa. I told him he was wrong which caused him to fly off the handle with the usual, "I've been doing it for 30 years; I know what I'm talking about," remark. He had one year's worth of experience that was 30 years old. I make a point of talking with maids, washer-women, tuk-tuk drivers, university students (the Master's Degree and PhD students of Thailand are a wonderfully rich source of good information). In my work I talk to doctors, dentists and university professors. I have spoken to Chuan Leekpai, twice Prime Minister of Thailand, and one of his senior advisors. Whenever I can, I test my theories with the Thais. When I am wrong I accept I am wrong and change my views. In the second year of this site I spent most of my time changing what I had written in the first year and there are still lots of things that are wrong but I will continue to make changes. If you don't agree with something, be specific about what it is you don't agree with and why. Vague statements such as, "I don't agree with your opinions," or, "What a load of bollocks," are meaningless and not at all helpful. If you can give me some real life examples that would be great. Based on my current knowledge I may decide to change what I wrote. If I need more opinions I will talk to my senior students and professional friends who are all very intelligent and knowledgeable Thais. My main interests are culture (social behaviour rather than fine arts or symbolic gestures); language; value and belief systems; politics (I wish that Thai politics didn't interest me but it cannot be avoided); Thailand's development from an agricultural based economy to that of an economy based on industry, services and tourism; aspirations of Thais; Thais abroad; other developing nations and how they affect Thailand; social welfare. These are just some of the more serious subjects but naturally I like to put on a tourist hat at times and see tourist Thailand. And how can the beautiful, elegant, enchanting women of Thailand not interest me? Of course they do but the ones I like to get to know don't first require payment of a barfine. I hope that gives you a flavour of what makes me tick and what you might find here. I've also written about practical things based on my own experience such as finding work, getting visas, obtaining a work permit, getting a replacement passport, getting a Thai driving license, etc.
It's a free world. We can all do as we please and it is not up to anyone to tell others how to behave but there are certain aspects of Thailand that I simply don't wish to focus on. I apologise for not replying to the sender of an e-mail who spent a two week vacation in Pattaya, fell in love with the place, and now wants to sell up in England and buy a beer bar there. I can't help you and you probably wouldn't want to hear my advice anyway. In addition to feedback about content I would also be grateful for feedback regarding problems, such as missing images or broken links. Some examples of the feedback I have received can be found here.
Visiting Thailand for the First Time
If you are wondering when to come, any time of year is OK. March through to August tends to be very hot and September through to November tends to be rainy but the benefits are fewer tourists and lower prices. In the rainy season the rain comes in the afternoon normally, so mornings are fine. December through February isn't too hot or too wet but this is high season while Christmas and New Year are considered peak season. There are tourists crawling everywhere, hotels get booked out and prices are sky-high. My favourite time to travel in Thailand is the low season (May to September) when there are no crowds and sensible hotel prices. A little rain doesn't bother me. However, bear in mind that my way of thinking is different to most tourists coming to Thailand. Experiencing 'real' Thailand and meeting 'real' Thais is what I enjoy doing, not sunbathing in rip-off tourist ghettos. Your next decision is where to go and this is a personal choice depending on personal preferences. The south has lots of islands and beaches, the north is mountainous, and the central plains are lush and fertile. Bangkok is crazy but fun and shouldn't be missed. Both Bangkok and the old capitals of Ayuthaya and Sukhothai are culturally rich. First-timers should consider travelling around the country a little to experience different aspects of Thailand. The Thai people are wonderfully friendly and kind but they are shy and retiring. If asked, they will go out of their way to help but, generally speaking, nice Thai people don't approach strangers in the street with offers of assistance. A very small minority of Thais are crooked and greedy beyond belief. Some become prime ministers while others prey on tourists in heavily touristed areas. If a Thai approaches you on the street with any kind of an offer be very wary.
Enjoy the food and take advantage of the great food available from street vendors. You will get the most amazing, freshly cooked meals for just a few Baht. Some of the stalls may look a bit dodgy but I have never had a problem whereas I have contracted food poisoning from quite fancy-looking, upmarket establishments. Bring as little as possible and you will find that getting around is a lot easier. Bring only items of a very personal nature that are essential to you. You are not visiting a remote area of Papua New Guinea. Almost everything you will possibly need is available in Thailand and it will probably cost less than if you bought the same things at home. You can then fill up your half-empty suitcase with bargains bought in Thailand. Being able to speak Thai is completely unnecessary but do try to learn a few basic phrases. Find locals who can speak a little English and talk to them about Thailand. Making Thai friends is a wonderful way of really getting to know the country and you will get to see it from the inside rather than looking in from the outside as many tourists do. Relax, smile, make yourself comfortable, have fun and enjoy yourself which is exactly how the Thais like to live life. To paraphrase the old saying, "When in Thailand, do as the Thais do."
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