Dentist working on a Thai girl

Sometimes people ask me what happens if they have to go to a doctor or dentist in Thailand. They should really ask this question to the thousands of people who fly to Thailand from all over the world every year to get excellent medical treatment for much lower prices than in their home country. Read the rest of this entry

The plants might look pretty, but they still block the sidewalk

You would think that sidewalks are meant for walking. At least that’s how it works in western countries. But in Asia this is not necessarily true. Although I have observed this in some other Asian countries as well, let’s talk about Thailand, because that’s where I live.

Sidewalks are often not very pretty affairs in Thailand. However I want to make a few things clear: Read the rest of this entry

It’s this time of the year again when I had to escape from my usually beautiful home town of Chiang Mai, Thailand. During March and April the pollution levels are dangerously high due to seasonal agricultural burning. Whoever can, is leaving the city during this period.

Lanta Old Town street sign

This year my voluntary exile was Ko Lanta, an island in the south of Thailand with clean air and fresh sea breezes. While the island itself will be the subject of another article,  in this one I will focus on one tiny little spot on the island which happens to be quite unique. It is the historic Old Town.

Its character is quite different from the rest of the island. Ko Lanta is predominantly inhabited by Muslims. The heart of historic Old Town however is all Chinese.  It was settled over 100 years ago by a group of immigrants from China who arrived there by boat from their homeland. Read the rest of this entry

Islands in the Trang province of Thailand

When people think of Thailand, they often envision gorgeous beaches, palm trees, white sand and crystal clear ocean water. And yes, this does exist, but only in the southern part of Thailand. The bulk of Thailand is mostly land locked.

I remember when Thailand was hit by the infamous Tsunami in 2004, many of my concerned friends in the western world sent me emails asking me if I was safe. Actually I live over a 1000 miles away from the area which was affected, and the closest I ever go to it was watching it on TV, just like my American friends. Read the rest of this entry

Population explosion is a big issue in some Asian countries. Look at India for example. China had the same problem and in response they instituted the (not very popular) one child policy. Consequences of over population in developing nations can be starvation, lack of employment, lack of sufficient medical care, inability of the government to provide enough social services, pollution, sanitation issues etc. It’s a serious problem.

Not too long ago Thailand also had a population growth problem. Families were large with lots of children being born, and there was wide spread poverty. The writing was on the wall that sooner or later there would be serious consequences. Today Thailand’s population growth has shrunk significantly. There is no serious starvation, there are no slums which exist in some other Asian countries, and Thailand is one of the more prosperous countries in southeast Asia. How did this come about? Read the rest of this entry

Chiang Mai, Thailand, is famous for its colorful Sunday Market. Hundreds of vendors are selling art, handicrafts, clothes, food, musical instruments, and other creative items. But the Sunday Market is much more than a place where you go shopping.

You can get a foot massage or a Thai Massage in dozens of places – right on the sidewalk. And you can watch lots of musicians perform for donations. It is easy to spend hours there without ever getting bored, even if you don’t buy anything.

Last Sunday I saw a little girl, about 8 years old, put on an amazing performance which drew lots of spectators. She had a golden voice and was clearly an up and coming singing talent. I caught one of her songs on video.

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Is Thailand a paradise? If you read the tourist brochures, it sure looks like it. However as a long time resident of Thailand my interest is different from typical tourist attractions like riding elephants, visiting lots of  temples, looking at floating markets, doing jungle trekking, or getting a tan on the beaches.

What matters to me is this:  How is the day-to-day quality of life and my regular interaction with the people here compared to what I would find in other countries. I can speak about other countries since I have lived in eight of them and have visited over 50 of them. Read the rest of this entry

This temple opens its grounds every week during the famous Sunday market of Chiang Mai, Thailand, when it turns into a bustling market.

It seems like wherever you go in Thailand there is a temple. Even villages often have impressive temples. The tourists are all busy clicking away on their cameras and admiring the structure, the gold leaf and the fancy carved shapes of the temple. And when they have seen a dozen or so temples they get tired of them and proclaim that they all end up looking alike after a while.

The Thais look at their temples with very different eyes. They see many aspects that are totally hidden from the tourists. Not that anyone is trying to hide anything, but you really have to live in Thailand to understand why the temples are so important to the Thais. And no, it is not their fancy shape. There are some dilapidated temples and even old temple ruins that are highly revered. Why is that? Read the rest of this entry

Thailand along with any other place on the planet has its good and not so good sides. That’s just how life works. We have have to look at the overall balance. For me, there are more good sides to Thailand than problematic sides. That’s why I live here.

It can be quite interesting to look at how one characteristic can be both good and not so good, depending on the context. The Thai people are generally quite patient. This can be very refreshing, especially if, like in my case,  you came from the US where patience is not high on the agenda. Read the rest of this entry