Recently I went to my local fruit and veggie market here in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and to my surprise there was a stage set up and there was a whole big show going on. It was put on by a phone company to promote their products, but the unusual thing was that they had some “ladyboys”, transsexuals, do the show. Luckily I had a camera with me and I caught the action. There are some pretty amazing things going on in Thailand, and that was definitely one of them!
So what is the secret? Unlike western countries where you really need to know the traffic rules if you don’t want to get into trouble quickly, in Thailand you might be better off not knowing too much about the traffic rules. This might be a little tongue-in-cheek, but there is definitely some truth to it.
Here in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I see lots of people getting stopped by the cops for traffic violations. But why does the same cop give you a ticket for not wearing a helmet in the morning, but in the afternoon he could’t care less?
Many people think that driving in Thailand is chaotic. But if you just shift your expectations a little, you will do just fine. I have been driving in Thailand for many years, accident free – knock on wood! Here is my experience of handling traffic. There is no need to be afraid of it, all that is needed is an attitude adjustment. Here is the story on video:
Thailand is the country which I have chosen as my home, and I have had many wonderful experiences with the Thai people. Sometimes there are amusing experiences also, and here is one of them. In this case it shows the belief of many Thais that all westerners are rich. I wish they were right! Many Thai women see a relationship with a western man as a way to improve their economic standing, and in many cases, this is exactly what happens. In my story here one woman tried a little too hard.
Is living in Thailand paradise? What are the pros and cons? Who is this lifestyle for? This is a behind-the-scenes look at living in Thailand as a foreigner.
When I tell people that I live in Thailand, I often get feedback along the lines of “You are so lucky”, “I would love to be able to do that too”, “You live in paradise”, or “What an amazing lifestyle”.
Then there are the people who are not sure on which continent Thailand is and who could not find it on a map if their life depended on it.
Here is a tip. China is easy to find on a map, it is plenty big enough. If you look for the lowest or southernmost part of China, then you will see Thailand right below there along with some other small countries like Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam. This part of the world is called “southeast Asia”. Read the rest of this entry
Every year there is an amazing temple pilgrimage happening in Chiang Mai, Thailand. This year, in 2010, it happened in late May. The goal is to walk up to Doi Suthep temple, which is the most venerated shrine in Chiang Mai. The challenge is that this temple is not in the city, but way up a steep mountain, 14 kilometers (9 miles) from the outskirts of the city.
Thais are not really much into exercising in general, but on this day tens of thousands of people stream up the mountain – in the middle of the night! Daytime temperatures would almost certainly result in heat stroke for many participants, so people start walking in the evening when it is cooler.
Thais love to party and they have a real talent when it comes to organizing festivities. All the way up the long mountain road volunteers pass out thousands of free water bottles to prevent dehydration. There is free food for everyone too. Read the rest of this entry
The 15 year old daughter of a Thai friend of mine had basic English lessons in a school in Thailand for five years, and she is not able to say a single sentence in English. How is this possible? I took her under my wings and started talking with her and had her say words and sentences in English. Within a few weeks she could carry on a simple conversation in English. What happened here?
Imagine sitting in a classroom where the teacher is talking at you constantly. Culturally it is considered inappropriate to ask questions, come up with creative ideas or suggestions, and there is no active, lively exchange between teachers and students. It is a one way lecturing style of education. Read the rest of this entry
Thailand is a hot country. Not all tropical areas are hot. You might be at the equator, but if you are high enough in the mountains, the weather can be very pleasant. But closer to sea level, it can get mighty hot in the tropics.
This year we have unusually hot weather in Thailand in May. Thais don’t bake their food, so there are hardly any ovens in Thailand, but these days just being outside feels like being in an oven. The sun is cooking you mercilessly. That is no big deal if you live in an airconditioned house and drive an airconditioned car. But airconditioning is far from being standard equipment in Thai homes, and small motorbikes are the transportation of choice, or rather necessity, for many millions of Thais. Read the rest of this entry
Thailand is known for a great variety of delicious tropical fruits, and when you go to a Thai market, they are bursting with piles of colorful fruits and vegetables. But few vegetarians, if any, live off fruits alone. There is such a thing as a fruitarian, but it is way out on the extreme side of vegetarianism, and very few people try to follow this for an extended period of time.
Are all vegetarians health conscious?
The availability of produce in Thailand is definitely a plus for vegetarians. However there is another side to the story. Although most people think that all vegetarians are extremely health conscious, this is not necessarily so. India is one good example. There are many millions of vegetarians in India, but there is lots of white sugar, white rice, heavy milk products and sweets, and deep fried food in their diet. And many of the Indian vegetarians are seriously overweight. Read the rest of this entry
So what is the secret? Unlike western countries where you really need to know the traffic rules if you don’t want to get into trouble quickly, in Thailand you might be better off not knowing too much about the traffic rules. This might be a little tongue-in-cheek, but there is definitely some truth to it.