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| Taken at a very famous Buddhist temple near Hua Hin. |
If you're looking for culture, boy does Thailand provide plenty of it.
I've lived here now for a collective 16 months and have certainly been steeped in so many aspects of the culture. So I thought it was high time for a post on Thailand itself -- its people, way of life -- as seen through my relatively objective eyes.
In no way here am I trying to encompass everything. That would take a book -- and many have written books (which are worth a read). I would just like to impart some of the details I've found interesting in living here over these past 2 years.
Since October of last year I have been dating a Thai. Prior to that I was sort of an outsider looking in. The Thais I came to know would only teach me the polite, simple words; I would only really know the touristy sort of restaurants and markets to check out; and I stayed oblivious to many interesting facets of the culture. Since October though, it's like the doors have opened -- certainly not all the way -- but the light is shining through more and more every day. And it's a great experience!
Now I speak more Thai, I can shamelessly say tons of slang and dirty words and I'm more aware of cultural sensitivities and can make better predictions. I guess it's slowly making it easier and more comfortable to live here.
Thai Food
No dissertation of Thailand is complete without mentioning the food. And let me tell you, Thais LOOOOVE their food.
In fact, many Thais don't take any particular interest in Western food. It's there, it's different and it taste's okay, but "Eh, I'll have geng keow waan gai please" (green curry chicken soup). This goes so far that some Thais will only take Thai Airways to and from other countries because they will always serve Thai food on the plane.
In their defense, Thai food is amazing. But it's so much more than what you get in The States or elsewhere. I myself have developed a Thai pallet. I see pizza or spaghetti on a menu, I take a look at the price and see if it\s worth it; I see Thai cashew nut chicken, I get giddy inside and order immediately!
Street Food
Mmmm, hmmm...
Before I first came to Bangkok in March of 2011, a number of Stateside friends told me to be wary of the street food. In fact, they came across as almost paranoid. "Oh my gosh, don't eat the street food", "Stay away from the food on the streets, it's not safe." What a bunch of BULL! Well, almost...
But me personally, I'm fearless. If it looks well cooked, nothing to be afraid of really. And, again in my defense and those of the Thais, how can you frickin resist the stuff sometimes! You're walking down a street and you come across this amazing waft of deliciousness. The stall says 40 Baht ($1.25) and you get a full bowl of amazing soup or a plate of spicy, zingy "pad gra pow" (spicy minced pork with basil).
"Moo satay" (sauteed pork strips on sticks with peanut sauce) is one of my favorite Thai dishes. And it's all over the streets!
Street food is also far cheaper than typical restaurant food. And believe it or not, it is almost always more rich in flavors and spices. There's something about that gritty, outside cookin' that makes it that much more authentic and awesome.
I refuse to eat Pad Thai in a restaurant, despite how good it may look on the menu. I've tried it many times and it always disappoints me; street Pad Thai is unbeatable -- and of course far cheaper. I can get Pad Thai on the street for 30 Baht, which is just under 1 buck!
Thai Smoothies
If anyone knows me well, they know that I am a total smoothie enthusiast. I am completely obsessed with smoothies and -- if I could -- would drink them for every meal.
For the uncompromisingly deliciousness of smoothies in Thailand, we have to go back one step: the fruit. Thai fruit -- again fruit you can get from street vendors -- is phenomenal. It's juicy, inexpensive and extremely accessible. The mangoes are to die for. Now, take these great fruits, and blend them just as they are -- no yoghurts or fancy "healthy" sugar alternatives -- just fruit, ice and a little a dash of sugar, and you got yourself heaven.
There is a cafe/street vendor near my university. They serve the best damn coconut smoothie I've had in this or any previous lifetime. Not a day of study goes by without me swiggin' down at least one of those bad boys.
Thai People
Okay, I need to move off of this food topic. Phew! It's making me hungry and I feel like I could talk about it for hours. My apologies.
Ah yes, the people of this country. What would Thailand be without its people?
When I speak about Thais, or any culture or people for that matter, to keep things short I cannot avoid speaking in general terms. So I surely don't speak about or speak for every Thai when I describe my experiences.
Thais are lovely people. They are friendly, smiley and easy going. When I was in America, a friend of mine I asked, "Why do you like Thailand?" I told him a number of reasons, but cited "the people" as a major one. He said, "But if you know who to associate with and befriend, you can find nice people in any country." He was right, but when I say "the people", I mean the pervasive ethnic, collective spirit of the inhabitants of this country. It's a sort of unique dynamic in and of itself.
I consider myself a friendly person. And I find it very, very easy for that friendliness to reciprocate when I interact with Thais.
Now, the downside of this is the fact that Thais don't want to lose face. Getting angry or showing frustration is a sign of weakness.
There's something somewhat comforting about the Western world; most people tend to "say it like it is". If they have a problem with something you've said, they'll pipe up and take the issue up. Thais tend to be non-confrontational, not pushing for an argument or direct conflict. If they disagree with something, they might simply not respond or they may tell a harmless, white lie.
The most commonly used phrase in the Thai language is "mai bpen rai" which means "don't worry" or "no problem". It diffuses almost any situation or brief encounter with trouble. Just walk away, smile and say "mai bpen rai" and you'll be alright.
With all that said however, human nature dictates that when you're pissed -- you're pissed. And holding a smile can only go so far. I've seen Thais go at it with each other. In fact, a friend of mine told me two trainers at our Muay Thai gym lost it on each other back in December and both were sent off to the hospital. (I don't believe they work there anymore).
If you ever find yourself feeling extremely frustrated at someone or a situation, do not blow up and show it. Go for a walk, kick a tree, do anything besides express resentment or anger. It never bods well if you think getting flustered will intimidate a Thai. It doesn't work. It either gets really awkward (the Thai's thinking "Who the hell is this guy?") or comes back at you hard.
Oh, and don't ever -- EVER -- piss off a ladyboy. Sounds funny, but very true. I saw a foreigner get beat over the head with a wooden post in Hua Hin when he pissed one of them off.
The Finer Details
If you've followed any of my posts since I started this blog, you probably have a good sense of the landscape and beauty of many parts of this country. And you've probably read a number of interesting adventures or anecdotal stories in the time I've spent here.
So, for the finer details. Things to be aware of when visiting Thailand.
The Tricky Smile and Nod
Oooh this one's a doozie, I tell ya. Watch out. It goes back to the Thai friendliness aspect and partly the losing face aspect. A Thai does not want to disappoint you if they see you're kindhearted and in need. Looking for directions somewhere? Expect a nice answer, but don't always expect a wholly accurate one.
In October of 2011, I lived in a suburb of the Bangkok province, about 50 minutes out of the city. A friend and I took a trip into the city on my motor scooter to meet up with someone in Chinatown. Now, it was of course my initial mistake to a) not have a definite set of directions and b) not be carrying anything even resembling a map.
After arriving at the general area around Chinatown, we spent a good solid 90 minutes being tossed around Bangkok in search of the main Chinatown road. I asked, and I kid you not, about 12 different people how to get there. Granted my Thai was poor at the time, but you can get by pretty well with rudimentary language and hand signals ("go that way, turn left, etc").
Each person was very friendly when I approached them and spoke to them in Thai. Thais are always very cheerful and sometimes surprised when a foreigner greets them and initiates conversation in their language. So each person gave me a big smile and some general direction to head toward to get to Chinatown. Overall, it was actually a hilarious experience, but I learned a valuable lesson there.
Secondly, this applies to almost anything, especially when you're trying to converse in English. I have seen time and time again -- and it pains me so -- where a tourist asks a Thai for or about something in English and gets a very curt "yes" with a smile and nod. Or just a nod with a "Uh" sound. On the outside, it seems so convincing.
I learned this the hard way too. If you're going to speak English to a Thai that doesn't speak English well, DO NOT become satisfied with a quick "yes" or a nod. Man oh man. Sometimes Thai vendors just want to see you buy something or want to move on with whatever they were doing. They don't want to say no because that might come across rude. So if they don't understand, they'd prefer to say yes and/or smile and nod.
There's a funny story from back in 2011. I was on Koh Phayam, a very small, non-touristy island down in the South on the Andaman Sea. Me and a friend were looking for a bar/restaurant where we were to meet other friends at around 7:30pm. We were told it was along the beach on the east side of the island. As we walked along the beach, we came across a large hut; what appeared to be a restaurant. An 8 year old boy outside greeted us. We asked, "Is this a bar?" He quickly smiled, nodded and said -- you guessed it -- "yes". Not convinced (having just learned my Chinatown directions lesson), I asked again. Got the same answer. Then I asked, "Where is the bar on the beach?" His response: "Yes" and a big grin.
(I'm smiling and nodding as I write this.)
Soi Dogs
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| Just chillaxin' on a lazy, Sunday afternoon. |
If you've ever been to Thailand, if even for a day, you will have undoubtedly noticed the soi dogs. No, this isn't some hipster grunge band or some new kind of energy drink. These are semi-owned dogs that live and roam about the streets.
A "Soi" in Thailand is a smaller street branching off a larger thoroughfare. When looking for something, you'll usually here people say, "It's down such and such road, Soi number X". These dogs tend to collect down these less busy streets -- the soi's.
I say semi or partially owned because that's exactly what they are. They don't belong to a household. They don't wear collars and respond to "sit" and "heel". They stay in the same general area, usually around a street vendor, and eat the scraps or whatever charity food is offered. Street vendors and street workers become fond of these dogs. Sometimes they even give them names. But they won't bath them, they won't bring them into their house, they just look after them with food and water.
Some get more food than others.
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| "I shouldn't have asked them to SuperSize it..." |
This is a part of Buddhist culture. 95% of Thais are Buddhists. Buddhism is about life, helping others, karma. And the living and breathing things around us are a part of life. So to willfully kill or ignore a stray soi dog (or cat), is basically bad karma.
Most soi dogs are like their semi-owners: very relaxed, friendly and non-confrontational. They just want to be fed and don't want any problems. It's always hilarious to see new foreigners in Thailand that see these "non-collared" dogs and become completely terrified. I've grown so accustomed to them because I simply love dogs. Sometimes I'll even call their attention and give 'em a pat on the head. Or the tummy :)
Service at a Restaurant
As a foreigner, don't go hooping and hollering in a restaurant in Thailand if you experience some aspect of service that's not to your refined, Western standard. This isn't to say that service in a restaurant is shoddy or negligent, but do not expect the same attitude toward service and response time.
Let's say you go to a nice restaurant in America. You sit down, the waiter approaches you, makes casual, polite conversation about the day and dining experience. Everyone smiles, you order drinks, then food, yadda, yadda, yadda. That's all fine and dandy. Your food comes within a reasonable amount of time, the check comes promptly and you leave with a respectable 15% -- or sometimes gracious 20% -- tip.
There's no tipping in Thailand. This has advantageous and disadvantageous. If you go to a nicer restaurant, they will actually include a 10% gratuity in the bill before you leave. Whether or not that money actually goes to the waiter, I don't know (but I believe it does not).
Now, what happens when someone is serving you and they will be getting at least 15% of whatever you're eating? They're generally going to be nice and accommodating. If they're real nice, they might even get 20%.
Not the case in Thailand. The waiters are generally not paid very well, and they're not tipped, so there's no real incentive to provide great service. I have recently come to notice this.
In America if we're given poor service or the wrong food we may demand to have some part of the meal waived. Or, if we're quite upset with the waiter's attitude, we may not even tip altogether (it's not illegal after all).
This service point truly dawned on me when I was at a very nice restaurant on the 55th floor of the Centara Grand Hotel for my birthday last month. The food was not cheap let me tell you, even by Western standards. But the service truly didn't match the price, the location, the view. And oooop, of course, there's that 10% gratuity, despite the fact there was truly nothing impressive about the service. The drinks came late, we asked for the cake box 3 times, the waiters were nearly impossible to get a hold of for the check. It goes on.
Anyway, I've come to accept this point and I simply don't get upset anymore when service is off or slow.
Transportation
Well I don't want to end on that somewhat of a depressing note, so let's talk about Bangkok transportation! Oh wait, that's also quite depressing sometimes...
Well, in my estimation, it is depressing if you have to drive into, out of, or around the city during any time of the day, except maybe Sunday -- maybe. As a city dweller since June of last year, I completely refuse to a) buy a car or drive a car in Bangkok and b) take a taxi during any period even closely touching rush hour. Forget it!
Bangkok traffic is some of the worst in Asia. It's bad, notoriously bad. Like bad, bad. Like, "Excuse me, I think I'll just walk these 10 kilometers, thank you" bad. So how do I stay sane?
I walk to and from work. Genius! The money I save in transportation costs to and from work, I use to rent a slightly nicer, far-more-convenient condo just 12 minutes from work.
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| Where I work, a view from my balcony. |
Now with all that said, there are some tricks to navigating the city without going completely crazy (can you tell yet that I hate traffic?):
- Walk. Yes, it's hot. But it can be adventurous and entertaining to walk a kilometer or two, if it means not sitting in a taxi for an hour.
- Take the skytrain and metro public train systems. If you're a tourist, these systems can take you to almost all of the hotspots of Bangkok. They're inexpensive, well-connected, not always crowded and can get you where you want to go fast. They're very modern and the government is always expanding the network.
- If you're near the river or a canal system, take a boat! I stayed near the Grand Palace for about a week one time. The main city center was about 15 kilometers southeast, but my hotel was right next to the water. They have a very, very inexpensive, well-run shuttle line that runs up and down the Chao Praya river for miles. And it connects with the skytrain system as well!
- If you want to pay the extra cost, take the "taang doo-an", the expressway. It costs about 30-40 Baht every 10 kilometers or so, but it can mean missing out on loads and loads of traffic.
- Take a motorcycle taxi. They're fantastic and usually very affordable. Sometimes they'll try and rip you off, so know the distance to where you're going and call them out on it. They'll always capitulate once they know you're smarter than you look. Motorcycle taxis can negotiate the motorways like no one's business. Just wear a helmet because there's police traps that will catch you. And they won't charge the taxi driver, they'll charge YOU.
- Lastly, whatever you do, don't get into a car and drive in, out of or around the main city roads between 7-10am and 4-8pm. It's gruesome.
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Well folks, that'll do it for this time around. I know there haven't been a lot of videos and pictures. But really, the best way to see and experience Thailand is to COME HERE! So there.
I hope you've enjoyed this post as much as I've enjoyed writing it. As you can see, I have a lot to say. I will probably do a Part II in the not too distant future. As for me right now, I am taking a 5-day trip to Vietnam next week! Going to Hanoi and then Halong Bay to experience some more of what Southeast Asia has to offer.
I'm certain a new blog post on my upcoming adventures will be coming soon. Until then, stay classy and I'll catch you later!
