Let's talk Thai

Let’s talk Thai!

Ok… So I don’t know how and where to start. I promised myself that I would be sharing my first Thai experience to people whom I’m in contact with online. And that includes flooding their Multiply inboxes with gazillions of photos I took! But that’s just the least I could do. I figured writing was a more effective medium of letting people know what it is about Thailand that got me so hooked.

Ok… This one’s gonna be long. So bear with me please! Haha.

I really couldn’t decipher where this fascination of mine about anything Thai started. Of course I’ve heard about this country way back in elementary but that was it!  

Came high school… Someone named Tata Young showed up on the scene with her effort to conquer the international world of music armored by her nice set of legs and Mariah-ish image. Lol. 

Years after, a movie called “Bangkok Haunted” joined the league of numerous Japanese horror flicks making their way on Philippine movie scene. Again, none of these prompted me to even dare to ask what it is one can see there. Then came 2007. A friend of mine went to Thailand and had “the time of his life” (as he narrated it). And so I started googling. To my surprise, I enjoyed what I saw! Loads of sites showed its beautiful beaches, magnificent temples, sumptuous food, never-ending shopping haunts, booming entertainment scene, and everything! 

One night, a link to a popular Thai movie called “The Love of Siam” popped up as I was surfing. Suddenly I remembered this was the same movie that same friend asked me to see a year ago as he said this was extraordinarily good! But when I asked him what it was about, I just replied with my usual “if I have the time”. Anyway, I was surprised the whole movie was on YouTube. And man! Dang! I was moved after I watched it. I never thought 3-hour movies (with Titanic as the exception) could sustain my attention nowadays. Everything about it was excellent! Ok… So now I’m ranting! Just watch it if you have time people. 

Anyway, going back, such was this movie’s impact on me that when some friends asked me to go to Thailand, I readily gave a “yes”. Lol. I said I wanted to sit idly and eat much in Siam Square. Haha. 

So fast-forward… Three weeks after the trip, I still couldn’t get Thai off my system. Everything about it still lingers inside me! And swear to God, I bet people around me are irritated everytime I utter “Eh kase sa Thailand…” and “Balik tayo dun!” statements! There’s just too much really I’ve embraced with my heart about Thailand and its culture! The people are so friendly. They truly charm the world with their smile. I missed doing the wai, which was their way of showing respect to others specially to elders. It’s somehow similar to our mano po. One more thing was their use of “kha/p” at the end of every statement, which can be likened to our “po, opo”. Discipline wise though, I think they’re way over us. I was shocked to see people line up when going inside the train and witness drivers following every traffic rule there is – lanes are followed and not too much horning! Maybe this has something to do with their form of government. I was told their King (Bhumibol) and Queen (Sirikit) were given the highest respects. Kids in the early years were already taught this basic societal obligation. What’s more interesting to note was that not any foreign group colonized Thailand. Dang! What!? We were under the Spaniards, Japanese, Americans and God knows who else for eras of our existence! 

This may be the reason why their culture is still much preserved – the magnificent temples and their way of writing. Thai characters are so cute! They appear like mushrooms to me but I enjoyed seeing them as they remind me I’m really on Thailand soil! Hahaha. And man, when you’re there, you would see every sort of mushroom there is in every corner! 

I also had the best time when we went to Phuket. Leo’s “The Beach” was there right before my very eyes! It was a surreal feeling! Then I realized we were so much alike as tourist locations. Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui = Boracay, Bohol, Palawan! Chiang Mai = Baguio! The major difference may be lies on the fact that we’re so island people! I mean, 7, 107 islands make each group of people in most areas speak and maybe react differently to certain issues. Haha. 

Anyway, shopping is a must-do in Thailand! It’s more convenient as compared to other countries since 1 peso is somehow equivalent to 1 baht. So no need to convert that much! Items in the markets specially clothes were so stylish not to mention affordable! I enjoyed Chatuchak and Platinum Fashion Mall! As a matter of fact, clothes that I buy from Trinoma have this “Made in Thailand” on their tags. So even if I’m here, I still breathe Thailand. Hahaha.

There’s more to share but my hands are so tired already so I’ll shut up now. Bye!

am i back?

omg! i just learned i wasn't writing anything for this site the past two months or so...

gosh! and so i promise to be back. really! i'm still putting some thoughts on track regarding some recent travels i had the past month. i hope i could make some sensible and honest entry about my thai experience. haha. it was "something" really! sort of huge for me. it was my first trip abroad for Christ's sake! 

ok... so, i don't know what else to say. i badly missed this opportunity to have my brain muscles stretched a bit not on some routine "patient was able to" OT stuff but on something more interesting, dynamic, and vibrant like ranting about the jeepney driver who asked for an unfair .50 cents extra on my fare this morning or the face of the beggar i saw at the side of the road before i went home. lol. am i making sense here people? or just talking shit? haha.

basta! --> it's been a while since i uttered this! hahahahaha.

i'll be back with a bang! just watch and see!