Geek in Thailand. Jody Houton
Contents
Harmony, Disorder and Smiles
CHAPTER 1
Thai History and Culture
A Brief History of Thailand
The Color of Politics
What to Do But Launch a Coup
The Land of Plenty
The Thai Language
Thailand’s Most Important Religious Sites
The Importance of Thai Buddhism
Other Religions in Thailand
Thai Folklore
Thailand’s Royal Palace
CHAPTER 2
Thai Design and Craftsmanship
Style Starts at Home
Thai Antiques and Crafts
Revival of the Thai Silk Industry
The Artistry of Tribal Textiles
Little Pieces of Paradise
A Shopaholic’s Paradise
A Market for Every Purpose
CHAPTER 3
The Unique Thai Character
Mai Phen Rai: Behind the Thai Smile
Ethnic and Regional Differences
Thai ‘Pretties’: The Thai Ideal of Beauty
Ladyboys: Thailand’s Third Gender
Living in the City
Thriving Companies in Thailand
Working with Thais
Successful Foreigners in Thailand
Jobs for Foreigners
CHAPTER 4
Amazing Thailand
Weird and Wonderful Thai Pastimes
Thailand’s Karaoke Culture
The Joys of Thai Massage
Muay Thai Past and Present
The Ladyboy Cabaret Show
CHAPTER 5
The Joys of Thai Food
Food in Thailand
What Makes Thai Food Thai?
Thai Street Food
A Guide to Popular Restaurant Dishes
Thai Bar Culture and Etiquette
A Guide to Thai Beverages
CHAPTER 6
Thai Music, Movies, Art, Theater, TV and Books
Traditional Thai Dance and Puppet Theater
The Thai Music Scene
The Bewildering World of Thai TV
Thai Film
Thai Art and Artists
Thai Literature
CHAPTER 7
Visiting Thailand
Bangkok: The City of the Future
Phuket and Other Andaman Islands
Chiang Mai and the North
Colorful Thai Festivals
Adventure of a Lifetime
Advice, Tips and Warnings
Photo Credits
HARMONY, DISORDER AND SMILES
A visit to Thailand is likely to be an infuriating, alienating and head-scratching experience that will also provide the most wonderful and welcoming of culture shocks.
Thailand assaults the senses with an overload of activity—an explosion of colors, sounds, sights, smells and tastes. It possesses a seductive spirituality born not only from Buddhist values but from an ancient animist approach that has its origins in the country’s folklores and forests.
This book is an attempt to understand one of the world’s most visited countries—but goes beyond the usual tourist brochures and guidebooks. A Geek in Thailand is an exploration of why Thailand at once appears so foreign and chaotic yet familiar and ordered. Through a journey that includes understanding the complex cacophony of components that make up Thailand’s food, noise levels, politics, traffic and contradictory character traits, we will begin to discover how seeking a balance, a harmony and a level of calm in all these integral elements is at the heart of the soul and culture of the country and essence of being Thai.
LOOKS CAN BE DECEPTIVE
Although young Thai men may wear T-shirts bearing the names of Western bands and cheer for English football teams on Saturday nights, and although Thai women may wear the latest fashions and cultivate looks championed by their Japanese and Korean counterparts, Thais are inexplicably unique in their outlook. There is pride in the nation’s individualistic Thai perspective that stems not only from it being the only Southeast Asian country to ever resist colonization by Western powers but also from the deep reverence and respect for the intrinsic national Thai values of Nation, Religion and Monarchy.
The Thai New Year, Songkran, is perhaps the world’s biggest water fight.
Being happy in Thailand is important, and there are even military-led campaigns to encourage it.
The longer you stay in Thailand, the more questions you are likely to ask. To understand Thailand, you must have a knowledge of its geographical position and the influence of its neighbors. To understand Thai people, you must at least know of the one-time existence of more than 50 ethnic groups that were ‘unified’ and rebranded ‘Thai’ by one of the country’s most controversial and influential 20th-century prime ministers. To understand the Thai national character, you must have an awareness of its people’s propensity to smile, to save face and to respect the ‘tribe’ above all else. To understand Thailand is to understand the political divisions of its people, which at times seem to manifest itself as little more than a preference for a particular color of clothing.
Tourists on a jungle trek in Maetang get a good soaking.
The infamous Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan has become a rite of passage for young visitors.