Thailand

After Inspecktion, Bangkok seems a city with style; an efficient business, entertainment and transport centre with character. The southern coasts are welcoming, humble places which are made easy to travel by obliging locals.

This has been a small taste of the diversity that goes into Thailand’s make-up. Thailand has a great range of choices for the visitor. Whether these choices are available to nationals is another matter. From Phileas’ point of view, options are presented everywhere from sleeping, eating and drinking through to shopping, transport and entertainment. It’s so easy to stumble out of a luxury hotel costing ₤125, eat Pad Thai on the street for 50p and have a short taxi ride or bus to the other end of the country for around ₤8.

Thailand has developed and its society has stretched. ‘Progress’ has not been so prolonged to lose the smaller, independent family traders who offer good products in return for a worthwhile lifestyle. However, ‘progress’ has not been so effective as to create a consistent culture of health and hygiene. Stray cats and dogs visit mid-range restaurants and chicken carcasses are left to the midday sun. Soap and water, safety instructions and equipment? You make your free choice and take your chances. In many ways it beats the pervasive fear of risk now lingering in the West.

Thailand is not a manicured land but has natural beauty in abundance; too much to see in any visit, and (unfortunately) too common for Man to appreciate fully after a week. Phileas has to consciously remind himself that finding limestone cliffs, turquoise seas and long sandy beaches lined with palm orchards is not an everyday occurrence, and he should be thankful for having such an opportunity. Phileas is thankful but also in a state of great turmoil. Whilst he loves to be in such an environment, he has also noticed the steady degradation of nature by Man. Roads, hotels, bungalows, cafes, boats and bars all to serve the visitor – Phileas. Hating the problem but being a part of it.

If only Thailand had remained a secret, we could’ve all enjoyed the scenery as it was meant to be, although we should likely have never seen it at all. It only remains for the Thais to share their secret responsibly. Unfortunately, in many areas, the allure of farang cash is greater than the instinct to preserve why the farang are coming in the first place. The tsunami of 2004 gave the government a chance to plan for the future. Maybe next time.

Some places, however, will always be attractive no matter how hard Man tries to make money or fails to understand. There will always be somewhere to go in Thailand which will make you smile, and perhaps feature in your own perfect day.

Phileas