Amazing Thailand

Thailand is the most amazing and fascinating country. Here are a couple of unusual things you should really try to look out for while you are here.

Visitors to Thailand have often asked me why they see lots of trucks and vehicles with old bicycle inner tubes dangling around the wheel arches and tyres. Next time you are out in a taxi keep a special look out to see what I mean.

Thai people like things nice and clean. If you don’t believe me have a look around next time you fly into Bangkok airport and notice how spotless it is; toilets are cleaned methodically every half hour, armies of cleaners pick up any stray litter and even the passport officials are scrubbed spotless and are shiny faced. This passion for cleanliness extends to truck drivers too! Believe it or not, they hate to see the tyres on their truck getting all dirty and dusty (you know how it is), and have ingeniously discovered that hanging a bunch of old rubber inner tubes from the wheel arch keeps tyres looking as fresh and clean as when they were first unwrapped by the tyre fairy. As the wheels roll along they brush against the rubber so maintaining a lovely shiny black sheen…brilliant isn’t it.

Another more traditional site in Thailand is the early morning alms round by Buddhist Monks. Every street block in every city, or village in the countryside is built around a Buddhist temple, which is the centre of the community. Every morning at about 6.00 a delegation of monks dressed in bright saffron robes will walk solemnly around the neighbourhood with big silver bowls receiving food from the local congregation. It’s quite an arresting site so early and is widespread throughout Thailand. Whether you are staying in Chiang Mai in the north, or spending a few days in Bangkok or on an island it’s worth getting up early and being part of it.

As a foreigner, it’s more than acceptable to make an offering of food, and will be readily accepted. I recently asked a monk what he would really like me to put into the alms bowl and he said (I kid you not) “McDonalds burgers”. Most people drop in a bag or two of cooked rice and a bag of curry…usually bought from the market, but equally some ham sandwiches from the Seven Eleven will do. Due to the accepting nature of Buddhism, monks are not allowed to show any preference for what they eat…if you are kind enough to give it, they are gracious enough to eat it. Toss in a couple of packets of Smarties along with Big Mac and Fries and you’ll have friends for life.

There are numerous things in Thailand that are both unusual and unique, it’s a country where the harder you look the more fascinating it becomes. Happy Life Change Holidays.