Za few days before returning from the last trip to Thailand one of my friends sent me a message on Whatsapp, where he wrote: “Again there again? Well, what is so unusual there, why do you like Thailand that every year you spend your holidays there? What is it about it that you keep coming back to?
The story of my acquaintance with the Kingdom of Thailand
Then I did not answer him. There were too many thoughts, and text too. But I really asked this question, so direct and simple at first glance ... A simple question that I had not seriously thought about before.
I don't mean standard answers like "fabulous beaches, warm sea, delicious food, mild climate" and something like that, I'm talking about something else. Now I can answer my friend and myself.
We have vacationed in Thailand a total of nine times over the past 6 years, and when this year the trip was postponed indefinitely, my mood definitely went into the negative.
In fact, my dream of Asia goes back into the distant past. Fifteen years ago, when we were planning our first trip abroad, we also considered Tai. But something did not grow together and in the end we went to Cuba. Then there were other countries, but not Asia and Thailand, which I did not forget.
Several years passed, and I still lived with thoughts about the upcoming trip, and I knew that it was just a matter of time. About seven years ago, I got into a conversation with one of my acquaintances, who, having an appropriate material basis and a passionate love for Tai, drove to Phuket several times a year. A few are not two, but three or more ... I remember then he told me - "you fly off once, and then you get attached." And he turned out to be absolutely right.
When I first came to Thailand, I was not without some prejudices and fears, although after a bottle of fifteen-year-old rum in the slums of Haiti, there is little that can scare me :)).
But still, you know, some wariness was present. Pattaya, trances, swindlers at every turn, moral decline and the like. I have said this many times, I will repeat one more - almost five minutes after passport control, I realized the groundlessness of my negative thoughts. I felt not only safe, but somewhat calmer than at home.
In fact, I feel more relaxed in Thailand than anywhere else in the world. But do not think that the smiles of many Thais relaxed me and put me into some kind of state of euphoria.
Before my trip to Tai, I had already been to the Dominican Republic three times, but when it comes to a kind, sincere smile, the Dominicans have no equal. I was also in Cambodia, and in my opinion, Cambodians smile even more than Thais. And of course some traditions and customs of Thailand not at all for me and not for me.
The feeling of freedom and peace are the main feelings of Thailand
But in Tae, I feel freedom around me. I am not a Thai, not a visa resident of the country, I am an ordinary tourist. Therefore, I can only judge this country from the point of view of a tourist. Also, I do not think about the politics of the state and I am not specifically interested in it.
By and large, I don’t care what kind of political system is there, who rules and how. Perhaps the constitutional monarchy restricts the rights and freedoms of the inhabitants, but ... in the end, our "super democratic" laws also restrict me.
In Thailand, I met, for the most part, spiritually free, happy people, satisfied with their lives and what they have, from the seller of grilled pork ribs from the night market in Phuket, ending with the owner of a small cafe, not far from Walking Street in Pattaya.
I'm not idealizing Tai, I'm talking about mine the impression of the majority of residentsthat I have met. After all, a lot myths about Thailand are now known to many.
When I'm in Thailand, I really feel at ease. Something in the air literally makes me think deeper. I notice interesting details and even learn to look at everyday life differently. Each new visit to Tai changes me a little. There is no rush here, everything happens a little slower, but somehow stronger and more significant than at home and in other countries.
It is clear that for me Tai is a vacation, without the usual work worries and burdens of everyday affairs. This certainly affects the perception of the surrounding reality. However, I think that it is a completely different culture and a different mentality of the Thais that makes us see what sometimes we do not pay attention to in the familiar world around us.
Traveling around Asia, I realized that our life is actually not some big, super important matter or a serious duty that we must certainly fulfill. Our life is a moment in which, remaining good people, we must be happy.
And happiness is not a lot of money or expensive prestigious things. Happiness is that Waking up in the morning feeling healthy and ready to enjoy life.
In Thailand, I become calm, and really forget about the things that are so important for many of us in everyday life. Personally, Thailand gives me the opportunity to look at things easier and more intelligently.
About Thais and their way of life
I like the way Thais live. Indeed, despite the relative poverty and not quite a standard education, in some matters they are not only smarter than us, but also more knowledgeable.
No, don't think, I don't want to live like some of them, it happens that without electricity and hot water. I have no desire to walk barefoot or constantly sleep in a hammock in the likeness of a house without windows with nets.
But on the other hand, I also don't want to live like most people I know. The majority that surrounds themselves with countless material "goods", focusing on things that, by and large, do not change anything.
I am not an expert on Buddhism, although I know the stories of Gautama. But in practice, I noticed that in countries with a predominance of the Buddhist philosophy of life, there are much more calm and kind people. These people are more tolerant of others and less concerned with the material side of life.
These are not some radical religious views, these are just observations based on my little experience. I never lived in Thailand for a long time, I did not work there, I did not build my house or business. In a word, I do not know this "kitchen" from the inside.
But still there is something in this country that allows everyone to be themselves. If you allow yourself to do this, you can kind of look at yourself from the outside and decide if what you have been doing so far is right for you. Is the path you have chosen in life the path you really want to go on.
Democracy in Thai: long live the king!
I know that this is a country where there is a monarchy, which, in general terms, is fundamentally the opposite of democracy, but ... During my stay in Thailand, I was extremely surprised and even a little frightened by the loyalty of the Thais to their king and members of the royal family.
And this is not blind devotion and humility inspired by propaganda - this is love and a sincere understanding that they owe everything to them, or rather, to Him. But on the other hand, they treated him not as God, but as a person who had weaknesses, illnesses, but who always thought about his nation and made many positive changes in the existence of his people.
And if you look at it, the system of democracy works when you are in a group of people whose views win. But in fact, from the point of view of an ordinary person, in any system there is always someone who decides for you. As for me, being in the minority on some issues, I have to endure what I not only disagree with, but also condemn.
Yes, there is no usual “democracy” in Thailand, but is their personal freedom limited? During my visits to this country, I did not notice this. I believe that Thailand is a place where the people of our civilization find, if they want, exactly what they lack every day.
It's safe to say that Thai won my heart and I am grateful to this Asian country. I feel at home in Thailand. I take a deep breath filled with specific, not always pleasant, aromas of air and am happy to be there again. I'm really at home...
PS I like that one pair of slippers is enough for all three or four weeks of my stay in the country. I like that I don't care about my appearance. And instead of looking at my reflection, I just look at the Thais. And I wonder which of us knows better how to live?
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