This didn’t start as an appreciation. I was visiting the Immigration Department to extend my visa (a fairly
routine event for foreigners here). I set out with a clear understanding that things would be ‘Thai style’ and
that I was going to keep my cool.
I queued to get my application form without getting annoyed with the queue jumpers. Completed the form
and was pleased to see the photo I’d brought with me was all the paperwork I needed. I queued again for a
number and then moved to the bigger room to wait for my turn. For about 40 minutes I read a little and
watched the stressed tourists feeling just a little smug- my mistake!
At the counter I was told about a ‘new rule’. I needed copies of my passport for the application. Why wasn’t I
told when I collected the form?? On the way across the road to the copy shop, I loudly told the people at the
first desk they should be announcing the new rule, they and the queuers looked at me blankly.
Across the road the photo copy shop clearly knew about the ‘new rule’ and re-stapled my arrival card to fit
more on one page. Even in this chaos was a glimmer of hope as the copy was 2 bht a sheet. Yes more than if
the shop wasn’t opposite immigration but really, with the new demand, they could have charged what they
liked!
When I returned to the appropriate counter, I was told it had closed for lunch, come back in an hour! How can
anyone keep their cool in this? I have to say even the monks looked edgy! Luckily I had seen a coffee shop on
the way in and a short hot walk later I was in air conditioning with jaz playing being asked in perfect English
what I’d like. So the menu didn’t quite fit with my dietary requirements but it was just the rebalancing I
needed.
After lunch I found the right queue, watched the official do his stamping and the other official enter details on
the computer and then collected the passport when it was waved in the air. The only thing worse than
queuing at immigration must be working there. The constant noise, stressed people and repetitive tasks.
Thai people have a way seeming as though none of this gets to them. They ignore the people glaring at them
and willing them to move faster and continue at their own steady, or not so steady pace. Is this a power trip
for them?
Talking to a Thai friend, she says it’s no better for Thai people dealing with officials and apparently it used to
be much worse!
Signing and stamping pages of Thai writing or blank sheets has become routine for me. Finding I can’t do
even the simplest transactions with my business bank account, when my personal one is actually pretty good,
is now to be expected. I’m sure the bank people have a good laugh at the Soul Sanook (fun) woman who
really doesn’t find it Sanook to visit their bank.
As someone who values organisation and is experienced in making systems more efficient, what a perfect
place for my beliefs about ‘how things should be done’ to be provoked! Every culture and location has its own
set of challenges for those who live there and I believe, just like people come into our lives to teach us, so do
places. Thai bureaucracy really brings to a head the options… ‘Do you want to be right or happy?’
I find the unexpected, good and bad helps keep us on our toes and makes it very difficult to go into ‘automatic
pilot’ when out and about. I haven’t got used to seeing an elephant in the street or a cart being pulled down
the road with food still cooking. When walking we have to watch out for holes in the pavement, bikes,
motorbikes, food stalls and of course very slow walkers. (And really who walks quickly in the heat unless they
really have to?) It all nudges us to be in the present moment.
The weather here is approaching its hottest season. I have made friends with the heat (and with air con!).
Sweat is good! I love the way plants grow so quickly and the immediate switch of mood when it rains. I love
consistently waking up to blue skies. I love the cheap tasty food available anywhere anytime. I can ‘eat spicy’
and enjoy the local flavours and contrasts.
Whilst the chaos of the streets might suggest otherwise, I find Bangkok an easy place to be. Generally people
are smiley, calm and easy going. I feel safe. I think much of this has to do with Buddhism’s emphasis on
accepting things as they are. I hope some of this Buddhist philosophy has rubbed off on me.
Staying for so long (about 6 years) and only having a few words of Thai has been very interesting. I’m a very
creative mimer and I enjoy the daily connections with people through smiles and greetings, I’ve come to prefer
this to small talk. I have to take full responsibility when I’m not understood as I haven’t invested in learning
the language. When I first arrived I thought I would be more involved with local people and living but I don’t
fit in! And I don’t think I would do even if I spoke Thai, I have such a different perspective from most
Bangkokians. I have a few Thai friends who speak great English and who are also international citizens with
common interests but for the most part I’m an outsider. This means special treatment, privileged service and
attention. I cringe to think of the ‘special attention’ we give foreigners in the UK!
As outsiders, we have developed our own community. The need to belong is a pretty basic one and I see many
new arrivals struggle until they find their group. The groups are more ‘official’ here- women’s groups,
entrepreneur groups, interest groups. When we have all these challenges to our sense of ‘how things should
be’ we need to connect to others who appreciate our view (and preferably can help us to open our minds
rather than supporting us in closing them!)
Bangkok is a great place for transient ex-pats. The groups warmly accommodate new comers however we
often have to let go of close friendships when people move. This is tough and can also lead to people
withdrawing to protect themselves. A friend who has enjoyed a long international career said she prefers the
‘hardship postings’. When the environment is really bad, people bond quickly and depend on each other. In
Bangkok it’s possible to get by and this can lead to difficulties when people don’t invest in building strong
support networks.
Here it’s been possible for me to live in the centre of town and in an apartment I love within easy access of
friends, shops and events. Bangkok’s English speaking spiritual community is pretty small but it’s a great
place for learning Buddhist meditation and is sometimes enriched by visiting teachers. And of course it’s a
great hub for travel within the region. I also admire the day to day spirituality of Thai people. Putting out
offerings as part of their routine and acknowledging spirit houses when ever they pass. Spirituality is very
much part of everyday life.
The culture and beliefs that lead to the bureaucracy and difficulties foreigners have with getting things done
in work and outside are like a puzzle for me. We can read ‘Working with Thais’ and get some insights but then
there are the exceptions which make it incomprehensible. I get the impression there’s always a way round, it
might cost money, time and patience, it might not fit with our ethics, but there is a way. Of course you won’t
be told the way up front- it’s up to you to investigate, subtly!
Motor bike taxis seem to zip in and out of the rules as much as they do the traffic. They know when you must
wear a helmet, how to cut through apartment buildings and where to mount pavements. The motorbike taxis
in my soi (side street) are one of my favourite things about Bangkok. I was coming home a couple of weeks
ago with a friend on the sky train. We got off and she called her driver so he could come and meet her. I
simply jumped on the back of the waiting motor bike, he knew my destination all I had to do was enjoy the
cool breeze. Moments later I was home. Wouldn’t more people in other cities use public transport if there was
an easy way of getting to and from the bus/train stop?
I can’t finish this article without mentioning the cheep stuff- food, CDs, DVDs, things that are locally
produced. The ability to live cheaply has made it much easier for me to learn about business development ‘on
the job’. I have been able to take more risks and tolerate less security. Mine really is a special lifestyle. I find
Bangkok has many contrasting sides and different visitors and residents can experience the place totally
differently. My part of town (Sukhumvit) is not Bangkok and Bangkok is not Thailand!
This city has changed so much since I arrived and I wonder how the Bangkok of the future will be?
Presumably at some point they’ll address the dust and pollution, take the food stalls & elephants off the
streets. No doubt it’ll be healthier and easier but will it still have this character? I feel privileged to have lived
here at this time and to have had these rich experiences.
Thai people can be quite insular but living in an international community and travelling regularly has
encouraged me to develop an international focus. I feel like a global citizen, I enjoy meeting and working with
other international citizens and I look forward to experiencing many more places on this wonderful planet.
Debbie is travelling to the UK early in April 2009 and is considering a number of options for what’s next. She
will however be continuing Soul Sanook Coaching and her close links with Thailand.
routine event for foreigners here). I set out with a clear understanding that things would be ‘Thai style’ and
that I was going to keep my cool.
I queued to get my application form without getting annoyed with the queue jumpers. Completed the form
and was pleased to see the photo I’d brought with me was all the paperwork I needed. I queued again for a
number and then moved to the bigger room to wait for my turn. For about 40 minutes I read a little and
watched the stressed tourists feeling just a little smug- my mistake!
At the counter I was told about a ‘new rule’. I needed copies of my passport for the application. Why wasn’t I
told when I collected the form?? On the way across the road to the copy shop, I loudly told the people at the
first desk they should be announcing the new rule, they and the queuers looked at me blankly.
Across the road the photo copy shop clearly knew about the ‘new rule’ and re-stapled my arrival card to fit
more on one page. Even in this chaos was a glimmer of hope as the copy was 2 bht a sheet. Yes more than if
the shop wasn’t opposite immigration but really, with the new demand, they could have charged what they
liked!
When I returned to the appropriate counter, I was told it had closed for lunch, come back in an hour! How can
anyone keep their cool in this? I have to say even the monks looked edgy! Luckily I had seen a coffee shop on
the way in and a short hot walk later I was in air conditioning with jaz playing being asked in perfect English
what I’d like. So the menu didn’t quite fit with my dietary requirements but it was just the rebalancing I
needed.
After lunch I found the right queue, watched the official do his stamping and the other official enter details on
the computer and then collected the passport when it was waved in the air. The only thing worse than
queuing at immigration must be working there. The constant noise, stressed people and repetitive tasks.
Thai people have a way seeming as though none of this gets to them. They ignore the people glaring at them
and willing them to move faster and continue at their own steady, or not so steady pace. Is this a power trip
for them?
Talking to a Thai friend, she says it’s no better for Thai people dealing with officials and apparently it used to
be much worse!
Signing and stamping pages of Thai writing or blank sheets has become routine for me. Finding I can’t do
even the simplest transactions with my business bank account, when my personal one is actually pretty good,
is now to be expected. I’m sure the bank people have a good laugh at the Soul Sanook (fun) woman who
really doesn’t find it Sanook to visit their bank.
As someone who values organisation and is experienced in making systems more efficient, what a perfect
place for my beliefs about ‘how things should be done’ to be provoked! Every culture and location has its own
set of challenges for those who live there and I believe, just like people come into our lives to teach us, so do
places. Thai bureaucracy really brings to a head the options… ‘Do you want to be right or happy?’
I find the unexpected, good and bad helps keep us on our toes and makes it very difficult to go into ‘automatic
pilot’ when out and about. I haven’t got used to seeing an elephant in the street or a cart being pulled down
the road with food still cooking. When walking we have to watch out for holes in the pavement, bikes,
motorbikes, food stalls and of course very slow walkers. (And really who walks quickly in the heat unless they
really have to?) It all nudges us to be in the present moment.
The weather here is approaching its hottest season. I have made friends with the heat (and with air con!).
Sweat is good! I love the way plants grow so quickly and the immediate switch of mood when it rains. I love
consistently waking up to blue skies. I love the cheap tasty food available anywhere anytime. I can ‘eat spicy’
and enjoy the local flavours and contrasts.
Whilst the chaos of the streets might suggest otherwise, I find Bangkok an easy place to be. Generally people
are smiley, calm and easy going. I feel safe. I think much of this has to do with Buddhism’s emphasis on
accepting things as they are. I hope some of this Buddhist philosophy has rubbed off on me.
Staying for so long (about 6 years) and only having a few words of Thai has been very interesting. I’m a very
creative mimer and I enjoy the daily connections with people through smiles and greetings, I’ve come to prefer
this to small talk. I have to take full responsibility when I’m not understood as I haven’t invested in learning
the language. When I first arrived I thought I would be more involved with local people and living but I don’t
fit in! And I don’t think I would do even if I spoke Thai, I have such a different perspective from most
Bangkokians. I have a few Thai friends who speak great English and who are also international citizens with
common interests but for the most part I’m an outsider. This means special treatment, privileged service and
attention. I cringe to think of the ‘special attention’ we give foreigners in the UK!
As outsiders, we have developed our own community. The need to belong is a pretty basic one and I see many
new arrivals struggle until they find their group. The groups are more ‘official’ here- women’s groups,
entrepreneur groups, interest groups. When we have all these challenges to our sense of ‘how things should
be’ we need to connect to others who appreciate our view (and preferably can help us to open our minds
rather than supporting us in closing them!)
Bangkok is a great place for transient ex-pats. The groups warmly accommodate new comers however we
often have to let go of close friendships when people move. This is tough and can also lead to people
withdrawing to protect themselves. A friend who has enjoyed a long international career said she prefers the
‘hardship postings’. When the environment is really bad, people bond quickly and depend on each other. In
Bangkok it’s possible to get by and this can lead to difficulties when people don’t invest in building strong
support networks.
Here it’s been possible for me to live in the centre of town and in an apartment I love within easy access of
friends, shops and events. Bangkok’s English speaking spiritual community is pretty small but it’s a great
place for learning Buddhist meditation and is sometimes enriched by visiting teachers. And of course it’s a
great hub for travel within the region. I also admire the day to day spirituality of Thai people. Putting out
offerings as part of their routine and acknowledging spirit houses when ever they pass. Spirituality is very
much part of everyday life.
The culture and beliefs that lead to the bureaucracy and difficulties foreigners have with getting things done
in work and outside are like a puzzle for me. We can read ‘Working with Thais’ and get some insights but then
there are the exceptions which make it incomprehensible. I get the impression there’s always a way round, it
might cost money, time and patience, it might not fit with our ethics, but there is a way. Of course you won’t
be told the way up front- it’s up to you to investigate, subtly!
Motor bike taxis seem to zip in and out of the rules as much as they do the traffic. They know when you must
wear a helmet, how to cut through apartment buildings and where to mount pavements. The motorbike taxis
in my soi (side street) are one of my favourite things about Bangkok. I was coming home a couple of weeks
ago with a friend on the sky train. We got off and she called her driver so he could come and meet her. I
simply jumped on the back of the waiting motor bike, he knew my destination all I had to do was enjoy the
cool breeze. Moments later I was home. Wouldn’t more people in other cities use public transport if there was
an easy way of getting to and from the bus/train stop?
I can’t finish this article without mentioning the cheep stuff- food, CDs, DVDs, things that are locally
produced. The ability to live cheaply has made it much easier for me to learn about business development ‘on
the job’. I have been able to take more risks and tolerate less security. Mine really is a special lifestyle. I find
Bangkok has many contrasting sides and different visitors and residents can experience the place totally
differently. My part of town (Sukhumvit) is not Bangkok and Bangkok is not Thailand!
This city has changed so much since I arrived and I wonder how the Bangkok of the future will be?
Presumably at some point they’ll address the dust and pollution, take the food stalls & elephants off the
streets. No doubt it’ll be healthier and easier but will it still have this character? I feel privileged to have lived
here at this time and to have had these rich experiences.
Thai people can be quite insular but living in an international community and travelling regularly has
encouraged me to develop an international focus. I feel like a global citizen, I enjoy meeting and working with
other international citizens and I look forward to experiencing many more places on this wonderful planet.
Debbie is travelling to the UK early in April 2009 and is considering a number of options for what’s next. She
will however be continuing Soul Sanook Coaching and her close links with Thailand.
A Personal Appreciation of Thailand
Soul Sanook Coaching
Copyright 2009 Soul Sanook Coaching. All rights reserved. |
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| Written by Debbie Reeds, Life and Executive Coach, www.soulsanook.com info@soulsanook.com |