Thai Apartheid

When I left Seoul I embarked on what I thought would be a relatively short journey down to Singapore and Malaysia. I was dead wrong, I forgot how darn BIG Asia truly is. I shall explain about the Singapore and Malaysia experience in my next post, as in my original plan for the trip, that was the only part of SE Asia I was supposed to visit.

I however, like every trip I have ever taken made some minor changes, which thus expanded as the opportunity to meet up with friends across the world is tooooooooooo good to be true. And hence we have THAILAND!

I was in Thailand five years ago, I visited Bangkok, Kanchanaburi province, Koh Samui and Ko Phanang. I can honestly say that at that time I was not very satisified with what drew people to Thailand; The sex Tourism, alcohol, full moon parties, crowded beaches, happy ending massages and so forth seemed a bit to over indulgent. I did not think much of what made Thailand this way or that it seemed that Thailand is the only country like this, as last time I just used thailand as a relaxation break before India.

Fast forward 5 years, arrival at the Phuket Airport from Malaysia and I noticed a big difference in the way I went about my Thai experience. I flew up to visit my friends Courtney and Sarah.

Since we all were crossing the earth, it seemed logical to meet up here in this southern corner of Thailand. I landed, Court met me at the airport, we rocked into town for a friday night of MAYHEM, it was fun being there with them. We rocked motor bikes around the Island, caught a small boat to a secluded beach, drank many beers and indulged in the sun. I enjoyed taking a "vacation", while on vacation. I however can only handle such activities for a short while, and I began to crave more. I realized that in two trips to Thailand I literally learned next to NOTHING about Thai culture. The Thai tourism industry is sooooooooooo built up that they have seperate buses for tourists, restaurants, beaches, motor bikes and so on so forth. The closest thing Courtney and I got to experience their culture is when we got a flat tire on our moped and we had to slide into the back of a pick up with two old thai women, roll down to a small inland village repair shop and get the bike fixed, which by the way I think was my high light in Thailand.

I left the gals and headed over to Ko Phanang to see an old friend from England, Carly. I then again began to realize the sheer volume of which tourism has engulfed this country. I took a flight, not a single Thai person on it, I took a bus, no Thai's, a boat, again no Thai's, a shared taxi, No Thai's and I began to ask myself, how the heck to these people get around, what do they do? What are their names even like.... This is reference to an Australian girl who was sleeping with the bartender at the resort, he was from Burma. I asked one day where the Burmese fellow was, as I could not remember his name, she replied; "You know he has a name right? His name is JAMES".... I said REALLY? Is that a particularly COMMON name is Burma? Then she had to stop and think about the charade that is Thailand, and that she does not even know the real name of the guy she has been sleeping with for over a weeek.

I have been to many third world countries, but I find myself surrounded by them, packed on busses with them, eating with them, but here, not a chance.

I left me puzzling the extent to which tourism can be good for a country. Of course their economy is doing better as a result, but when ever a country relies to much on tourism, it is never a good thing, feast of famine can ensue very quickly, case in point when Thailand had their massive Tsunami a few years ago, or the global financial melt down of 2008.

As I left Thailand, heading down to the South, the city of Hat Yai before boarding a bus to Malaysia I thought to myself again. How much longer will authentic cultures exist in this global world? Can these countries survive and preserve their ways of life, their languages or even their names, or will more countries completely compromise themselves to become like Thailand.

However, it is possible too that the Thai's keep themselves separate from us, the sort of Thai Apartheid I noticed to protect themselves from the tourism. I am not sure. I do however believe that Thailand is by no means a "backpacker" or in anyway rustic destination. It has to be the easiest country to visit possible in all of asia, if not the entire developing world. So if you want a honeymoon outside of Mexico or Cuba, come to Thailand. If you want to learn about a completely different culture and experience something unique, maybe go somewhere else.

I leave Thailand with a great tan and some fun memories, but with a lasting impression, not so much.

Now Malaysia, that is a different story. See the next blog.

Cheers to All,

William Delaney