How Do You Maintain Your Passion For Thailand? ^^

[yy]

For those of us non-Thais on this forum who have partners and/or businesses in Thailand, it is inevitable that their passion for Thailand is still going strong. However, I wonder how the rest of us keep up our passion for Thailand and Thai culture, especially as many of us do not live in this beloved country, much as we will love to.

Having not visited Thailand since Feb 2010 (and it's just two years), I do find that I am running out of things to comment on the forum. And some time back, I find that my interest in Thailand is not as strong as before. Maybe cos I am no longer a wide-eyed teenaged or 20ish young girl admiring Thai culture (and life in general) through rose-tinted glasses? Life does get us down sometimes, so please share how you maintain or even increase your love for Siam

[ian71]

Hi yy,
interesting post, i spend lots of time in Thailand and i sometimes become jaded with certain things, Change is the biggest one for me, i just dont like change, at home or here, i like things constant and easy.

The changes i've noticed here even in the last few years is huge, mostly to do with huge influx of tourists from countries on package tours who spend little more and are some of the rudest people ive ever met! no effort to speak Thai or English!

The political situation here also saddens me, as an outsider its a joke this whole family thing of who is running the country, it seems to be one man after revenge with no real interest in things for the country more than self interests for themselves or own family.

The inflated currency is my belief on why tourism is down year on year here, the numbers might be the same with package tour tourists but they dont spend any money from what i can see.
High season seems to be a thing of the past it seems to be one long hard low season for most business here now, when i see thais struggling with costs of living its a bit of a downer.

But on the bright side, with a little bit of looking around i always seem to come up smelling of roses, finding decent guest houses and local thai restaurants and nice thai people who are helpful and enjoy your mixing in with them verbally as well as your little sometimes strange farang wants and needs.

Next to my guest house is a thai/Indian couple running a restaurant i enjoy the mix of trying some indian food i've never tried before and made me laugh when the lady was shocked when i was reading the thai menu notice board outside, and after we got chatting said i no more thai than here husband!!! my practice must be working,

This always brings me back down to realize why i love the place so much, and enjoy living here as much as i do.
another way is stick on one of your favorite thai movies, thing always brings a smile back to my face.
cheers ian

[yy]

another way is stick on one of your favorite thai movies, thing always brings a smile back to my face.
cheers ian

My favourite Thai movies go on and on and on... Nong Mia, Monrak Transistor, Fan Chan etc.... I think Fan Chan does the trick very well cos it shows 1980s/1990s Thailand, the era which I grew up in, so there's lots of nostalgia.

For me, talking to my Thai friends help too, but one of them has a GF (I guess I have to be very careful that she does not get the wrong meaning if I talk too much to him) while the other is a really busy woman whom I seldom get to see, so... ^^

[guava]

Some Ideas

If you live in a fair sized city, find a good local Thai restaurant and eat there every chance you get, get friendly with the waiting staff. Practice speaking your Thai language with them, ask them if there is a local Thai Wat that you could become involved with. As most staff tend to be students, ask if there is a Thai Society on the University campus (there often is, and they will organize outings, sports days, charity collections etc). Maybe get involved with helping your nearest Thai Embassy organize functions.

Start a collection of one thing Thai related (anything from sweet wrappers, music DVDs, maybe transport tickets or boy scout paraphernalia - anything that takes your fancy)

Set aside a few minutes every day to learn something new or practice what you already know in the Thai language.

Plan your next trip to Thailand, even if it may be years away. Study maps, read reviews, research interesting places to visit off the beaten track.

Get involved more online by making Facebook or other social network friends with similar interests, you will soon make new Thai friends.

How about becoming a member of the fan club of your favorite Thai movie star or singer? I have met some wonderful people from all over the world, all with a fascination for Thailand and Thai language; we all have one thing in common - we are fans of Bird Thongchai!

There are many, many ways in which your love of Thailand can be maintained - but they need to happen because you want them to!

[Curt]

My "passion" is testimony to the saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder."