Thailand is a tourist destination. Tourism accounts for more that 15 percent of Thailand’s GDP. However, the Thailand that I experience is not the Thailand that most tourists experience. Tourists generally stick to the major cities: Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok. Particularly when it comes to the capital, the differences between tourist Thailand and rural Thailand are extremely stark.
I was in Bangkok this last weekend for a Thanksgiving celebration with a large number of Peace Corps Thailand volunteers in attendance. One of my friends has a Thai girlfriend and as they were leaving the restaurant they ate dinner. A man on the street tried to get them to go to one of Thailand’s infamous “ping pong” shows. His girlfriend, a woman who has lived abroad, did not know what a “ping pong” show was. This is not something that Thai people would ever take part in or condone. But it’s Bangkok.
It is common to see people begging on the streets of Bangkok. Usually elderly people or people with some kind of disability. It’s heartbreaking to watch and see and it challenges my sense of empathy every time I walk past them. But I know that would never be allowed to happen in the village. It is a point made to always visit with the elderly in the village and to care for those around you. I see these people in Bangkok wonder where their children are and why their family and community are. But then, it’s Bangkok.
There are so many malls in Bangkok. And with the malls, so many different options of cuisine. I can get pizza and burritos and veggie burgers. And it is almost always mostly Westerners in these places. There are also the street places, just like in the village, that serve up noodles and somtam and rice and meat on a stick. And these places get business, but it’s not quite like the village. Because it’s Bangkok.
I’m sure that our proximity to this crazy city is part of our reputation as Posh Corps. But for me, it’s overwhelming and best taken in small doses. Because for me, it’s a nice place to visit really close to Thailand.