Paws for thought
Sometimes Thailand is no place for the animal lover
I'm constantly amazed by how many stray dogs and cats I see on the streets around Koh Samui. Some are lucky enough to look half decent, others aren't that lucky. For those of you who don't know how things work in Thailand when it comes to strays, here's the run down.
The senselessness of Thai bureaucrats and oligarchs
Thailand is ruled by men, not laws
I understand that Thai people do not like causing conflict or losing face, but the first step in solving a problem is admitting that there is one
Tolerance
One aspect of Thai culture that must be the envy of the world
We foreigners may see some aspects of Thai culture as idiosyncratic, but it truly warms my heart when I see even young people in Thailand getting along in spite of personal differences
A big fat wonderful Thai wedding
A different perspective on the happy event
About a month ago, my girlfriend and I were invited to attend the wedding of a Thai friend's son. I had never been to a Thai wedding before, so I was both surprised and honored when presented with the invitation.
Thai women in today's workplace
Thailand has an impressive number of females in management positions
Did you know that in 2012, Thailand had the third highest number of women in management positions at 39% compared to 20% in the UK and 17% in the US.
Wedding day blues
The invitation card has landed
Oh no, my wife has just come home and plonked an envelope on my work-desk. It's not a bank statement and it's not junk mail (I only wish it was) One glance at the familiar scented, pink envelope tells me all I need to know. It's an invitation to a Thai wedding. And there's no way I'm getting out of it.
Surviving Thailand's roads
How to avoid becoming just another statistic
Most Thais do not have any understanding or desire to learn road safety. If you grew up in my generation you had Tufty and his gang drilling the green cross code into your brain, and those lessons never get forgotten as the years pass by.
Children's day
What this special day should really signify
One of the nicest aspects of living in Thailand is the way in which it embraces its children and families. Bangkok offers an impressive array of activities for children from Dusit Zoo to iceskating, from Lumpini Park to the Aquarium but they are only accessed by a small minority of Thailand's children.
Lucky day colours
Did you know that in Thai culture, each day has a colour?
A Thai student explained to me that the Thai people have a tradition in that they believe it brings good luck to wear certain colour clothing on certain days throughout the week. They take this tradition from an astrological rule.
On Bangkok
Falling in love again with this unique city
Bangkok is left to its own devices. The planning is horrible so the city is left to grow naturally. It is ugly, sprawled, and terrifying to drive in, but it is also so human.
