Yes, yes, you’ve been before, you’ve seen the sights, eaten the food and been shopping. But have you played takraw with the locals, got lost at JJ, been confused with guava, celebrated a holiday you’ve never heard of, joined in the pre-dawn exercises at Lumpini Park, taken in some contemporary art, made an offering at shrine, weighed in on where of find the best Som Tam, smiled at complete strangers, wandered around Pak Khlong Talaat at 6am.or watched the sun set over the Temple of Dawn? No? Then it’s time for another visit
HOT, HOT, HOT—SO WHAT
What tolerably hot and what’s too hot is a matter of familiarity when it comes to the weather. Since the World Meteorological Organization dubs Bangkok as the world’s hottest large city, it’s no secret that the thermometer is a daily topic of conversation. Thais have long taken refuge in the ironic joke, which has over the years acquired a semblance of truth, that there are only three seasons in this country: hot, hotter and hottest. Sure they complain when it gets stifling, but they still manage to play football at 3pm, go to shopping at outdoor markets and nonchalantly eat the food that’s even hotter than the weather.
SOMETIMES IT PAYS BE THAI
Being Thai in Bangkok allows you the trifling advantage of strolling into a restaurant and ordering the dishes marked with three chilies without batting and eyelid. The red chili warning system—one for merely hot, two for searing three for blistering—was invented by some culinary genius to protect the delicate palettes of foreigners’ uninitiated to the mortal thrill of Thai cooking. But for Thais, well, they normally laugh it off and proceed to enquire whether a place has any four-chili offerings. Or make it five. But perhaps the best advantage of being Thai in Bangkok is the ability, which comes with the years, to feel content. With the weather. With the traffic. With the inefficiency. With the state of the nation. Thais care, and try to make things better, but they’ve also learned to be happy with they’re given. Sometime Bangkok screams at you. Non-Thais could lose their heads, but if you want to be like a local, just keep cool.
WHEN YOU SHOULFN’T THINKS LIKE A GUAVA
Visitors to Bangkok should remember that Khao muang ta liew, hai liew ta tarm, roughly the equivalent of “when in Bangkok, do as the Bangkokians do” The saying is literally translated as” When entering the city where the people squint their eyes, squint your eyes like them” The ancient origin of this phrase is obscure, but you can be sure that nobody squints his eyes in Bangkok these days. So the contemporary interpretation should be simpler: when entering the city where the people live a relaxed life and enjoy simple fun, have funs with them. But you have to be careful not to get into unnecessary trouble by har hao sai hua—to look for fleas on others because you’ll get them on your own head. Otherwise you’ll find yourself rong hai nam ta pen pao tao—crying your eyes out. Oh, and don’t forget farang means both guava and foreigner.
HOT, HOT, HOT—SO WHAT
What tolerably hot and what’s too hot is a matter of familiarity when it comes to the weather. Since the World Meteorological Organization dubs Bangkok as the world’s hottest large city, it’s no secret that the thermometer is a daily topic of conversation. Thais have long taken refuge in the ironic joke, which has over the years acquired a semblance of truth, that there are only three seasons in this country: hot, hotter and hottest. Sure they complain when it gets stifling, but they still manage to play football at 3pm, go to shopping at outdoor markets and nonchalantly eat the food that’s even hotter than the weather.
SOMETIMES IT PAYS BE THAI
Being Thai in Bangkok allows you the trifling advantage of strolling into a restaurant and ordering the dishes marked with three chilies without batting and eyelid. The red chili warning system—one for merely hot, two for searing three for blistering—was invented by some culinary genius to protect the delicate palettes of foreigners’ uninitiated to the mortal thrill of Thai cooking. But for Thais, well, they normally laugh it off and proceed to enquire whether a place has any four-chili offerings. Or make it five. But perhaps the best advantage of being Thai in Bangkok is the ability, which comes with the years, to feel content. With the weather. With the traffic. With the inefficiency. With the state of the nation. Thais care, and try to make things better, but they’ve also learned to be happy with they’re given. Sometime Bangkok screams at you. Non-Thais could lose their heads, but if you want to be like a local, just keep cool.
WHEN YOU SHOULFN’T THINKS LIKE A GUAVA
Visitors to Bangkok should remember that Khao muang ta liew, hai liew ta tarm, roughly the equivalent of “when in Bangkok, do as the Bangkokians do” The saying is literally translated as” When entering the city where the people squint their eyes, squint your eyes like them” The ancient origin of this phrase is obscure, but you can be sure that nobody squints his eyes in Bangkok these days. So the contemporary interpretation should be simpler: when entering the city where the people live a relaxed life and enjoy simple fun, have funs with them. But you have to be careful not to get into unnecessary trouble by har hao sai hua—to look for fleas on others because you’ll get them on your own head. Otherwise you’ll find yourself rong hai nam ta pen pao tao—crying your eyes out. Oh, and don’t forget farang means both guava and foreigner.
Resource: Sawasdee Magazine / April 2007
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