MB Meets World

I wish I had planned longer for this country! Since I went to two cities it really wasn’t long enough. Next time…. Here are some closing thoughts and tidbits.

1. Burning season should be considered when traveling to northern Thailand! There is about a 2-3 month period in the spring when fields are burned in preparation for planting. It was burning season while I was there, but luckily Chiang Mai was good while I was there and Bangkok was far enough south not to be implicated. But Caroline was in a city a bit north and east of Chiang Mai just before I arrived and she said it was awful. And, other friends in Chiang Mai now (April) say air quality is bad.

2. I love the architectural differences one sees in Thai Buddhist temples compared to those I saw in India and later Sri Lanka.

3. I saw sooo many more white people/westerners in Thailand than the other countries I visited. Apparently there are many expats from the US and Europe.

4. I was told that Thailand is the only country in the area that was not colonized by the US, a European country or Japan. I asked, then why the name shift from Siam to Thailand (as I associate name changes with getting independence from colonizers). The answer was a change in kings.

5. I did not make it to the beaches in the south but they are said to be amazing!

6. I have heard a lot about human trafficking in Thailand, which is a problem in many countries, including the US. Caroline volunteers for an agency that promotes health, safety and education for girls and women. It reminds me that it is not enough for me to be upset about human rights violations, but I need to step up and do my part to reduce human suffering.