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Thailand’s gentle smiling people are noted for their warm hospitality, graceful charm and fascinating cultural heritage. The gilded temples, vibrant festivals, unique customs and cuisine are all part of Thailand’s richness.
Thailand’s East coast offers a wealth of attractions. On the one hand is Pattaya, Thailand’s international playground, an area of self indulgence, on the other are the tranquil peace of tropical islands of the Ku Si Chang archipelago. An international choice of restaurants, many serving freshly caught fish and seafood.
Pattaya is five and a half miles from Hinvong Country View and easily reached by the readily available ‘Baht’ buses or taxi bikes. This is a brash and bold resort with a colourful atmosphere packed with a jumble of hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and department stores. The beach area is crowded and busy and Jomtien, closer to Hinvong, may be more to your taste. Jomtien is three miles from Hinvong Country View and although still a busy area is nowhere near as hectic as Pattaya. For quieter areas the village of Bang Sare and the beaches within walking distance of Hinvong Country View are highly recommended.
Thais place a great deal of importance on good manners, they deeply honour and respect their Royal family, Buddha images and the elderly, especially their own family. Thais will greet you with a ‘Wai’ rather than shaking hands. The ‘Wai’, or ‘Gracious Wai’, is the correct form of greeting where the hands are placed palm together and raised to the face with finger tips at eye level, the head is inclined slightly forward. The Thais do not expect foreigners to greet them in this way but appreciate it when they do. It is considered bad manners to raise your voice or have an argument, to dress immodestly.
The head is thought to be the repository of the soul and should not be touched. Similarly pointing with the foot is considered rude and feet should never be towards a Buddha when sitting in the temples. Monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman and women should avoid standing too close to a monk. Monks are also forbidden from directly accepting anything from anyone. It is also considered extremely rude to step over a reclining body.
The prevalent religion is Buddhism with nine out of ten Thais being Buddhist. Buddhism is more a philosophy than a religion that exists by its belief in a God, and derives from the teachings of the ‘enlightened one’ Siddartha Gautama, Buddha. Buddha was born an Indian Prince but renounced wealth and family to become an ascetic and after achieving enlightenment while meditating taught all who came to learn from him. Buddhists are taught to take responsibility for their thoughts and actions on a path to spiritual growth that was to be their way of life. Buddhists are very respectful towards the spirits of their ancestors and a prolific sight in Thailand are the spirit houses found at virtually all homes, business premises and public buildings. These small ornate structures, usually shown as a temple or private house, are intended as homes for the spirits that originally occupied the land. Not only must the spirits be housed they must also be placated with food and other offerings so as not to incur misfortune.
A version of Thai boxing is promoted to tourists but the true sport of Muay Thai boxing has a large following. Developed from an ancient martial art after much ceremony and homage paying to their teachers two superbly fit athletes do battle. Any part of the body can be used except the head and is accompanied by a three instrument band. Venues can be found around the country and for those in the Hinvong Country View can be mixed with an outing to the lively bars in the area of Walking Street in Pattaya.
There are many activities and tours that can be arranged from the area.
If you take a visit to Bangkok, properly known as Krung Thep, meaning city of angels, be sure to visit the Grand Palace and the temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is Thailand’s most sacred image. You can also visit Wat Pho (Wat meaning temple) the City’s oldest and largest temple complex, and view the 150ft (46m) reclining Buddha with inlaid Mother of Pearl feet. Or take a trip along the canals and visit the floating market. Bangkok was founded as the national capital in 1782 by King Rama I. One in eight Thais live in Bangkok.
Chiang Mai is in Northern Thailand but has many ancient temples and is the ‘capital’ of the North. The temples are much older than those in Bangkok and stylistically quite different. But the area is also renowned for relaxation and shopping for handicrafts with one of the largest concentrations of cottage industry and remarkable variety of traditional handicrafts from silk weaving, laquerware, wood carving, silverware and celladon pottery.
Tours to the River Kwai are also highly spectacular and atmospheric with its many traumas deeply rooted in our history.
Ko Chang, Elephant Island, is an idyllic Island retreat. This is Thailand’s second largest Island but is sparsely populated and is part of the Mu Ko Chang Marine National park.
Locally there are many sights to see and many activities to partake in. Why not visit one of the world famous transvestite shows such as Alcazar or Tiffany, these are the finest in the world. Or take a boat trip out to one of the nearby islands, go elephant trekking or visit Wat Yan Sangwaram, a temple dedicated to four different religious beliefs and carved in wood. Visit the crocodile farms, play a relaxing game of tennis, go game fishing, visit monkey mountain and the Buddha mountain tropical gardens. You may be of a more adventurous nature and be interested in pistol and rifle shooting, windsurfing, micro-light flights, scuba diving, sailing, paragliding, horse riding or Go Karting. Or maybe just unwind with a relaxing Thai massage, which you can even have while sunning yourself on the beach.
Whatever your interests there is so much that the area has to offer.
Thais greatly appreciate, and enjoy, a foreigners’ attempts at their difficult language, but using a couple of simple greetings can earn their admiration and, more importantly, show them your respect, which is the basis of Thai culture.
The ‘Gracious Wai’, as detailed above, is a very respectful way to greet.
Hello/Goodbye
Sawaddee Khrap (m)/Kha(f), the latter being pronounced phonetically as Kab and Ka
Thank you
Khawp Khun Khrap/Kha, phonetically pronounced as Kab Khun Kab/Kab Khun Ka.
