"What Bangkok can teach Baghdad"
Mar. 11th, 2003 10:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rfmcdonaldFrom the Jerusalem Post:
"What Bangkok can teach Baghdad"M, By Rona Yona
When my family invited me to join them on their winter break in Thailand, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it was going to be like.
I definitely didn't expect it would show me a way out of the problems of the Middle East.
A young Israeli heading to the Third World has two basic thoughts about the place he or she will be visiting. On the one hand are the advantages of the Third World, like extremely low prices, exotic things to see and the charm of the native population. On the other hand, there are the risks: illnesses such as diarrhea, personal insecurity, and all the exotic things you don't want to see.
The backpacker is thus often engaged in maneuvering between "poor" poor places especially the big cities and "lovely" poor places, most often in a natural setting.
But a traveler who manages to tear away from the tourist bubble usually discovers problems that are so huge they leave little room for hope, even in the heart of an ardent optimist.
That's why when I landed in Thailand I was caught unprepared. The moment I took my first step on Thai soil I was engulfed by a strong conviction that there was something different in the air.
During the rest of my stay, I tried to figure out what it was. It was especially interesting for me, because seeing how Thailand is heading toward prosperity I couldn't help thinking that this route could also be taken by the Middle East.
I was not observing as an expert or an academic; I have no such pretensions. I only followed my hunches as a curious Israeli.
The special Thai atmosphere struck me even in the smallest things. The fine, inexpensive hostels for backpackers are something you could only dream about in India. Bedcovers? Towels? A bottle of drinking water?! Another surprise is that finding the bus you need does not evolve into an exhausting adventure in itself.
BUT EVEN more astonishing is how safe it is to eat in the streets. Little stands and food carts are everywhere. The streets of Bangkok need to be seriously considered as the world's largest restaurant.
Vendors do a good job trying to tempt you to buy their foods. They not only keep their little carts meticulously clean and organized but also arrange their goods in decorative ways. I found it hard to resist those fresh-cut pineapples, shaped like little Ws or kept whole in the shape of a spiral. Even sweeter for an Israeli was the price NIS2.
How different from places like Lima and Mexico City, where sewage may be running under your feet in the middle of the marketplace, so that even thinking about ordering a salad makes you reexamine Hamlet's question: To be or not to be?
This trend is apparent in the bigger things as well.
Bangkok is actually cleaner than Israeli cities (not that our cities are in any way a standard!), even though it houses more people than our entire country. Thai authorities seem able to execute their policies effectively. During rush hour, special white-gloved policemen are spread all over the city center directing traffic.
And the depressing sight of endless slums is nowhere near, unlike places such as New Delhi or Guatemala City.
Even the poorer Thais seem to enjoy life, music and food, laboring for their well being and carrying themselves with dignity. Thailand simply does not convey a feeling of destitution or cynicism. A vibrant and constructive buzz fills the air.
I sensed this unique Thai atmosphere most strongly in the Buddhist temples. Entering the Grand Palace in Bangkok was the opposite of visiting Notre Dame in Paris or Milan's Duomo.
European houses of worship resemble either monuments, museums or concert halls. In other words, they are like relics from the past. But in a Thai temple you stand with your camera in the midst of crowds placing flowers and offerings on the shrines; young and old people who kneel and bow in prayer and then get up and continue their everyday lives.
But even though Thai faith is strong, it is not suffocating. Tourists are not removed with frowns and hostile snarls, or angrily hushed. A foreigner's presence doesn't seem to disturb a Thai worshiper or make him tense or distracted.
Places of worship are as omnipresent in Thailand as the food carts. From little shrines in urban yards to marvelous temples in the countryside, the country's holy sites are impressive without imposing the burden of awe.
The main motif gently expresses a harmonious connection between the heavenly and the earthly. This spirit dwells inside the people as well.
THE THIRD thing that fills Thailand, along with food carts and Buddhist temples, are portraits of the king and the royal family. The basic rule to be followed by all non-suicidal tourists is simple: Overcome the temptation to unleash your critical spirit.
In other words, "No jokes allowed."
Thai national pride is embodied in the people's attitude toward their king and they're completely nuts about him. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, in which the king serves as both a symbol and agent of unity and stability. Unlike dictators who impose portraits of themselves on their subjects at every street corner, in Thailand the Thais mostly put them up themselves. These portraits reflect love, not terror, and are placed with great care in homes and businesses.
It seems as though Thais thereby express, not subjugation toward those who rule them, but rather their own sense of dignity and content.
It is an interesting fact that the Thais themselves are the ones who changed the name of their country from Siam. The new name, adopted in 1939, literally means "land of the free." In Thailand, the name is not an empty promise but describes a work in progress.
From an Israeli perspective, all this is good news, and not just for the growing and enthusiastic tourist segment of the population. At the other end of Asia dwells a people that the peoples of the Middle East should learn from. If Israel is not the example Middle Easterners want to follow, let it be Thailand.
What future are the Thais carving for themselves? They are actively religious, yet do not suffocate religious freedom. They are patriotic and have a strong sense of national pride, yet are capable of respecting others without claiming or seeking superiority. They adjust to change and cope with the challenges of modernity and globalization without losing their identity, optimism or faith in themselves.
They seek to regulate, not control. And they promote values such as peace, liberty, forgiveness, solidarity and understanding instead of militarism, conflict, "honor" and vengeance.
This is how King Rama IX addressed his people on New Year's Eve: "In the New Year, I wish all Thais happiness through the virtue of forgiveness and through giving one another love, compassion, friendship and assistance with sincerity."
All these features seem to be leading Thailand successfully toward prosperity, and perhaps also toward democracy. As Bernard Lewis argues, the successes of Southeast Asia are making Arab dictators run out of excuses for their failures.
The day Arab leaders make speeches similar to those of Thailand's king will definitely herald better days for us all.
The writer is an pursuing a master's in history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
"What Bangkok can teach Baghdad"M, By Rona Yona
When my family invited me to join them on their winter break in Thailand, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it was going to be like.
I definitely didn't expect it would show me a way out of the problems of the Middle East.
A young Israeli heading to the Third World has two basic thoughts about the place he or she will be visiting. On the one hand are the advantages of the Third World, like extremely low prices, exotic things to see and the charm of the native population. On the other hand, there are the risks: illnesses such as diarrhea, personal insecurity, and all the exotic things you don't want to see.
The backpacker is thus often engaged in maneuvering between "poor" poor places especially the big cities and "lovely" poor places, most often in a natural setting.
But a traveler who manages to tear away from the tourist bubble usually discovers problems that are so huge they leave little room for hope, even in the heart of an ardent optimist.
That's why when I landed in Thailand I was caught unprepared. The moment I took my first step on Thai soil I was engulfed by a strong conviction that there was something different in the air.
During the rest of my stay, I tried to figure out what it was. It was especially interesting for me, because seeing how Thailand is heading toward prosperity I couldn't help thinking that this route could also be taken by the Middle East.
I was not observing as an expert or an academic; I have no such pretensions. I only followed my hunches as a curious Israeli.
The special Thai atmosphere struck me even in the smallest things. The fine, inexpensive hostels for backpackers are something you could only dream about in India. Bedcovers? Towels? A bottle of drinking water?! Another surprise is that finding the bus you need does not evolve into an exhausting adventure in itself.
BUT EVEN more astonishing is how safe it is to eat in the streets. Little stands and food carts are everywhere. The streets of Bangkok need to be seriously considered as the world's largest restaurant.
Vendors do a good job trying to tempt you to buy their foods. They not only keep their little carts meticulously clean and organized but also arrange their goods in decorative ways. I found it hard to resist those fresh-cut pineapples, shaped like little Ws or kept whole in the shape of a spiral. Even sweeter for an Israeli was the price NIS2.
How different from places like Lima and Mexico City, where sewage may be running under your feet in the middle of the marketplace, so that even thinking about ordering a salad makes you reexamine Hamlet's question: To be or not to be?
This trend is apparent in the bigger things as well.
Bangkok is actually cleaner than Israeli cities (not that our cities are in any way a standard!), even though it houses more people than our entire country. Thai authorities seem able to execute their policies effectively. During rush hour, special white-gloved policemen are spread all over the city center directing traffic.
And the depressing sight of endless slums is nowhere near, unlike places such as New Delhi or Guatemala City.
Even the poorer Thais seem to enjoy life, music and food, laboring for their well being and carrying themselves with dignity. Thailand simply does not convey a feeling of destitution or cynicism. A vibrant and constructive buzz fills the air.
I sensed this unique Thai atmosphere most strongly in the Buddhist temples. Entering the Grand Palace in Bangkok was the opposite of visiting Notre Dame in Paris or Milan's Duomo.
European houses of worship resemble either monuments, museums or concert halls. In other words, they are like relics from the past. But in a Thai temple you stand with your camera in the midst of crowds placing flowers and offerings on the shrines; young and old people who kneel and bow in prayer and then get up and continue their everyday lives.
But even though Thai faith is strong, it is not suffocating. Tourists are not removed with frowns and hostile snarls, or angrily hushed. A foreigner's presence doesn't seem to disturb a Thai worshiper or make him tense or distracted.
Places of worship are as omnipresent in Thailand as the food carts. From little shrines in urban yards to marvelous temples in the countryside, the country's holy sites are impressive without imposing the burden of awe.
The main motif gently expresses a harmonious connection between the heavenly and the earthly. This spirit dwells inside the people as well.
THE THIRD thing that fills Thailand, along with food carts and Buddhist temples, are portraits of the king and the royal family. The basic rule to be followed by all non-suicidal tourists is simple: Overcome the temptation to unleash your critical spirit.
In other words, "No jokes allowed."
Thai national pride is embodied in the people's attitude toward their king and they're completely nuts about him. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, in which the king serves as both a symbol and agent of unity and stability. Unlike dictators who impose portraits of themselves on their subjects at every street corner, in Thailand the Thais mostly put them up themselves. These portraits reflect love, not terror, and are placed with great care in homes and businesses.
It seems as though Thais thereby express, not subjugation toward those who rule them, but rather their own sense of dignity and content.
It is an interesting fact that the Thais themselves are the ones who changed the name of their country from Siam. The new name, adopted in 1939, literally means "land of the free." In Thailand, the name is not an empty promise but describes a work in progress.
From an Israeli perspective, all this is good news, and not just for the growing and enthusiastic tourist segment of the population. At the other end of Asia dwells a people that the peoples of the Middle East should learn from. If Israel is not the example Middle Easterners want to follow, let it be Thailand.
What future are the Thais carving for themselves? They are actively religious, yet do not suffocate religious freedom. They are patriotic and have a strong sense of national pride, yet are capable of respecting others without claiming or seeking superiority. They adjust to change and cope with the challenges of modernity and globalization without losing their identity, optimism or faith in themselves.
They seek to regulate, not control. And they promote values such as peace, liberty, forgiveness, solidarity and understanding instead of militarism, conflict, "honor" and vengeance.
This is how King Rama IX addressed his people on New Year's Eve: "In the New Year, I wish all Thais happiness through the virtue of forgiveness and through giving one another love, compassion, friendship and assistance with sincerity."
All these features seem to be leading Thailand successfully toward prosperity, and perhaps also toward democracy. As Bernard Lewis argues, the successes of Southeast Asia are making Arab dictators run out of excuses for their failures.
The day Arab leaders make speeches similar to those of Thailand's king will definitely herald better days for us all.
The writer is an pursuing a master's in history at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
