Excerpt from "Thailand: My Way" by Joan Kersey

What are the lingering impressions I have of that magical and infuriating land, Thailand? There it all was: the good, the bad, the ugly and the incredibly beautiful. But it was much more than that for it was not just my experiences but what it did to me ­ how I came to appreciate a culture so different from my own and the new understanding it gave me, not just of other people, but of myself.
When, after nine hours flight, I left the plane at Bangkok and was immersed in the throng of bustling humanity, my first impression of Thailand was not a good one. But soon we were on our way to the Silom Serene hotel, serene amidst a sea of loud talking, fast moving cars, bikes and people. No one spoke English. Yet, amidst this teeming, dirty throng, there emerged a city not of ugliness, but of astounding beauty. Around every corner, on every wall, indeed everywhere you looked there were plants, flowers, lights, statues, paintings, ornaments and mirrors. The Thais knew and lived their art. But as I got to know Thailand, I began to learn more about its history and understand a little of what lay behind its current coups and rebellion.
What makes Thailand special in the region, I read, is the fact that they were never colonized by Europeans. Any European nation could easily have colonized Thailand, but an agreement was drawn up between the French and the British to keep Thailand neutral. This did not mean that it avoided all conflict. Thailand was a model of national unity, `a sea of peace in an ocean of war. How did this happen? With a history of a Buddhism, the Thais could talk their way out of almost anything - communist rebellion, Muslim separatism and even democratic uprisings. It was not that they did not have their share of internal unrest. They had something like 19 separate military coups over the past 30 years. But Thailand could have a coup, depose a prime minister, be under military rule one week, and have a new PM the next, all without missing a beat or a public holiday.
With the turn of the millennium, Thailand also changed. Today it is an extremely dangerous and
volatile place*, rated as number three in the world for violent killings. Everyday in the Bangkok Post you can now read about ongoing murders and bombs in Pattani , the region of southern Muslim insurgency). Then in 2006, there was a coup, the military took control, and the Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed. With the help of the King, who was revered as an anchor for public morale, they were able to maintain an uneasy peace and safeguard the country. General Prem, the president of the Privy Council is also playing a part. The military now have to win the people’s trust and, with over 130,00 troops, it has set about to police the political activity at the grass roots and is building direct links between the Army and local leaders. And there is a plan to revive the Internal Operational Command on the US model of Homeland Security.
But they have a huge task. With the rise of insurgency, there is fear and violence in the south and the New Year’s celebrations were marked by a wave of bomb blasts in Bangkok. The insurgents are targeting teachers and their students and chose to kill and maim on a public holiday. As they could not even find the insurgents, the tried and successful method of Thais sorting out their problems with Thais is impossible. The army and government were too slow to act but they now plan to assemble a new force to protect the schools and teachers. This was welcomed by the Bangkok middle class as it is creating closer contacts with the rest of the world, hosting international conferences and forging ahead in modern technology. In a country where people are now more educated and politically aware, sensitive issues of rights and liberties will be guarded,

surveillance and repression will be more strongly resented. It seems that Thai politics will be in turmoil for quite a while and the question remains, will the recent coup lead to other coups as it has done in the past or will stability and security return?
The recent bombings in Bangkok prior to my arrival did not deter or scare me in the least. Maybe it was because the local papers played down the events. Perhaps I would have been less easy had I been aware of the background of these turbulent events. They say of Bangkok that, love it or hate it, you can’t ignore it. I had never before encountered the strident forcefulness of a developing country, and developing it was. Quiet rural lands had given way to the crowds, rush and rancour of an industrial city. We had planned to visit a large and interesting park, but this was more difficult than we had imagined. On the roads leading out of Bangkok, bikes and cars gave way to unending lines of trucks, all noisily racing engines and belching fumes.
After an hour or more, we discussed whether we should keep going or turn back and visit a quiet monastery in the city, but we could not turn off the main road anyway, so there wasn’t much choice. And on and on we went, until at last the traffic diminished and the spacious park came into view.
Thankfully, I climbed the back of a small three-wheel bike and was pedalled around under large trees and amid masses of elephants. And of course I had to ride an elephant, sharing the small seat with Julian, my son who lives in Thailand..........

We travelled to Chiang Mai and as the essence of the new emerging Thailand, Chiang Mai is incredible. It has it all, and with the delight of touring around in the little tuk tuks, is a lot easier to see than Bangkok.I found it difficult climbing aboard at first, but with Julian’s help, got the knack of swivelling my bottom around on to the seat.It was still difficult and to cross a narrow road meant to career out before the line of fire with cars and bikes coming from all directions.
I got used to the people and the traffic, but I could never get used to the noise. And it was then I came to know more about myself. I could not stand loud sounds, and least of all loud voices. And I realised what a calm world I lived in back at home where I would hear one car in the distance or a bird on the roof. And with my hearing diminishing, I would have to ask a person to speak up. But not in Thailand! Everyone talking in Thai, seemed to shout.
Only in the temple and at a spiritual gathering were people quiet. Inadvertently one can easily offend. In a Buddhist monastery I tried to kneel in worship, but being old and full of sleep, I swivelled my feet towards the priest and was politely told this was not allowed......
I then flew from Chiang Mai, to Bangkok and straight on to Sydney. I was tired after the long flight but it all seemed delightfully easy at Sydney airport where everyone spoke English. Yet I would not have missed it for the worlds.