Sawasdee Ka

I originally wanted to write a lengthy, blow-by-blow account of my Thailand trip but I am super lazy to do so. I enjoyed the trip but every time I try to put the experience into words, tinatamad na ako. Maybe because the memories aren't as fresh anymore. It's been a week since we arrived from Bangkok. I miss Bangkok. I miss tom yum.

Bangkok is actually very similar to Manila. Only, Bangkok has way better infrastructures. They have an efficient BTS and they're constructing an MTR which will go all the way to their HUMONGOUS airport. They have wide streets and wide sidewalks. Almost everywhere you go, you could feel the presence of their king and queen as their pictures are everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE. Well, if your king and queen do everything to make things better for their country, why not? Dao, our guide, even said, "Before, Thailand used to study how to produce rice from the Philippines, now the Philippines buy rice from us." Tagos sa laman. Parang napag-iiwanan na ang Pilipinas. Huwag naman sana.

I loved everything about Thailand! The hotel where we stayed in (PJ Watergate) is very near the Pratunam tiangge. Shopping's great although it is actually a bit depressing for fatty girls like me. Most clothes come in one size- "free size"- that doesn't actually freely fit everyone. And since almost everyone in Thailand seems anorexic-thin, it was hard to find stuff that comes in my size. There's this one word that we kept hearing over and over during our entire trip that we have incorporated it in our daily lives as well and that word is kenat. Also known as cannot. Every time my sister asks they have a specific style in my size, the answer is "kenat." When asked if we can fit the clothes. Kenat. When asked if we buy "many- many," will they give us discount? Kenat. We're going to buy a dozen of bags, will they help us bring the stuff to the taxi bay? Kenat. Eh, ano na lang puede?

Malls in Bangkok are HUMONGOUS. Almost all the malls I've been to are as big as Megamall. Even high-end malls are big. This made my sister and I assume that there are a lot of rich people in Thailand. Despite the gargantuan sizes of their malls, I still prefer our malls here in Manila. And if the price of stuff are cheap in the Pratunam area, inside the malls they cost ten times that. In the malls, the average price of clothes (a simple t-shirt) is 1,000baht. Mahal. Babalik na lang ako sa Pratunam. And that was one thing I oh so regret. While in Pratunam, I was too stingy and refused to buy anything above 200baht. I came across this very, very nice blouse that costs 500baht, but since it is twice my allotted budget per article of clothing, I decided to think it over. But due to time constraints, we weren't able to go back to the area and now I know that I really, really like it. Sayang. And I had a lot of moments just like that. I was able to buy only 3 shirts for myself. But I just would like the share that I was able to buy 3 Wacoal bras for 1,000baht. What a steal! And even just for those 3 bras, I'm already happy.

My most favorite (most na nga, favorite pa... sobrang gusto ko nga ito) bit of Bangkok is the... FOOD. Ever since my sisters brought back those spicy dilis, sampaloc and instant tom yum noodles a few years back, I knew I had to go to Thailand. My sister and I were trying to figure out how to order bagoong fried rice but gave up since we don't know what bagoong is in Thai. I had tom yum soup almost every meal. Except breakfast, since breakfast's served in our hotel and paradoxically, they served American breakfast.

Aside from the fact that Thai cuisine is scrumptious, it is also cheap. An order of (authentic!) tom yum soup, which serves 4 persons, only costs 80baht. A value meal only costs 40baht. Large pa ang drink sa lagay na yan ;) And amazingly, in a country where delicious food is EVERYWHERE, the people have remained super slim. All I can say is Thailand is food trip heaven!

This was a first for me: first time to travel to another country and I bloody loved it! This way, I could see how other societies live and compare it to how we Filipinos live. Being able to visit Thailand was a great experience for me although it also made me feel how much left behind we are. I hope that there would be already that someone who would make a change and help the country get out from its comatose. If given another opportunity to visit Thailand, I would go in a heartbeat. I have yet to see the Floating Market and The Elephant Show (but did see a real, live elephant roaming the streets of Pratunam). And I would love to try more of their cuisine.