If I had to give a motto that I thought represented Thailand best, it would without a shadow of doubt be the frequently spoken phrase ‘Mai pen rai’ which means ‘no problem’, ‘it’s ok’, ‘don’t worry’! You pretty much have to leave any forms of stress on the plane before your feet touch Thai soil. That is the way to enjoy Thailand because that’s the way Thai people live! So if the bus you’re waiting for is 2 hours late? Mai pen rai! Just relax and wait! No need to worry! Accept it! It is what it is! Well how far do you take it? Pretty far I think! For example, it’s illegal to drive a motorbike here without wearing a helmet, or without a license, or if you are under 16. But yet it is extremely rare to see anyone wearing a helmet here, almost no one has a license, and I regularly see children as young as 10 years old whizzing past me on motorbikes, sometimes they’re even carrying 1 or 2 passengers! If you were to ask why they were doing it, you will very likely be told ‘Mai pen rai’! The only time it will get questioned is if you crash! And if that happens, it will only take 100-200 baht (£2-£4) to make the problem go away!
I went for lunch with my teacher and classmate recently and when we finished and asked for the bill, the waitress said ok 1 second and then went outside, to prepare the bill we assumed. After waiting for 15 mins, we got fed up so went outside to find her, only to find her sitting at a table with a friend chatting and eating! We were stunned! To make it funnier, she acted like nothing was wrong and if anything, looked surprised that we had come out to find her. What’s the rush after all right? Mai pen rai!!!
In another incident, my teacher sent her motorbike for servicing a month ago. She was told it would be ready the next day only to go back and find it dismantled into pieces. She was told that he was a bit too busy today so come back tomorrow and it will be fixed. A month later, and it still isn’t fixed! Mai pen rai right??
What makes it worse is that it is unacceptable in Thailand to show emotion in public! That means no raising your voice or getting angry, upset or impatient, no confrontation, nothing! Showing emotion is seen as a sign of weakness and you will be looked down on and considered foolish and rude. So all you can do is to smile and walk away!
As a Westerner, it is quite interesting to see this culture! Granted it is taken to extremes sometimes, but overall, I do kinda like their relaxed way of life! I am learning to live life without stress and learning that even during the times when I feel like I have so much to do, it’s ok to take some time out to just relax and enjoy life! Whether it’s relaxing eating a delicious meal, walking to the beach to read a book and watch the sunset, or heading to the spa to indulge in some treatments, it’s important to enjoy life!
