Just for fun, I decided to tell you about the differences between Thailand and Canada. When you think about visiting a foreign country, you expect to speak another language, but it's much more trivial details that create the real change of scenery.
The sun and the moon
The first difference is the behavior of the sun and the moon. Yes, yes, here they don't act the same way. Who would have thought.
Let's start with the sun... which sets faster. In half an hour, it's over, the sun has disappeared. While in Quebec, it takes 50 minutes or more.
This is explained by the fact that the sun sets at an angle in Quebec but vertically at the equator.
It therefore moves away much faster below the horizon after setting. So, twilight lasts only 20 minutes in Koh Tao and 40 minutes in Quebec.
Let's continue with the moon...
In Canada, the moon grows from right to left but at the equator it grows from bottom to top. In addition, it rises much higher in the sky.
Moon in Canada and Thailand
Well, this perception is directly related to our position on the earth or… to the man on the moon who is playing with us. I know he exists, I saw him in a movie…
credit: A Trip to the Moon is a French silent science fiction film written, produced and directed by Georges Méliès, and released in 1902. It is inspired by the novels From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne and The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells.
Crime in Thailand
When you are far from a country you hear and read all sorts of horror stories…
Let us remember the French who believed that the Oka crisis was akin to genocide…
credit: Le Soleil, Soldier Cloutier and "Lasagne"
Violence and drama are the bread and butter of the written press and television.
In fact, throughout my trip to Thailand, I felt even safer than in Quebec City, which is nevertheless a very safe city.
Some signs are quite obvious.
The bags, wallets and phones on a table at the shopping center… Women being “somewhere” without any concern to let their bags have fun by themselves.
Everyone leaves their helmet, and often even their key, on their motorcycle… for a few minutes or even a few weeks.
Donations are placed on the altars that dot villages and cities and no one would dare even think of appropriating them.
Shoes..
We take off our shoes before entering everywhere... or almost.
Dentist, massage parlor, restaurants and hotel (not all but several) and, of course, temples.
This habit of removing my shoes is so well-integrated that I was stunned when I saw this poster at the entrance to the Blue Temple in Chiang Rai.
Modesty in places of worship
Access to temples requires being dressed with "modesty". This is a word that is no longer heard in Quebec but that still has a prominent place in Thailand. This request is addressed to both men and women. Several temples have pieces of fabric that are offered to tourists who are not sufficiently covered.
Respect
Throughout the country, there are few "rule watchers". It is assumed that people will respect the rules without the need to monitor, punish or encourage neighbors to snitch.
Throughout my travels, the only people I saw breaking the rules or customs were foreigners.
Family life
Thai people work long hours but this has little impact on their family life because spouses, children, dogs and cats are an integral part of daily life. The barrier between professional and personal life is tenuous. Like this young man who is learning to run a restaurant under the tender supervision of his parents.
Here, no one is surprised to have to step over a dog to enter the convenience store or restaurant.
Or choose another bench because it is already occupied by the child of one of the employees who is finishing work soon.
There is also Ringo, the mascot cat of the Mellow Submarine restaurant, who is all the rage among the customers and who often claims the right to use an armchair.
In bulk...
Cellular data: In Quebec I pay $60/month. In Thailand, the bill is $12 for a better service and more data.
Prostitution: I walked around Thailand for almost four months and I only saw prostitutes once. Of course, some areas of Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya offer "services" but these seem to be created for the tourist clientele.
"Napkins": The concept of napkins and tissues is perceived differently in Southeast Asia. Generally, it is a simple roll of toilet paper presented in a dispenser that is more or less pretty depending on the location.
Sheets: There is no top sheet. A fitted sheet and a duvet, that's all. The duvet cover is therefore changed at the same time as the fitted sheet.
Toilets: The plumbing in many countries (Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Costa Rica, ...) cannot accommodate toilet paper unless you want to call the plumber regularly. These countries therefore offer a much more hygienic alternative: the "bum gun" or shower head. The paper is therefore only used to wipe up the water and then it is thrown in the trash.
Screens and doors: Screens are absent from almost all buildings and doors remain open all day. When night falls (very quickly, remember?) we close all the openings to protect ourselves from disease-carrying mosquitoes. Unfortunately, mosquitoes that carry dengue fever are diurnal...
Health care: We met a dermatologist at the hospital for an exam.
Hospital fees, exam, treatment... all for $68 in an ultramodern hospital. There is even a QR code at the exit to note the hospital and the care received. In Quebec, we were unable to get an appointment.
In conclusion, Thailand is a stunning country. It has some flaws, but I could see myself living there. Don't take my word for it, come and see for yourself.
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