Tag: peace corps

Thai is a Language of the Heart

June 20, 2014

Sometimes, listening to Thai people speak, it seems like the word jai (ใจ) is everywhere.

เข้าใจไหม (Khao jai mai, Do you understand?)

ใจเย็นๆ (Jai yen yen, Chill out.)

คนใจดี (Kon jai dee, Kind person)

But what does jai mean? Jai translates as “heart” and has all the similar connotations that heart has in English, such as “spirit” or “inner being.” So it makes sense that jai is used to construct phrases that have meanings related to one’s heart, mind and spirit. more “Thai is a Language of the Heart” …

In Thailand, It’s More than Fun, It’s Sanuk

June 17, 2014

It’s a repeated refrain that Peace Corps Volunteers hear throughout their service:

No serious!

Mai dtong seriot!

Don’t take serious, na!

Tammai seriot?

Don’t serious!

Don’t serious about me!

Why so seriot? Mai seriot, na.

In case you couldn’t figure it out, taking anything seriously here is strongly discouraged. Even if it’s a serious topic. Especially if it’s a serious topic. The Thai way of life is infused with the concept of sanuk (สนุก). But what is sanuk? It’s most often translated as fun, but is so much more than that.

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Learn How to Make Kanom Dok Jok

June 15, 2014

Kanoms, or snacks, are a big part of life here in Thailand. You find them all over, packaged in clear, plastic bags sold for a few baht. My host mother in Suphan Buri was an ace kanom maker and her specialty is kanom kai blah. At school, some of the students learned how to make a different kanom, called kanom dok jok. You can learn too, by checking out the video!

The Development Work of Khun Mechai (Mr. Condom)

June 13, 2014

Last year, the staff of Peace Corps Thailand invited Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, the former Secretary General of ASEAN and student of Peace Corps volunteers, to come and speak at Group 124’s Mid-Service Conference (MSC). By all accounts, his contributions to their MSC were extremely enriching; the volunteers went on to nominate him for the Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award, which is given to someone who grew up in a country served by Peace Corps, was influenced by PCVs and made a contribution to their country and world, which he won and received this month in Nashville.

Having heard about this from my friend in group 124, I was looking forward to who would be invited to speak at our MSC, which took place at the beginning of April. In my conversations with staff before the event, they wouldn’t tell me who it was, but would say they were very excited for who they had invited. Turns out, we volunteers were as well; Khun Mechai Viravaidya is Thailand’s biggest name in development, starting with family planning, branching out into business development, HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness and now running a school that embodies the practices that he so deeply believes in. His life story is extraordinary.

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Living Under a Junta: Thai Coup 2014

June 10, 2014

So the dust around the sudden overthrow of the government in Thailand has settled and some things are starting to take shape and become more clear, so I’m going to take some time to lay out what I understand to have happened here in the last two and a half weeks. For some background, on May 22 at 5 p.m. local time General Payuth declared a coup, just two days after establishing martial law. This came out of the lasting conflict between anti-government protests, led by Suthep (a member of the Democrat Party)* who quit his Senate position late last year and began protesting the Puea Thai Party, lead by Yingluck Shinawatra whose brother Thaksin was ousted in the country’s last coup in 2006.

After dissolving the lower parliamentary house and calling elections in February, that were declared void by the Constitutional Court which has consistently ruled against Yingluck, she was tried, convicted and removed from office (along with 9 cabinet members) for impropriety in transferring the chairman of the National Security Council and was due to be impeached for negligence regarding the rice subsidy scheme. Which brings us to the current situation.

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Bpai Tiao Video: Phanom Rung, Buriram

June 1, 2014

In Thailand, a bpai tiao is a trip of any length. I’ve written about some of my more significant bpai tiaos to tourist destinations here, to be used as travel ideas and tips.

In the 12th century, the Khmer empire dominated what is now know as Southeast Asia. Their main city and capital is the famous Angkor complex, which includes Angkor Wat. However, the empire stretched across Thailand, where they also built other cities and temples. Like Angkor, they are now ruins, and some of them aren’t very well preserved. However, Phanom Rung in Buriram is wonderfully well-kept and an excellent destination for tourists. Check it out!