Culturally different from India and China, the general academic level in Thailand doesn’t compare well with these other Asian countries. Those who live on the river depend on tourism to put food on the table.
The Thai have their own script, language and speech pattern, despite some connections of mythology and philosophy with India.
English is not usually a strong point, and in speaking it, they tend to mix-up consonants like ‘r’ and ‘l’. Rose, our local travel agent, for instance, is most often called ‘LOse’! [This is quite as the Chinese are said to do, though the Thai say they’re distinct to them as well.]
The general academic level in Thailand doesn’t appear to compare well with these other Asian countries. Possibly higher education is not as heavily stressed here as elsewhere because of differing values and outlooks.
Almost everywhere we look, tourism drives the local economy. We wonder how ordinary people cope, since language is the obvious handicap to interacting with people of other lands.
We do see attempts by some to overcome knowledge and communication barriers. For example, our taxi-driver Feiy always has at hand his pocket electronic dictionary for help in translating to English from Thai and vice versa to facilitate lights of understanding and pronunciation.
Bangkok from Chao Phraya
We take a boat ride on the Chao Phraya river for a new experience of the indigenous. This river irrigates the plains – the major fruit and rice producing areas. It covers a distance of 372 kilometres meandering to its destination in the Gulf of Thailand.
In Bangkok city, canals form a network of interconnected waterways. The view from the river is a study of contrasts. On one hand, there are the imposing façades of modern architecture, palaces, temples and other important institutions.
On the other hand, while navigating through narrow byways, we see parts of the capital that clearly faces hard times in making ends meet.
River transports
Those living by the river, live by it. They depend on tourism to put food on the table.
Thus skiffs, motorboats, barges, cruisers, floating markets and restaurants are constantly on the move, plying busily up and down the river.
Backwater entrepreneurs
Chao Phraya is one of the main rivers of the country and the trade route for individual entrepreneurs of the backwaters also.
Their vocabulary is limited, but to push their souvenir sales, they have a smile and the numbers ready as they hail encouragingly – only 100 baht, Madame!
Boatman Tek – I, driver, he introduces – skilfully steers the boat, pointing out sights that we might otherwise have missed. We surprise many a water monitor going about its daily business.
Temples that line the riverbanks are almost mandatory stops for the boats. The monastery inmates greet visitors with bags of bread loaves priced 20 bahts (the proceeds are help for the organization).
They toss the loaves beyond the boat, and suddenly there is frenzied activity in the water, as shoals of catfish surface to chase after the prize!
A few moments later, the unexpected show subsides, and once again calm prevails as the boats move on. Life, we've heard said, is a great river...
Cont’d 2…life by sea
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