Lesson 7: Thailand

This week we go to Thailand, which is good news if you’re Theravada Buddhist and want to worship in a land where 95% of the people are too, if you’re an elephant-loving, forest trek-desiring adventurer, or if you’re a European tourist who wants to roast your body for a week or two on a perfect white beach. Thailand is a proud, forever-independent nation that, despite its current internal political crisis, wants to reassure you that you are welcome, you will always be welcome, and, above all, that all is well.

HISTORY: “Thailand is an ancient kingdom that in all its years of being a unified nation never been colonized by Western powers — the only country in Southeast Asia with that distinction….”

MUSIC: Piphat, String and “Songs for Life”

LANGUAGE: Thai is a tonal language, and, if you don’t speak it, really tricky! “The same word can be said in five different ways….”

LOY KRATHONG: Celebrating the Thai festival of Loy Krathong by floating our past year down the river.

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