David's World

July 13, 2006

Millionaire for a week

Being in Thailand was an interesting experience. You come with a credit card in hard pounds, Euros, dollars, funded from a maybe mediocre salary back home - and over there you get to lead a life that's commonly reserved for the more affluent. A Thai worker makes 200 Baht a day, maybe less - that's not even 4 Euros. Of course, your wealth is undeserved - but you might as well enjoy it.

Contrary to other countries with striking exchange rates that I've seen (e.g., Romania), Thailand actually has all most of the amenties you would actually want, ready to be bought "for cheap" after some haggling. And fantastic food for a few dimes.

I got to see a number of well-dressed, young Thai women, holding hands with a (slightly...) older European or American guy. I don't think they're all going out for long, and from what I've heard, they're not conventional "escorts" either. It's probably much more the life-style that appears attractive - western clothes, champagne, nice meals. As we say in the West: a nice convertible comes with a factory-provided blonde on the passenger seat. I don't know if those brunette Thais are similarly shallow as their western equivalents - after all, they have less of a chance to get an education and emancipate themselves.

Bought a yellow shirt. Thais love their king, and the king was born on a Monday. Monday is yellow in Thailand, and because it's his 60th year on the throne, everyone wears yellow shirts!