By Chris Ryall
24 JUL 2019: A shy smile, hands together, head slightly bowed and the melodic “Sawasdee” greets me as I explore this fascinating country. Thailand ticks the boxes of my usual must sees and dos when visiting a destination: a plethora of cultural activities, savoury cuisine, soft adventure, diverse landscape, and luxurious resorts and spas. But it is the service oriented culture prevalent throughout Thailand that is the magnetic force drawing me back time and again to this intriguing kingdom.
Everywhere I travel in Thailand I’m met with the traditional “wai,” our version of hello. Washroom attendants, restaurant staff, hotel front desk and housekeeping personnel, and yes even tuk-tuk and taxi drivers greet you with a warm, “Sawasdee.” Now depending if it is delivered by a man or woman Thai’s usually add “Ka” (female) or “Khrap” (male) after Sawasdee for politeness. In Thai society it is impolite to show anger. Being respectful is important for Thai people when interacting with locals and foreigners alike.
PATTAYA’S PLEASURES
My travels on this trip to Thailand took me for the first time to the coastal city of Pattaya, a two-hour drive southeast of Bangkok. I attended Thailand’s tourism conference but managed to squeeze in visits to attractions that tempted my taste buds, cultural curiosity and even libido!
First stop, the Sanctuary of Truth Museum. I found it was less a museum but a living, breathing gigantic all-wood construction edifice filled with fascinating stories, artifacts and history. Upon feasting my eyes on the impressive castle-like structure, I felt like I had stepped onto a set of Game of Thrones and one of the Seven Kingdoms.
Our tour guide who didn’t miss a beat, told us repeatedly when to take pictures (and when not to), and filled us with snippets of information on how this world’s largest wood structure was built by ancient wood-joining (tongue and groove) techniques. Construction began in 1994 and even today inside the mammoth castle you see workers continuing to finish the structure (you need to wear hard hats in some areas due to this ongoing work).
It honours the link between architecture, arts, culture and humanities. Despite the tour guide’s regimented manner, I ventured off to explore this amazing teak wood structure on my own finding Buddhist and Hindu motifs around every corner. For me this should have been named the Sanctuary of Wonder should the truth be known.
THAI WINE THAT’S FINE
We all know Thailand serves up some of the best cuisine the world has to offer but I must admit when I eat Thai food I rarely if ever serve wine with it. A refreshing Singha, Leo or Chang beer usually accompanies my curry chicken and Tom Kha Kai soup.
Just a half hour from downtown Pattaya you enter the meticulously landscaped gardens and fertile vineyards of Silverlake.
This vineyard is open for public tours and is surrounded by gardens, a lake and in the distance the Khao Chi Chan Buddha Mountain where a large Buddha image is carved into the wall of the mountain.
Silverlake promotes itself as a new latitude winery. Combining the expertise of Italian winemaking and Thai attention to detail, using South Australia vineyards to grow some of the grapes but vinified here, it truly is an international winery. There is a selection of white, red and rosé wines offered here in their well appointed Cellar Door tasting room complete with guitar shaped wine racks.
Wine Spectator won’t be awarding Silverlake any Gold Medals yet as the vines are still maturing and fine tuning wine processes but a few of their wines I would be happy to serve to friends and family. A winery in Thailand is definitely something you don’t expect to see. Silverlake offers a tram to tour around the winery and past the more child friendly gazebos and play areas including signs not to pee and poop. Maybe some think they are fertilizing the vines!
TRANSFIXED WITH ENJOYMENT
Never one to pass up an opportunity to soak in some local culture my Thailand tourism escort Kayla asked if I wanted to see the Tiffany’s Show Pattaya, the internationally renowned cabaret show made up of transvestite and transsexuals that has won numerous awards. The show is performed in a grand theatre with large scale production numbers and elaborate sets and costumes that would stack up well against any top theatre production.
The show far exceeded my expectations except in one area. I thought it would be more risqué – definitely a PG rating. The performers showed just the right amount of cleavage and leg exposure to keep things entertaining. I kept asking myself how they get legs like Tina Turner? This show has grown from its humble one-man tiny club beginnings more than 40 years ago to an award winning theatrical production today. The “One Man Woman” performance is a classic.
The show embraces inclusivity and multiculturalism all with a Thai trans touch. Afterwards the audience had a chance to meet the performers outside the theatre. I had my first trans hug sandwich!
THE PATTAYA TOUCH
Walking the streets of Pattaya it’s impossible in certain areas to stroll more than 15 metres without passing a massage establishment. Female and to a lesser extent male, therapists coax you in for a foot, back, oil, or full body massage. For the equivalent of about $10-15 at most places you can get a very relaxing massage. Now what you won’t get is all the bells and whistles, though some will still serve you tea or water afterwards.
One thing is for certain – you will not get better value for the incredibly low massage price anywhere else. Thai therapists, despite their diminutive size, pack a quality massage punch. If I lived here I would be a certified spa addict going for my daily massage fix. Skip lunch and get a massage instead.
When walking downtown I came across a totally different type of massage – a yogurt massage. Not sure how healthy it would be but I’m sure there was a happy ending whoever had it! I continued walking though – never been a yogurt fan.
I will however always be a fan of Thailand with its diverse culture and scenic landscape where service excellence isn’t just a slogan on a company’s mission statement but a practice carried out daily.
And that’s something to smile about.