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.People from here and there |
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| Vi Billy, a true Thai
(her smile proves it) speaks to us about her
country. After numerous postings around the
world, the mother of three (soon to be four)
has returned to her native land to follow
her husband, Sylvain who's been assigned to
a job in Bangkok. Her humorous remarks are
also rich in information. |
| ©
http://www.bangkok-thailand.org |
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B-T: If
you had to make a list of countries you've
felt good in, where would you place Thailand?
 V.B.:
"Second!" B-T: Second? Which would
be first? V.B: "I don't know... second,
because I'm sure there's another country somewhere
that would be first. But I can't say which
one, because I don't know it. Perhaps one
day I'll discover a country where I feel even
more comfortable than in my own. You know,
for example, I love Indonesia and other eastern
countries. Sometimes in Thailand if you go
out and you're not well dressed, people judge
you and it's disturbing. When I'm elsewhere,
I can do what I like. So, second, because
I intend to discover other countries, learn
about other things and perhaps find a country
that is even better than Thailand (laughing)." |
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| .The
Thai smile |
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Bangkok-Thaïlande:
In your opinion,
why do you think foreigners want to come to
Thailand?
Vi Billy: "I think firstly, people
come for the country. It's true that we have
everything here, the sea, the mountains and
Bangkok of course. Then there's the Thai smile,
here we smile even before we know what people
want. And that's very pleasant isn't it? (laughing...)"
B-T: What image would
you like to give of Thailand?
V.B: " I don't know. Elephants perhaps
(laughing)." B-T: Elephants? V.B: "No, I'm
joking (laughing). The first thing I'd mention
would be the food, because people love to
eat and in Thailand, we eat very well. Then
sightseeing - there are so many things to
see, not just in Bangkok but all over Thailand."
B-T: For someone
like you who's from Thailand but has travelled
a lot, it's easy for you to compare with other
countries. What do you like first about your
country?
V.B: "As a Thai, I feel that it's so easy
for us to do many things. For example, if
you want to learn to drive here it's easy.
In France it's too complicated. In the Lebanon,
it's not difficult but it's expensive, you
have to pay a lot for a licence. You don't
have to take lessons. If you know how to drive
a little, you can pass your test with cash
(400 dollars) and there you have your licence.
As for here in Thailand, you take lessons,
but it's not very difficult and it's cheap.
Also, daily life is simpler. For example,
if you're hungry at midnight, you can eat
at midnight (laughing). Elsewhere... there
isn't an elsewhere - only in Thailand can
you eat 24 hours a day. It's not that we love
to eat but... (laughing)".
B-T: And on the other
hand, what do you dislike about Thailand?
V.B: "It's dirty. Certain areas are very
dirty. I don't think we pay enough attention
to that. We make things dirty. It's not the
same everywhere though, our beaches are clean,
cleaner than the Lebanese beaches (laughing).
Also, people talk too loudly in Thailand (laughing).
It's too noisy. Thais are used to living in
a noisy environment, but I'm not! I don't
really like it. Sometimes, when I'm eating
and there's too much noise, I lose my appetite
(laughing)! Maybe it's because I'm from the
country...". (/LA) |
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| People |
Bangkok before and after
the crash 
Thailand: an interesting experience to live
For the
country, the smile and the food
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