My son Timmy started back at school yesterday. This is his second year and he is now moved up to K2 – it would be the equivalent of junior infants back in Ireland. I asked him this morning if he preferred K1 or K2 and he says that K1 is for babies. His first year in school whizzed by at a scary pace. Readers of my blog may remember that I had reservations about sending him so young, but looking back we probably did the right thing. He made some friends, and he does seem to enjoy learning.

Back to School Blues

It has been nice having him home all the time for the summer holidays. I spend most of my time glued to the computer in my office, but I can hear him pottering around the house. I also stop for a chat every time I go down to refill my coffee cup. As he was off school we took the opportunity to do some travelling. We spent a few days on Koh Samet, and we also visited Savannakhet in Laos. He enjoys going to these places so when it comes to decisions about hitting the road it is two against one – my wife doesn’t have a chance.

I felt a bit sad over the weekend knowing that Timmy was going back to school – it sort of felt like it was me and not him who would be returning. I have so many memories of that first day of term 1. I would be so excited about all the new books in my school bag, but there would also be a deep dread. Going to school meant entering a world where I’d have far less control. It was a place where I had to struggle to fit in. It was a tough environment where you would either sink or learnt how to swim –I spent most of the time sinking. I felt sad about Timmy going back to school because like any father I want to save him from all that, but I don’t know if it is possible.

Back to Nagging My Son to Speak English

Going to school has changed my son, and it isn’t always in ways that I choose. Over the last few weeks I’ve managed to get him speaking English almost all the time at home, but when we picked him up yesterday he would only speak Thai. I will only converse with him in English, but I hate haven’t to keep moaning at him to speak my language. I worry that nagging will take all the fun out of the language – this is a concern that I’ve discussed on here before .

Timmy was fine going back to school yesterday because I promised him a new iPad game if he was a ‘good boy’. We had to literally drag him there this morning though. In the end his teacher carried him off, and I hated leaving him while he was still so upset. I would love to say to Timmy that he didn’t have to go to school, but he does. I tried to explain all that to him this morning, but he couldn’t understand. It was heartbreaking but what are we supposed to do? The exact same thing happened last year but by the second week he loved going to school. Hopefully he’ll settle back in again quickly because I don’t want to have to go through that every morning.

Readers of my blog may remember how back in October we were forced to leave our home as a result of the Bangkok floods. That saga lasted over a month, and I felt at my wits end near the end of it. I normally enjoying staying in hotels, but this is not so much fun when you have no choice in the matter. The flood season is still a few months away so I wasn’t expecting that we would need to give up our home again so soon. Yet here we are once again staying in a hotel as a result of bad weather.

After the Storm No Electricity

It is fairly common for the electricity to cut out here during the middle of a bad weather. On Monday afternoon we had a particularly bad storm so I wasn’t surprised when the power began playing up. This loss of electricity usually only lasts a few minutes so it isn’t too big a deal. I have lost work on the computer this way, but I’m now more careful when the weather turns bad. In 12 years I only remember a couple of occasions when the electricity has been off for longer than an hour.

This storm was a bad one, but it only lasted about 50 minutes. I sat at my computer just waiting for the power to come back on – full of optimism. Luckily I’d charged my iPad so I had this to keep me occupied. My office began to get uncomfortably hot so when there was no sign of the electricity after an hour I called it a day and joined the family downstairs. We decided to brave the mosquitoes and sit out in the garden. It was cooler out there. It actually felt nice to sit watching the sunset together. I would love to say that this lack of electricity meant we were once again enjoying a more natural way of life but that would be an exaggeration. My wife and I were both busy on our iPads, and my son was absorbed in his Leapfrog game tablet.

After about three hours we had almost drained the batteries for our various gadgets. The electricity had still not come back. My wife decided to investigate. It turned out that all the electrical poles on the main road had been knocked down by the high winds. Thanon Khum Glao looked like a war zone and two cars had been hit by flying concrete poles – luckily nobody was seriously injured. The workmen were already working on repairs, but it would be a huge job.

The Hell of No Electricity in Thailand

The lack of electricity precipitated a truly awful night. None of us were able to get much sleep. The bedroom felt like a furnace without the air conditioning and fan – we use both at the moment. My wife opened all the windows to let in a breeze but it also meant that the room became invaded with mosquitoes. I then had the choice of sweating under a sheet or being eating alive by insects. My wife spent the night trying to fan our son with a magazine – this meant that at least he was able to get a bit of sleep. It was a long night for the rest of us.

Yesterday morning I went to check on the repairs and it didn’t look as if there had been much progress. The repairmen couldn’t say if we would have the electricity back by that evening – they looked doubtful. There was no way that I could go through another night of torture so we decided to abandon ship again. We are now staying in a hotel in Pattaya where I have the air conditioning on full blast. I will never complain about being cold again.

Fixing the Electricity in Minburi

The Thai Ease with Ambiguity

I have come to the conclusion that the average Thai person possesses an ease with ambiguity that those of us from western countries lack. They just seem better able to appreciate the grey areas in life, and so they can avoid dividing everything into black and white (or right and wrong). This is a trait to be admired because as far as I can tell the world is one huge puzzle that we are far from solving. There is a great deal of ambiguity out there if we take an honest look.

Black and White Thinking

Philosophers have suggested that humans need to have strong beliefs – even if those beliefs are ultimately false. Lack of certainty troubles us and it can even lead to insanity, but when we are convinced of our truths it makes us feel all comfy inside. It is this desire for certainty that causes us to cling onto beliefs as if they were life rafts. It is also this that leads us to black and white thinking. It drives us into our little packs of likeminded believers, and we develop an inner conviction that anyone who thinks differently is a threat – the regrettable ‘you are either with us or against us’ mentality that has been adopted by hardcore religious fundamentalists and scientific materialists.

Western philosophy is culturally biased, and I don’t agree that this hunger for certainty is a universal human trait. In my dealings with the Thais I’ve found that they most are perfectly comfortable with uncertainty. They are able to appreciate the grey areas in life. This explains how there isn’t such an outcry against Buddhism when a monk behaves badly. There is an understanding that things in life are not so clear cut – just because there are a few bad apples it doesn’t mean that you need to destroy the whole orchard. This is such a refreshing change from the west where a religion is either ‘ the only true path to salvation’ or ‘the root of all evil’.

This Terrible Need for Certainty

The need for certainty is a curse because it can’t be satisfied. The best we can do is to fool ourselves and hope that we can deal with the doubts as they arise. We have to view anyone who would challenge our beliefs as the enemy because they are undermining all our efforts to hold it together. If only we could embrace the mystery of life and stop pretending that we have all the answers. Wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t feel the need to attack other people for their beliefs? In a world of uncertainty it is easier to give other folk a bit of latitude.

Debating with a Thai Can be Difficult

In the past I’ve tried to engage my Thai neighbors in metaphysical debates. I don’t really class myself as a Buddhist (at least not a religious Buddhist), but I have been interested in this philosophy/religion since my early teens. When these conversations with my Thai friends have taken place I’ve sometimes found them to be a bit unsatisfying – although I’ve grown to appreciate this more honest way of communicating. I missed the cut and thrust that such debates have when they occur between westerners – there will always be clashes of opinions. When having the same conversation with a Thai they would hardly ever challenge any of my claims – even the more outlandish ones. Their attitude is usually a respectful ‘maybe’. In the beginning I put this down to the Thai cultural imperative of ‘saving face’, but later I realized that there is more to it than this. They are comfortable with uncertainty, and they don’t need for my beliefs to be wrong so that they can be right.

Dangers of Black and White Thinking

It would be wrong to claim that the Thais have it right about life and the rest of the world has it wrong. It would be fairer to say that each culture has something unique to offer. This means that we can learn a great deal from each other. The dogmatic attitude of the black or white thinker causes a great deal of suffering in the world. It is a mistake we keep on making over and over again. This is what makes it so easy for us to slip from believing in heavenly paradises after death to the belief that we are merely materialistic meat puppets and that life has no purpose. The reality is that there is not enough evidence to support either conclusion, but it doesn’t stop the rise of fanaticism and blinkered thinking. By developing an appreciation of the ambiguity in life it could not only make us more tolerant but it will also bring us nearer to the truth. The universe is one huge mystery and we may not be getting any closer to solving that mystery – maybe this is a possibility that we need to seriously consider.

Building in Savannakhet

I just got back from a trip to Savannakhet in Laos. It’s a nice enough place, but I would have preferred to travel further into southern Laos. My four year old son already had enough of being stuck in a car so we ended up staying in Savannakhet for 3 days. There were a few nice restaurants, but nothing spectacular. The accommodation options are a bit limited, and the first place we stayed in was crawling with cockroaches. We ended up staying in an overpriced resort on the banks of the Mekong – nice view of the river though.

Mekong River From Savannakhet - Evening

Importance of Honesty and Effective Communications

Dear Paul and other posters,
First of all, I thank you each for sharing your honest thoughts, opinions, and ideas in this thread. Paul – kudos to you for having the guts to post a relevant (and potentially controversial) question and seeking to foster good, honest communication about this and other topics. I think one major issue with today’s world is a lack of honesty with others or an apathy or negligence in communicating core, personal beliefs, thoughts, and ideas with others while demonstrating utmost love and respect for them. I appreciate you trying to do so and create some space for that to happen on your site.
And second, forgive me for this long post. I thought it would be good to join in the discussion. I’m grateful for all your comments and hope you would give these a read too.

Thanks Tim, I agree that many of the problems that we have with other people could be resolved with clearer communication. It is just so easy to get caught up by the ‘in-group’ mentality where we demonize anyone who is in the ‘out-group’ . It is a personal battle for me to keep reminding myself that just because people have a different worldview it does not mean that they are against me. I can hold my opinions and be a good person and so can they.

Rice Bowl Christians

I found this question intriguing because I’m a missionary in Thailand (6 years and counting…) and often wonder what Thais and other foreigners think of our presence and work. Believe me, I cringe along with many of you for much of the negative interaction you’ve had with Christians, both here in Thailand and abroad. I share your distaste for “baiting the hook” or “switcheroo” tactics that some may employ and prefer to be open and honest about our desire to love and serve others in the name of Jesus.

I do feel that trying to coerce anyone into joining a religion is a bad thing, and I’m glad that you appear to share my view. I realize that the believers who use such tactics are in the minority, but they can do a great deal of harm all the same. They are using a cynical ploy which I think is ultimately self-defeating anyway. People should not be asked to change their beliefs in exchange for food, gifts or free education. The history of ‘rice bowl Christians’ does suggest that many return to their former beliefs once they are more secure in life, but it still feels wrong to me. It is my experience with this type of tactic that has led to an almost kneejerk distrust of missionaries. I can easily fall into the trap of tarring everyone with the same brush, and this is why it is so good for me to hear from people like you.

The Problem with Beliefs

Wouldn’t things be better if we all shared what we believe and retained great respect for others in doing so?
I have utmost respect for my Thai Buddhist friends and many of them exhibit what Christians would call “Fruit of the Spirit” from Galatians 5:22 love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in their daily lives. Many to a greater degree than some who claim to be followers of Jesus! I understand that Christianity is pretty controversial and seen as closed-minded. Would you all agree that anything we believe could be seen as closed-minded? Those who would identify as open-minded could move towards a closed-mindedness when it comes to those who would say there’s absolute truth, right? The claims of Jesus (both his deity and mankind’s only hope for salvation – through grace not works) don’t sit well with many because they draw this ultimate, absolute, line.

I sometimes look upon beliefs and opinions as a necessary evil. I don’t know how we can survive without them, but they come with a heavy price. Every time I take on a belief it is like I’ve closed a door in my mind, and if I close enough of these doors it will lead to complete closed mindedness. So yes, I fully agree with you that anything we believe could be considered closed-minded.

I do not think it is possible for any human to have access to ultimate truth – that is one of my beliefs. How could we possibly know if anything is ultimately true? Even if I woke up in heaven tomorrow I could still question if any of it was real. This is why I’m not only skeptical about strong religious beliefs but of any beliefs (including scientific). I look upon the world as one huge mystery. I don’t know the answers, and I’m not convinced that other people know much more than me, but I have to allow for the possibility that I’m wrong.

I can’t say with 100% certainty that your claims for Jesus are wrong, and it would mean closing my mind if I were to believe that. On the other hand, it would be equally closed minded for me to accept the opposite conclusion. This leaves me in a position where I have to think, ‘Tim could be right about Jesus’, but of course the same would apply to every other religious belief. This is why I struggle with the Christian idea that they have access to the ultimate truth.

The Truth About Thai Culture

I thought it would be appropriate to weigh in here as a Christian missionary (the very subject of this post) and say that I have wrestled over many of the points you all have brought up. Will we have some detrimental effect on Thai culture by sharing the story of Jesus? As an artist and patron of the arts, I have great appreciation of Thai art forms, especially ancient forms of Raam Thai, Muay Thai, Poetry, and cuisine! From a Christian perspective I would posit that these are gifts from God (look at the distinctive qualities of all cultures) to be celebrated by Thai and foreigner alike. Even as Thailand is primarily Buddhist would it become any less Thai if many were to believe the claims of Jesus and become Christians? Did Korea become less Korean as Christianity grew? Would the US become less American if Buddhism continues to grow there? I don’t have all the answers but please know that I care very deeply about Thais as a people. Cultural identity is wonderful but for the Christian, our ultimate identity is in Christ.

Many of the things I admire about Thailand do have Buddhist roots, but they are under far more threat from modernity than Christianity. I don’t believe that culture should be a static thing anyway – so you do have a valid point here. It is the Thai people who shape their own culture, and if they want to embrace Christianity then that will become part of their identity. It is a bit patronizing of us foreigners to feel that we have to save Thailand from a foreign religion.

I come from a country that is predominately Christian, but I was allowed to explore other religions such as Buddhism and Taoism. It would be hypocritical for me to say that Thai people shouldn’t have the same opportunity. I don’t see Christianity ever becoming a dominant religion in Thailand so the threat is exaggerated anyway.

The Right to Spread Beliefs

I sincerely hope that my desire to live and work among the Thai people would never be detrimental to them. I guess we all start from of beliefs and work out from them, don’t we? Jesus’ claim to be God and the only hope of salvation for anyone compels me to share this with those around me. If you thought you had a cure for cancer, would you share it with others? I think you can follow the analogy here. If you truly believed that Jesus was the only way to salvation why would you keep that from others?
Paul’s question has given us all a chance to share our beliefs as well and in a sense we’re all trying (at one level or another) to see others come to our way of thinking. I agree with you that many Christians have been heavy-handed in doing so. I would say that that grieves the Spirit of Christ Jesus. If you read the gospels you’ll see that Jesus was both tender (as with the woman at the well) and harsh (with the religious leaders of the day) as he needed to be. His followers are simply sinners looking to a God of grace to save them. We’re miserable when it comes to engaging people as Jesus did. He was perfect after all.

One of the things that attracted me to Buddhism was that nobody tried to convert me. I had to seek out information and teachers. This way of spreading beliefs feels more legitimate to me – if something requires a ‘hard sell’ it automatically makes me suspicious. I understand that some Christian groups feel it is their duty to spread the word, and that is their motivation for coming to places like Thailand. As far as I can tell they aren’t doing anything illegal and in all likelihood are doing at least some good.

I think the problem with comparing Jesus with a cure for cancer is that there would be no need to send missionaries to spread the word about such a cure. The fact that it was so obviously beneficial would mean that the news would spread like wildfire. The problem with religious beliefs is that they involve things that are not easily proved or accepted. So I don’t think it is a fair comparison unless the cancer cure was a faith based treatment. The question of whether people are justified in spreading their strongly held opinions isn’t so clear cut. I can think of plenty of examples where people should not be allowed to spread their beliefs – even if they do think it is beneficial to do so.

Christian Missionaries versus Sex Tourists

I would encourage all of us to form our opinions about others by getting to know them, seeking further understanding, and engage in meaningful dialogue. And to challenge them, like this question and subsequent posting did more me.
For example, I’m pretty prejudice about the foreigners who travel to Bangkok for sex. A similar question, “Are Sex Tourists in Bangkok a good thing for Thailand?”, would likely yield a bevy of answers finding root in our core beliefs. One may say, “No problem! The girls love it and need the money!” – Another, “It shows disrespect for Thai women and Thai culture.” – and another “Prostitution at it cores destroys souls and degrades people who are precious in the eyes of God and made in his image!” I would whole-heartily say that sex tourism is seeking to destroy Thailand. Would you agree with that?

You do make a valid criticism here, but I think it would be unfair to make black and white judgments. The problem is that the word ‘sex tourist’ has been used so much that it has become a bit meaningless. I would say that a significant number of those labeled as sex tourist come to Thailand looking for companionship more than anything else. Many of them are older guys who probably didn’t have much luck with relationships back in their home countries. They come to Thailand to meet girls in a bar and will typically fall in love. In exchange for companionship (which would probably include at least occasional sex) they will then take care of this girl and her family. Some people might object to such relationships as morally wrong, but I’m not so certain. I think you are justified in pointing out a double standard here, but I don’t think either missionaries or sex tourism are black and white issues.

People are Flawed

I try to keep my motives and actions in check and your posts are invaluable in doing so. Unfortunately, followers of Jesus are flawed, broken people and fail miserably when it comes to sharing the love of Christ perfectly. I’m compelled to share the good news with others because I believe it is true, the Jesus gave his life for you. I do want to you to wrestle with that as being truth just as you may desire to help me wrestle over my core convictions.

Tim I really appreciate that you have shared your side of the story here. You do make some valid points, and I feel that my understanding of what compels missionaries to come to Thailand has increased. I agree that all humans are flawed, and the best we can do is give life our best shot. I hope other people with add their own comments in reply to your well written side of the story.

I love my waking life. I live in a beautiful part of the world, and the sun is always shining when I open the door. My home life couldn’t be better, and things are going well in my career at the moment. I have plenty to stay awake for, but I’m also finding increasing pleasure in my dreaming hours. I would even go so far as to say that some of the most significant events in my life recently have occurred while I was asleep. This might sound like a bizarre claim but those who regularly have lucid dreams will probably understand what I’m referring to.

Lucid Dreaming Explained

I was once highly skeptical of lucid dreaming and put it in the same category as magic crystals or fairy dust. I didn’t realize that this state of consciousness had already been given the stamp of approval by science. There are now numerous studies that confirm that it is possible for people to become fully aware in the middle of a dream. It is even suggested that as many as 50% of the population will have experienced at least some level of lucidity while dreaming.

Lucid dreaming is when people become awake while in the middle of a dream . Those who are unfamiliar with this experience are usually so startled that it wakes them up right away. Once people learn how to manage this lucidity it opens up a world of opportunity. It becomes possible to have some control in the dream. This world created by our mind then becomes our personal holodeck ; fans of Star Trek will know what I’m talking about here. In other words our dreams can become our playground and we can do almost anything we want.

Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

Those people who have never experienced lucid dreaming might wonder what all the fuss is about. We tend to take our dreams for granted and most of the time we don’t even remember them afterwards. The potential of lucidity in dreams is astounding and the benefits include

- It is an opportunity to gain insight into our subconscious. The things that we learn about our own inner landscape can completely change the way we live our waking life.
- It is possible to talk with deceased loved ones. The general consensus is that these phantoms are just part of our subconscious, but they can bring great comfort.
- It is possible to have conversations with literally anyone; including historical heroes like the Buddha or Socrates.
- We can live out our fantasies. Forget about playing an air guitar because in a lucid dream you get to see an audience and really experience what it is like to be onstage.
- Buddhists have a long history of using lucid dreaming as a path to enlightenment.
- The ability that attracts the most attention from newbie lucid dreamers is flying. The laws of gravity do not apply in the dream world so flying is not a problem.
- Another tempting diversion in lucid dreaming is to live out sexual fantasies. This is probably high on the list of reasons for why people want to learn to become lucid in the first place – it takes sex tourism to a whole new level.
- One of the most talked about potentials of lucid dreaming is the ability to master new skills. My own experiences is that lucid dreaming isn’t that great for learning new languages, but it can be good for practicing physical activities. I’ve used it for Muay Thai sparring, and it did help with my confidence.
- One of my favorite abilities in these dreams is time travel. It is even possible to revisit times before we were born or in the future. Of course most people don’t believe that we actually travel through time, but it can be extremely convincing.
* It can lead to increased creativity in our waking life.

My Own Experience with Lucid Dreaming

I had lucid dreams in my teens, but I didn’t know that this is what they were. The shock of being lucid always woke me up. I had my first sustained lucid dream during a meditation retreat at Wat Rampoeng nine years ago. I was then meditating up to 16 hours a day, and this meant that when I became lucid my automatic response was to just continue meditating. Most new lucid dreamers will do all the exciting stuff like flying, or having sex with their dream date, so my early experiences with lucidity might be considered a bit tame.

Since giving up alcohol almost six years ago I’ve developed an increased ability to lucid dream. I am experiencing them with increased regularity. I now have lucid dreams about once every couple of weeks. It is still such a joy to become aware in the middle of a dream, and I can’t imagine ever getting bored with this ability. Some people are able to become lucid every night, but I’ve yet to reach that level. I would be happy with once a week.

It is only in recent months that I’ve started reading other people’s accounts of lucid dreaming and the techniques that work for them. I highly recommend Lucid Dreaming by Stephen Laberge. I still struggle to gain control over my dreams. I just become too distracted and excited with being awake in this imaginary world that has been created inside my own head. A few nights ago I time travelled back to Dublin during the seventies. I just felt so gob-smacked by how real everything looked and felt. I wasted a lot of time just touching things. I woke up before really getting a chance to explore. There is a great deal of skill involved in dream lucidity, but I am getting better at it.

I’m surprised at how little attention is given to dream lucidity in the media. I believe that this is something that anyone could learn to do, and the rewards make the effort well worth it. It can be frustrating in the beginning, but if people keep at it they are almost certain to gain control over their dreams. We spend a good sized chunk of our life asleep so it does make sense that we make use of this time.

My reason for travelling down to Phuket is to practice Muay Thai. I’ve been lazy in recent months, and the aim of this trip is to revamp my love of this martial arts. I’m going to be devoting myself to Muay Thai over the next few days. You can follow my progress on my other blog Middle Aged Muay Thai

I was recently interviewed by a journalist from the Chiang Mai City Life magazine about my experiences of addiction in Thailand. I’m always grateful for the opportunity to talk about myself so thanks Grace. I do recommend that people read this article Staying Sober in Thailand.

The Expert View of Thamkrabok

The one thing that really caught my attention in this article was the views of Simon Mott – an addiction expert. In particular his claim;

“This practice may be more beneficial for Thai people who are spiritually linked to Buddhism, also especially if they continue to live as a monk after treatment. However, it is vital to find and deal with the root of the problem causing addiction, which is better sought through psychology, counselling, and cognitive behavioural therapy. It is important to examine the way people think about things, and try to adapt thinking patterns to heal addictions.”

I must admit that his comments have irked me. Mott does not appear to know much about the temple yet he feels qualified to make blanket statements. I do not pretend to act as a spokesperson for Thamkrabok but most of the ex-patients I’ve met have already tried the therapies he has suggested. I entered my first treatment facility and nineteen and had twenty years of psychology, counseling, and CBT – these methods did not work for me, but I found success at Thamkrabok.

I would love to know on what basis Mott is making his claim “This practice may be more beneficial for Thai people who are spiritually linked to Buddhism, also especially if they continue to live as a monk after treatment”. Buddhism was hardly mentioned during my stay and most of the people who establish a solid sobriety afterwards do not live the life of a monk. I certainly don’t live this life anyway.

More Than One Solution

I’m sure that the therapies Mott endorses do help many addicts. I’m not going to say here it will be better for people to go to Thamkrabok. It seems reasonable to assume that there is no one solution that suits everyone. It is obvious though, that the western approach is failing too many people so to insist that ‘more of the same’ is the way to go sounds stupid to me. This point was made clear by a report provided by the National Health Executive in the UK last year called Addicted to the Status Quo. It concluded that ‘Current treatments options are limited and substantially rest within a symptom management model’.

There is not yet enough scientific research into the efficacy of Thamkrabok. Groups such as East-West Detox are working to get some studies completed, but it is a hugely problematic thing to judge. This means that any claims that recovery is “better sought through psychology, counselling, and cognitive behavioural therapy” is based on zero evidence. It bugs me when experts dismiss those therapies that they do not understand and that could be of benefit to many people. To keep on insisting that these individuals return to those therapies that have already failed them sounds ridiculous to me. To be honest, it bugs the shit out of me.

Update 26/04/2012 It has become more difficult to use Deezer in Thailand so I’ve cancelled my subscription. It is a bit of a shame because I liked the service.

One of the drawbacks of living in Thailand is that I miss out on some entertainment options that would be available back in Europe. One of the internet services that I’ve really been itching to get my hands on has been Spotify – a legal way to listen to millions of songs online with my computer or iPad. Unfortunately it has not been possible for me to subscribe to Spotify because I don’t have a UK bank account.

Deezer Music Streaming

Deezer offers a similar service to Spotify and charges roughly the same membership fee – for premium plus I get access to about 13 million songs. There really is no need for me to ever purchase more music. It is even possible to create playlists that can be listened to offline. I was able to sign up using my Irish credit card details and have begun their 15 day free trial – after that it is 9.99 GBP per month.

I had a good look around today at the Deezer music selection and I am impressed. I noticed that some important bands are missing such as the Beatles, and Oasis. I was also disappointed to find that they only had a small collection of songs by the Pixies. Still it is hard to complain about what is there. I love the radio stations and the ability to share music via social media. The biggest attraction for me is that it makes it so easy to discover new music – I can sort of feel out of the loop by living in Thailand.

I’ve always felt that if there were reasonable options available online it would eliminate music piracy. Options like Deezer and Spotify definitely seem to be the right way to go.

I will see how it goes over the next 15 days, but so far I am happy to give Deezer a huge thumbs up – thanks for the music.

On New Year’s Day we went on a family outing to Khao Yai. I don’t know what it is about this first day of the year, but I always like to visit somewhere outdoors. This is our second New Year in a row visiting Khao Yai, but last year we stayed overnight. I did look around for hotels this time, but everywhere was already booked out. The Thais love this mountainous area and this is their favourite time of year to go there. Many of the Bangkokonians view it as an opportunity to wear their winter clothing even though it isn’t much cooler than Bangkok – even first thing in the morning the temperature was still 25 degrees Celsius.

Life Park Khao Yai

I came across Life Park during an internet search for hotels in Khao Yai. It is right next to the Greenery Hotel not far from the Thanarat Road entrance to Khao Yai National Park. The website for Life Park made the place sound wonderful. I’ve been fooled by false advertisements on the web too many times before so I wasn’t really expecting much. I just hoped that it would be interesting enough to keep a four year old boy happy for a couple of hours.

It was just after 9am when we arrived at Khao Yai and there was already quite a crowd there. I would imagine that around New Year is their busiest time. There was no admission fee but instead you need to buy tickets for whatever rides you wish to go on. We bought a 450 THB ticket that allowed Timmy to go on 5 rides; there are other more expensive tickets that allow for more rides.

brum brum min cars Life Park Khao Yai

The scenery around Life Park is quite pleasant and the area is large enough so that it does not feel crowded. Timmy tried out the ‘brum brum’ mini cars first of all, and he enjoyed that. He got to drive around a little town complete with small houses and roundabouts. He was only allowed ten minutes in the car and this felt an unreasonably short amount of time.

After the cars Timmy tried out the ‘pony pony’. These are a type of rocking horse that can actually move around. They looked quite fun but they weren’t exciting enough for my son – perhaps we should have taken him here before the cars.

Probably the best ride of all was the kiddie bumper boats. Timmy felt a bit nervous at first but he started to really enjoy himself near the end of the ride. The boats move around a pool that is fairly small so I’d imagine that it can be chaotic when it gets busy.

Our final destination at Life Park was Inflatable Land. This is an area full of slides and inflatable structures that kids can crawl up and down on. The nicest thing about this place is that you can stay here as long as you want. The woman behind the counter even said that we could leave and come back again later if we wanted. There are a couple of places for adults to sit and still be able to supervise their kids.

There were many other rides in the park but I didn’t get a chance to try them out. From a look on the faces of other people they were all having fun. Timmy enjoyed his visit to Life Park so we will almost certainly visit again. It is a good place to visit as a day trip from Bangkok.