Thailand Naturally (page 1 of 13)

Time flies: here we are already presenting our tenth travel journal to VoyageForum’s readers!

We discovered Thailand about a dozen years ago, and it quickly became addictive for us. It’s only fair to say that this country stands out from many—if not most—thanks to an extraordinary combination of qualities: a generally smiling, laid-back, and friendly people; a territory dotted with natural beauties of exotic exuberance; a substantial selection of dishes, each more delicious than the last; and an obvious ease in making yourself understood and finding help to organize your activities.

Over the years, it’s been tough to keep things fresh, to continue sparking readers’ interest—and who knows, maybe even enthusiasm. We’re going to try to rise to that challenge.

After revisiting or introducing you to over 120 temples in Thailand, this year Joel and Françoise want to reveal a "Thailand Naturally."

Both in well-known areas and others that are more off the beaten path.

By "natural," we first mean nature itself, with its stunning sites and landscapes. But it’s also about places where Thais love to stroll with family and friends. Sometimes it’s just faces, glances, moments of life, or ceremonies captured on the spot. For the ladies, there’ll certainly be flowers to admire along the way. Uh... for the gentlemen too, who appreciate them (the flowers)... oh, and also for the gentlemen who appreciate gentlemen who appreciate flowers. And even for the ladies who don’t appreciate gentlemen. Alright, let’s go wild—on top of all that, we’ll still include a few places of worship. No matter how hard we try to resist, there’s always someone or something pulling us toward temples. The ever-vibrant popular devotion encourages us, and we never regret it.

To do this, we’ll lead you through six provinces or regions that will reveal themselves as the story unfolds, letting you enjoy the thrill of discovery. Even if we’ve mentioned some of them in previous years, this time it’ll all be new. For a more complete picture of any province we’ve already covered, readers can check out our past travel journals—just click on our username Jojoone1 to see what we’ve published.

One last note before we begin: we’re sticking to our tastes, our preferences, and what brings us joy. We just really wanted to show you multiple facets of the country’s interior—we’ll see if we pull it off...

We really wanted to show you many facets of the country’s interior, we’ll see if we manage to do it...

I’ve no doubt about it 🙂 Thanks Joël for this new travel journal I’ll follow with pleasure

I’m !

Patience isn't my strong suit... Hurry up with the next part!!

That’s exactly it: to make up for being naughty, I’m trying out travel journals to hopefully make someone happy! 😇

That’s exactly it: to make up for being naughty, I’m trying travel journals to hopefully please you! 😇

Oh no, not at all! I’ve never found you naughty 😉 And I already know your travel journal will be a real treat. Just don’t make us wait too long, though 😛

I’m with you. Sorry for the competition! 🙂

Down with consumer society! I’m old-school: the classic serials where you eagerly await the next episode all day or all week. The new concept is one photo per day. The reassuring part for you is that this travel journal will last less than a year. If you give me attitude, I’ll report it to Benjamin.

Did you ever listen to the Duraton family on Radio Luxembourg? My dad never missed it, and we were stuck enjoying it too... 😉

Today, I'm just like everyone else—I'm waiting for "the daily photo" and the text that goes with it...

Down with consumer society! I'm old-school: the classic serials, where you eagerly await the next episode all day or all week. The new concept is one photo a day. The reassuring part for you is that this travel journal will last less than a year. If you throw a tantrum, I’ll tell Benjamin.

You drive a hard bargain, you southerners... [ :)]

No special dedication this year, but inevitably some thoughts for the friendly people we sometimes correspond with both on and off this site. So, a big wink to the "unknown soldier," the mystery man—in short, our anonymous correspondent who will certainly recognize themselves.

A smile, too, to those old rascals who’ve helped liven up the Thailand forum for what feels like forever, for better and sometimes for worse: of course, the Obeoandpai crew with their pals Philgbo and miss Barefoot, but also our Charlie—the Franco-Belgo-Grolandais—photographer, poet, critic, benevolent professor, journalist, expert in Siamese life, and demigod.

And still the pillars: Renosu, Nato, Daisyone, our adventurous buddy SuisseChris, the formidable, much-missed, and unforgettable Chanthabanni, Denis the helmeted grumbler, Therat the filmmaker, Jungletroll "the specialist," Arsouille the hee-haw friendly coding expert, and we won’t name everyone, especially since between fake new usernames, sudden deaths, and reincarnations, it’s hard to keep track of our flock.

At its core, our love for this country brings us all together in the same passion, and that’s beautiful—really beautiful. Our shared stories and exchanges—no one can ever take those away from us.

So, what do you do when it’s amazing?

Wow, this is amazing! It starts off really, really strong 😎

A nod and a smile to those old rogues who’ve helped liven up the Thailand forum for what feels like forever—through the highs and the lows: of course, the Obeoandpai crew with pals like Philgbo and miss Barefoot, plus our very own Charlie, the Franco-Belgo-Grolandais—photographer, poet, critic, benevolent professor, journalist, Siamlife expert, and demigod.

And let’s not forget the pillars: Renosu, Nato, Daisyone, SwissChris the seasoned traveler, the formidable, much-missed, and unforgettable Chanthabanni, Denis the helmeted grumbler, Therat the filmmaker, Jungletroll "the specialist," Arsouille the hee-haw-friendly coding expert —and we won’t name everyone, especially with all the fake new usernames, sudden disappearances, and reincarnations making it hard to keep track.

At its core, our love for this country brings us all together in the same passion—and it’s beautiful, truly beautiful. Our shared stories and exchanges? No one can ever take those away from us.

Thanks for the morning laughs 😄 This travel journal’s shaping up to be great…!

Thanks for the good morning vibes! I can’t wait to follow this new travel journal—nature is already my cup of... coffee.

😎The travel journal will be one-sided. I wonder how a farang mind can define the Thai way of life—what you’ve seen isn’t what Thais perceive in reality.

I won’t be able to elaborate, I’m waiting. You can’t judge the Thai way of life based on a travel journal.

In soft mode because there’s no French vocabulary—it only exists in Sanskrit. The very act of judging is just the perverse side of submitting thoughts that aren’t your own.

For centuries, Thais have been left with the same questions for farang tourists... *Where you come from? Do you like Thailand? Why you come Thailand?*

And Thai gossips don’t care about farangs—they all seem a bit cracked. Homestays aren’t made for farangs; they’re for Bangkokians. The government pays for the development. By the way, I’m building a homestay for cows, and the other guy, Hans, is growing lemons in Surin.

Were you still on vacation? While the rest of us were working!

So, let's see... a vacation in Thailand... when exactly does it start again?

https://youtu.be/RxbVsvTYWd4

Thanks for stopping by my travel journal for the first time, Chantal. We’ll see what we can do for you when it comes to nature and coffee...

Thanks to you too!

All that to say...

For those who don’t know Thailand:

Thai drivers are afraid of empty space, so they fill every gap they find on the road—starting with the emergency vehicle lane, all the way to the left. Then, of course, they’re shocked when the ambulance shows up after everyone’s already dead... 🤪

Thai drivers instantly forget they’re Buddhist (and not even the devout kind). So, they couldn’t care less about others—no empathy, no respect... 😠