(The first pic i posted for thai-blogs. Me and my (then) fiancee, Ms Su’)
I would never have imagined that when on starting here at thai-blogs way back in December 2004, that I would one day be writing up a ‘one hundredth’ blog. So, how did I get started? It all began over there at the forums of www.thailandqa.com. I wrote up a couple of popular threads about Dos and Don’ts/Thailand and it was Richard here that sent me a mail inviting me to join the thai-blog’s team.
I have personally met loadsa great people through thai-blogs who have come up to see me in Suphanburi.I have even been offered a lotta small jobs, especially translating – so many in fact, that I decided to delete the bit about translating in my profile! Of course my biggest break, was when I was contacted by The Nation newspaper a few months back to start writing a fortnightly column there.
I’d like to take this chance to show my warm appreciation to two friends in particular. Firstly, Richard Barrow for giving me opportunity to blog here and especially for some great ideas. I really have learned a lot from him. For example, it was him, after enjoying a blog I wrote called ‘The Ghost Eater’, who advised me to continue translating weird but wonderful stories from the Thai newspapers. Some of my most popular blogs here, which circulated madly around the Internet, turned out to be exactly – ‘Stories from the Thai Press’. They include one about a Thai guy who married twin sisters, the world’s first ladyboy air-hostess and one quite recently about Thailand’s first ladyboy band.
Next, I’d like to show my appreciation to a special friend (and former blogger) Mr Noel, an author and journalist based in Bangkok who really gave me the inspiration. There were times in the first year, where I’d complain to him a bit about the lack of comments or something like that – but all he would turn around and say was ‘just keep on writing’ ‘don’t worry about it’ ‘just write for yourself!’ My all time personally favourite blog, just has to be one and the only one which I completely made up along with Mr Noel after half a dozen beers – an absolutely horrific account about a Hungarian guy’s ‘Mr Tammas’ visa trip called ‘Down and Out in Cambodia’. Now, that wound up a lotta folk!
I’d like to send a dedication to the wife, but i’ve only ever heard the likes of “What time you gonna get back home?” (Born a stingy Scotsman, i go to the Internet Shop instead of actually buying computer)
(One of my fave pics on me weblog)
And finally, my biggest dedication of all, is to each and every one of my readers for their continued support. If it weren’t for your back-up I would have left from here a long long time ago. Thank you. I hope too, you will all be buying my book which I’ll be starting on very soon – and it isn’t a novel!
So, for my one hundereth blog, I thought I’d give yous all an insight into what Thais call your homeland behind yer back! Now, I’ve coin-phrased a lotta nick-names for Thailand such as ‘The Land of Monks and Mangosteen’ and ‘The Land of Noodle Soup and Nose-jobs’. Actually, I got the idea from what the Thai media nicknames foreign countries.
The classic one just has to be ‘Muang Phoo Dee’ (The Land of the Poshy Polite) – England! I very doubt these Thai reporters have ever been there, otherwise they could be renaming the country to ‘Muang Hooligan’, ‘Muang Warm Beer’, ‘Muang Friggin Rain’ or even Muang Crap food’. In fact, ‘Muang Phoo Dee’ is a really complimentary name, which the Thais often pull out of their hats when, in some of their eyes, compare English people to the likes of rude foreigners from other lands. If only they could see visit a pub in the East-End of London and witness the behavior of some of the locals there!
So, what do the Thais call America – ‘The Land of The Bushes’ or ‘The Land of Invaders’? No, they do in fact call it ‘Muang Loong Sam’ (The Land of Uncle Sam). How about Germany, ‘The Land of Drunkards’ or ‘The Land of Big-Bellies’? Almost in fact, it’s called Muang Beer (The Land of Beer). And Italy, ‘The Land of Pizza’ or even ‘The Land of Lasagne’? Again almost – ‘Muang Macaroni’ (The Land of Macaroni). France could be nick-named a lotta things ‘The Land of Frog Legs’ or ‘The Land of Garlic’ but instead the Thai Press decided on ‘Muang Nam Hom’ (The Land of Perfume)
(And another fave pic. Courtesy: Richard)
Let’s move to the north of Europe and start with Sweden – ‘The Land of Blondes’ or even, as the Thais commonly believe, ‘The Land of Free Hanky-Panky’? No, it’s much simpler than that, just ‘Muang Viking’ (The Land of Vikings). Moving over to Scotland ‘The Land of Football Failure’ or ‘The Land of Haggis’? No, just simply Muang Whiskey’ (The Land of Whiskey). As for Holland, that’s ‘The Land of Tulips’ and for Norway – ‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’
Getting away from Europe to other parts of the globe we have Russia, ‘The Land of Vodka’ or even ‘The Land of Alcoholics’? No, they have a much nicer name than that ‘Muang Mee Khao’ (The Land of Polar Bears). Egypt is ‘The Land of the Mummy’, Brazil – ‘The Land of the Samba’ and Australia – ‘The Land of Kangaroos’
Going over to Asia and starting with Japan – ‘The Land of Cherry Blossom’ or ‘The Land of Kinky School Uniforms’? Well, that’s called ‘Muang Dip’ (The Land of Raw Fish). How about India? ‘The Land of the Taj Mahal’ or ‘The Land of Smelly food?’ No, it’s called ‘Muang Roti’ (The Land of Roti Bread)
And finally, here are some more:
Spain = ‘Muang Krating Du’ (The Land of Angry Bulls)
Tibet = “Muang Lang Kha Lok’ (The Roof of the World)
Burma = ‘Muang Sarong’ (The Land of Sarongs)
Mexico = ‘Muang Sombrero’ (The Land of Sombreros)
Singapore = ‘Muang Rot Chang’ (The Land of…..a kind of Thai-style sweet)
Malaysia = ‘Muang Seu-a Luang’ (The Land of the Yellow Tigers)
Sri Lanka = ‘Muang Nam Cha Ceylon’ (The Land of Ceylon Tea)
Denark = ‘Muang Nom’ (The Land of Milk)
Korea = Muang Kim Ji (The Land of Kimji)
If any of the readers can think of anymore, well please do comment.
Thanks to the reader who pointed out Malaysia=Land of the Yellow Tigers
