Today Thailand is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. Most people experience Thailand as the picture above; a white sand beach, clear crystal water, palm trees and a kind population. But maybe there are more to it than just this bounty feeling?
The 22th of May 2014 was the day of the 12. Military coup in Thailand since 1932. From 1932, the military have dominated Thai politics and military coups have been so frequent an event that in the latest years it has become a natural part of the people in Thailand. The resent military coup shows no future signs of change.
Before of our trip to Thailand, we did not have a realistic idea of the political situation; it was a holiday destination as it still is for many people. As many Danes, our original impression of Thailand was a tourist destination, a place with no worries, a paradise. We did not know anything about
the conflict between the two main groups in Thai politics, the Red Shirts and the Yellow Shirts. On top of that, we did not know much about the extent of corruption in Thailand as in most of South Asia.
We were briefly introduced to the political situation and the current problems in Thailand before our trip, which made us notice signs on these issues when walking the streets of Bangkok in the first week of our trip. Additionally our new and more realistic image of Thailand was strengthened when we visited a number of organizations, working with Human Rights and refugees both in Bangkok and in Mae Sot.
All of this made us think how it is possible to travel to a country, not knowing anything about what view of humanity, form of government and values of the decision-makers in the country. Some would perhaps call it naive tourism. When we came to Bangkok, we lived at the backpacker area around Khaosan Road. It is a place made for the tourist; western food, bars, souvenir shops, travel agencies and so on. There is no sign of the authentic Thailand. Even if we had stayed in this area for a week, we would not have known anything about the real life of Thai people. This is perhaps the perfect example of naïve tourism.
But is it ok to be a naive tourist?
We think that as a tourist you have an influence on the countries you choose to visit. If you know the context then it is possible to take a stand and support whom you believe in. When you return home, you can also spread awareness of the real story.
Of course, you cannot save the whole world as a tourist and it is totally okay to relax on the beach and enjoy life. But maybe it’s not too much to ask, knowing a bit about the basic history, politics and culture of the country you travel to. Or just be curious about your surroundings.
If you choose to take that responsibility, you become a global citizen.
No comments:
Post a Comment