Thailand Through My Eyes

Photo: Robin Noguier

I landed in Suvarnabhumi Airport at midnight—because, well, cheapest flight. Maybe because it was Thai New Year, Songkran was just three days away. 2013 feels like a lifetime ago, but I remember it like yesterday.

Right after getting through the immigration counter, I rushed to buy a SIM card at a small booth on the corner. No SIM, no way to contact my Thai friends. The staff spoke to me in Thai—probably because I looked like one, lol. I told them I was from the Philippines, and they smiled. We went back and forth as they suggested which plan to get—one with data good for a few days or a week. I went with the week-long option and let them set it up because apparently, there were some settings I needed to tweak. No clue, I just let them handle it.

With my phone now connected, I was off to find food.

My first meal? A piece of bread or something from 7-Eleven at the airport. Can you believe it? Midnight hunger hits different. After that, I grabbed a taxi to the hotel I had booked before flying in.

Morning came, and I stood in front of the mirror, jet-lagged but excited. "Dude, this is why you travel, right? To get lost? Well, you’re about to get really lost because your Thai friends live nowhere near this place!"

So, I packed my bag, reached out to my Thai friend—whom I met in the US last year—and made plans to meet in the city center. The adventure was about to begin. We were heading north to Chiang Rai.

We met that morning, hopped into a van, and let the road take us there. Chiang Rai—north of Thailand, right? I wasn’t even sure back then. The plan was simple: visit another friend’s house. The friend who came to fetch me was from Khon Kaen, so she traveled quite a distance too.

While she slept during the ride, I stayed awake, staring out the window. The passing houses looked oddly familiar—similar to home. I spotted temples, each one more intricate than the last. Thailand already felt like a mix of the unknown and the strangely familiar.

Before this trip, I had dedicated a week to learning how to read and write Thai, then another week practicing basic phrases. Two weeks in, and my Thai proficiency? Barely there. But that didn’t stop me from trying.

So yes, now we're in Chiang Rai, at our friend's house—me, my Thai friend from Khon Kaen, and our friend from Chiang Rai, Aom. The three of us had met in the USA back in 2012 for the Work and Travel program. Finally, I could put my basic Thai to use.

I had already told my friends my visit would be short. I just wanted to experience Songkran, explore a few places, and then head back home. Aom and her family were incredibly hospitable, taking us out to see the sights so I could enjoy Thailand even if just for a brief visit.

     

That afternoon, we visited Ayutthaya, a place rich in history and incredibly peaceful. It was the perfect spot to meditate. We toured the nearby ruins of an ancient temple dating back to the 14th century—if I remember correctly, it was the original Temple of Ayutthaya. There was also a more modern one adjacent to it, but my memory is a little fuzzy. We visited quite a few temples that day.

Quick history: The Historic City of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350, was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom. It flourished from the 14th to the 18th centuries. End of quick history.

After temple-hopping, we went to feed the elephants—chang, as they call them in Thai—before heading home. Aom’s family prepared a feast for us that night, and oh boy, was it spicy!

Later, my two friends decided to take me out to a local pub to try some Thai food and drinks. We chilled there for a while before heading back to Aom’s home.

The next morning, my last day in Chiang Rai, Aom’s family even took me shopping for Thai delicacies to bring back to the Philippines. They were incredibly kind. I tried some of the snacks we bought, and they were delicious—though I’ve completely forgotten their names.

Aom’s dad was kind enough to drive us all the way to Bangkok, where I reunited with my other friend from the USA Work and Travel program. Saying goodbye to Aom, Air, and Aom’s dad was bittersweet—I wished I had more time.

Then came Songkran! Now, I was with my friend Plug and his friends—Armylicious (yes, that was his name, if my memory serves me right), another Thai friend whose name I forgot, and Elliot from Taiwan, who was also in Thailand just for Songkran. We bought water guns and got ready for the festival. At one point, we were waiting along a wide avenue where King Bhumibol Adulyadej was supposed to pass by on an open float and wave to the people. Honestly, I completely forgot what happened next—I guess the excitement took over.

The rest of the day was spent exploring Bangkok with my new crew. We visited the Grand Palace, checked out another temple, ate som tam (papaya salad), and tried all sorts of street food. That night, we went clubbing, got a little tipsy, and just enjoyed the moment.

Photo: Internet

Photo: Internet

The next morning, it was time to fly back home.

Looking back, that trip was short but unforgettable. From the temples to the food, the warm hospitality of my friends, and the craziness of Songkran—it was everything I could have asked for. Thailand was a mix of chaos and peace, adventure and reflection. And I know for sure—I’ll be back in the future.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, all photos are my own.