Rob’s Thai Roving Report

It was a typical early evening in our village back in April 2024. I had been out for a short cycle ride and was relaxing on the veranda, while Taew tended her garden. A distant relative dropped off envelopes at our house and next door, suggesting that an event was coming up. I had little idea it would involve me doing a 21km sponsored walk to watch football and raise money for the local school.

It’s always nice when friends tell me they are heading to Thailand, especially if it means we can meet. They sometimes ask for advice, and I help wherever possible. In February 2024, a group were staying in Bangkok. Andy wanted a Sunday morning walk, so I got to work and put together something to occupy us for a few hours.

I'm not sure whether my wife, Taew, was surprised any more by my enthusiasm for embracing village life. I wanted to experience and appreciate how different life was from what I'd known in England. That became very clear when I joined my wife's family for the annual rice harvest.

Any expat in Thailand who wants to deepen their understanding of the country and its customs has plenty of options. Religious festivals often follow traditions dating back centuries, such as marking the end of Buddhist Lent, as we discovered on an overnight trip to Nakhon Phanom.