Day 5 [Jan 8]

Today was the last day of our TOPS so we had to make sure that all the loose ends were tied up. We also had to ensure that we managed to get the footages that we had planned to document.

The visit and tea session at the local tourism authority proved to be an informative session for us as we learned more about the tourism sector not just in Chiangmai but also the entire Thailand. The director was very open in sharing both statistics and even his personal opinion on the issues we raised. I felt that it was quite rare that a government official would be so candid and spontaneous in offering his personal opinion, without regards to the public misunderstanding his personal views as that of the stand taken by the organization. I believe that in Singapore it may not even that easy to request for an interview with a government official. Learning about the policies formulated and implemented by the Thai tourism authority, especially how the different states have their niches to offer, allowed me to gain more insights into the tourism sector.

A particular point that the director brought up during our interaction confirmed my suspicions that the media often sensationalized situations, blowing matters out of proportion, in the case of the Chinese tourists being regarded as having bad behavior.  He mentioned that the western tourists were also guilty of inappropriate behavior over the years, bordering on being disrespectful to the Thais. Examples of their inappropriate include walking around half naked in the city, getting drunk and behaving rowdily, as well as promoting the sex tourism industry. The negative impact that westerners have on Chiangmai could be more damaging than what the Chinese tourists do in the long run. Moreover, with various new initiatives to bridge the cultural gap between the Chinese tourists and the locals, the authorities have seen a huge improvement compared to the situation 4 to 5 years ago.

With some last few hours to spare, the group decided to revisit the gorgeous Wat Chedi Luang temple. It was mainly to find out more about the Monk Chat programme. We were intrigued by the idea of such a programme during our Amazing Race when we were tasked to hold a conversation with a monk for at least 3 minutes. During my chat with a monk, he talked about the history and nature of the programme. I was impressed by such an ingenious way of spreading the teachings of Buddhism to the world. The chat session took place in a non-threatening environment and the friendly ‘sharing’ element was an added advantage. On a personal level, the chat I had with the monk enriched my religious knowledge. As a Thai Buddhist, I realised that there is much that I have yet to learn in embracing the religion. At the end of the conversation, I was strangely more at peace with myself.

During the focus group discussion with CMU students, I could feel the passion through the voices about them wanting to make a difference in the future, to have a voice in the way Chiangmai progresses. Although the main topic of the discussion was about learning of the Chinese language, I have learnt much more from these students. I realised that very often I am being led around with no opinions of my own, no direction in mind and no cause to fight for. After hearing the students, I really admire their spirit.