The latest interview comes from Jungle Girl at My Jungle Life – Creative Living on a Tropical Island. If you haven’t checked out the blog I would recommend that you do, it’s a nice addition to any one’s feed reader, especially if you’re interested in the laid back atmosphere on the islands of Thailand.

1. What is your name, the name of your blog and the subject matter of the Thailand blog (language, food, general life, nightlife, etc)? If you don’t mind, please provide a photo of yourself so I can share it with my readers. We all like to see who it is that we’re talking to.

My blog is about living in a small Thai village, and all the colourful and interesting things that go on in this microcosm. I write a lot about cultural differences, differences in perspective and interpretation that naturally arise when two cultures meet as they do here. Most of my writing tries to be humorous observation, with the occasional impassioned political article thrown in.

2. How long have you been blogging about Thailand ? What was your inspiration to start My Jungle Life? Did you (or do you) blog about any other subjects?

I blog about my restaurant, motherhood, making a living as a writer and spirituality on occasion. My Jungle Life is about just that, life, so it encompasses all experiences of living here, and I hope people can find something to relate to whether they’ve never been to Thailand or have lived here for many years. I trained as a journalist in the west, and work as a freelance writer now, so writing about my incredible experiences here came naturally to me.

3. Obviously you are not Thai and have chosen to expatriate to Thailand . What country are you from originally? What made you choose Thailand as your home away from home?

I’m from the UK , and have lived in the United States for a large chunk of my adult life. I have a great love for Thailand and from the very first moment I set foot on Thai soil have been enchanted by this beautiful country. You can read my post about choosing Thailand here.

4. How long have you been visiting and/or living in Thailand ? If you’re currently living in Thailand , what part of Thailand do you live in? Why did you choose this city/province over others in Thailand ?

I’ve been coming to Thailand since I was a backpacker over ten years ago. I fell in love with the islands and particularly the slow, relaxed pace of Koh Phangan then, and I’ve never really fallen out of love despite all the ups and downs. I really enjoy the interesting mix of expats and the unique island characters you meet here. I’ve been lucky enough to find a community of people with similar interests and outlooks to myself.

5. From the south of Thailand to Bangkok and Chiang Mai and the NE provinces of Isaan Thailand is very different depending on what part of the country you’re in. What is your favorite region in Thailand and why?

As above.

6. Even though Thai food is really built upon the same 4 precepts as Chinese food (sweet, sour, spicy and salty) Thai food is known throughout the world for its spicy component. Do you like spicy food? What is your favorite Thai dish?

I love Thai food, adore the spicy sweet salads from Issan. At our restaurant we cook a mix of what I call eclectic western food, and traditional Thai. Probably my favourite dish is the Lamb Massaman. Its a thick, peanutty curry which is just gorgeous. You don’t often find it cooked with Lamb which is surprising because the meat lends itself to the muslim style of the dish.

7. Even though there are bargains to be had, some things are certainly more expensive than others. What do you find to be most expensive in Thailand ?

A lot of western style good are comparable prices to Europe . I think Thai street food will always be the best bargain. The yummy delicacies such as pad thai, moo yang, and much more cooked on the little stalls are almost always delicious and won’t set you back more than about 30 baht.

For some reason strange things like bedding tend to be quite expensive, and car seats for babies are an absolute rip off. We also pay about the same for our internet and phone as we do in the west.

8. There are many good reasons given by those who live in Thailand for settling in the Kingdom. What do you feel is the best part of living in Thailand ?

The lifestyle. Setting your own agenda as to what you do and how you make your living. Being able to afford property near the beach when you wouldn’t be able to afford to rent a sun lounger near the beach at home! Freedom to live creatively and make anything you dream up become a reality.

9. One group that’s easy to find online are the complainers who live in Thailand , but seem to feel that the Thai’s should change to accommodate their Western guests. What things do you feel are frustrating for foreigners living in Thailand ? Do you think these aspects of Thailand should change or that they are simply part of the culture?

Thai culture is entirely unique and will always remain that way. Many expats moving here have an initial infatuation period with the country followed by a massive falling out of love. The problems come when people expect Thai people to think like them. You have to realise that Thai people will never think like a farang, things that seem just inarguably logical to the western mind will make no sense to a Thai and vice versa. If you fight that, you’re fighting millenia of hardwiring and you’ll lose, that’s the only guarantee. The most important part of living in Thailand is accepting there’s more than one way to fry an egg, and neither way is right or wrong.

That said, I do think the Thai government is short sighted on occasion in its policies which make it harder for foreigners to live here, work here, and bring their money here.

10. Considering the last few years especially it’s evident that Thailand is a country in flux. Western thinking and Western customs are rapidly invading the Kingdom. The Thai people seem to be looking for change and the political leadership in Thailand is constantly changing. How do you think Thailand has changed since the first time you visited, both positively and negatively?

Thailand’s political system is in flux, but it’s a pretty natural state for it to be in. At one point there were 18 coups in twenty years. Power struggles and corruption are ways of functioning here and democracy is a fairly new concept so it doesn’t always look like the democracy that westerners may hold up as an ideal.

In terms of western culture invading Thailand : it’s true since I first came here the changes have been massive, mainly in terms of material possessions; but I don’t think western thinking will ever take hold here. I think most societies as they westernise/modernise go through what I call the ‘acquisition phase’, like the US in the fifties, and then slowly become more and more disillusioned with the value of material goods, like the west is beginning to now.

Eventually everything comes full circle, which you can see now in the west, as more and more people begin to search for spirituality and life fulfillment, something that Thailand ‘s people are only just starting to be removed from. The ideal of course would be balance between the two: material comfort and spiritual awareness/happiness. Its up to the individual to find that though, whatever culture they live in.

11. Even with all the changes in the past decades, it’s safe to say that Thailand is very different from any Western country. How is your life in Thailand different from your life in the West?

Life here is easier in many ways, with far less taxes and bureaucracy, and far less government control than in many western countries. But in many ways it’s harder too. Thailand is not a country of full disclosure, so there are usually a million things going on below the surface of any given situation. And where we live that can sometimes be dangerous and goes a long way to explain why Thais don’t generally meddle in each other’s business. Also here, being so isolated, the basics: clean air, clean water, clean food, can be a struggle.

12. Please tell us about 3-5 of the best posts from your blog.

The posts that probably got the most response were Joe and Egger get a Photo from Burma about my Burmese refugee staff’s children, and The Village’s Newest Prostitute, which created quite a stir so I guess sex always sells.. One of my best posts I had to take down because it was too political and there started to be whisperings of repercussions here.

If you liked this interview why not go check out all of my Thailand blogger interviews.

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