Thailand. Surely you’ve heard of it; maybe you have been there already, perhaps more than once? There’s a good reason for that; the country has all the ingredients for the perfect holiday, especially for women travellers. What is that supposed to mean?
The same as it does for men; Thailand is not one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world for nothing. With thousands of kilometres of beaches, gorgeous scenery, delicious food, excellent transport infrastructure, an interesting culture and low prices, the country is a magnet for anyone looking for a good time, however that may be defined.
The familiarity with Thailand, even to people who have never visited before, can engender a sense of ‘been there, done that’ even though the country offers a diverse range of attractions, activities, landscapes, and experiences. Thailand gets a lot of unfair media coverage about men who visit for sex holidays, giving the impression that the country is awash in dirty old men in the pursuit of young flesh.
Their role in the Thai tourism industry is exaggerated to say the least; in fact, more women than men visit Thailand, a statistic that is quite apparent as one espies women travelling alone, in pairs, or in groups having a good time throughout the country. Put simply, Thailand is an easy place for women to travel.
Volunteer tourism is growing in popularity and women by far constitute the biggest numbers with regard to making a difference in the lives of the local people and habitats when travelling, coming home with a sense of satisfaction to accompany their travel memories.
A recent visit to the Wildlife Rescue Centre, a couple of hours away from Bangkok, found several Australian women providing vital care to animals abandoned by ignorant owners or confiscated from abusive ones. So fulfilling is the work done here than it is not at all uncommon for volunteers to come back year after year.
Most are young and idealistic (in a good way) looking to gain insight and first-hand experience in their chosen fields of work. Others are looking for an experience as far removed as possible from their daily lives back home, as is the case with one woman from Perth currently working in the refuge’s Elephant Refuge and Education Centre.
Beyond wildlife, there are women’s initiatives and volunteer projects taking place all over Thailand related to a wide variety of interests that include orphanages, food collectives, ecotourism development initiatives, and HIV/AIDS counselling. As is typical of the Thai ethos, foreign visitors are welcome to come and understand more about the activities of these organisations.
Not that Thailand is all work and no play. For many visitors, shopping plays a big role in their travel happiness, and Thailand is one of the shopping capitals of the world. From luxury shopping at Gaysorn and Siam Paragon malls to the bargaining frenzy at bustling Chatuchak Market, there is something for everyone in Bangkok, usually at a price far lower than at home.
Many people take a trip to Thailand to do their Christmas shopping; the savings on purchases of big-ticket items as compared to Australian prices often pays for the entire holiday.
Much is made of Thailand’s tolerance and acceptance of the entire spectrum of gender identity and sexual orientation, however while gay men seem to have lots of information about Thailand available to them, little is revealed about Thailand’s women (except as related to men) or its busy lesbian community, which as in most other countries thrives away from the spotlight thrown onto the gay male subculture. Thai lesbian roles are well defined either as tom (as in tomboy) or dee (as in lady).
Refreshingly, gay people hardly merit a second glance in Thailand; this same laissez-vivre attitude neutralises the need for LGBT people to congregate in their own ghetto. Gay life is everywhere in Thailand, and so are gay people. There are few lesbian bars, however; more common is getting together with friends or attending club activities.
Check the ever-informative Utopia Asia for the latest listings and information. Bangkok Lesbian is another helpful website set up by an expatriate woman living in Thailand. Thai Airways’ nonstop flight from Perth to Bangkok on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays can take you from work in the late afternoon at 16:45 and deliver you to Bangkok in time for a late night out, arriving at 22:45.
Thailand is famously known as the Land Of Smiles; most people think this is due to the gentle and helpful nature of the Thai people, eager to welcome visitors and make them feel at home, yet the Land Of Smiles moniker can also be attributed to the ones on the faces of Thailand’s visitors.
MORE INFORMATION
www.tourismthailand.org
www.thaiairways.com.au
www.utopia-asia.com/womthai.htm
www.bangkoklesbian.com
www.wfft.org
Robert La Bua
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