Health and Safety in Thailand

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  Chiang Mai, Thailand
Monday, March 20, 2006

I'm beginning to think that doing one semi-life threathening thing a day is good for you. There would be no need for the artificial rush of caffeine to boost your system.

Thai people do it all the time.

It is very common to see whole families on one motorbike, speeding through traffic, hair blowing in the wind, free of any form of helmet; mother and father, and toddler standing behind the petrol tank. Young teenage girls travel three to a motorbike; two at the back riding side-saddle. This morning, waiting for my ride into school, a bike sped by, and a little boy no more than six or seven, on pillion, was tucking into a bag of crisps and gazing around him, his little legs flapping over every bump. I don't know what was keeping him on the bike. It doesn't stop at humans. So far I've seen quite a number of canine pillion passengers, sitting on their haunches at the back, totally unconcerned. I can only imagine their claws have dug through the leather into the foam of the seat.

Even crossing the road is a life-threathening situation. Some serious eye - distance - speed calculations need to be made at least 10 times a day, and from all angles. You can't just think in a linear, traffic coming down and traffic going scenario. Traffic comes from all directions, and very fast.

Another obstacle to pedastrian safety are the pavements. Outdoor restaurants spill over pavements in Thailand, as well as street vendor stalls, signage, or sometimes you just don't have pavement. All of which means, having to negotiate traffic again, one mistake and you lose an ankle.

So I've travelled on the back of vans, down caves, on longtail boats in high seas, on elephants, with little or no sight of any safety precautions. Despite all of the apparent danger, I really like it. It keeps you on your toes. It makes me think that we have become too careful back home. We are all wrapped up in cotton-wool, everything is sanitised and safe. Maybe we need a semi-life threathening situation to negotiate at least once a day to keep us alive! Be it tight rope walking classes, caving, rock climbing, bear wrestling; take it on! It's good for you! It reconnects us to our primeval roots, when we had to fight or else run [extremely fast] from big, toothy and hungry animals to survive! Physical running is much more satisfying and healthier than cerebral running!