Thailand: A country where you can discover the charm that lies beyond the 60 reasons
Editing a magazine can be frustrating at times. Of course, I try my best, but I can't convey the unique aroma that tickles your nostrils on the streets, or accurately convey the rich flavors that fill your mouth. I believe that the heart-pounding beats really shine when heard in that very place, and it's even harder to capture in an article the incredible atmosphere of sitting on a plastic chair drinking a beer amid the hustle and bustle of the city. I've been to many places both in Japan and abroad, but nowhere has I felt this frustration more than in Thailand, where I want to convey something but it's difficult to do so.
Counting from March 2024 until this reporting trip, I have traveled to Thailand five times. Five times in about a year. Through this fast-paced travel, I feel like I have accumulated countless reasons to go. That shop, this music, that guy or girl I want to meet... There are so many reasons why I want to go to Thailand. In fact, I have accumulated so many. In this issue, I have narrowed it down to 60, but in reality there are many more.
As I conduct my research, I use my five senses to reaffirm the appeal of the "reasons" I have narrowed down to these specific points. From old and new gapao rice and kam gatha to the classic molam music playing on vinyl and the latest Thai hip-hop releases, they are all very fresh and good to me. I analyze this as meaning that what I consider "good" is because, even though it transcends time, it has an underlying Thai quality. To put it in words, it's because the food uses spices and herbs unique to Thailand, and the music uses instruments like the ping and kaeng. But is this enough to understand what is "Thai"?
I always think that magazines are just an entrance. I'm happy when people read them, but they don't feel like they've been there or that they know anything about it. But if the entrance we've provided piques your interest, I hope you'll visit Bangkok or Chiang Mai to enjoy the smells, tastes, sounds, and atmosphere with all your senses. You'll surely understand the true nature of the "Thainess" that has captivated me.
