Thailand – People of Pai
I hadn’t planned to visit Thailand on my travels. But I am so glad I did. After a month of rain and overheating in a hot and humid Indonesia, I needed to find somewhere to cool off. A friend recommended a ‘hippie’ village she had been to, based in the mountains of northern Thailand. It sounded like just what I needed. So I booked a flight and headed off to Pai.
Prior to my visit, the only thing I knew about Thailand was that over the years, a lot of my friends had gone there to party and get a tad wasted. So I was expecting to be surrounded by a bunch of partygoers 24/7. However my very different experience here, has been profoundly revelatory.
What I have discovered is that rooted in Thai culture are a people living and breathing the teachings of Buddha. You see it in their interactions and efforts to help you and their ability to be present and mindful. All of which, grounded in kindness and compassion.
In my early 20’s I was given a book on the story of Siddhartha and his journey of becoming Buddha. At the time, I found his teachings deeply inspiring. Yet the prospect of integrating what I had learnt into my own life, seemed way out of reach for me. Since then I hadn’t given them much thought. Spending time in Pai, however, has changed that and I have witnessed how effortless it can be.
What I have discovered is that rooted in Thai culture are a people living and breathing the teachings of Buddha. You see it in their interactions and efforts to help you and their ability to be present and mindful. All of which, grounded in kindness and compassion.
One of the biggest lessons I have learnt has been through Shaolin Master -Shifu Zuan, who I met at one of his drop-in Qi Gong classes. He shared that you will never hear Thai people saying a cross word to one another.. They are taught the Buddhist way of “Right Speech” And if you create conflict with someone, they will likely back down or walk away. Not because of being passive or allowing another person to walk all over them. But because in responding with that same energy of conflict, it becomes a ripple effect and spreads out further. The people involved, may then take their frustrations out on someone else afterwards. Or they may share it with a friend or loved one, who in turn may feel upset about this injustice, feeling frustration and anger on their behalf.
Once I discovered this lesson, I started to notice peaceful interactions between people more and more.I then got my very own opportunity to embody this approach. I was sitting in my favourite local restaurant and noticed another foreigner coming right up behind the local chef. As I sat there, I watched her stick a camera lens right up in her face. I Immediately felt disgust at the lack of respect I perceived she was displaying. But I sat with it to try and see what I needed to do. I knew in that moment that my mind was telling me a story that may not be accurate. So I watched and waited. After a while, the tourist turned around.
What I then saw was a beautiful exchange going on between her and the local chef. I realised that what ever my mind had interpreted was not the case and if I had jumped in and defended the local chef, I could have potentially created unnecessary upset in another wise, peaceful exchange. Since then I have seen this peaceful approach to conflict again and again and as a result of my own experience, it has been shaping my interactions with others (especially when sleep deprived, hangry or sharing a hostel dorm with people half my age).
Through the various people I have met in Pai, I have seen firsthand how people can live a life infused with peace and joy. From their kind and open-hearted interactions they shared with and others to their smiling hugs. Meet some of the people of Pai.
One of the first people I met was B. I had previously had a pretty peaceful day but needed to make some decisions. So when I met B, I was in a state of worry and anxiety about what I should be doing next. B called out to me, cutting across my worrisome thoughts. He invited me into his crystal store and introduced me to his little dog. He shared with me a little of his life and told me how some of the crafts and crystals he sold were made by local mountain people.
I picked out a crystal necklace that I was drawn to and after I left his store, I discovered that its purpose was to help rebalance you and stop you from having worrisome thoughts. A lovely interaction that changed my thoughts and made my day.
Papas Pedals was recommended to me by a fellow traveller and I managed to hire one for most of my stay in Pai. It was a great slower alternative to having a scooter and the roads were really easy to navigate. I used it to cycle to the beginning of the Mae Yen waterfall and also exploring around the outer regions of Pai. Papas Pedals is a local father & daughter business. They are the loveliest of people and Papa is the greatest at sharing his smiling hugs.
Booking a Bike: To book a bike, you need to WhatsApp Papa’s daughter and she will let you know what they have ready for pick up. WHATSAPP: +66 828265953 ADDRESS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/h7WCwwtxXRN2Rh6f7?g_st=iw
Pai Flora
I stayed for a month in a female dorm at the Pai Flora resort. There I met the loveliest of hosts who welcomed me into their resort. They took great care of me throughout my stay and made it the perfect place for me to rest awhile after being on the move for 3 months.
About Pai Flora: Although a stones throw away from the bustling centre of town, it feels very peaceful there. The dorms and private rooms /houses are situated in plenty of surrounding land and you can always find space to connect with nature.
Restaurant diagonally opposite Pai Flora
One of my favourite places to eat out was at a local restaurant that is diagonally opposite from Pai Flora. There you will find the loveliest of staff and the hardworking chef creating delicious Thai meals for you. Aside from the joyful interactions I shared with them (with my very limited Thai vocab), they also adapted to my wheat and sugar intolerances. My favourite dinner was the Cashew and Chicken. Yum!
If you’re visiting Pai a few tips for you:
Exercise and travel earlier in the day if you want to avoid the heat. After 10am it starts getting hotter then cools down in the evening. It can get quite nippy at night. So bring a warm layer of clothing.
Scooters. -go early to get the best deals.
Eating in local restaurants – Because most food is cooked from scratch, be prepared to wait some time if a restaurant is busy (Especially if you suffer from Hanger* like me. (*Hungry anger)
MSG, & Palm sugar is added to a lot of food for enhancing flavour. If you are sensitive to this, you can ask to have it without.
Bicycles in busy season, seems like gold dust so keep checking in every day or so to see if there are any available.
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