Onsiri Pravattiyagul's blog - Latest comments on Copenhagen Cool

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

Bent Jensen [Visitor] — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:34:43 +0000

I have been staying for many years in both Copenhagen and Bangkok. Before making comparisons, I must supply the information about myself that I master the languages of both countries, the written as well as the spoken. This makes a big difference. I don’t think I could stay in Thailand without the ability to speak with the ordinary person in the street.

Especially about Bangkok:
- There are a few spots with shiny new buildings and a few streets with stylish old ones and some temples. The rest is quite ugly. In the residential areas the houses are mostly fortresses with ugly walls around.
- Sidewalks and traffic installations are mostly of poor quality.
- Public transportation is very cheap, but the bus drivers don’t really know if they want to stop at bus stops (if there are any).
- For short distances there are often cheap motorcycle taxis.
- At the retail shops there are actually shop assistants ready to assist you and to answer your questions.
The VAT is only 7%, so most things are rather inexpensice.
- When your zipper gets stuck, your mobile phone is inundated or a key has been damaged, you don’t have to throw the things away and buy new ones. You can get them repaired easily, quickly and cheaply.
- When you have a problem and try to call someone at a major organization or business, you get to talk to a real person and not an answering machine with a limited number of choices.
- The Thais clean their homes inside, but they don’t clean anything outside of them.
- Really well-made Thai food is delicious, but don’t expect to find it in the street. It’s too expensive for the average Thai person.
- Bangkok seems to be a very safe city for you to walk around in at odd hours. Nothing really serious ever happened to me in the streets.
- Should an accident happen to you, the Thais will immediately rush to assist you.
- The average bangkokian is quite easy to get into contact with (provided you master his or her language).
- Should you fall out with your girl friend, you only have to pay a limited amount of money at a bar to pick up a temporary replacement for the night.

Especially about Copenhagen:
- The city is beautiful with many stylish old buildings and shiny new ones. It’s got a history. In the residential areas the houses have got beautiful gardens around.
- Sidewalks and traffic installations are of superior quality.
- Public transportation is extremely expensive, but it works well.
- There are no motorcycle taxis.
- At the retail shops, don’t expect there to be shop assistants available to help you and answer your questions.
- The VAT is 25 %, so most things are ery expensive.
- If your zipper gets stuck, be prepared to buy e new pair of trousers. If your mobile phone gets inundated, wait two weeks for it to be repaired. - - If a key gets stuck on your computer, be prepared to buy a new computer.
- If you have a problem and try to call a major organization, don’t expect to get beyond an automatic answering machine and don’t expect to be able to make calls outside a limit of one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon.
- The Danes are meticulous about cleanliness, inside as well as outside of their homes.
- Copenhagen is a rather unsafe city with gang warfare. People get attacked in the streets without reason or robbed.
- If an accident occurs to you, don’t expect the Danes to rush to your assistance. But after some time there will be an ambulance.
- If you feel lonely, keep in mind that Denmark is a rather puritan country where they consider banning honest sex-for-money work.

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

Stefan [Visitor] — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:36:30 +0000

I like you writing style. You do so with warmth and charm. Your command of the language is remarkable.

Don't forget that most Thais will never hop on an airplane, so comments like "for us humble Thais..." make you appear a bit elitist, if you know what I mean, since only maybe a few thousand of your country men will ever step foot on Scandinavian soil.

I like the fact that you wrote about modern art, since this is what I do and love. I commend you for that since so few people show any kind interest for such work.

About your assesment of the country... You have to realise that most westerners reading this have 'escaped' a life where they just felt like rats in a cage. More than a few of them (including me) hardly equate Danmark with excitment. In fact, we have the tendency to view most Northern European countries, such as the UK and Germany, as cold, damp, dull, expensive, unfriendly and extremely robotic. This, again, is from the perspective of westerners who have chosen Thailand or another similar country.

Continue writing, if nothing else.

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

Ken Albertsen [Visitor] — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:06:25 +0000

"why all Scandinavians move to Thailand?" probably because they don't want to cut and buck 2 cords of firewood each fall. I'm Danish/American, born in Copenhagen, yet have precious little recollection of being there, other than a whirlwind 2 weeks when I was 16, going out to clubs every night during the flower power daze. Kissed a new girl every night, with "You Say Goodbye, While I Say Hello" playing non-stop in the background. No mention of smorgasborg? ....Denmark's excellent open-faced sandwiches - they alone would make a visit worthwhile. I should get back and kick around a few more weeks, and bicycle through Jutland.

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

Dave [Visitor] — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:07:31 +0000

Onsiri Pravattiyagul looks like he is about to be sick in his profile picture. 555

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

EGG [Visitor] — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:37:19 +0000

And, I would like to add, having studied in Europe, and travelled to Copenhagen already, Bangkok is the most hip-happening city in the world, cool, vibrant, youthful, arty, but traditional,

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

Hen [Visitor] — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:29:30 +0000

Nice article here.I would like to widen my eyes go there once in my life time.

*
To Comment#3
I think you've got some attitude issue.Get a life dude.

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

Egg [Visitor] — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:00:35 +0000

If there is soo good, why all Scandinavians move to Thailand? Theres a Scan Village everywhere from Lanta Island to Chiang Mai. Isn't Thailand just the best?

In response to: Copenhagen Cool

toby [Visitor] — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:52:55 +0000

I would like to visit there someday