The main intersections of downtown Bangkok were once again closed to traffic and packed with crowds last week, but it had nothing to do with political protests. We were just being encouraged by the Tourism Authority of Thailand to "discover" our "Thainess" with an elaborate procession of decorated floats replete with dancers and literary tableaux.
There were khon masked dancers from the Ramayana; the mythical Phra Abhai Mani charming the sea ogress with his magic flute; a replica of the magnificent Suphannahongse royal barge; Southern Nora dance; Northern nail dance and much, much more. Tourists had a field day with their cameras, snapping away hundreds of pictures to post on social media and blogs.
The procession ended at Lumpini Park, where different zones had been set up to represent the best of each region of Thailand.
The concept of this huge fanfare is itself very Thai. We love festivities, lights and lots of sound, and the opulence that comes with any kind of celebration.
And don't forget the food. Food is at the heart of Thainess. Food is at the heart of every celebration and festival, social gathering and roadside adventure.
But is that all there is to Thainess?
I admit that all the elements of the procession are the aspects of Thailand that we would like to project to the world. Thailand is ancient traditions, arts and crafts, white sandy beaches with swaying palm trees, quaint ethnic hilltribes with colourful costumes and pretty girls with beautiful smiles.
That, in fact, is the Disneyfication of Thainess. This is what you see when you pay a fortune to attend cultural shows, where sword fights in martial arts performances literally send sparks flying to thrill the audience, and dancers in shiny faux silk costumes, immaculately gelled hair and heavy-duty false eyelashes go through their well-rehearsed motions to entertain. This is the Thailand of travel brochures, with all the superlatives that any self-respecting copywriter can conjure.
But that is not all there is to Thainess.
Like any other country, we have a humorous side, a ridiculous side, a perverted side, a dark side that many people often sweep under the carpet or camouflage with potted plants and billboards.
If you look at the local daily tabloids, these are the real sides of Thainess that you will see. Last week there was a much publicised story about a private party held in a Thai spa where the dress code was "towel or nothing" — male guests opted for the towel, while the girls went for the latter.
Parties like this are probably nothing new, according to underworld expert Chuwit Kamolvisit, who said places that provide this sort of thing on a regular basis are readily found in Bangkok. No doubt the police are now combing the countryside for the culprits, by which time the ladies will have found themselves a decent towel or bathrobe.
Then there is the story of the takian tree spirit who came to someone in a dream, asking for help in bringing her up from the depths of the Chao Phraya River in Sing Buri. Divers were sent down and indeed, a huge takian (Dipterocarpaceae) tree trunk was found at the bottom of the river. It was brought up, and to show her appreciation the tree spirit gave out lots of lucky numbers, which villagers were quick to decipher on the trunk with a generous sprinkling of talcum powder.
Then, shocking the attending villagers, one lady had a seizure and became "possessed" by the sister takian spirit, who said she too wanted to be taken out of the river, as it was getting rather cold for her liking down there. Sure enough, divers went down a second time and found another tree trunk, which they also removed. Both trunks are now residing at a local temple, where no doubt locals will be visiting them with flowers, incense and powder — especially on lottery eve.
And don't forget the news about the six surrogate mothers who are suing Thai authorities for taking away their babies fathered by a young Japanese man who is said to have sired at least 15 children in Thailand. It was apparently the start of his plan to have up to 1,000 children. In Thailand, the service of surrogate mothers was not difficult to come by. It's a Thainess thing — Thais are equally happy to share their food, their towels or their uteruses, if the conditions are right.
This is all in a day's news coverage, and this is also the essence of Thainess — to be taken with a grain of salt and a big smile!
Usnisa Sukhsvasti is the features editor of the Bangkok Post.