Growing up in Bangkok by Thida

Written by Team Expique
Published: May 5, 2016

The following is writen by Thida who manages Exique’s Tuk Tuk Tours in Bangkok.

Bangkok is known as Thailand’s capital city. Some people might have ideas of Bangkok as a touristy, crowded and a congested city. However, for me I look passed all the negative points because I am used to it and have accepted it. I have been living in Bangkok for nearly twenty years even though my looks definitely tell people that I am from South of Thailand. I call Bangkok “home”. A home that is full of convenience and opportunities.

I would like to present the area called Taling Chan, which is the area I have been living in Bangkok. Taling Chan is located on the outskirts of Bangkok where people still live a traditional life; a lot of them do vegetable and orchid farming. The area is surrounded by small canals, which makes the land good for planting. Nowadays tourist often know of Taling Chan because of the weekend Floating Market which is only half-hour from Sanam Luang.

Taling Chan market is great place for lunch! One menu I recommend my friends do not to miss from the market is Mixed Crispy Rice Noodle. This menu is one of top sellers in the market. The special recipe has existed since ancient times. One of the main ingredients is sour orange which to some people it tastes like Kaffir lime.

Crispy Rice Noodles at Taling Chan

Let’s move on to an area near Taling Chan called Bang Khunnon, where my secondary study (from aged 7-12) is located. My school names Wat Sri Sudaram. Many Thais might have no idea where it is but if I say it was the school that Suntorn Phu studied, then people will realize where it is.

Statue of Suntorn Phu - famous Thai Poet

Suntorn Phu was the best poem maker in the period of King Rama I –IV. UNESCO awarded him the honor of world Poet. Suthorn Phu’s work was full of magic and mythical creatures and sentimental love. One example is showing below

“We may be drunk,

But we are also intoxicated by love.

I cannot resist my heart.

And though we are drunk,

Tomorrow the sun will shine,

And that drunkenness will have passed.

But when night falls, the intoxication of love will return.”

Many people might think learning in temple school will not provide the top quality education. In my opinion it is the opposite. Every school provides a similar quality, but the most important thing will be how student pay attention to the lessons.

I found my life in temple school provided a lot of chances to join fields trips nearly once every three months such as wonderland school trips, national zoo trips, different cities… All the trips were paid by the government. One thing that will be always in my memory will be free lunch from school. It was served on a tray with fours big holes filled with healthy (but not always yummy) food. The school has to manage student lunch to be filled full with all nutrition.

High School in Bangkok

My high school (from aged 12-18) was only two bus stops from my secondary school. My high school was part of temple school as well. In the past almost every temple has their own school nearby, because men would get taught by the monks. After many years all schools also allow girl to study. This school provided me all the basic skills need for life and during the final three years of high school students have the chance to study the area they are interested in order to prepare themselves for University.

In my opinion is being schooled in Bangkok is very convenient for transportation because many buses means it is easy to get to school. Also in Bangkok is hard to find a big difference in quality of schools. So, being schooled in Bangkok you get many chances of education supports. Also, because Bangkok is a tourist city, students will have more opportunities to use English.

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