Why I Love Thailand and Why I'm Not Staying

Julia Barclay

Jul 4, 2025

9 min read

Facilitating a workshop for teachers in rural schools

Why I Love Thailand

In the month of June, I spent time in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Lamphun provinces, learning, enjoying, and eating. (Oh, so much eating!) I've recorded my favorite places and memories in this post.

Chiang Rai

In general, Thailand values appearances. Everything from how you present yourself physically to the fragrance and garnish of a meal is full of effort and intention. This has been hard for me, coming from a country that has a totally different definition of what a "good appearance" means as far as fashion, professionalism, and even personal tastes.

But there's a really beautiful side of this too, which is so evident in Chiang Rai. I spent a holiday weekend in this northern Thai city about 4 hours from my home in Lamphun and about 1 hour from the border of Laos and Burma. While it's similar to Chiang Mai and Lamphun culturally, it possesses an unique, artistic quality that shows off the creativity and talent of the local people, as well as their dedication to making their world beautiful. This dedication is beautifully expressed through the design of the White Temple, Blue Temple, and the handcrafts and culture of the nearby hill tribes.

The White Temple

Wat Rong Khun, commonly known as the White Temple for obvious reasons, is an incredible masterpiece by local artist and devout Buddhist Chalermchai Kositpipat. It is a contemporary interpretation of a Thai Buddhist temple, which was constructed recently in 1997. (In contrast, my local temple was built in the 11th century.) Blending traditional and modern styles, the White Temple's design is full of symbolism that transports traditional faith into the 21st century.

Its white color represents the purity of the Buddha, and the mirrored glass represents the reflection of his wisdom into the world. The bridge, which stretches over a small moat and an eerie pit of reaching hands and skeletal images, symbolizes overcoming human suffering and greed and to achieve rebirth, happiness, and enlightenment. The murals inside the temple depict both traditional Buddhist imagery and pop culture references, depicting the cycle of life, death, and rebirth according to Buddhist beliefs.

The Blue Temple

A similar experience can be found at the Blue Temple, called Wat Rong Suea Ten in Thai. Its name means Temple of the Dancing Tiger, a symbol of strength and power. The Blue Temple replaced a much older structure, reinvigorating the city's faith and expression in modern-day. Blue represents purity and wisdom, and the nagas and other mythical creatures serve as symbols of protection.

The Black House

The last colorful site was not a temple at all, but an art complex by Chiang Rai artist Thawan Duchanee, who possesses the world's largest collection of animal remains.

What a flex?

It was a weird experience, with bizarre animal paintings, horns, skins, bones, and teeth scattered around the 15-house compound. Supposedly it's an artful portrayal of hell, emphasizing the dark, wild nature of humans. Designed as an opposite to the White Temple, which depicts heavenly awards for those who overcome their selfish desires, Baan Dam (Black House) depicts a hellish alternative for those who succumb to earthly unconsciousness.

Singha Park

Sustainable tourist destinations are unfortunately quite rare in southeast Asia, but Singha Park is proof that it can be done, and done splendidly. It was formerly owned by the founders of Singha, a popular beverage company in Thailand. (It's most famous for beer, but I'm personally obsessed with their lemon soda.) Singha is the Thai word for lion and a symbol of strength, courage, and leadership in Thai folklore (first picture).

Now, the land has been transformed into a 3,000 acre public park popular with both tourists and locals alike. You can rent a bike, golf cart, or take a hop-on, hop-off trolley, which runs every 15 minutes at each stop around the park. Tea plantations, diverse farms, a petting zoo, Swan Lake, walking paths, and tea houses are just a few of the things to do.

The Golden Triangle

I fully admit that it's a tourist trap, but I actually really enjoyed my morning in the Golden Triangle, the spot where Thailand, Burma, and Laos meet at the Mekong River. I walked along the viewpoints and the riverside park, and masterfully observed that the three countries look pretty much the same.

Despite their similar appearances, the culture and history here has impacted each country differently. While Thailand and Laos are generally stable, Burma is currently enduring a devastating civil war and humanitarian crisis, while Thailand and Laos have experienced comparative stability. Thousands of Burmese refugees have fled to Thailand since 2021, but the Thai government has been less than welcoming, barring children from attending Thai schools and providing little resettlement infrastructure.

While here, I also visited the Hall of Opium, an extremely immersive museum that serves to educate the public on the history and impact of opium addiction and the Opium Wars on China and Southeast Asia. Opium production in the Golden Triangle peaked in the 1960s with an estimated 145 tons produced annually in Thailand alone. The Thai government banned opium in 1958 and established various "royal projects" in the 1960s and 70s to establish crop replacement and community development projects for the farmers affected by the ban. The museum and anti-drug campaigns came next, educating hilltribe communities in the Golden Triangle about the history of opium and its dangers.

Nature in the North

The Bua Tong "Sticky" Waterfalls outside of Chiang Mai offer a perfect quick escape from the city. And it's a rare opportunity to actually climb up a waterfall. The limestone rocks, while smooth, have a unique traction that allows visitors to grip the waterfall (almost) as easily as a sidewalk. It's a beautiful area and a really fun experience.

Doi Khun Tan National Park is a mountainous area on the border between Lamphun and Lampang provinces. For me, it's an scenic 30 minute train ride straight to the national park and its trails, which offer sweeping views over the mountains.

Ode to Lamphun

Although my daily life in Lamphun province is not nearly as exciting or photogenic as my other adventures, it is where I spend most of my time and the main reason I have come to find my place within this culture. I've become a regular around town, especially at the temples and markets, and my once-strange face has become more accepted over time. I go to Mahawan Woramahawihan Temple and Hariphunchai Temple regularly to meditate and make merit. When I was injured, the elderly volunteers blessed me with a white cotton bracelet for protection and a smacked me with a bundle of sticks and water to cleanse off bad energy and facilitate healing. The folks at the market used to get very nervous when I approached; some even tried to reject my business by saying "mai pood angridt". I don't speak English. Now that I can get by with limited Thai, the sellers at the market smile when they see me, even call me over to chat. On the weekends, I ride my bike around the outskirts of the city, occasionally hearing a familiar "hello, teacher!" or "no phones!", my signature classroom rule, shouted across the street. I drink too much coffee, eat too much khao soi, and get way too many Thai massages, simple pleasures that I can only enjoy here at home.

Work Life:

Facilitating a workshop for teachers in rural schools
Digging in at a school hot pot (like a potluck)
My students guessing my age and humbling me deeply
Helping out at a tourism-themed English Camp in Chiang Mai

Why I'm Not Staying

**Warning: Political Content - Choose to be kind or close the tab at this time**

My job as a Fulbright ETA is "to teach English overseas and serve as [a] U.S. cultural ambassador". Cultural ambassador is a role I've grown accustomed to in the past 3 years. In fact, living as a foreigner means I am constantly representing my country, my people, whether I want to or not. Here, my foreignness is the first thing people notice, despite how little I really think about it. At this point, I know what questions will be coming, so I've learned the script, repeated the sound bytes, and tried to articulate complex truths in a few simple words, hoping they'll turn to meaning on the other side.

My behavior, good or bad, is a reflection of my values as an American. I've had a long time to think about what those values are, about how I want my students, coworkers, and neighbors to see America. First, I had to ask myself, how do I see America?

In my life, I have visited 19 countries, lived in 3. And I while I constantly observe, learn, and compare, I never criticize any country, including mine, because I am able to seperate a government from its people, politics from culture. With the harmful and devastating actions of the Trump administration, it would be easy to call America "bad", and many people who have never set foot in America have done so to my face. But that's a lazy observation that cheapens the depth and the dynamic culture I am proud to come from. To me, America is a country that draws its strength from its diversity and a long history of immigration. It is a country of extremes, of informality, of individualism, of freedom. Freedom to build. Freedom to be. There is so much opportunity and space to choose your life and how you want to express it, in a way that no country I have ever visited comes close to.

On a less philosophical level, I love the distinctly American things that I often miss when I'm abroad. I love autumn in Kentucky, Thanksgiving dinners, fireworks on the 4th of July. I love eating Greek food for lunch and Mexican for dinner, grocery stores with spices from all over the world. I love the distinct friendliness with which Americans interact, the ease with which they give compliments, and the authentic honesty with which we live. When my students ask me what I miss most about the U.S., my answer never changes: diversity and national parks.

And that's why it absolutely devastates me to see the Trump administration destroying not only our democracy, but trying to destroy our culture and our reputation, too. As a superpower country, these evil policies have a global impact, negatively affecting the victims of his wars and budget cuts. USAID cuts are expected to lead to 14 million deaths globally. This would include the Burmese refugee students I worked with in Khao Sok (ACME) and the human trafficking victims scattered around Bangkok and Pattaya. Trump has blocked travel immigration to the U.S. from 19 countries, including Thailand's neighbors of Burma and Laos.

Closer to home, inhumane policies have attacked the immigrant, low-income, female, POC, gay, and transgender communities in targeted infrastructure strikes that will take our country many years to reconstruct. Around 500,000 Kentuckians alone could lose their healthcare access. 40 million American households have lost their food security through SNAP cuts.

I turn off the news and go to work, to serve as a U.S. cultural ambassador.

How can I possibly?

How can I read about the arrests of international students and encourage my students to go?

How can I explain my pride in our immigrant legacy as mass deportations occur?

How can I brag about our diversity while my alma mater has dismantled all DEI initiatives, including scholarships for POC and underprivileged students, the cultural center, and LGBT events.

I am disgusted and disappointed. What is left for me to be proud of?

So I chose not to apply for a Fulbright grant renewal. All international education programs are at risk, including Fulbright, a prestigious program that has inspired international exchange for 79 years. Just last month, nearly the entire Fulbright board resigned due to "unprecedented political interference" by the Trump administration and his attacks on higher education, blocking scholarships for over 200 American grantees and 1,200 foreign academics.

I don't want to work for the American government anymore. I don't want to represent this government anymore. I don't want to worry about my program being cut, my paycheck not coming.

What is left for me to be proud of?

Us. The people. The objectors of this tyrant. We can, and must be, the ones who oppose this government in big and small ways. I've attached a list of resources below in an attempt to preserve the essence of my beloved country. Mine, ours, not his.

Follow:

Sharon McMahon - America's Government Teacher for nonpartisan, honest explanations of the news