I have mentioned several times about the fast pace of change. Whole areas are "discovered" and then converted to wall-to-wall guesthouses and services in just a few years. The entire flavor and economy of an area changes that fast.
We experienced that again when stopping in Bangkok on our way from the south to the north. We re-entered Banglampu only a few weeks after we had left it. One construction site was now a four-story hotel --with guests in the lobby! Two new 7-11 stores were crammed into the fray of the main backpacker area --we can only imagine what was there before, but we sure don't remember the construction or gaps!
Things change very fast! Tourism is quite an experiment for Thailand, and is being pursued at full speed!
We have also been able to visit some of the National Parks, in both the north and the south. First, you must understand that Thailand only started declaring areas to be National Parks a few decades ago. Second, you must realize that Thailand has about one million refuges from Burma, Laos, China and Cambodia and that many of these live in secluded villages in the mountains. Add to that the Golden Triangle, which was the leading supplier of opium in the world. Add to that the jungle poachers for both animals and forest products. Add to that the historical agricultural practice of burning the forest to clear land for a couple of crops, and then moving on to a new area. The net result is that Thailand didn't get to preserve its parks a priori. Instead it is now reversing the current situations, which is much harder. Thailand has largely succeeded in stopping the opium growing and has settled most of the hill tribes that practiced forest slash and burn. They have also done a good (though incomplete) job of slowing poaching. The Queen has sponsored large-scale reforestation projects.
Anyway, the point is that Thailand is a land of immense change.
Yesterday, we hired a hill tribe guide to take us hiking through Doi Inthanon National Park. He was very much a hill tribe native, and told us about the various forest spirits and water spirits as we crossed streams. There were offerings to the spirits to keep the villagers safe. But he was also wearing a great Reebok jacket with USA in huge block letters on the back, and was using Carson binoculars to sight the birds. Next year, his village gets electricity. With that comes television. You can only imagine the culture shock that will bring!
