Display of spirit house and offering at the “Decoding Thainess” exhibition. (Photo by Veena Thoopkrajae)

 

Long-time expats and even Thais find it hard to explain what Thainess or “Kwam Pen Thai” means. The answer is not easy, which may itself explain why Museum Siam is using all two floors of its 19th–century European-style home to an exhibition dubbed, aptly,“Decoding Thainess”.

 

The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through all things presumably Thai -from everyday items like student uniforms, instant noodles and lottery tickets to the more conceptual Thai identity of the national anthem.

 

“So many answers surround us. Take a close look and you will see,” says a sign at a beginning of the tour. Visitors are encouraged to decode the Thainess by themselves and take the answers home to ponder.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/decoding-thainess-the-thai-way/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-12-04

 

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I have my own explanation of ‘Thainess’, but I don’t want to upset the moderators. 

Quote

Museum Siam is using all two floors of its 19th–century European-style home to an exhibition dubbed, aptly,“Decoding Thainess”.

Showcasing Thainess in a European-style home - yup, there it is.

Thainess is whatever it needs to be on the day for a given situation.

A bit like my missus, I gave up trying to work her out years ago.

1 hour ago, Wiggy said:

I have my own explanation of ‘Thainess’, but I don’t want to upset the moderators. 

???????????? My Thoughts Exactly

A day out with the family, what could be more Thai, lol?

 

 

"Admission fee is 100 baht per adult, 200 baht per foreign visitor and 50 baht per student."  Is this Thainess too or simply greed? 

Reminds me of the weather. Subject to change based on who is reporting it and their temperment at the time.

22 hours ago, webfact said:

from everyday items like student uniforms,

 

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Take a close look and you will see,

I could be arrested for that.

I am reminded of Thainess everyday from 2 -5 pm with the alcohol sales ban.

On 12/4/2021 at 7:36 AM, Wiggy said:

I have my own explanation of ‘Thainess’, but I don’t want to upset the moderators. 

Don't worry they're foreigners.

Thainess = undecipherable