泰国解封 曼谷唐人街重现活力

泰国解封 曼谷唐人街重现活力


泰国放宽封锁，曼谷唐人街重现热闹景象，又见食客排队等候美食。（路透社）

泰国单日的2019冠状病毒疾病（COVID-19）确诊病例持续一周维持在单位数后回升到双位数，而以街边美食享誉海内外的曼谷唐人街在解除封锁后开始重现活力。

路透社报道，随着疫情显著减缓，泰国政府宣布分阶段解除抗疫封锁措施，路边摊和购物商场外的餐厅率先获准营业。

在曼谷唐人街经营鱼翅餐馆的达威沙说：“我停业40天，因为根本没人光顾，我的收入因此少了70%。”庆幸的是，从周一开始，食客获准进入餐厅用餐，只是仍得遵守社交距离措施。达威沙看到餐馆外出现人龙，感到很高兴。

正在排队的旺妮卡则对终于可以出外用餐表示很开心。她说：“我有信心唐人街很快就能恢复常态，吸引大量游客的到来。”

除了食店，户外市集、公园、健身设施、理发店和宠物店也重新开放，但泰国政府仍将在每天晚上10时至次日凌晨4时实施宵禁。

泰国周一新增确诊病例18起，新增死亡病例挂零；至今全国累计冠病病例2987起，累计死亡病例54起。

~早报网~

邂逅泰国葵花海与红莲湖

邂逅泰国葵花海与红莲湖


泰国东北部秘藏了美丽，华富里一望无际的葵花园。

谷向东北开往乌隆他尼（Udon Thani），来到距离曼谷129公里的猴城华富里（Lopburi）。当地有名的三峰塔成了猴子聚集的寺庙嬉戏玩闹，它们在菩萨头上搔痒，甚至潇洒地穿行在马路上，爬到电线杆上，坐在饭店前，在民居屋檐上肆无忌惮，大摇大摆，完全无视居民的存在。这里的猴子拿起饮料瓶咕咚咕咚就喝了起来，和人类没什么两样。我们都知道，别把食物装在塑料袋提在手上，万万没想到竟有大胆猴族来抢游伴的小背袋，令她大声惊叫！


用敲碎的大理石、陶瓷片、陶瓷杯装饰的寺庙。

葵花园比北海道的还大

华富里是泰国最大的太阳花种植园区，在这里你可以看到很多大大小小的葵花园。每年的11月到隔年的1月葵花盛开。这里的葵花，比起我在北海道、广州等地看过的葵花园还要大。黄澄澄的，一望无际，非常壮观。沿着花园里的小径走进花园里拍照，人在花丛中，感觉成了葵花仙子。

碧差汶府（Phetchabun）是泰北值得旅游之地。游伴说要宠一宠自己，因而不惜订了山上的住宿。果然，山峦绵连，众山迤逦，山色空朦，深涧急流。晨曦和夕阳美景更是令人陶醉，景色特佳！

涌上考柯享受山间凉爽

一直以为12月的天气凉快，没想到泰国酷热的太阳比在新加坡还要威猛！司机找了另一位司机，天还没亮就开着四轮驱动车载我们去当地人非常喜爱的避暑胜地——考柯（Khao Kho）。考柯位于中北部的碧差汶府，因风景旖旎、气温凉爽怡人著称。每逢周末，当地人开着车子从周边城市涌上考柯享受山间的凉爽、怡人的美景。

来这里住帐篷的游客还真不少。天还没亮，游客已渐渐多了，大家都想找个拍日出的最佳地点。穿着民族服装的少数民族小女孩跟着妈妈与游客合照，赚点儿小钱。萌萌的脸，鲜艳的服装，令人怜惜。

若说考柯山上什么最吸引人，那一定是最负盛名的云海。雨季开始，峰上云雾缭绕，像一条彩带从云间飘落下来，只要运气好才可以观赏到壮观的云海。

年轻憨厚的司机不会说英语，比手画脚地沟通，我们好不容易才明白原来要8、9月的雨季才能见到云海。他载我们去山崖拍照，去看开在山上的醉蝶花，又去山坡上的草莓园品尝甜美的草莓。

他常年带团，什么时候可以看到云海，他怎会不知道呢？于是他载我们去喝咖啡、吃饭，餐馆几乎都建有宽敞的平台面对连绵群山，让食客可以一边喝咖啡，一边观赏云海。可是12月，只能看到青色山峦和山谷。想象一下雨季时节，坐在这里，仿佛身在云端，可真是难得的体验啊。

上万亩的莲湖

泰国东北部乌隆他尼距曼谷约560公里，位于乌隆他尼机场东南40公里处，对于大家来说比较陌生，但是那里却藏着意想不到的美丽。那儿有一个天然湖畔，每年11月到次年2月，湖泊的东南湖面，都会被上万亩的红色睡莲所覆盖，莲叶何田田，嫩红娇绿，非常壮观，因而被媒体评为世界奇观。

由于红莲是在清晨绽放，日照气温高升，中午时分红莲闭合，所以最佳的观赏时间是日出时分。成千上万的红莲绽放，让我想起周敦颐的《爱莲说》：出污泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖，画出了粉红色的地平线。花朵在清晨苏醒，缓缓舒展花瓣，摇首弄姿。开船的都是当地朴实的船夫，虽然语言不通，但是能够了解爱花人和喜欢摄影游客的需求，带领我们深入花丛，观赏莲花。在万亩红莲上，那场景如梦似幻，让人流连忘返。

湖内营养丰富，野生淡水鱼、原生鸟类都把这里视为生长的乐园，因为这原因，红莲的数量得以逐年增加。

鱼与熊掌难以兼得，云海和红莲湖也难以兼得。红莲湖令我们惊艳，让我们此次的泰国游没有遗憾。

~联合早报~

Happy Chinese New Year 新年快乐

A colourful and distinctive festival of umbrellas

A colourful and distinctive festival of umbrellas



Witness the beauty of Thai culture at the Bo Sang Umbrella and Sankampang Handicrafts Festival

The annual Bo Sang Umbrella and Sankampang Handicrafts Festival celebrates and recognises the community that creates Thailand’s most famous umbrellas handmade from saa, or mulberry bark, paper.

This year the event takes place from 19 to 21 January, 2018.Legend has it that a monk travelled to neighbouring Myanmar, where he came across unique umbrellas made from saa paper that offered protection against both the sun and rain.

He returned with the production technique and introduced the umbrella to the elders of Bo Sang village, who added their own artistic skills to create distinctive and colourful, but very practical, umbrellas.At first it was just a profitable hobby that supplemented the villagers’ earnings from the annual rice crop.

However, with time, production of the saa paper umbrellas prospered, prompting villagers to establish a handicraft cooperative in 1941 that now organises the annual Bo Sang Umbrella and Sankampaeng Handicrafts Festival.

To-date, Bo Sang umbrellas are made from three different materials, including saa paper, silk and cotton.During the three-day festival, streets are illuminated by lanterns, while hundreds of umbrellas are hung from the rafters and beams of houses and shops. Bands play, while villagers compete to design the year’s most attractive umbrella.

The ‘Bo Sang Beauty Pageant Bike Parade’ presents local ladies with an umbrella in one hand riding a bike with another. Concerts and a food festival compete for the attention of the audience, a mix of both tourists and residents, who gather to celebrate Bo Sang’s innovative handicraft skills.

~The Nation~

Delightful flower festival at Bangkok's Rama IX Park

Delightful flower festival at Bangkok's Rama IX Park

Head for Rama IX Park in the eastern suburbs of Bangkok for one of the most delightful events of the year

One of the most delightful flower festivals in Thailand – the Suanluang Rama IX Flower Festival is taking place again this year from 1-10 December, 2017. As usual, there are many different flowers and blooms on display in all areas of Suanluang Rama IX Public Park.

Highlights also include an exhibition in remembrance of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his royally initiated projects in all parts of the country. There are also booths selling flowers and plants as well as gardening tools.

In addition, there are cultural performances from four regions of Thailand, an ornamental plant contest, and a floating market selling food, arts and crafts, and souvenirs.Suanluang Rama IX Public Park was built in 1987 to commemorate the 60th birthday of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 

Covering an area of 500 rai, the park is divided into six sections: ‘Garden of the Great King’ which is home to the Ratchamangkhala Pavilion; ‘Botanic Garden’, the ‘Reservoir’; ‘Romanee Garden’; ‘Water Garden’; and ‘Sanam Rasdara and Sport Center’.

In addition, there is an international garden featuring arrangements from different regions of the world. For more information, please visit: www.tourismthailand.org (in English) or suanluangrama9.or.th (in Thai)The Suanluang Rama IX Public Park is located deep inside Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 103 (Udomsuk) Road. It opens daily from 08.00 – 19.00 Hrs. Admission is 10 Baht.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

最具特色水灯评比 将亮相素可泰

最具特色水灯评比 将亮相素可泰



素可泰府(Sukothai)府尹披帕昨天（31日）表示，欢迎广大游客于11月1-5日到素可泰国家历史公园参加水灯节活动，届时将举办以诗琳通公主殿下名义开展的最具特色水灯评比。今年水灯节期间的流动资金估计可达到5-7亿铢。

披帕表示，今年素可泰府水灯节庆祝活动在11月1-5日期间在素可泰府国家历史公园举行，活动主题为「共同缅怀先王」，活动包括放水灯、各类水灯巡游、孔明灯巡游等，同时于1日举办祭拜素可泰历届国王活动，于3日举办以诗琳通公主殿下名义开展的水灯评比活动。

披帕还表示，水灯节活动期间还将举办「从第九世王到第十世王，泰国皇室传承展览活动」，素可泰府古集市黎明布施斋僧活动、各类历史古典局表演、夜间篝火演出活动，以及共同参加放水灯活动等。估计整个活动期间将吸引超过10万人参加，为素可泰府带来5-7亿铢的流动资金。

《泰国世界日报》

宋卡旅游节登场 优惠多多

宋卡旅游节登场 优惠多多



「2017年宋卡旅游节」于昨天（9日）在合艾国际会议中心开幕，现场有各种活动，包括住宿优惠活动，服务优惠活动等。

「2017年宋卡旅游节」举办时间为本月9-10日，举办方要求各个旅游业者参与活动，包括酒店业者、度假村业者、旅行社等，在合艾国际会议中心共设置了100多个展台，为参展的民众、游客提供优质服务，刺激民众出游。

活动期间，参展的旅游业者为民众、游客提供住宿、旅游项目等优惠。此外，还对各个旅游景点进行详细介绍，吸引民众、游客购买旅游服务。

旅游节开幕当天还有Travel Talk活动，让旅游达人讲述旅游趣事和交流经验。此外，还有各种精彩表演和4部域美食供大家观赏、品尝，而各个府治的特色手工艺品也会出现在旅游节上，大家可以参与某部分的制作过程。

感兴趣的民众、游客可前往合艾国际会议中心参加旅游节，今天是最后一天，时间为早上10时30分至晚上8时30分。

《泰国世界日报》

南韩客热衷泰国游 泰拳受追捧

南韩客热衷泰国游 泰拳受追捧

观光与体育部长果甘女士昨天（7日）表示，南韩游客热衷泰国游，今年前7个月赴泰旅游的南韩游客超过70万人，其中泰拳是南韩游客最喜爱的项目，在南韩已经开设300多家泰拳馆，并受邀参加在大城府举办的拜泰拳师父国际活动。

果甘女士表示，泰国和南韩2018年建交60周年，两国政府将举办一系列庆祝活动，其中泰国旅游年的目标之一包括吸引更多南韩游客来泰国旅游，2016年来泰国旅游的南韩游客达140万人次，今年前7个月已经超过70万人次，从人口比率来说，南韩是来泰国旅游人次较多的国家。目前两国之间的航班每天超过20架次，清迈和普吉也有直飞航班。

南韩有300多个泰拳馆，学习泰拳的人数超过3万人，所以观光与体育部邀请南韩代表参加在大城府举行的每年泰拳拜师国际活动。泰国是南韩民众最喜欢出行的目的地国家之一，泰国观光与体育部把南韩游客列为高品质游客行列，希望南韩游客喜欢泰国之行，并再次选择到泰国旅游。

《泰国世界日报》

在泰国的哪里看云海迎接冬天 ?

在泰国的哪里看云海迎接冬天 ?

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二、如果你喜欢夜丰顺云南华裔村落的冬天景色，建议你到爱泰村走一趟，那里住着 一群旅泰云南乡亲，他们会准备真诚热情及美味热茶招待你。到了那里就如回到家， 直得介绍的住处就是Leewinerukthai Resort，电话 0895529650 , 0892621335，去 体验一下山上的美吧。







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版权声明：本文版权属于《泰国世界日报》

Vesak Day 卫塞节

Happy New Year 新年快乐！

斯米兰岛又见30多短肢领航鲸 乐坏游客

斯米兰岛又见30多短肢领航鲸 乐坏游客



在得知斯米兰岛(Similan Islands)出现小蓝鲸后，今天（9日）上百名泰国国内外游客乘船前往攀牙府(Phang Nga Province)库拉武里县斯米兰群岛，只为一睹难得一见的蓝鲸。虽然他们没见到蓝鲸，却幸运地看到30多只在湛蓝海域游泳的黑色短肢领航鲸，所有游客都非常激动。





短肢领航鲸属于海豚科，但行为更接近鲸鱼，是两种领航鲸之一，一般体长3.5-6.5米，重1-4吨，初生的约长1.5-2米，重60公斤左右，须怀孕12-14个月才能分娩，同时也是一级保护动物。



《泰国世界日报》

Wonders in wax

Wonders in wax



Thailand marks the beginning of the Buddhist Lent with candle carving, merit-making and folk dancing

With the monsoon season now in full swing and the rains nourishing the delicate rice seeds sowed not so long ago, it's time for Thailand to mark the Khao Phansa Festival. Held across the country in the middle of July, this spiritual event sees devotees of the Buddhist faith offering beautifully carved candles to the temples in a gesture reminiscent of the days when the monks would use the candles to provide light as they chanted Buddhist texts throughout the night.

From Ubon Ratchathani to Nan provinces, from boats on the canals to rides on elephant-back, the festival is celebrated in many different ways with floats, cultural shows, folk music, traditional dance and parades forming the main theme.

We take a look at some of the most delightful candle festivals.

UBON RATCHATHANI

When: July 18-20

Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand's lower Northeast is the champion when it comes to candle carving and spectacular floats and parades. Tourists and devotees are lured to the provincial capital to admire the amazing wax and candle carvings, many of them shaped into Buddha images and angels. In more recent years, the festival has incorporated a candle contest, with international artists and college students competing to show off their artistic creations. This year's event kicked off at the beginning of this week and runs through July 20 with artists from Russia, the US, Taiwan and Spain exhibiting their works in Thungsrimuang square. A sightseeing tour of the candle-making communities of Wat Sripradoo, Wat Thungsrimuang and Wat Pholphaen allows visitors to watch as residents cut up and melt the beeswax then pour it into moulds to form components of the huge, elaborate candles. The event culminates on July 20 when thousands of spectators line the streets to witness the colourful candle float parade.

NAN

When: July 20

If extravagant candle floats are not your cup of tea, then check out the humble wax-offering rite in Wiang Sa, Nan Province. On July 20, two days after the full moon, residents of Wiang Sa district will offer small dice and sticks of candle and wax to the Buddhist monks at Wat Buen Yeun. Like almsgiving, this unique yet original candle offering has been an act of virtue since the early 1800s. With the monks staying in their temples for three months during the Buddhist Lent, the candles will be used for learning and practising Buddhism by night.

NAKHON PHANOM

When: July 20

Nakhon Phanom Candle Festival takes place at Phra That Phanom, one of the most revered pagodas along the Mekong River. As elsewhere in the country, the ceremony will be celebrated in a devout yet festive fashion. The colourful procession of exquisitely carved candles, Miss Candle Beauty Contest, classical dancing, a mass merit-making ceremony will take turns to brighten up the spirit of Khao Phansa on the river bank.

SURIN

When: July 18-19

Temple murals reveal a lot about the elephant's great contribution to Buddhism, and the pachyderms of Surin once again underline their important role in religion at the beginning of Vassa. Surin pays homage to its traditional beasts of burden with 100 elaborately decorated elephants carrying some of the city's most revered monks around the town in a unique and memorable ceremony. There's also a candle procession and an elephant-back merit-making rite at the Monument of Phaya Surin Phakdi Sri Narong Changwang.

SUPHAN BURI

July: 19-20

Suphan Buri Province holds its candle festival at Wat Pa Lelai Woravihara with a showcase of beautifully carved candles. The colourful procession along with performances of folk and traditional dance by local art students takes place on July 20 starting from the Clock Tower in Muang Suphan Buri District and continuing through the downtown area. The candle showcase and dance is staged at Wat Pa Lelai. Suphan Buri natives are famous for laying on good entertainment, so visitors to the festival won't be disappointed as folk dances add fun to the festival.

NAKHON RATCHASIMA

When: July 19-20

Nakhon Ratchasima Candle Procession Festival takes place at the Tao Suranaree Monument and promises a procession of floats bearing carved candles as well as a range of other merit-making activities. Ahead of the province's grand celebration, Phimai and Chokchai districts will hold the candle festivals to mark the start of the Buddhist Lent.

SARABURI

When: July 19-20

The annual Tak Bat Dok Mai, or Flower Offering festival, returns to Wat Phra Phutthabat in Saraburi to mark the beginning of the three-month-long rains retreat. Thousands of Buddhist monks, mostly from Phra Dhammakaya temple, are expected to attend this year’s event. The festival celebrates the bloom of the local flower known as Dok Khao Phansa at the beginning of Vassa. The flower offering takes place twice daily at 9am and 3pm on both July 19 and 20.

AYUTTHAYA

When: July 19

The riverside community of Ladchado, Ayutthaya Province, will be celebrating the annual Candle Festival along the river on July 19 and thanking the rain for replenishing its canal. Like many things in Ladchado, the candle festival is celebrated on the water with hundreds of small sampans decorated with flowers and colourful parasols making their way downstream from the far side of canal. Tucked away in Phak Hai district, Ladchado is about 40 kilometres west of downtown Ayutthaya.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Praying for rain

Yasothon - Praying for rain

In response to this year's drought and the higher-than-usual temperatures, visitors to the annual Rocket Festival in Yasothon can expect plenty of fast-flying missiles in the sky. 

Taking place on May 14-15, the Yasothon Rocket Festival serves as a wake-up call for the Rain God and pleads with him to give Earth more water so that the rice will grow. 

Led by monks, rural rocket engineers place gunpowder inside long plastic pipes of varying sizes. 

The rockets are then launched into the clear blue skies with varying degrees of success. 

The festive event always draws locals and visitors and you don't have to be a quantum physicist to enjoy the show.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Happy New Year

清迈庆宋干 中国客将成为主力军

清迈庆宋干 中国客将成为主力军

清迈市政府加紧调整市区河渠水质，以迎接宋干节的到来，并宣导宋干节期间须节约用水。泰国旅游局预估将吸引20万名游客前来清迈过宋干节，为该府创造将近10亿铢的流动资金。

清迈政府工作人员昨天（8日）将氯粉倒入市区河渠内，让水质更加干净，强调足以满足宋干节的泼水活动，但还是希望民众和游客节约用水，因为受严重干旱的影响，今年市区也不能向市区以外的地区输送水。

泰国旅游局北部办事处预估，今年清迈宋干节将吸引约20万名游客前来观光，外籍游客约占30%，中国游客最多，约为4万人。现在酒店住宿的预订率已高达90%，预计节庆期间将创造9-10亿铢的流动资金。

～以上新闻转自世界日报～

Bangkok Chinatown 曼谷唐人街

Ban on Songkran splashing would be impossible: PM

Ban on Songkran splashing would be impossible: PM



THE Prime Minister has rejected a suggestion that the government ban Songkran revellers from splashing water during the festival because of severe shortages nationwide.

"I will not ban water throwing, because it is impossible,'' he said.

"Parents should teach their children to use less water and not to transport water in trucks and splash it for three days and three nights. If there is not enough water for consumption in May, who will take responsibility?'' he said. "It will be the government."

Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha was responding to a proposal that the government strictly control water usage. Prayut said the government could make an announcement but people did not seem to listen. "That is our problem," he said

He also blamed past governments for a failure of water management.

"We should have had water distribution and piping systems linked nationwide. Why did we not invest in this project long ago? We will fight over water. Soldiers will have to hold guns monitoring water pumps. It should not be like that," he said.

Prayut has ordered four major dams to release not more than 18 million cubic metres of water for agriculture and also asked local residents to build small dams to store water.

Meanwhile, a road in Pathum Thani's Nongsua district has been blocked after land subsidence linked to the drought made it impassable.

Klong Rangsit 14 Road collapsed between kilometres 400 and 500, leaving a three-metre hole that a taxi fell into.

The stretch of road had been fixed, but another 25-metre stretch was affected by subsidence, again making the route impassable.

The road is normally heavily used by farmers to transport their produce to market.

Thitinan Charoen-art, municipal clerk of Muang Sananrak, said the road would be blocked while the subsidence-affected area was repaired, adding that officials would meet to discuss the problem of the drought.

Phayao Governor Supachai Iam-suwan said there was only 14 million cubic metres of water in Phayao Lake even though water had been diverted from Mae Tam reservoir. He said the lake lost about 10,000 cubic metres of water per day, which officials were investigating.

Phayao's Provincial Waterworks Office branch manager Krit Ketcharal said officials were installing pipes to pump water to the lake.

The office has reserved water in Nong Kwang reservoir to be used for tap-water and built a mobile water production plant that can process up to 200 cubic metres of water per hour.

He said raw water in Phayao Lake could produce tap-water for not more than two months. "We are waiting for a miracle of rain during Songkran or we will divert water from Nong Kwang as the last resort,'' he said.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

吴庆康：天生技能

吴庆康：天生技能



在泰国的海边沙滩，可以享受到非常当地大妈型的沙滩按摩。（吴庆康摄）

总觉得泰国人的身体里有按摩基因，这是他们天生的一种技能，是天分。我很相信天分。

总觉得很多泰国人是天生的按摩高手，随便一出手总是按中要穴，让你欲仙欲死，很是神奇。而且，你可以只花八块钱，就享受一个小时很实在的全身按摩，物超所值。

泰国有很多很独特的扬名海外产品，从变装秀、四面佛、酸辣汤、友善亲切的笑容、芒果糯米饭，到按摩，我都喜欢。

尤其是按摩，从大街小巷到海边沙滩，从最奢华到最简陋的，大多很有水准（除却色情按摩），尤其是那种在海边非常当地大妈型的沙滩按摩，根本不必任何语言，你全身最酸痛的部位让她们一按就放松，按摩过后有种想拥抱她们感谢救了一命的冲动。

按摩这项技能多少需要天分，按哪个部位，出手多重，按多久，经验是一回事，但不是学学就会，而且舒服与否因人而异，还得看缘分。有时腰酸背痛，想找个身边人帮忙舒缓一下，按不到两下就喊停，因为位置不对，力道不对，越按越痛。

但在泰国，随便一家按摩院，随便一个按摩师傅，不论男女，都像是按摩机器，精准得很。尤其是颈肩和腰部，他们神奇的双手总是一点即中，1个小时下来你全身放松，很甘愿给超过按摩收费双倍的小费。

近几年发现上海、北京和台湾也都有不少按摩高手，但提供的服务已经被美化商业化，少了泰国的原汁原味，少了那种“天生”感。

我在外消费很少给小费，但在泰国按摩很愿意给，不仅是对服务超满意，而是觉得这要付出体力的工作，收费不仅应该合理，应该比合理更合理。

我也试过为友人按按肩膀，不到2分钟，手掌已经不能再出力，那真不是任何人能胜任的任务。

偶尔与这些按摩师傅聊上两句，老的少的，1天平均为6个客人服务，每次1到2个小时，我想象不到他们双掌在这样的劳力轰炸下怎么还能保持灵活度。

所以我总觉得泰国人的身体里有按摩基因，这是他们天生的一种技能，是天分。

我很相信天分，你可以逼孩子去学各种乐器，学各种运动，学各种手艺，他们最终也许都可以在课程结业考中考获很高分，但仅此而已，不会因此散发异彩，因为他们没有能将所学发扬光大的天分。

就像会写字不代表会创作，会唱歌不代表能成为歌手；会写影评不代表你能拍电影当导演，会开车并不表示就懂车；就算你是专门医老人病的医生，也不意味着你就会心甘情愿、有要照顾老人家的慈祥善良心。

相比之下，我们新加坡人最明显的基因特点就比较“生活化”，我们很自然完全不必任何训练就会永无止境地对生活和工作投诉，抱怨政府，在路上容易动怒发脾气，又很自私怕输，当然还有很多明知程序不合逻辑但还是照章行事丝毫没有灵活性的“官方”，都是我们独有的“天生技能”。

说回泰国按摩，在大街小巷的众多按摩店，随眼一望，不缺年轻男女，我也被一些很年轻的按摩师傅“服侍”过，年纪轻轻手艺很好。

当然，有得选择，这些年轻人也许也不愿意在这样的环境中付出这样的劳力来讨生活，但至少在这过程中，他们没有欺场。

这样的情景不可能在新加坡发生，我们的年轻人很幸运不必生活在艰苦的环境，也很幸运没有这种天生技能。我们只能在幸福中，不断埋怨我们有多不幸福，这是我们开始扎根的本能与“天分”。

（本文刊在3月9日《联合早报》·四方八面）

Happy Chinese New Year