Thais, Masters Of The Art Of Improvisation

Ever wondered that – not only politically – nothing’s impossible over here in the Land of the Free? The art of improvisation is a bewildering skill of the gifted people of Thailand. Something brakes down, something needs a fix – in the twinkling of an eye you can use that broken chair again and that plate can serve for another twenty years.

An improvised world may not look perfect. Much in Thailand may be run down. But does it need to be repaired – or even replaced? If it ain’t broken, don’t even fix it. If it is broken, improvise. You as as an aesthetician may suffer a stroke in this country, but as a pragmatist you’ll discover many valuable inspirations.

The Thai art of improvisation demonstrates the Thais’ great level of tolerance, stoicism and, yes, importance of freedom, rising above the dogmatic and narrow-minded bureaucracies in the West. When arriving in Thailand you may have called those compromises in aesthetics, but not functionality a botch job. Not after living here for some time. You’ll convert to the Thais’ knack for making the unworkable just work again. Not to mention political improvisation.

It’s a gift German photographer Thomas Kalak observed. He just published an illustrated book on the subject, titled: “Thailand – Same same, but different!”. A deeply philosophical interior view solely dedicated to the Thais’ exceptionally gifted art of improvisation.
Says the cover: “The objects photographed in Thailand by Thomas Kalak are sometimes unusual, both funny and peculiar, and often mind-boggling. Far from the world of clichés, Kalak finds motifs that complement and enhance the famous image of the country and simultaneously document the unshakable cheer of the Thai people as true masters of improvisation.”

You’ll have to chuckle skimming through the book. You may realize that you’ve been in Thailand for too long for not even noting anymore the chaos of telephone and power cables over your head. At first the not-so-perfect buildings may have made you think. After a few years over here you are healed. Improvisation has become all too common. You may even have started improvising yourself.

Says the foreword, written by branding & marketing icon Remo Masala:

American scientists have discovered that, from a statistical point of view, there are currently around 14.86 solutions to each problem. A visit to Bangkok, without the usual temple tunnel vision, would have probably made the whole analysis obsolete.

The art of improvisation, which is practiced at the roadside and in many backyards, leaves the 14.86 solution per problem looking a little meagre. Or didn’t the scientists visit Bangkok, where a large part of life still takes place on the streets?

Where survivalists meet the challenge of everyday toil in a somewhat chaotic, yet laid-back and peaceful manner?

This is where even children of an early age learn to be mobile, flexible and to act self-dependently in order to be able to solve problems both great and small.

The Thai people seem to have a knack, often borne through need, of cleverly solving everyday and technical problems in their own special way, or any way they can. Thais often plan and react spontaneously. They have the ability to rearrange and improvise if something doesn’t seem to work.

Long-term planning, as we know it in Europe, is unusual to a large extent. A Thai acts flexibly, situation orientated and pragmatically. To make adjustments to suit personal interests is a much more important factor than strictly maintaining principles, even if this means that compromises must be made.

Many of those compromises would probably be described as “Pfusch” or “botch jobs” in the West. But not many Westerners would be able to come up with some of those Thai ideas.

Hardly any of those improvisations come accross as botch jobs in Thailand. They don’t apear meagre, but clever, sometimes a little funny or just plain sensible, as the primary problem has shown us.

However, the Thais do have distinct advantages: They can practice the art of improvisation without having to take the dogmatic and narrow-minded bureaucracy of public authorities into consideration and without having to deal with a sometimes absurd jungle of paragraphs.

And: If the respective improvisation doesn’t quite work out as planned, the Thais are also able to laugh at themselves.

Good ideas are as good as hard cash – no question about it. Good ideas point a long nose toward the throwaway society within the Global Village.

“Mai pen rai,” “it doesn’t matter,” and “chang thoe,” better known as “no pombem” or “no problem,” are more than merely popular, flowery phrases in Thailand.

They are fundamental principles that are intended to prevent life from becoming an all-dominant monster that eats up the individual. “Mai pen rai” is always delivered with a smile …

Live and let live would also be an excellent alternative translation thereof. Because “mai pen rai” demonstrates the great level of Thai tolerance and stoicism. A phrase with a key function.

Thais speak of life as if it were a kind of suffering and they enjoy it to the full. That is not a contradiction, but if it does happen to prove contradictory, no one will pay any attention anyway: Amidst an infinite tangle of overhead power lines hangs a gigantic comb that sends an advertising message.

This is possible in the chaos of Bangkok.

European marketing strategists wouldn’t find the area at all appealing and would probably dismiss the advertising location as “unsuitable for our product”.

A coping machine stands before a rummage table in an underwear shop. This would probably cause any self-respecting , German branch manager to have a stroke.

In Thailand, however, things somehow seem to fit together, even though they apparently have nothing to do with one another.

Thais like to mix and blend things, which may sometimes appear a little bizarre, sometimes unintentionally funny, but never ridiculous.

Buddha might even be found serenely reclining upon a hydrant. If need be and no other space is available …

Thais also love to mix all kinds of food to their heart’s content. No matter how many pots and bowls are served, each dish is tested, and the soup can be sipped in stages between bits and bites of other delicacies.

Some mysterious Thai objects remind one of the traditional art of objet trouvé, or found object: Works of art and arrangements comprising of (re)discovered everyday objects and garbage, or so-called ready-mades.

Objects, accidentally discovered products or spontaneous art: Many visitors don’t notice them. The tourist’s tunnel vision is unfortunately often only focused on the golden Chedis, Bangkok’s last tuk-tuks and impressive, modern multi-storey buildings.

We don’t usually immerse ourselves in a foreign everyday life and culture when on holiday, but rather spend a picture book vacation.

And that is why we often don’t see the forest, because too many trees are in our way.

We are blinded by temples, beaches and markets and overlook many pictures along the roadside, outside our angle of vision.

The Thais affectionately call their kingdom Land of the Free. And when they speak of “muang thai”, the “Thai nation”, their voices are filled with justified pride about heir freedom.

On the streets – not in politics – this freedom also means independency from the forces of globalization. Bangkok’s side streets often seem like forgotten islands.

Says the proverb: “Tell me and I will forget. Show me and perhaps I will remember. Involve me and I will understand.”

When in Thailand, one should often spare a thought for this wise proverb. And back home, in the other world, one should consider the Thai art of improvisation instead of heading off to the nearest do-it-yourself store.

Order the book here.