Pavilion guide Helena and I are together with some colleagues planning a trip to Thailand after the Expo has finished. Since we still have one and a half months to go we thought it would be a good idea to go over to the Thailand pavilion to get a closer look at the country and get some insider tips.
Outside the Thailand pavilion we meet pavilion guide Pawita, 23, who greets us with a friendly smile. The Thai people are known all over the world for being friendly and happy and there is no exception here. It is not only from the inside of the pavilion that you can get to know Thailand; you can learn a lot just by looking at the structure of the pavilion. There are two big statues at the entrance gate who welcomes the visitors. Pawita explains that one is the Thai mythical giant Indrajit and the other one is the Chinese mythical guardian-warrior Lan Tan. Lan Tan is a gift from the Chinese, and the two statues are symbolizing the relationship between Thailand and China.
Before we are allowed to enter the pavilion we get a short introduction on a TV screen of the three different exhibition halls by the green Thailand pavilion mascot “Tai”. Since the three exhibition halls are consisting of movies it is very difficult to take a lot of photos inside so you will have to let me be your eyes during this visit into the Thailand pavilion.
You enter the Thailand pavilion by big wooden doors and when everyone is inside the doors are shut behind you. All the people gather around a big TV screen that is showing the life of Thai people. Underneath the screen is a big pool that is representing the cycle of life by the water. The show ends with a waterfall and the doors to the next room opens and leads you into the second hall.
In this room you get to witness a conversation between Indrajit and Lan Tan about the trade and interaction with foreign countries from the past up until today. Even though Thailand has transformed throughout the years they still take the opportunity to send out an important message: “we never forget to remain our Thai character”.
Before you enter the third and last hall the pavilion guides hand out glasses to all the visitors so they can experience the movie in all dimensions. Once again you get to meet Indrajit and Lan Tan and are shown the defining aspects of being Thai. The visit to Thailand ends with water coming down from the ceiling followed by excited yelling from all the visitors.
After our trip to Thailand, pavilion guide Helena and I are even more convinced that Thailand is the right place to go for a holiday. The happy Thai feeling has rubbed off on us and we return back to the Swedish pavilion with a big smile on our faces.
