Sabai Sabai- Thai Culture

'Sabai' means 'Easy' and is an often quote answer to how you feel when you are feeling good. When you've eaten and you are replete, you are Sabai. When you have had a glass of beer and the mood change has kicked in, you are Sabai. When you are sat on a mat on the beach overlooking some tropical picture perfect scene you are Sabai. When you have just come up from a dive and the boat man asks you how was it, the answer is Sabai. So contented, at one with your self, is the best description of how it translates in every day use.

Some foreigners translate the Thai idea of Sabai, Sabai as a Thai version of the Spanish 'Manana'. Where the emphasis of Manana means we will will worry about it tomorrow,  Sabai means we are in the zone now and the tomorrow part is irrelevant. The Manana has a guilt angle, almost acknowledging that something should be done, some work,  or duty completed. The Thai culture doesn't need this as it's Buddhist values ensure that the moment and not the duty is king.  So in my humble opinion, those who try to equate Manana with Sabai miss the point. I am more knowledgeable with Thai than Spanish so feel free to corrrect me if I am wrong.

Hotels on the beach Sabai Sabai

Samui Hotel Deals

Samui Hotel Deals on Hotelatm.com

What is our excitiment over hunting and finding the right hotel deal. It seems to me it's a very natural  'hunter gatherer reaction', a primordial survival tactic for getting on in life. So the getting something for nothing makes us feel good and gives us a natural high whether it is an extra bowl of fruit on arrival, a pretty flower display in a honeymoon suite,  saving 5% here or a free night there.

Thai Character- Jai Dee- culture.

Thai Character- Jai Dee. Learning to greet others respectfully is a sign of Jai Dee

Of all the character traits in Thai People understanding Jai Dee is one of the most helpful. Jai Dee means quite literally, Good Heart and refers to the way a Thai person will conduct themselves in their life. It comes from the Buddhist idea of  Karma and the idea of; if you do good, if you are good, you get good in this life.

Western Jai Dee.
In western or Christian values, the idea has similarities but also key differences. A nice guy, a good hearted fellow is someone who always seems to strive or see the positive side of life, get on with people and spend a lot of their own energy to make the best of what ever situation they are experiencing. In the west, when this characteristic is taught at school, it is considered moral a duty to try to be good hearted. 

Thai Jai Dee.
Thai people are taught to consider being Jai Dee a very favourable state.  In Thai culture the trying is not relevant as, due to Karma, you are what you are. Another way of seeing this idea through western eyes is that the emphasis is good fortune whether you turn out to be good hearted or not.

Thai Massage- Culture

Thai Massage thumb pressure to the muscles either side of the spine relieve tension and help the flow of energy.

The benefits of Thai Massage are widely appreciated and speaking as someone who has enjoyed literally hundreds, they invariably send me to sleep. However that is because I prefer the softer form of massage that my older body appreciates!

The Thai massage technique needs muscles, manipulates joints and hits pressure points in an almost sublime combination. The Thai massage focuses on the meridians or Channel (Chinese medicine) and Indian nadis and so the process works the physical body but also aims to balance the energy circulating within it.