When one applies to and is accepted to the Peace Corps, one often has an image of the "developing" country as being almost entirely without modern conveniences and services. Certainly, many Peace Corps countries are this way, such as Mali in West Africa where my sister spent two years living in a mud hut with no running water, electricity, or telephone service.
Most of Thailand does not fit that description, however, as I realized the first time I stepped into a 7-11 way back during our training in early 2005. Not only was it air-conditioned, it had ice cream, candy bars, yogurt, wheat bread, Corn Flakes cereal, and Lays potato chips!
In Bangkok and other large Thai cities, there might be a 7-11 – called "Seven" by the Thais – nearly every other block. It is quite an institution. We’ll often duck in on our way to or from the Peace Corps office to grab some bottled water, a cell phone card, or some deodarant. Our town does not have one, however, which is probably a good thing. We have to travel 50 kilometers on windy mountain roads before seeing the bright red and green. I’m happier to support our local shops anyway, even if they don’t have M & M’s. A Peace Corps Volunteer does not need to have everything!
1 comment:
...that my friend Internet said that 7-Eleven has close to 3,500 stores in Thailand (as of 2005), of which more than 1000 are in Bangkok.
7-Eleven in Thailand (http://www.7eleven.co.th) is part of the Charoen Pokphand Group (http://www.cpthailand.com), which may employ a staff of more than 100,000 in 20 countries around the world, but that doesn't stop them from devoting their website to celebrating the 60th aniversary of the ascention of King Bhumibhol.
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