10 years of Thailand blog: Bloggers speak (Gringo)
Thailandblog would not be Thailandblog without the bloggers who regularly write or answer questions from readers. A reason to introduce them to you again and to put them in the spotlight.
We do this on the basis of a questionnaire, which the bloggers have completed to the best of their knowledge. The kick-off is done by Gringo.
Questionnaire 10 years Thailandblog
-
What is your name/nickname on Thailandblog?
My name is Bert Gringhuis and I usually write with the nickname Gringo
What is your age?
I am 74 years young
What is your birthplace and country?
I was born and raised in Almelo, so a purebred Tukker
In which place have you lived the longest?
Alkmaar
What is/was your profession?
Worked in business, most recently as a manager in a machine factory
What were your hobbies in the Netherlands?
Football as a player (goal thief) and football as a referee (led approx. 500 matches in the lower echelons of amateur football)
Do you live in Thailand or in the Netherlands?
I have been living in Pattaya since 2005, Naklua to be exact
What is your bond with Thailand?
I have known Thailand since 1980 and after becoming a widower in 2002, I chose the country as my second country of residence
Do you have a Thai partner?
Yes, I have been living with a beautiful, sweet woman from Roi Et (Isaan) for over 16 years. She had a son, whom I now consider my son.
What are your hobbies?
Writing for Thailandblog and pool billiards as a player and co-organizer of tournaments.
Why is Thailand special to you, why the fascination for the country?
From my first visit to Thailand in 1980, I fell in love with the country. The oriental atmosphere, the climate, the friendly people (especially ladies), the Thai cuisine, etc.
How did you ever end up on Thailandblog and when?
When I moved here, I wrote long E-mails to family, friends and acquaintances about my experiences in my new country of residence. A friend from then advised me to send those stories to Thailandblog. Done after some hesitation and apparently many readers liked it. My first story is from December 2010.
What kind of posts/stories on Thailandblog do you find most interesting?
Hard to say, but stories about daily life are often fun to read, I like some tourist tips, current news preferably involving a Dutch person, historical stories about Thailand and much more. No Thai politics for me and stories about another beautiful temple leave me cold!
Do you have contact with other bloggers (with whom and why)?
(Too) little, I am in favor of getting together again. Now, I speak occasionally Joseph Jongen, Dick Koger, Lodewijk Lagemaat and occasionally De Inquisitor. I also had (ir)regular contact with Frans Amsterdam.
What is the greatest satisfaction/appreciation for you of what you do for Thailandblog?
I don't need personal credit for what I do for Thailandblog. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't like a lot of thumbs.
What do you think of the many comments on Thailandblog? Do you read them all?
The ability to comment is a big plus for Thailandblog. Then you as a writer also know that it will be read. Often quite nice reactions, interesting additions, but sometimes also reactions that deviate from the subject. Yes, I read them all
What function do you think Thailandblog has?
Oh function? It is an unpretentious medium with fun and useful information about Thailand. Special is of course that it is in the Dutch language, which many readers will find pleasant, I think.
What are you still missing on Thailandblog?
What I miss is more blog writers who talk about their daily lives. In the beginning I also thought that my experiences would not interest others, but that is not correct. Everyone experiences something that is worth telling.
Do you think Thailandblog will make it to the next anniversary (15 years)?
Natural, natural, sure, inevitable!!!!!
Do you have contact with other bloggers (with whom and why)?
Gringo right, I'm not there... and I'll still visit you faithfully every time in Megabreak.
I don't call that contact, but a lasting relationship between two fanatical Thailand bloggers, ha ha!
What a nice idea to get to know all the regular bloggers a little better.
Too bad there is no picture, maybe an idea.
I'm already looking forward to the next well-known blogger.
Thank you all in advance for your writings about Thailand because as a hibernator I really enjoy reading.
Dear Thea, a number of bloggers will follow, some of them have sent a photo, so we will post that as well. Others don't want that. Also applies to me. I'm ugly as night, so I don't want to scare readers.
Come on Peter!!!
“Bemodesheid ist kein Zier!”
A pretty face without a soul is an empty shell!
Well well Peter, I don't know you, physically mean, but now I would like to see how that is 'ugly as night'…
OK, I'll include a photo.
More Blog Writers?
Over the past year I have submitted several pieces as well as some questions.
The editors apparently did not think it was worth publishing.
So what else would I bother?
Dear Walter, only if we cannot read/understand it or if the text does not meet our guidelines, we will not publish it. Not all questions are posted, that's right.
Your name is not familiar to me so maybe it never arrived? The spam filters sometimes throw a spanner in the works.
Send it in again and we'll look into it.
Short but sweet Gringo. If I want to get to know you a little better, I should definitely travel to Pattaya again? But I never actually get to the Thai coast. Or perhaps it turns out that some of the permanent writers meet each other in Bangkok
All great people who make Thailand blog a success. Congratulations
Nice acquaintance. Almelo is nicely represented with Gringo. Born and raised in Almelo, I have been in a relationship with Thai people for 5 years, but not more than 2 times a year, me in Thailand and she 2 x a year in the Netherlands. Really enjoy the stories of all bloggers. Feast of recognition often too. You always experience something. Thanks to all.
Perhaps a tip to still exist in a few years,
Technology changes quickly, don't get hung up on a formula.
A good example is the pattaya/isaan/phuket/thailand homepage.
All old stuff. (Hi Renee!)
Perhaps an app with marketplace or similar in the future?
And that wallpaper roll from udon is also at 🙂 555
Dear Bert,
That's a mouthful, but I'll do my best.
My thing' is helping people, not praising my self.
Yours faithfully,
Erwin
Congratulations, I enjoy Thailandblog every day, my contributions to Thailandblog were modest and you will certainly get another one in the future. Up to 15? to 20……..
What a nice initiative this is to learn a little more about the recurring names that do their best on Thailandblog. Now those names suddenly become a face with background information. I do regret that sometimes there is no photo with the background story. Forgotten or maybe for a reason. With a photo, a name suddenly becomes a person.
To be honest, I didn't think about a photo, I also think it should have been.
Look for pictures of this still charming Dutchman on his Facebook page, ha ha!
Dear Gringo,
You (you) are 74 years young. I am 74 years young. And Dutch people of 74 young are very charming. So we eagerly await your (your) photo.
Regards Hansest