10 years of Thailand blog: Bloggers speak (Joseph Jongen)

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. Today Joseph Jongen, an enterprising traveler who has visited all corners of Thailand and can tell fun stories about it.

Questionnaire Thailand blog 10 years

-

What is your name/nickname on Thailandblog?

Just my real name: Joseph Boy.

What is your age?

At almost 85 years old, I will certainly not be the youngest blogger.

What is your birthplace and country?

I was born in Heerlen in South Limburg and my last name betrays my Dutch descent with Belgian roots.

In which place have you lived the longest?

When I was two years old, my parents moved from Heerlen to Rotterdam, which was considered a world trip at the time. After the terrible bombing of Rotterdam I returned to my hometown where I spent my childhood and completed my schooling. After my service as a reserve officer in the infantry, I left for Eindhoven, where I lived for the longest time.

What is/was your profession?

In Eindhoven I started working at Philips and fulfilled various commercial positions from commercial assistant to marketing manager and eventually retired as director of a subsidiary.

What are your hobbies in the Netherlands?

Have had an unusual hobby for more than 45 years, namely the Pianola. Have a 105 year old completely restored grand piano of the brand Blüthner on which the most famous but long deceased pianists are brought back to life by means of paper rolls with punch holes. With two co-authors I wrote the book: 'De Pianola in Nederland' and for many years I was editor of the club magazine of the Dutch Pianola Association and published articles for foreign hobby magazines about the history of mechanical musical instruments. Like so many hobbyists, I am a bit crazy in my collecting rage and own over a thousand music rolls.

I have been addicted to travel since my retirement and roam the globe for several months a year. Bangkok is often the hub for Asia.

Do you live in Thailand or in Belgium/the Netherlands?

Although the travel jitters arise especially at the end of the year, I will continue to live in the Netherlands. Have traveled many countries by now but always go home very satisfied.

What is your bond with Thailand?

Had a good colleague who worked for Philips in Kuala Lumpur and retired at the same time as me 25 years ago. He told me that he had decided to say goodbye to Malaysia and move to Thailand, after which I promised to come and visit him there. A promise is a promise and so my wife and I flew to Chiangmai a year later to visit my former colleague. After a week we went south in stages and boarded the boat in Krabi to the beautiful island of Koh Lanta. Unfortunately, disaster struck mercilessly. On the boat, my wife developed chest pains and died of acute cardiac arrest a few hours later, after we arrived on the island. As strange as it may sound, this bitter experience eventually became the beginning of the bond with Thailand. Think back gratefully to the loving comforting caresses of many Thai people, but also to the fantastic support of the Dutch Embassy. My youngest son came to Koh Lanta with my brother-in-law to support me. Thinking back on it still makes my eyes watery.

Do you have a Thai partner?

After the death of my dear wife, I had a hard time. Two lovely sons and daughters-in-law plus a 4 month old first grandchild couldn't take away my grief at the time. After some time I got to know my current Dutch girlfriend who had lost her husband a few years earlier, also completely unexpectedly. We have known each other for many years now, spend weekends together, travel together and have a nice long-term relationship.

And besides: she is modern, musical and good looking for her age and no less than 2 ½ years younger than me.

How did you ever end up on Thailandblog and when?

Actually, you know that even better than I do. It is exactly 10 years ago that I read an appeal from you on the internet in which you were looking for people who could and wanted to write something more about Thailand. If I remember correctly, Hans Bos was the first and I was the second to respond to that request at the time. Because I regularly write travel reports of my travels for my own pleasure, it was not that difficult to draw from them at the time. Can therefore say that I was present on Thailandblog from the very first hour.

For what purpose did you start writing?

Yes, I have to think about that. I don't have a goal. I just consider writing as a hobby and if the reader learns something from it or enjoys it, that's a bonus.

What do you like/special about Thailandblog?

The special thing about Thailandblog is that you have been able to publish very different and fun stories every day for 10 years. Depending on the country where you live, interests may differ, but I see it as a positive; for each his own.

What do you like less/special about Thailandblog?

The least fun - for me at least - are the endless stories about health insurance, the banks and the tax on, among other things, the state pension, not to mention the exchange rate of baht versus euro. These are stories that relate exclusively to compatriots living in Thailand.

If you voluntarily leave for another country, you simply have to weigh the pros and cons. Yes, I also pay too much tax and my pension has barely increased for years, but I still feel fine in that so-called shitty Netherlands.

The special thing about the blog is that there are two groups of readers. On the one hand those who live in Thailand and on the other hand the holidaymakers and hibernators. If you have a Thai girlfriend or wife, other things play a role, such as integration. Stories can be interesting to one person and completely meaningless to another. No problem, just skip it.

What kind of posts/stories on Thailandblog do you find most interesting?

Stories about places of interest, tips about authentic restaurants, where do nice orchestras play jazz, nice trips, et cetera. After all, I travel to Thailand as a tourist.

Do you have contact with other bloggers (with whom and why)?

Hardly. I sometimes function as a cigar courier for fellow blogger Gringo.

What is the greatest satisfaction/appreciation for you of what you do for Thailandblog?

I have great appreciation for the editors who still put in a lot of work to publish a neat site with new articles every day. My satisfaction is that I can contribute to that every now and then.

What do you think of the many comments on Thailandblog? Do you read them all?

The comments make the blog lively and sometimes I can laugh heartily. Depending on the subject, fun to go through them quickly.

What function do you think Thailandblog has?

Think that this is different for everyone because the readers are not a homogeneous target group. It is a pity that little can/may not be published on certain topics related to Thailand. When reading some comments related to the Netherlands, I sometimes think “would you have the guts to write something similar about Thailand?” And that shows in which free country we live.

What are you still missing on Thailandblog?

Compatriots who have lived in Thailand for years could more often give nice tips for people who go on holiday in the land of smiles. Be aware that many are also visiting the country for the very first time.

Do you think Thailandblog will make it to the next anniversary (15 years)?

Certainly as long as the editors enjoy it themselves, the readers appreciate it and the bloggers continue to contribute. My sincerest congratulations for reaching this milestone. TEN YEARS OF THAILAND BLOG is unique.