Who is Viktor Melamed: Public figure, diplomat, and writer
Mr. Viktor Melamed needs no introduction. He is a well-known public figure. If you type his name into the internet, many publications will appear.
In addition to being the Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom of Thailand in Bulgaria, a position he took on in 2003, he worked for over 20 years in civil aviation, which he left as Director of Public Relations and Advertising at Balkan Airlines.
More than 10 years ago, he co-founded and became a partner in the public relations company „Fama Consulting.“.
For two years, he has also been the director of the American Jewish Committee office for Bulgaria and North Macedonia.
For his activities, as Honorary Consul, he was awarded by the King of Thailand with one of the most prestigious orders of the Kingdom – „Officer of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand”.
Personally, I first encountered his work. In 2018, Mr. Viktor Melamed published his first book, „Dreams“ – short stories richly illustrated by Prof. Gredi Assa. With its premiere, the book strongly signals a new contemporary writer in Bulgarian literature.
And since the site is called „Experience. Adventure. Travel. To oneself and around the world“ with the biblical slogan „In the beginning was the Word!“, I allowed myself to invite a writer-traveler as my first honored guest and interlocutor.
Thank you very much for accepting my invitation. It's an honor!
Mr. Melamed is a eloquent storyteller, a witty conversationalist, and a charming personality.
My intuition hasn't failed me. Clearly, travel is not only your way of life, but experiences and adventures accompany it, and since we're like-minded, I'd be happy if we switch to using the informal „you.“.
The Philosophy of Travel: From the First Flight to Three Unknown Continents
1. Question - If you happen to keep any statistics. How many countries have you visited? I'm not asking about continents…
Victor Melamed: „I don't keep records. I gave up a long time ago. I can honestly admit that there are three whole continents that are still blank spots in my traveler's resume, but at one point I decided that I preferred not to tick off visited countries, but to „enjoy“ the places I visited. That's why, especially in recent years, there are countries and cities that I visit repeatedly, because I feel that I am comfortable there and somehow they recharge my exhausted soul, and this way I maintain the illusion that the world is bigger than a day trip by plane.“
3. Viewed philosophically, travel is not just an experience, knowledge of the world, and the accumulation of experience. It is a discovery. What is the first journey you will never forget? And what did you discover about yourself?
Victor Melamed: „My first trip that I have real memories of was at four years old, by airplane from Sofia to Burgas. I want to immediately say that my first flight by airplane was when I was a year and a half old, in the summer of 1960. But from the flight to Burgas at four, I have my first, childlike and magical memories. I was the only child on the TABSO IL-14 airplane, and the flight attendant gave me a small wooden model, which I kept for years. I think my son was the last one to play with it.“
The Magic of Asia and the Personal Connection with the Kingdom of Thailand
You are an Asia expert. What draws you to this continent?
Victor Melamed„Oh, we wouldn't have enough hours or pages in conversations for Asia. In fact, Asia is the continent from which human civilization began, long before Egypt, Ancient Greece, or Rome. China, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, I could go on, of course, are countries that for years (sometimes even today) we called developing. You have to go there, even as a tourist, for a few days to understand that in these lands, people possess a wisdom and a worldview that developed them, a long time ago and much more as human beings. When you add the exotic nature, historical monuments, culture, and economic prosperity, this part of the world is undoubtedly the new Atlantis.“
5. Which countries have you visited there? I'm sure it's unnecessary to ask which is your favorite?
Victor MelamedYes, it's difficult to say which is my favorite country in Asia. I'm generally not a fan of such categorizations. As a representative of Thailand in Bulgaria, it is undoubtedly the country to which I dedicate the most attention and love endlessly. But I will say again, this part of the world, as a whole, deserves special attention, and each one of the countries on this continent has a lot to be proud of and to show the world. I have traveled to all the countries in Southeast Asia. I have also been to China and India, and in the south I have reached the island nation of Fiji. But, as I already said, I don't chase numbers. I would always return to Thailand, Myanmar, or Cambodia whenever I can, because I feel good there.„
The impact of the pandemic on world tourism
6. A burning question: how did the pandemic affect your plans? And when do you think we'll be able to travel again? Your prediction?
Victor Melamed: „An appropriate question, but a sad one. I needn't say that I, like everyone else, was brutally surprised by everything that has befallen us in these past months. At first, it was just shock and fear; now, it's conscious anger and anxiety. Unfortunately, my informed guess is that our lives, in their entirety as they were until the end of last year, are over. I'm not saying catastrophic dramas await us, but I think this pandemic will be ruthlessly used to change our previously relatively liberal way of life. My prediction is that if we return to the old standards of living, it will be no earlier than 2023. But I think we need to get used to a different, more restrictive model of existence.“
How did Covid-19 affect Thailand? From the consulate's summaries, we know they quickly overcame the pandemic: there weren't many cases, few deaths... Why were Thais so quick to manage it? Will they let us holiday in their country again? Specifically us, Bulgarians? Are there any restrictions or limitations for tourists? After all, it's a tourist country, and opening borders to them is important.
Victor Melamed: „In my opinion, Thailand is a typical example of the changes that await us. Yes, at first, Thailand managed to protect itself very successfully from the infection and did not even take any drastic measures to limit the flow of tourists into the country. This was until large groups of infected tourists, some of them confirmed to be sick even before their departure, began to „self-medicate“ in the Kingdom's resorts, infecting a large number of local people. Then, the government took extremely strict measures, I would even say drastic, with which it practically sealed off the country and completely restricted the admission of foreign tourists. This approach proved its effectiveness, which is why I think that from now on this will be a permanent policy of Thailand, at least until safe medicines and a vaccine against the virus are found. Until then, all embassies and consulates of the Kingdom around the world are prohibited from issuing tourist visas. Only people with work permits, students in higher education institutions of the country, as well as foreigners with mixed marriages or property in Thailand are accepted. It is unclear how long the „closed doors“ policy for tourists will continue, but I think the most optimistic timeframe for their return to the country's resorts is after a guaranteed medicine or vaccine is found.“
The riskiest and most exciting adventures in Southeast Asia
8. Your riskiest experience was in……
Victor Melamed: „My riskiest experience was on August 18, 2000, in the South China Sea, on the way from Koh Samui to another, smaller island of incredible beauty, about an hour away by speed boat. Midway through our journey in the open sea, an unexpected and incredibly powerful tropical storm broke out. There were about 20 foreigners from all over the world on the boat, and it was rising and falling on waves nearly 6 meters high. Of course, there weren't enough life jackets on the boat, but luckily, we all showed common sense and solidarity, preventing panic and arguments. The life jackets were distributed to the children, women, and a few older tourists. Fortunately, the two young men, Thais from the boat's crew, showed incredible professionalism and, it can be said, saved us from certain death. Afterward, all of us tourists pooled all the money we had on us and gave it to these two kind-hearted young men who, at no point during the drama, showed any sign of panic or uncertainty. It was terrifying, but there was a wonderful happy ending.“
The sacred city of Bagan and the Angkor Wat temple complex
9. And exciting?
Victor Melamed: „My most exciting experience was visiting the thousands of pagodas near Bagan. This is a city in Burma, or Myanmar. Over an area of more than 30 square kilometers along the incredible Irrawaddy River, between the 3rd and 7th centuries AD, there was a large city, the capital of one of the Burmese kingdoms. Over the centuries, more than 10,000 Buddhist pagodas and stupas were built, of which about 2,000-3,000 have survived to this day. It is a striking place, especially viewed from the air at sunrise or sunset. The most incredible thing is that in every temple there is one or more Buddha statues, and none of them are alike. I really cannot describe this unique place in words. It truly has to be seen.
I experienced similar pleasure from visiting the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia or from a walk in Luang Prabang in Laos, a town that resembles a movie set for a love story from the 1930s, somewhere in the Orient.„
What is hidden behind „The Land of Smiles“ and the art of Bencheroni
10. It's a person's happiness to do what they love. From our conversation, I can sense that you love the Kingdom of Thailand very much. What was it about the Thai people that won you over and captured your heart?
Victor MelamedI truly like and love Thailand. I don't want to repeat myself. What I said about Asia almost completely covers what I think, specifically about Thailand. However, I want to make a clarification immediately. Most tourists know Thailand as „the land of smiles.„ For many of them, these smiles, the warm weather, the abundance of exotic food, and goods in stores create an illusion of an easy and contented life. Yes, it looks that way, and it's part of the country's magic. What isn't seen at first glance, however, is how this magic is achieved. And it's the result of a lot of thought and hard work. Thais are some of the most hardworking people I've ever met. Only civil servants and office workers have a five-day work week. Everywhere else, people work continuously and without fail. There is no Saturday, Sunday, or compensation. I want to say right away that this is not exploitation. It's just that people are used to it, that's how they understand their mission in this world and life in general. The huge construction projects in Bangkok and other cities are built around the clock, there are at least three rice harvests a year, and shops are open 24/7, and this doesn't prevent people from feeling happy and content with their lives. Recently, to compensate for the tourist losses from COVID-19, the Thai government announced a program to encourage domestic tourism. However, it turned out that Thais don't understand what domestic tourism actually is; they don't have the mindset, like Europeans or Americans, to go on vacation in their own country. They are used to being of service to tourists, rather than being tourists themselves. That's how things are.“
13. And a souvenir? What makes it precious to you?
Victor Melamed: Thailand is like Ali Baba's cave for souvenirs and all sorts of exquisite items that my wife rightly calls „dust collectors.“ But, that's also part of the country's magic. It's a huge business that Thais have perfected. Again, it's hard for me to pick a „most favorite,“ but for years I've been collecting ceramic vessels called „benjarong“ (meaning - five colors), and this collection of vessels of different sizes is very dear and beloved to me.
12. Do you collect any specific souvenirs?
Victor Melamed: „Throughout my life, I've collected all sorts of things. As a child, I collected gum wrappers, then I moved on to badges, matchboxes, stamps of course, postage envelopes; I'm probably forgetting something... Now, as I've already said, I collect these unique Thai vessels. No two are alike. They are all hand-painted, and the patterns are never repeated. They look similar, but in reality, they are always different.“
I'll stop at the most interesting place because the sequel follows. Look forward to the conversation with Viktor, who bridged the gap and emotionally immersed us in exciting adventures... Let's continue with question 13 ☺
See more Author Viktor Melamed here
