Several weeks ago, a thoughtful Facebook post by renowned Thai author and thought leader Roundfinger went viral. His thoughts on “longevity” sparked engagement and discussion. He observed that achieving longevity is increasingly becoming costly, both in terms of money and time, and there’s an increasing pressure to spend on health and to showcase one’s healthiness through metrics and productive morning rituals.
The word longevity has somehow woven itself into Bangkok’s lifestyle currency, its own layer of “social credit”, so to speak. How we choose to live, spend and design our time is a reflection of who we are. Last year may have been all about the Loro Piana loafers, but this year, more people are looking up Whoop bands and investing in IV drips and ice bath sessions. These things cost money, and against the backdrop of a broader economic slowdown, these lifestyle costs can add up.
It’s interesting to consider how a term like longevity can spark such intense debate and online discourse, with some arguing that wellness courses and gadgets are something only the wealthy can afford to spend time on, while others argue that it’s simply a mindset and that it costs nothing to follow a disciplined diet and run every morning.
Our lives are increasingly quantified. We buy smartwatches to track our sleep and heart rate, go the extra mile to reach 10,000 steps, and stay attuned to our mental health through in-app check-ins and productivity platforms.
Is this the true meaning of urbanites? Constantly tracking and calculating each routine like a ritual? We’d be willing to bet that someone you sat across from at a dinner party this year has mentioned reading “ultra-processed” or “outlive” and is now determined to make changes to their diet.
The fact that this word sparked so much conversation is revealing. It shows that the social discourse for Thais is changing. From debates about the value of international schools to politics, longevity and wellness, these online conversations often offer a window into how Thais are spending their money, attention and time. They may explain how specific trends emerge under the F and B, retail and hospitality umbrellas.
The arrival of the highly anticipated Dusit Central Park complex speaks volumes about this wellness trend. Many people are equally excited about the expansive green space and sprawling urban park as they are about the retail and F and B concepts.
This brings us back to the foundation of this new weekly column under the concept of “The Good Life”.
It got me thinking about how this term varies for different groups, but the shared sensibilities of good air, time well spent, health and freedom are increasingly cited as the true markers of wealth. This concept has long been prevalent in developed Western capitals, but we are now seeing more of this discourse reflected in Thai society, a welcome shift in mindset.
While we cannot control PM2.5 levels or traffic, we can (in our own ways) explore what it means to pursue “The Good Life”. If you get a high from beating your sleep track score and it improves your health, keep doing it. If you enjoy living in moderation and still allow yourself the occasional yakiniku, then keep doing it. Today’s social media-centric world can make you feel like everything needs to be tracked and quantified, but living a good life sometimes is about finding that balance and going by your own terms, not by what the app tells you to do.
Each week, we’ll explore the vision of living “The Good Life” through a contemporary lens, leaning into the subtle (and sometimes loud) trends that are shaping Bangkok, whether through headlines, trending themes or social conversations. We hope that the very basis of taking care of oneself remains, regardless of how you choose to pursue it. Next week, we look forward to exploring how else Bangkok continues to strive and live well through emerging trends.