Tan Tam Mei reflects on her time as Thailand correspondent, and looks ahead to how the country could navigate geopolitical and domestic politics. Synopsis: Every first Friday of the month, The Straits Times chats with ST’s correspondents in the Asia-Pacific, the US and Europe, about life as it goes on, amid the screaming headlines and bubbling crises. A man sings. It is part of Thailand’s folk music tradition from its north-east region of Isan. But he is warbling in Laotian - a reminder of Thailand’s location in the heart of the Mekong region, and its shared culture, language and borders with its neighbours. The pull and push dynamic that Thailand engages with its neighbours is one challenge. Another is how it is grappling with its turbulent domestic politics and shifting attitudes about traditional institutions and beliefs including the monarchy. In this episode, ST’s foreign editor Li Xueying chats with ST’s former Thailand correspondent Tan Tam Mei about her two and a half years based in Bangkok, bookended by Covid-19 protests, and the return of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after 15 years in exile. Highlights (click/tap above): 0:43 The rise of Thailand’s “rural people” music 6:00 Selling soft power 10:28 The pull and push of Mekong countries 12:41 Thaksin returns, but to a different electorate 13:11 Thailand looks peaceful, but an uneasy dynamic is at play 16:34 A ‘tattoo’, a souvenir of ThailandRead Tam Mei’s articles here: https://str.sg/oZRkj and https://str.sg/uNXj  Produced by: Li Xueying ([email protected]) and Fa’izah Sani Edited by: Fa’izah Sani Follow Letter From The Bureau Podcast every first Friday of the month here: Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7 Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8 Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/ Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts Feedback to: [email protected] Read Li Xueying’s articles: https://str.sg/iqmR  Follow Li Xueying on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/ip4x Read Tan Tam Mei's articles: https://str.sg/ifku  Read ST's Letters From The Bureau: https://str.sg/3xRd Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters --- Discover more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7  The Usual Place: https://str.sg/wEr7u  In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt  COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE  Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7  Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN  Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf  Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m  Hard Tackle: https://str.sg/JWRE  #PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad  Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX  --- ST Podcast website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts  ST Podcasts YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa  --- Special edition series: True Crimes Of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i44T The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2  Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn  Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB  Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa  --- Get The Straits Times' app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB  Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX  #STAsianInsider See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.