Two days ago, I had yet another example of the incredible kindness of the Thai people:
I was at the shopping centre, the Lotus department store in Market Village. I arrived at the till with just two items in my hands.
There were several checkouts with two or three people queuing at each, and one checkout with a well-filled trolley; I headed towards a spot where it seemed a bit less busy.

To my right, there was a checkout where someone was unloading their trolley, and to my left, a checkout that had just closed; the young cashier has placed the ‘closed’ sign on her tray, switched off the light and is giving change to her last customer. I suppose it’s time for her break.

As I head towards the till on the right to join the queue, she gives me a big smile and gestures for me to place my two items on her tray.

‘But your cashier is closed, isn’t it?’ I ask her.

‘Mai bpen rai, it’s ok’

She scans my items without losing her smile, then closes her till and walks off at the same time as me.

A spontaneous act of pure kindness, the sort that happens every day here.