Linda Lines ran a financial management company, ‘The Lines Partnership’, in the City of London for 22 years. She then sold her business and started to follow her passion for writing. Hua Hin is the place to which she has escaped the English winter and to write for almost 20 years.
‘Men in My Kitchen’ is the title of her first book. She revealed that this title came about from a friend flicking through her iPad saying “Linda, there are a lot of men in your kitchen!”
“I like to cook too and I thought ‘What an amazing title!’. So, the title came first, then the book resulted and I’ve poetised all the stories. I’ve taken all the photographs in it and then each story has recipes. So, it’s a very visual book”.
A spiritual place
Despite being born and raised as a member of the Church of England, Linda has become a Buddhist. She thinks Buddhism is a very different religion. It comes from within and is about becoming a better person. It’s not about something that is more difficult to believe, and there are so many different versions, so she tends to lean towards the more spiritual, inner feeling that Buddhism invokes in her.
Seeing Hua Hin through the eyes of a Buddhist and as an artist, Linda perceives the beauty in everything here, despite things being far from perfect.
“I’ve really felt so much more in harmony with Buddhism over the 20 plus years that I’ve been coming. It’s a spiritual thing. It moves me… and the nature, the incredible nature, the birds, the sounds of the birds, the flowers, the smells of the flowers. I love how the crazy wiring here intertwines with the flowers and you get the buzz of electricity and the buzz of the birds. It’s such an incongruous mixture”.
Photo by Linda Lines
Every day is a new surprise really.
Soak up the atmosphere
The English poet is also fascinated by the backstory of Thailand and its traditions, as reflected in her interior design, which is unique and full of wooden furniture, antiques and books, she tries to soak up the local atmosphere and makes the most of Hua Hin.
“I love the local colour too. Getting up very early, meeting the people in the village, going down and seeing the fishing boats come in or seeing the children on the backs of motorbikes having their breakfast from the food stall and then the formality as they arrive at school and salute the teachers. I took a wonderful series of photos one day, when it was Scout Day I think. I just love what’s going on in the village and every day is a new surprise really”.
The fishing village
For decades, Hua Hin has been famous for being a second home for elite Thais. Then it became a holiday home for wealthy foreigners, as well as retirement place for many. As far as Hua Hin’s population is concerned, there are approximately 121,000 Thai residents, 5,000 expats, let alone the number of tourists. According to data from the ministry of Tourism and Sports, during the first quarter of 2018, the seaside town welcomed 2.5 million international visitors.
Therefore, the demand for property here is on the rise. Most condo and villa developers have been attempting to exploit stunning views of Hua Hin’s serene waters. This has meant, however, combined with lax construction rules, the beauty of the town, particularly around the fishing village, is fading away.
Linda has witnessed lots of changes in her neighbourhood. “I watch what is happening to Hua Hin and I think the lack of building restrictions has created some pretty horrific buildings closer to the sea. I think the authorities are waking up to it now and know the rules, (that they) cannot be too high or too near the sea, but it’s already a bit too late. When I first came down here, around by the fishing village, there was a lot of greenery and there were elephants and the horses…you got the horses on the beach, but there is hardly any space for them now because it’s condos and villas and whatever.”
Obviously, the planning is a problem as it squeezes a small and charming village and gives space to larger and more luxurious properties. In Linda’s view, people fall in love with Hua Hin for its traditions, its fishing folk and its people. “I don’t want them squeezed out”, she added.
Photo by Linda Lines
I cannot get used to being so “treasured”. I feel like a princess when I am here
Engaging with the locals
Having lived in her second home in Hua Hin for two decades, she blends in with the local and Thai ways of living perfectly.
“When Thais are out very early some mornings, I love to walk along, and the Buddhist monks are coming along and I’ve sort of got used to seeing them. Sometimes I talk to them and receive a little blessing and make a contribution”.
“Another day I went to Monkey Island as the sun was setting and there was a family. They had finished for the day and were making their supper. So, I said ‘mmm aroi mak’ and they looked at me, surprised that I could say anything in Thai, and they invited me to join them for dinner”.
Linda has lived here long enough for the village people to become familiar with her presence. They would greet her by name whenever they see her pass by and that makes her feel at home here.
Asked if there is anything which she still hasn’t got used to, she answered with a lovely smile “Yes, I feel I cannot get used to being so “treasured”. I feel like a princess when I am here because of the staff, they are so courteous and they say “sawasdee ka” (Hello) and I can now say “khun sabai dee mai ka? (How are you?)
I try to engage with the people because they are such a delight and so full of respect. So, that is the thing that I cannot get used to. Thais revere their elderly, they really do. You feel more important, the older you get, the more respected. The reverse is true in Europe”.
Photo by Linda Lines
Retiring to Thailand
According to the Annual Global Retirement Index, Thailand ranked 9th among the world’s best places to retire in 2023. Linda explained one of the reasons she loves to spend her life after retirement here.
“I think that it is the whole support system here, which is attracting more and more people who are growing old, because they can grow old graciously. The medical support here is absolutely marvellous and more affordable than at home. Yes, we’ve got the National Health Service, but that’s suffering at the moment. So people have to go private and private (medicine) in Europe is very, very expensive. Private here is of a high standard and much more affordable. So, there’s another lovely reason, especially for those whom are growing older”.
From her home in Hua Hin, Linda is writing her next book, called ‘Women in The City’, and it will be published this year.
By Jeerapa Boonyatus
NOTE: Thai PBS World interviewed Linda Lines on March 7th, 2023. Unfortunately, Linda passed away in the UK on March 16th, in which we were informed after the release of the interview. We express our deepest condolences to Linda’s family.
