PATTAYA, Thailand – At the Wednesday, October 15, 2025, Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) meeting, guest speaker Ron Cartey delivered a heartfelt and very humorous presentation titled *“Choosing to Stay Open,”* urging attendees to embrace life with open eyes, open minds, and open hearts. Ron is a dynamic speaker and has given many informative presentations to the PCEC, always delivered with a bit of humor.
Ron noted that life doesn’t ask us to be perfect, it simply asks us to be open. With that guiding principle, Ron explored how expats can rediscover joy, connection, and purpose in their adopted home of Thailand. His talk was structured around three pillars of openness: Open Eyes: Rediscovering Wonder; Open Mind: Embracing Curiosity; and Open Heart: Cultivating Compassion.
Ron challenged attendees to look up from their phones and reconnect with the vibrant world around them. He painted vivid scenes of Thai sunrises, bustling food markets, and the cultural richness of Naklua’s fish market and local temples. He also offered practical advice for navigating Thailand’s roads and pedestrian crossings with humor and caution: Drive like a Thai but think like a farang.
Ron encouraged the audience to stay mentally agile by exploring new ideas and technologies. He highlighted AI tools like ChatGPT and creative apps such as Revoicer and Memorrite, which can help document personal stories or create engaging content. Even cryptocurrency made the list—not as a financial pitch, but as a reminder to stay informed and open to change. His playful example of using AI to create dancing avatars or “blow darts” for spouses drew laughter and underscored the joy of experimentation.
The most poignant part of Ron’s talk focused on emotional openness. Drawing on parables and scientific insights, he illustrated how kindness, gratitude, and forgiveness can transform not just relationships, but also physical well-being. You’re living somebody else’s prayer, he reminded the audience, urging them to let go of grudges and embrace empathy.
Ron closed with a powerful call to action: Open your eyes to see the truth, open your mind to embrace it, and open your heart to share it. The Q&A session that followed reinforced the importance of human connection, mindfulness, and stepping away from digital distractions.
Following the presentations, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming events followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where questions are asked and comments made about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club. To view a video of Ron’s presentation and join in with the audience’s laughter, visit the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biFg1AZxeSA&t=3s.
