Thai scientist's heartfelt homecoming in Yunnan

Editor's note: China Daily presents the series Friends Afar to tell the stories of people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. Through the vivid narration of the people in the stories, readers can get a better understanding of a country that is boosting openness.

For Terd Disayathanoowat, a 39-year-old researcher from Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand, Yunnan is the one place in China that makes him feel "at home". It is also the Chinese province bordering three Southeast Asian countries — Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

An associate professor specializing in microbial ecology and bee science at Chiang Mai University, Terd first visited Southwest China's Yunnan in 2018 through a program for talented young scientists. He developed a deep affection for the province during his yearlong stay, calling the experience "like returning home".