Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild

In northern Thailand, Ben reunites with Yidan, who abandoned urban life in China to start a farm. Through their conversation, he learns that the memories of her childhood played a pivotal role in shaping the choices that brought her to the countryside.

The broadcast is a single episode of the series titled Thailand. It is catalogued simply as a programme, with no further classification beyond its genre as an episode. The piece is set against the backdrop of the country’s northern region, providing the geographical frame for the story that unfolds. In this installment, the central figure, Ben, travels to northern Thailand where he meets up again with Yidan. Yidan had previously abandoned a life in an urban Chinese setting to establish a farm in the countryside. During their reunion, Ben discovers how the recollections of her early years have guided the choices she made, ultimately leading her to the farm she now runs. The narrative places the two characters in the rural landscape of northern Thailand, highlighting the contrast between Yidan’s former city existence and her present agrarian lifestyle. Their interaction centres on Ben’s curiosity about Yidan’s journey and the way her childhood experiences have informed her present path. Through this encounter, the episode underscores the lasting impact of formative memories, showing how they can steer an individual away from familiar urban surroundings toward a new, self‑determined way of life on a farm.