Thailand for Two Months

[Maerok]

In less than two weeks I'll be heading out to Thailand for a two month chemistry REU program (cut down from ten weeks due to the civil unrest) with University of California, Santa Cruz. I'll be staying in Bangkok and working at Mahidol University on nuclear weaponry some yet-to-be-determined nanoparticle project.

The thing is that I've never gone international before (or left the continental USA for that matter). There's a lot of tourism there so I'm hoping for some sort of English-support where I'll be. I've also been looking into the people and culture to get a better sense of what it'll be like. However, unlike a week-long vacation, I can't just up and go so I've got to make sure I don't get in trouble. I've gotten my shots, some meds, and I've never been allergic to anything.

Does anyone have any general 'long-term' travel advice or specific advice for Thailand?

[Another_Poet]

My ex-wife lived in Thailand for quite some time. I can give you some general advice.

First off, as you probably know the food is super spicy. What you may or may not know is it's possible to build up a good tolerance for spice even if you weren't raised for it. Although two weeks isn't much time (a few months would be better) try adding cayenne to your food everyday before you leave. Start with a very small amount and work up to more each day. Of course you can find places to get western food in Thailand, but it's nice to be able to sample the local fare too. Spice tolerance is good.

Second, I would learn a little about Thai etiquette if I were you. Most Thai language books probably have some explanation or see if there's anything on Youtube showing the different bows and what they mean. Again, foreigners aren't going to be browbeaten for not bowing, but imagine if a foreigner visited your uni and refused to shake hands with you when you put your hand out. It can leave a bad taste in people's mouths. Better to know the local custom.

Third, condoms. HIV is off the charts there. I don't know if you are single or not, and I don't mean to presume anything, but I would have some "just in case" condoms on my packing list if I were you.

Also, are you going out into the rainforest at all on trips or anything? Do you intend to visit Buddhist monasteries, or animist shrines, or what kinds of things are you interested in? Will you mostly be in the city around the uni? I'm sure people can give more helpful advice if we know more about where you are going or what you hope to do.

If you're mostly staying in the city in the area around your uni you're probably not going to need to know as much about local culture as you would if you are hoping to take a day trip to a village or spend a weekend in a monastery or something.

Oh yeah... almost forgot! Thai buddhists allow temporary vows. Meaning that someone can be a monk for a weekend, a month, a summer... whatever. As long as they specify the length of their vows at the beginning it is OK to leave when they are up. That means that if you are so inclined you could probably arrange to spend a weekend at a monastery, living as a monk and practicing meditation. Many Thai families send their children to monasteries for a summer as part of their spiritual education, and many Thai adults will take occasional retreats to live as monks and pursue their personal spirituality.

ap

[Maerok]

My ex-wife lived in Thailand for quite some time. I can give you some general advice.

First off, as you probably know the food is super spicy. What you may or may not know is it's possible to build up a good tolerance for spice even if you weren't raised for it. Although two weeks isn't much time (a few months would be better) try adding cayenne to your food everyday before you leave. Start with a very small amount and work up to more each day. Of course you can find places to get western food in Thailand, but it's nice to be able to sample the local fare too. Spice tolerance is good.

I've heard Asian spicy is different than the western kind. I'm not big on spices but I don't think its something I can avoid. I didn't know that a tolerance could be built up. There were this one little red pepper I had in my food at a cultural fair last year that destroyed my mouth.



Second, I would learn a little about Thai etiquette if I were you. Most Thai language books probably have some explanation or see if there's anything on Youtube showing the different bows and what they mean. Again, foreigners aren't going to be browbeaten for not bowing, but imagine if a foreigner visited your uni and refused to shake hands with you when you put your hand out. It can leave a bad taste in people's mouths. Better to know the local custom.

We'll be having some sort of continuing cultural class on the weekends. I am particularly worried about the cultural part. Don't want to offend anyone because I didn't take the time to learn a thing or two.



Third, condoms. HIV is off the charts there. I don't know if you are single or not, and I don't mean to presume anything, but I would have some "just in case" condoms on my packing list if I were you.

Recently single. :smallcool: But this wasn't quite on my 'to do' list while I'm over there.



Also, are you going out into the rainforest at all on trips or anything? Do you intend to visit Buddhist monasteries, or animist shrines, or what kinds of things are you interested in? Will you mostly be in the city around the uni? I'm sure people can give more helpful advice if we know more about where you are going or what you hope to do.

If you're mostly staying in the city in the area around your uni you're probably not going to need to know as much about local culture as you would if you are hoping to take a day trip to a village or spend a weekend in a monastery or something.

I'll mostly be doing 40 a week at the university. On the weekends we might have some outings. We are planning to see a temple some time. The Thai graduate students are running that part of the trip.



Oh yeah... almost forgot! Thai buddhists allow temporary vows. Meaning that someone can be a monk for a weekend, a month, a summer... whatever. As long as they specify the length of their vows at the beginning it is OK to leave when they are up. That means that if you are so inclined you could probably arrange to spend a weekend at a monastery, living as a monk and practicing meditation. Many Thai families send their children to monasteries for a summer as part of their spiritual education, and many Thai adults will take occasional retreats to live as monks and pursue their personal spirituality.

ap

Wow, that's awesome. <obligatory DnD joke here> I'll have to check that one out.

[Another_Poet]

You're right, there are lots of kinds of spicy. In general Thai food made by Thai people in Thailand is going to be way beyond 5 alarm hot for a typical Westerner. I personally feel that cayenne is a good one to build your way up to it. You could also go to any major supermarket and get a bottle of Sriracha, probably found in the ethnic foods section, which is a red sauce with a ketchup-like consistency which is made from some hot chilis. It's a standard condiment in many SE Asian countries. If you start putting small amounts of this in your food and work your way up you will be more spice tolerant in no time.

In general you don't want to put a whole pepper in your mouth. A lot of Thai dishes or condiments have small chilis chopped up fresh and thrown in and that can be extremely intense as well. Both the dried whole, and fresh sliced chilis can be awesome if you have the tolerance but if not they are hell. As a general rule, if you can identify something in your meal as an actual pepper, you may want to pick it out or eat around it.

I will say though, even as a German/Irish American in the Midwest, building up a spice tolerance is one of the best decisions I ever made. Peppers are like little happy pills, they cause endorphin release and some other beneficial physiological stuff that I'm forgetting at the moment, and they make you feel cooler because they cause you to perspire. It is very freeing to be able to eat whatever the natives are eating wherever you go. Plus, once you can eat the really spicy stuff without pain, you can start to notice the amazing flavours that different chili peppers have. They are "spices" in the sense of seasonings or herbs as well as spicy hot. Each has its unique flavour. Thai, Laotian, Vietnamese and Hmong food has some of the most amazing tastes I've ever experienced.

I know the little red pepper you ate must have been absolute agony (I've been there) but if you ate one every day for a few weeks you'd soon be able to eat it with no pain or discomfort at all. :smallcool:

Good to hear about the cultural classes and that the Thai grad students are planning some trips for you. I bet those will be great experiences.

ap

Important edit: If you eat spicy food with your hands, or handle peppers (such as chopping them up), do not touch your eyes afterward. You can easily end up transferring the spice to your eyes via your hands with is amazingly painful. This also applies to going to the bathroom or being intimate with a partner. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling peppers before you touch any sensitive parts of your body or anyone else's.

[Don Julio Anejo]

It's a trap!
Double meaning intended :wink: Sorry, that's all I have to say on Thailand :smallfrown:

[Syka]

Man...now I'm craving some good cooking from my Indian friend. She would cook lunch for our group once a week and the two other Americans couldn't handle the spice (which was toned down!). The Japanese student and I scarfed her food down like no tomorrow. We may have been tearing up and sniffling, but we LOVED it.

...I actually think I've had that sauce you spoke of. Is it also slightly sweet?

One suggestion, if you want more flavor, is to find a local Indian restuarant. I've found their food tends to be less Americanized, with the exception of toning down the spices some. They still retain a lot of their spices. Also, look up some Indian recipes. I know it's not Thai, but Indian and Asian cuisines are very, very closely related.

Have fun! I'm actually kind of jealous.

[Sneak]

I love Thailand, although I imagine it might be rather unpleasant right now.

Can't think of any specific advice, but if you have any questions, fire away—although my expertise in Bangkok city life might be somewhat limited given that I only spent any meaningful amount of time in a rural village outside Udon Thani.

Hope the trip goes well.

[Deth Muncher]

Here! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriracha_sauce) A link to Sriracha's Wikipedia! Take it!

It's damn tasty.

While I cannot offer any real tips on traveling abroad in an Asian country, I CAN give you general travel tips.

-Keep your stash of money hidden. It's BETTER if you don't even need money, and can just use your debit/credit card, but who knows. Either way, keep it well hidden when you're not using it.

-Be aware of your surroundings. Don't gawk. Or, well, don't gawk for long, anyway. Gawking makes you an easy target for pickpockets.

-I second the reading up on local customs thing, because heaven forbid you should offend the wrong someone and wake up with a knife where your spleen should be. I know you're doing uni work, but still. Be careful.

-Be EXTRA respectful if someone should offer you the "house special" at a restaurant. While SOME places might think it's funny to pick on foreigners and give you picked goat testicles, other places might serve you something that looks icky but is the national dish, and turning it down could lead to aforementioned knifespleen.

[Eloel]

When I was over in Thailand, I've been told that there are 3 seasons there.
Hot, Very Hot, Too Hot.

You're going there on somewhere between Very Hot and Too Hot - I suggest a way to keep yourself cool. (Be it a fan of some kind, thin clothing, etc.)

[Flickerdart]

Oh yeah... almost forgot! Thai buddhists allow temporary vows. Meaning that someone can be a monk for a weekend, a month, a summer... whatever. As long as they specify the length of their vows at the beginning it is OK to leave when they are up. That means that if you are so inclined you could probably arrange to spend a weekend at a monastery, living as a monk and practicing meditation. Many Thai families send their children to monasteries for a summer as part of their spiritual education, and many Thai adults will take occasional retreats to live as monks and pursue their personal spirituality.

ap
Lifted the multiclass restrictions on Monk, eh? Must've realized it was only good for dips. :smallbiggrin:

[Maerok]

I lived off this pho noodle place last summer when I was out of state. It had that Sriracha sauce which was great. This will probably be the best opportunity to train on spicy food.

I'm planning on using a debit card entirely separate from my main account. I hear the international ATMs are pretty available. I'm not sure whether or not I should be carrying around spare baht or not. I'll also have to commute to work daily.

I've heard there's a lot of street vendors who sell food and stuff. But one of my friends who'd gone there mentioned something about the possibility of food poisoning from food at the street vendors. Is this an issue?

I also plan to keep the knifespleening to a minimum. I wonder if I'll be able to pick up some muay thai.

[Deth Muncher]

I also plan to keep the knifespleening to a minimum. I wonder if I'll be able to pick up some muay thai.

Do not ask the monks to teach you how to Flurry.

Also, uh, this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9mwELXPGbA&a=AQXoIo6yHRU&playnext_from=ML)for lulz.

[Another_Poet]

To whoever asked, yep, Sriracha is slightly sweet. And mildly garlicky I think.

To Maerok, since you frequent a good pho shop, you can also try the sliced hot peppers they sometimes give you on the side (usually along with bean sprouts, cilantro, and lime wedges) to add to your soup. They are basically just jalapenos which are wayyyyy less spicy than the little red peppers which you had the run in with before. Since they're sliced thin you can try eating just one slice, or putting a couple in your soup. The cool thing about having them in your soup is they release their flavour into the soup, so the soup becomes spicier but not nearly as spicy as the pepper itself. Then by the time you're done with the soup, the pepper has given up much of its flavour, so you can eat it too and it isn't as spicy as it was before :)

BTW although I agree with hiding your money don't hide it around a hotel room. Or a dorm room if you have a roommate you don't know well. There are a relatively small number of places to hide money in a single room (behind the picture frame, under cushions or furniture, etc.) and hotel cleaning staff know all the spots.

When traveling I tend to just keep some money hidden somewhere on my person other than my wallet, and also keep my wallet in a side pocket instead of a back pocket or a backpack/bag. I feel it's harder for someone to lift something out of your side pants pocket than from your back pocket. Maybe that's just me though.

[Eldan]

I don't know if it applies to Thailand as well, but our Geography teacher, who's been to just about any country (and that includes living in South American slums for a while to "get the feeling", that guy was... interesting), gave us a general piece of advice for just about anywhere:

Get a second wallet. But about the equivalent of ten American dollars in, nothing else. When you are mugged, hand that over without resisting. Much better than having your other wallet stolen, the one with your passport and credit cards.

[Deth Muncher]

Get a second wallet. But about the equivalent of ten American dollars in, nothing else. When you are mugged, hand that over without resisting. Much better than having your other wallet stolen, the one with your passport and credit cards.

Bonus points if you can actually prepare Explosive Runes and put that on one of the bills in the dummy-wallet.

Anyhoo, yes yes a thousand times yes to what Eldan said.

[Maerok]

Should a cell phone be something to walk around with? I feel like that'd be something that would be taken along with a wallet.

[Deth Muncher]

Should a cell phone be something to walk around with? I feel like that'd be something that would be taken along with a wallet.

Can you safely get a cheapy prepaid phone with international capabilities for calling home? And/or can you just make any calls to home from phones at the uni at minimal cost? If either of those are viable, do those as opposed to having fancy nice phone with you. Otherwise, take it with you, but take as much care of it as you would an iPod on the New York City Subway.

[Ranna]

When I went I didnt think the food was that spicy but I am very tolerant of it. There are alot of nuts used in their food, like ALOT so if you have any allergies be very very careful.

There is a WIDE range of contiental/american style food outlets in the more tourist parts of the city such as Khao San Road you should be fine if you are worried just eat there, there's even a macdonalds haha and you can eat in many of the hostel cafes they do like eggs and toast and stuff for breakfast aswell

Shots, the usual, dont forget your malaria meds, dear god dont forget them, Bankok is supposidly malaria free but that is not to say the rest of thai is. If you only have 2 weeks to go you'll have to get the expensive ones ask a doc.

Bankok is a very very friendly city maybe a little too friendly I had a nightmare with taxis and tuk-tuks they just make up a price based on what you look like.

Tuesdays (i think its tuesdays) is the Kings/Queens day wear yellow and fit in.

And as for street vendors I LIVED off them, ate them everyday, but I didn't eat the meat or the fish (I am veggie) so I cannot vouch for that.

Oh and dont drink the tapwater unless you want to become familiar with the insides of your bowels. Use it for washing and brushing your teeth only.

[Another_Poet]

Can you safely get a cheapy prepaid phone with international capabilities for calling home?

Yeah, that's the way to go. Leave your normal cell phone in your home country. The grad students should be able to direct you to the market where cell phones are sold, it's a much more common thing to buy the cheap prepaid phones in Asia.

[kusje]

Tuesdays (i think its tuesdays) is the Kings/Queens day wear yellow and fit in.

Do NOT wear yellow unless you want to be mistaken for an anti-thaksin protestor. Do not wear red either.

[Ranna]

Oh yes a-lot has changed - sorry

Well when I was there I wore yellow on kings day guess its all a mess now i'm guessing the palace will be closed? That is a shame its a beautiful place!

Oh don't touch the animals in the markets. And don't point your feet at the Buddha.

[toasty]

About money. When I travel I keep my money in a... wallet thing... that is attached to string that is kept around my neck. The wallet itself is beneath my shirt and tucked into my pants. The only way for someone to get this kind of money is to hold me at knife point/gunpoint and say "Give me your money." I suggest one of these.

Also, Thai Food is really, really tasty, but ya, its spicy.

[Lillith]

Let's see I never been to Thailand but some general traveling advice:
1. Get a creditcard with a pin. Might be nice to have that as a back up for money.
2. Get your shots. Like I said I'm not sure about Thailand, but I went to Asia once and I had to get some shots against local diseases that aren't common here.
3. In the airplane, make sure you have entertainment (d'oh) cause it can become quite boring.
4. Bring multi functional clothing. Like long pants where you can zip the pipes off so it's a short. Though knowledge of the weather is a must for bringing clothing that fits the climate.
5. Lots of anti mosquito spray.
6. Good photo camera. The place is lovely for sightseeing from what I've heard.

Hope this helps a bit, have fun!

[Hazkali]

I went to Thailand once, and it was a brilliant experience. As for etiquette that I remember, Thai culture views the feet as a very dirty part of the body, and the head as quite clean. You should avoid touching anything with your feet or pointing them at people when you sit down, and you shouldn't touch a person's head. Linking to the point about feet and heads, I was told never to step on a coin or banknote with the King's head on, as that was seen to be very disrespectful to the monarchy.

Edit: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiquette_in_Asia#Thailand) seems to have a section on etiquette in Thailand.

[Force]

Lived in Thailand for four years. It's a neat country. If you have any questions, I can try to answer them.

I will note that, while a lot of people speak English, outside the tourist areas in Bangkok (Sukumvit area) and the rest of Thailand, don't expect fluency in English. Be patient, listen very carefully, and make use of simple hand gestures. If you are good at charades you'll do very well. I would suggest getting a basic English -> Thai phrasebook and memorizing as soon as you can. When interacting with Thai people, especially possible friends, ask them questions about their language and take notes. Most are more than happy to teach you, but they will laugh at your mistakes. Thai is tonal and one of the more difficult languages in the world to learn, so expect to make a LOT of mistakes. As an example, the word "mah" can mean horse, dog, mother, or *****, depending on what tone you use.

As for cultural stuff... Don't touch a person's head or feet unless you know them well enough to kiss. Feet are unclean, heads are vice versa. Especially do not touch someone's head with your foot, or point the bottom of your foot at them.

If someone is older than you are, or in a position worthy of respect (your boss, a professor if you're a student, etc) wai (pronounced "why") them when you meet. The wai is a gesture of respect and can be performed by placing your palms together, as if praying, and holding them to your head, thumbs against your face, with your fingertips on or near you nose and your thumbs about level with your lower lip (for me, anyway). Return a wai made to you by someone who is younger/respectful of you, but if a service person does it, don't return it.

Thai people laugh in strange situations (I.E. to save face). For example, if you do something stupid, they may laugh at you-- don't take it personally, they are trying to save face by taking it humorously and giving you a chance to save face.

Carry PLENTY of water. If you have a backpack (and you should) carry at least a liter of water and get it down your throat often. One liter every two or three hours, when you're in the heat at a minimum. Kidney stones and/or dehydration are NOT fun. If you can get a UV-resistant umbrella (they're sold in the markets last I checked) use it to keep the sun off you, especially if you burn easily. Don't try to strip down to beat the heat. Wear loose, light-colored clothes. Some tourist spots require that you wear full pants, so keep that in mind.

Don't be afraid to ask what stuff is in the food. They eat all the parts of the animal, including the blood. As for other food-related stuff-- use plain rice or milk to help your mouth cool down from spice. WATER ONLY MAKES IT WORSE. Whenever you order at a Thai restaurant, make sure to specifiy "mai (my) pet (spoken as in pet dog)", which means "not spicy."

For money- carry enough hard cash so that you can get home to wherever you're staying. The Thai Baht is about 33 to the dollar last I checked. 300 baht will get you home via taxi from just about anywhere in Bangkok. The banks will try to give you 1000 and 500 baht bills-- break those up quickly into 100s, 50s, and 20s and use only those on the street. Keep the bigger bills tucked away in case you need them, but never flash them. If you keep a good head on your shoulders and stay out of the bad districts you'll be fine; in all my time there, only one or two of the many people I've known have ever been mugged. A fanny pack is a good investment, but having a "backup wallet" is a better idea.

I've never had to use my passport, while I was there, for anything but getting my visa renewed. I wouldn't carry it around in my wallet if I were you. If you must, carry it somewhere hidden (underwear or strapped, concealed, to your body). It might be wise to carry your US drivers license with you-- you won't be driving, but it provides a form of ID that you can afford to lose.

More as I think of it.

[Maerok]

Do NOT wear yellow unless you want to be mistaken for an anti-thaksin protestor. Do not wear red either.

Yeah, I've been following that.

[Xuc Xac]

If you want to avoid the red shirt/yellow shirt thing but still fit in, you can wear a pink shirt. The king wore a pink blazer after an illness to show his people that he was healthy and cheerful and now pink is a popular color. They really love their king, so don't say anything bad about the monarchy. It's actually illegal to badmouth the king. He's generally a cool guy and he'll probably pardon you if you get arrested for it, but it's not worth testing that.

The language is really difficult to pronounce correctly, but there have been so many foreigners butchering the language for so long that they will still understand you if you make a reasonable attempt. My recommendation is to learn the basic phrases for getting by ("How much?" "This one", "That one", numbers, "where is the toilet?" etc.) and learn to read the Thai numerals. They will put the prices on things in the markets with Arabic numerals but they will also put the price in Thai numerals. Often, the prices in Thai numerals are cheaper. If you can read them and say them, you can put your hand over the Arabic numerals and ask for the Thai price.

[Maerok]

What's the best way to convert dollars to baht for street things?

It seems like a card will work for stores? Is there a surcharge for converting?

[Deth Muncher]

What's the best way to convert dollars to baht for street things?

It seems like a card will work for stores? Is there a surcharge for converting?

I'd find a bank. Yeah, they'll generally charge you a little, but it shouldn't be much. I THINK you can use your card, but don't quote me on that. Plus, it's good to have a little cash on you so you can buy things from vendors, etc.

[Brewdude]

There's a good Thai restaurant in Soquel on Soquel Drive and 41st avenue (whose name escapes me) that you should go to and order something spicy to get a handle on what thai spicy means. Thai spicy makes Mexican spicy seem bland. Be prepared with extra white rice. Can take the bus to downtown Santa Cruz from the UC and transfer to the 71 to get to it if you lack a car.

[Ashen Lilies]

When I was over in Thailand, I've been told that there are 3 seasons there.
Hot, Very Hot, Too Hot.

You're going there on somewhere between Very Hot and Too Hot - I suggest a way to keep yourself cool. (Be it a fan of some kind, thin clothing, etc.)

Wrong, wrong wrong and wrong. :smalltongue:
The three seasons are Hot, Very Hot, and HI I CAN'T HEAR YOU BECAUSE IT'S RAINING SO HARD. Right now It's the third season, or at least it is where I'm living. Bangkok might be slightly different though. And when it gets hot there it gets hot, thanks to the urban environment.

Edit: Aha. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok#Topography_and_climate) Dress for heat, certainly. But expect a lot of rain. Your two months happen to be among the wettest.

Thai spicy is very different from Indian or Mexican spicy, which makes it somewhat hard to prepare for. The small red Thai chillis are among the hottest in the world, so no one will blame you if you can't take it. :smallwink:

Oh, and while this applies to most places, if you want to get around, either take the bus or USE A METERED TAXI. Tuk-tuks may seem novel at first, but unless you speak Thai with local fluency, you're just throwing money away. And I won't even mention the private taxi services... :smalltongue:

At places like museums and monuments there will usually be two prices for entry. Local Price and Tourist (read, Farang) Price. Flashing your student visa might get you the local price.

I'm not as well traveled as some of the others on this board, but I'm a local (not to Bangkok though, unfortunately), so feel free to direct some more Thailand-centric questions to me. :smallsmile:

[horngeek]

Oh, and one thing: do not criticise the monarchy.

Under any circumstances.

[Force]

What's the best way to convert dollars to baht for street things?

It seems like a card will work for stores? Is there a surcharge for converting?

Use cash. International credit/debit transfers, unless you're downtown in the heart of touristy Bangkok, are not always available, and there's a surcharge last I checked. Banks will convert for you with a (much) lower fee.

[Deth Muncher]

Oh, and one thing: do not criticise the monarchy.

Under any circumstances.

Well, unless the circumstance is "Hm, I wonder just how badly I can eff up my week..."

[Maerok]

Well, there's always Britain. :smallbiggrin:

[Ashen Lilies]

Come now, we're not that terrible. :smallbiggrin:

[horngeek]

Well, unless the circumstance is "Hm, I wonder just how badly I can eff up my week..."

No. Not even then. Not in Thailand.

@^: Maybe not, but every guidebook I've read agrees with me.

I have never tested it out myself.

[Ashen Lilies]

Once again I am misunderstood. Yes, the lese majeste laws are incredibly strict. So what? It's not the Imperium. There aren't inquisitors listening to every word, just waiting for the excuse to cart your stinky foreigner ass to a ramshackle prison FOREVAR. Because that's what you're making it sound like. Really, just treat it like any other taboo subject, and you'll be fine.

[Tyrandar]

Tee hee. Bangkok.

Now that that's out of the way, I'm no frequent flyer, but I did pick up a few tips on my trip to France. Speaking the language is always helpful and people will tend to be nicer to you if you try. Conversely, keep in mind that other people probably will speak English. Some kids in my tour group started bad-mouthing a nearby restaurant and some of the staff looked a little peeved.

Since everyone seems to have touched on the basics, I'm going to give you the most important piece of advice I can. Sleep onthe plane. Otherwise, you will pass out while sightseeing and your friends will think you are dead. Maybe you're good at sleeping on planes, but I figured I'd give you a heads up in case you aren't.

[horngeek]

Once again I am misunderstood. Yes, the lese majesty laws are incredibly strict. So what? It's not the Imperium. There aren't inquisitors listening to every word, just waiting for the excuse to cart your stinky foreigner ass to a ramshackle prison FOREVAR. Because that's what you're making it sound like. Really, just treat it like any other taboo subject, and you'll be fine.

Ah. I thought it was a serious cultural taboo as well. :smallconfused:

[Xuc Xac]

Ah. I thought it was a serious cultural taboo as well. :smallconfused:

It is. There's a reason that the only people who get in trouble with the lese majeste law are foreigners. It isn't like the UK where some people like the monarchy, some hate it, and most are ambivalent. The Thai people really, really love their king. If you say something bad about him, people will take it personally like you said it about their own father. That's your biggest area of concern with bad mouthing the king. The king himself can't charge you with lese majeste, but any of his subjects can. If you say or do anything against the king and it offends a Thai, they can file charges against you on the king's behalf. He usually pardons everyone fairly quickly because he has a sense of humor about it, but the people will still be upset with you. There's actually a biography of the king that covers his life, warts and all. It was the king's idea to have the book written so it can't be officially banned, but it's unofficially banned and the authorities have told the press not to mention it because it disrespects the king by using his nickname instead of his full title. You're less likely to insult people with dirty jokes about their mothers.

By the way, a fun fact about King Bhumibol: he's a natural born American citizen. He was born in the US while his father was going to university there.

[Maerok]

Since everyone seems to have touched on the basics, I'm going to give you the most important piece of advice I can. Sleep onthe plane. Otherwise, you will pass out while sightseeing and your friends will think you are dead. Maybe you're good at sleeping on planes, but I figured I'd give you a heads up in case you aren't.

It's a 20 hour flight starting from 6 in the morning. Stopping in Tokyo along the way.

[Knaight]

When I was over in Thailand, I've been told that there are 3 seasons there.
Hot, Very Hot, Too Hot.

You're going there on somewhere between Very Hot and Too Hot - I suggest a way to keep yourself cool. (Be it a fan of some kind, thin clothing, etc.)

Its really not that big of a deal. I lived in Thailand for around a year, and you get used to the heat. Furthermore, certain fabrics are far, far cheaper in Thailand than in the west. By which I mean silk, and while it might not always be fine, quality, bourgeois silk it will keep you cool. Of course, I like wet heat more than dry heat, so I'm an oddity. Besides, right now is more on the "hey look another six hour rainstorm" and "how can it possibly hail in an area this tropical" end of the spectrum.

On Bankok in particular. It is a big freaking city, so you want to make sure you know exactly where you are staying, and as much of the surrounding area as possible, because if you get lost you might just have to sink to calling a taxi.

On spicy food, you will usually be warned, street vendors will either tell you it is spicy, or hope you know the word in Thai (pronounced roughly like pet). Most of the time it isn't particularly spicy, and they are just warning you because you are western. Those few times Thai people are also warned, the food will try to kill you (This happened to me twice in over a year). This is what plain rice is for.

If Bankok is at all like Chaang Rai and Chaang Mai, there is probably a store every half block or so that sells a grand total of one thing. Pad Thai. It is delicious, frequently cheap (25 cents or so isn't uncommon, though the exchange rate isn't what it used to be), and the only reason not to eat it all the time is the other wonderful stuff you can get at street vendors.

One last word of warning. Don't expect to be able to stomach American mango, pineapple, or papaya for a while. And don't expect to be able to find green papaya.

[Susil]

On the street food front, its worth remembering that food that is cooked there and then in front of you can actually be a lot safer than something that has been sat for a while under glass in a fancy hotel restaurant. Especially if its being cooked on a very high heat. :smallsmile:

[Knaight]

On the street food front, its worth remembering that food that is cooked there and then in front of you can actually be a lot safer than something that has been sat for a while under glass in a fancy hotel restaurant. Especially if its being cooked on a very high heat. :smallsmile:

Yes, one should simply never trust fancy hotel restaurants. At all. Anywhere. Besides, all the best food is on the street. Papaya salad (I don't know the proper way to anglicize the pronunciation, sorry), sticky rice, pineapple, sticky rice, durian (It is a bit of an acquired taste, and most hotels don't like it much), sticky rice, various poultry(some of them kind of westernized), sticky rice, fish (likely still living), and sticky rice.

[Joran]

Besides, all the best food is on the street. Papaya salad.

Som tam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Som_tam

At some point, I'm going to have to go to Thailand because my wife's family lives in Bangkok.

As a person who hates seafood and is allergic to peanuts, Thai food is a nice minefield of certain disaster.

[Another_Poet]

Hey Maerok I was just wondering how close you are to leaving and how your preparation has gone.

Tell us if you've eaten anything spicy yet!!

[Knaight]

Som tam: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Som_tam

Considering how Hua Hin was anglicized (It is pronounced roughly Wha-heen), that is incredibly straight forward.

As for sea food, as long as you stay away from the coast it isn't a big deal. Sure, it is easily available, but in Chaang Rai, Chaang Mai, Bankok, and other less coastal cities you are more likely to see chicken or pork than much sea food, though fish is very easy to come buy. Peanuts is far more major, but it is one of those areas where you learn the word and are just very careful.

As a response to Another Poet's post. The kind of spicy you eat is extremely relevant, if you get used to spicy food which uses different spices than Thai food, you are left completely helpless. There is a lot of overlap with some other food, such as Mexican food (though the ingredients are used differently and Mexican food is short lemon grass), but you can eat all the spicy Middle Eastern food you want and still have trouble with the stuff in Thailand.

[Maerok]

Hey Maerok I was just wondering how close you are to leaving and how your preparation has gone.

Tell us if you've eaten anything spicy yet!!

I leave for Thailand Thursday, will get there Friday! :smallbiggrin: I went to a Thai restaurant yesterday with the family. Seafood with really good red curry that wasn't too spicy.

Right now I've been confirming things with my bank, getting proper sunscreen/bug spray (couldn't find a combo), and I'll be making duplicates of my important documents just in case. I've also got an under-the-shirt wallet thing.