i visiting Thailand , any advice?

Answer 1

I've answered a similar question on Yahoo Answers before, so here it goes..

I'll give you a quick list here.

1. Do not mention anything negative or comment on their King or royalty. It is a very sensitive issue as the Thais love their royal family a lot and would be willing to imprison or kill those who insult their King (even by stepping on the Thai coin / Baht notes - because the face of the King is imprinted on it).

2. Understand the Thai local culture first. Learn the dos and don'ts. Eg: Try as much as you can to accept whatever that is offered to you by the Thais out of a friendly gesture, avoid exposing the soles of your feet to people around you (even in a sitting position), avoid touching children on their heads, avoid wearing your shoes indoors, learn the basics of Thai language (even saying "Sawasdee" will be good enough).

3. Avoid going to the Southern parts of Thailand, especially Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani. The unrest among the Muslims there has not been resolved yet. Visit Central Thailand if you want to experience the urban lifestyle and hip happenings there (Bangkok in particular has a lot of shopping spots to visit). Visit Northern Thailand if you want to experience the laid-back lifestyle and peaceful, natural surroundings.

4. Do try some of their local delicacies - tom yam (the national dish - hot, sour, sweet), mango rice (not spicy), green curry, etc.. You'll miss out on a lot of things if you do not try their local food. If you can't take hot and spicy food, avoid them to the best you can. You can also request for the cook / chef to go easy on the peppers / chilli. However, in cases when you've actually eaten these food, you can rub off that spicy feeling by drinking lots of water (preferably hot water). Don't worry too much on this, the Thais generally love a lot of sweet food also, so you can find a lot of variations in their local food.

5. Stay free of drugs. Stay free of night clubs and brothels. Stay free of some massage parlours that do not provide massage actually.

6. Shop, shop and shop. You can get cheaper goods here in Thailand (eg: Bangkok) - from clothing items to food items. You can also get a lot of nice Thai souvenirs here. And yes, don't forget to bargain too.

7. Get the proper immunization or vaccination before going to Thailand. Eg: Malaria or denghue. Bring your medications along with you as well - diarrhea, flu and cough medicine.

8. The wheather is generally hot and humid there. So do remember to drink plenty of water when you're in Thailand. DO NOT drink water directly from the taps. You can't even boil the water from the tap to drink it. Bottled water can be easily bought in Thailand at almost every shop. Also, please wear loose clothings and sweat-absorbent materials if you cannot stand the heat there.

9. Dress modestly. This depends on which part of Thailand you're in. If you're in Bangkok, then it's probably ok to be out with shorts / singlets / tube top / spaghetti strap top, etc. But you'll certainly need to dress modestly especially in the Northern and Southern parts of Thailand.

10. Get a travel insurance and a medical insurance if you'll be in Thailand for more than a month or so. Just in case things don't run as smoothly as they are supposed to when you're travelling far from your home.

Finally, sit back, relax and enjoy Thailand - the friendly Thai people, the seas, beaches, the serene hills, the unforgettable shopping experience and the tasty Thai cuisine.. =)

Answer 2

Thailand is very big and just visiting it can last many days. You need to plan what you want to do. Look at www.tourismthailand.org for ideas what you can do in the various provinces.

Answer 3

Return the many smiles you will receive from the people, most of whom are very friendly. Be respectful of others at all times. Do not disrespect in any way anything with the image of the king on it (that includes the money). Do not show the bottoms of your feet, or point your feet to anyone..very disrespectful. Do not touch a child on his/her head. Do show respect for Buddhist monks (you cannot miss them, they wear orange saffron robes and are seen publicly). Know what you are eating in terms of how spicy it is. Do enjoy yourself.

Answer 4

Don't forget to visit Chiangmai, it's in the North and very beautiful.
PS And don't believe the weather forecast because you can only get some idea from it.

Answer 5

i went for 2 month ,get stated in BKK for a week,than Caing mai took the train back to BKK took the bus to Puket=never again the road was bad spend a little and fly-back to BKK and than to Pattaya-did not like the beach in Pattaya the one in Puket was more clean-i went on my own but never had a problem-oh ja went fishing in Caing mai was great=catfish ,the best was the food but it depends what you like to do have a good one

Answer 6

Kao Sok, the tree houses are incredible!!

Answer 7

Watch out for the ladyboys.

Answer 8

wow joe. You sure are going a lot of places

Answer 9

Yeah, watch out for the post-op transvestites.... unless thats what your into. (So I'm told)

Answer 10

Don't fall asleep at a party.