Hi I'm going to Thailand Dec 06 & Im quite nervous, never been overseas before, meeting b/f in bankok, traveling to Phuket, then going to Koh Phangan for NYE.
Is the full moon party safe?
I also have a stupid question... Is it ok to walk around in thongs (on my feet I mean) or is it dirty?
Is there any other way to get to Phuket from Bangkok other than airoplane?
Is there anything else I need to know?!
Thankyou!
2006-10-29 19:15:01 · 12 answers · asked by idk 3 in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ Thailand
The main thing to know is that you're gonna enjoy your trip!
2006-10-31 00:13:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. DON'T be a BI*CH. Be pleasant. Thais love pleasant people even if you want to shoot them avoid getting mad.
2. Sandals.......no problemo!
3. Full moon party should be safe.
4. DON'T go to the South - avoid Hat Yai and everything south of. The political environment is unstable right now - better to be safe than sorry.
5. DO eat food that is served hot (temperature) and drink water from the bottle. You may get Ghiradia or some other ailment if otherwise.
6 You can take the train to Phuket or even Bus which is cheaper but it is a long journey (can take up to 24 hours). To save time I would fly.
7. DO have travel insurance in case of emergency.
8. When shopping in Markets DON'T ask how much something is unless you are serious about buying it. Saves you the hassles
9. If someone solicits something to you (they surely will!), say: "Mai Ow Ka" which translates to "No Thank you" This should end the solicitation immediately and they may even try to speak to you in Thai. Otherwise, DON'T aknowledge any solicitors, simply walk past them as if they do not exist. This saves you time and aggrevation. It's not rude either. It works.
10. DO carry at least a copy of the front page of your passport and page with your current visa at all times (otherwise carry your passport with you). You never know when you will need it.
11. DO have fun!, Thailand is a great place. Great people and a great culture!
2006-11-03 00:40:16 · answer #2 · answered by Enlightenme! 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Let's take your questions one at a time.
The full moon party is safe provided you don't take anything which can be stolen, like credit cards, mobile phone, camera etc. Lock them in your guest house. Don't get so trashed that you aren't aware of what's happening. There are some thieves like there are wherever there's a crowd.
Everybody wears thongs or equivalent.
It's not dirty at all.
You can get to Phuket from Bangkok by bus, but its a long way. The roads are good, and the buses are OK, but its a long journey.
If you are meeting your boyfriend, then he will already have the lowdown on Thailand, which is a fantastic place.
Your mind will be completely blown, and you will want to return again and again.
The food is fantastic, the people are very friendly, everything is quite cheap, especially if you are good at bargaining (expect about 40% off when haggling). Everything you might need is available in Bangkok and Phuket, so don't worry about forgetting something. Its best to have a visa, although many people say you can get one on entry, but the airlines are sometimes funny about that.
Get your visa from the Thai Consulate in Hull - they give a fantastic service, contact them at
http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com/
Travel light if you are going to Koh Phangan, because you'l need to hump your own luggage on and off the ferry. It will be hot everywhere, so you need only lighht clothes.
Leave space in your bag, because there will be lots of things you want to buy and take back.
You'll have a fantastic time.
2006-10-31 21:42:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no need to be nervous about Thailand. THai people are always friendly and very tolerant, but of course do read up a little on their culture before embarking on the journey. The head is sacred and the feet is considered the lowest part of the body so don't use your feet to point, kick or put it in the face of a THai. REspect their King. He is very well-loved.
Full moon party is safe. But try to get accommodations early, cheap is fine in case you really do party all night and don't get back there at all. WEar shoes/slippers because you never know about glass and needles. Be careful about your money and keep your drinks close to you.
On the beach, slippers are fine. It makes sense. And Thailand is not that dirty. I think it's easier to rinse dirt off your slippers than spoil a good pair of shoes.
You can go by bus to Phuket from Bangkok, but it takes about 12 hours, and it's not a ferry ride. THere is a bridge connecting the island to mainland so you stay on the bus. only if you go to Samui/phan-ngan you need to take the ferry. airplane is cheap as well. Go for the budget airlines like Orient Thai or Air Asia.
Enjoy your trip! Thais love it when foreigners know how to say hello to them in Thai, so go "Sawadee-ka" if you're a lady, and "Sawadee-khrup" if you are a man. "ka" is a ending term for ladies and "khrup" is for the men. And if you want to tell them you can't speak Thai, it's "chan poot thai mai dai".
2006-11-01 00:17:16 · answer #4 · answered by Maybe_a_girl 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
1) thongs just fine. but be careful not to use your feet to point at anything or to deliberately show the bottom of your feet. it's considered a no no, but most thais will understand if, as a foreigner, you do it
2) Can get to Phuket by taking a bus and then ferry across, but it takes an awfully long time. plane is better and generally not too expensive.
3) Thailand is an easy/tolerant country for first-time tourists. In Bangkok, don't speak loudly on the Skytrain. That's just an etiquette thing. Don't ask questions about the king either, same thing there.
Mi sanuk, chowdi khrap. (have fun. good luck)
2006-10-30 03:20:45 · answer #5 · answered by Brendan G 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't try to smuggle drugs
The head is sacred across Southeast Asia, and touching someone's noggin in public will attract some serious pause from locals.
The feet of the Buddha are sacred; yours are not. Furthest from the spiritual realm of the head, they are the lowliest part of your body. And soles should never be bared, so avoid sitting positions that may subject others to the sight of your sole.
Thai social hierarchy is expressed through altitude: the head of a high status person must be physically higher than others'. And the back seat of a bus is usually higher than the other seats.
Do not blow your nose in front of a spirt house/temple. Very disrespectful.
Avoid any negative comments/jokes etc aimed towards the Royal Family. Thai's take this as a personal insult and will not share in your humour. "If you cannot say anything nice don't say anything at all" applies here.
Do not throw money down when paying! Most hotels and restaraunts will hand you your bill on a small tray. It is very rude to toss your money on the counter to pay as you would in the USA. Place the money on the tray or hand it to the cashier, waiter, etc...
2006-10-30 03:20:59 · answer #6 · answered by Sweet pea 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here are some general important pointers:
1. Do not mention anything negative or comment on their King or the royal family. 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). In the local cineplex, remember to pay tribute (by standing up silently) to the King, just like others would do before the movie starts playing.
2. Learn the dos and don'ts of the local Thai culture. Eg: Try as much as you can to accept whatever that is offered to you by the Thais out of a friendly gesture, avoid pointing or 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). During introduction, please do not be offended (especially if you're a Westerner) if the Thais were to ask you about some personal things such as your age, your family members, your marriage status, etc. It is very normal for them to ask about such things to get to know you better eventhough those questions may appear as personal to you.
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. It may not be a very pleasant vacation for you if you end up there, especially if you are a Western foreigner (called "farang" in the Thai language).
4. 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 (rural) Northern and Southern parts of Thailand. And yes, it's ok to walk around even in slippers. It's not too terribly dirty; just put on some decent foot wear will do..
Lastly, yes, you can probably get to Bangkok via a bus from Phuket. You can also travel by air with Air Asia (at www.airasia.com) from Phuket to Bangkok at a very cheap flight fare.
Enjoy your stay there! :)
2006-10-31 01:45:47 · answer #7 · answered by dt_aiying 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Please visit our TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) website for more information. I presume there might be some do's & don'ts for tourists there. Moreover, there're some Asia Books branches in Bangkok and major cities, you can visit its website or visit the branch close to your hotel to buy some good books on the matter. As for the full moon party, as far as I know from news reports some years ago, you should go there with some good friends and beware of strangers who try to approach you, avoid drinking or eating something offered by someone (bottled/canned drinks're safer, the dishes ordered from a good kitchen in a hotel are safer, etc.) and, the last one, avoid comsuming any kind of drugs since they're illegal and you might not be happy if involved in such a serious case in Thailand.
One more suggestion, learn from someone who went there safe and sound.
Good luck, welcome, enjoy your visit and your stay in Thailand.
2006-10-30 04:21:09 · answer #8 · answered by Arigato ne 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
all the previous answers are valid. let me just add a few minor things:
anything that has the image of the King deserves respect, Thai baht is no exception in every instance, including not stepping on any that you may see on the streets.
and if you're lucky enough to be in the royal presence, make sure your head is lower than theirs; withdraw from their presence without ever turning your back on them.
don't bother asking locals about the movie "The King and I"; it is considered an affront to the King as it portrays him in a less than generous light.
locals are used to seeing foreign tourists in tropical shirt and shorts, walking around in thongs. but as in most cosmopolitan places, those attires are frowned upon in the more select hotels & restos, but are de rigeur in Phuket and other resorts. in any case, the more select sites have published/announced dress codes.
if you have to go to a temple, wear something appropriate, like a sleeved shirt. ask the locals/guide. it has nothing to do with tourism; it has everything to do with respect for their faith.
"sawasdee kap" [sah-wah-dee kap] is not just a pro-forma 'hello' or 'welcome'; it is meant. acknowledge it graciously. and smile!
enjoy your stay!
2006-10-30 03:47:08 · answer #9 · answered by saberlingo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
thongs are fine just take them of when you enter some ones home or a temple.
You can travel to Phuket by bus but if time is short go by air it is not expensive and you save heaps of time.
the full moon party should be safe just follow common sense rules stick close to your friend.
Be carfull with illegal substances the thai police have been known to patroll full moon parties in plain clothes.
2006-11-07 01:36:44 · answer #10 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DONT drink the water, DO go shopping at MBK in Bangkok, Thongs are fine, its too hot for anything else, unless your going trekking or something like that. You can get to most islands via a bus trip & ferry.
2006-10-30 03:22:13 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋