mrblonde

39 minutes ago, Toknarok said:

           You will find that many Isaan people are as black (or even darker) than your girlfriend. Even so you may hear her being referred to as 'chocolate'. It's not really racist. Isaan people themselves are often looked down upon by their lighter skinned fellow countrymen, that's a 'class' thing rather than racist.

Thanks Toknarok

We hear the chocolate thing in both ayutthaya and Pattaya and she laughs about it.  I saw the 'class' thing in BKK a few times in the past, I went to watch Man City play about 10 years ago with a thai girl who was very dark and she felt uncomfortable among the richer, paler skinned BKK thais.

Personally, I much prefer the dark skinned look

42 minutes ago, Briggsy said:

Oooh, this is a good clickbait topic, nice one.

 

Anyway I'll bite. Thai culture from top to bottom is, by the current Western definition of racism, racist.

 

People are judged by their appearance, skin colour and race and non-Thais are classified by the same criteria.

 

One current negative connotation of racism in the West is the stereotyped skinhead or redneck spray painting a swastika on the immigrant's house or sending them to the back of the bus or refusing to serve them or punching them in the street. That will not happen.

 

However, thoughtless jokes about chocolate or bananas or monkeys may be told and may offend you or your girlfriend. They are not malicious in the main, they just reflect the fact that people use race as the key marker, far above the person in question's individual character or personality, to judge people.

Thanks Briggsy, and sorry the topic wasnt to catch anyone out or anything.  I should of said in my original past the gf is very cool with skin colour jokes etc (we often wind each other up at home or when out of earshot of anyone who could take offence to our own jokes) so I'm guessing racism, or racist was too strong a word?  The girls in Ayutthaya in the only bar we found at night referred to her as 'chocolate' and 'same superstar pop star' (I told her not to get too big a head about it). 

Good post from you, I like it

Please bear with me.  Actually, I dont think racism is the right word as it can offend, so here goes.. Had a holiday this year to Ayutthaya with my girlfriend and she loved it, and even loved partying in Pattaya believe it or not for a few nights (while I visited an old ex-pat friend).  She wants us to visit the real Thailand next year and have decided on Isaan.  My question is, she's of Jamaican origin, born and bred in England but obviously looks very different to most westerners that Thais see, especially I'd imagine in Isaan.  She was met in both Ayutthaya and Pattaya with I'm guessing interest, if thats the right word?  The girls wanted to touch her hair and skin, and have their pictures taken with her (she is very glamorous).  Even had a policeman at Nong Nooch gardens want a picture with her (much to my amusement)

Will Isaan be OK to visit?  

EDIT: Edited to add I've never been to Isaan so have no idea what to expect either, we want to see the small villages, the simple life, the hard working locals in the fields.  So any suggestions of areas in Isaan to visit would be appreciated too.

we're visiting Ayutthuya in the next week or so and I'd like ot photograph the temples at sunrise or sunset, is this possible, or do they have opening times?   Hoping to catch them when they're as quiet as possible, before the hoards of tourists arrive by bus from BKK for the day

Any advice greatly appreciated 

Thanks guys, not too fussed on being a smartphone or having 3g as will upload pics etc back at the hotel with wifi and only be making the occasional call home, its more to text and call my friend ho im meeting up with out there on the days we're not together, so a cheap and nasty Nokia or Samsung will be fine with credit on it for the 2 weeks.  Will Tukcom be best once I'm in Pattaya?

Will be wanting to book a taxi a few days for trips to places like Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens, Sancturary of Truth, Million Year Stone Park and Crocodile Farm etc, who would you advise using?  Preferably one who will drop us then pick us up at an agreed time 

Am visiting Pattaya in a couple of months and considering Monkey Island (Ko Klet Kaeo), how long a boat trip is it please from the pier just outside Pattaya?

Its been 10 years since I was in Pattaya, and the fact there are very few, if any Russians in town is a HUGE plus for me.  Shocking people

Wheres the best place to rent a scooter from in/near Soi Dianna Inn please?  Does the big English northerner still run the rental place just up from LK Metro (opposite Metropole), he used to have a couple of huskies years ago

Not ghosts and ghoulies, alcohol.  Popping over for 10 days with 2 friends and one of the girls only drinks Bacardi and coke, random i know but on my previous trips all i drank was bottled beer.  Are spirits safe in the bars, or a bit hit and miss?

Its been 8 or 9 years since i was over last, so am asking a few 'newbie' questions

Cheers 

3 of us are visiting for 2 nights so will do 2 long days either side making 3 days in Ayutthuya, whats the best way to get around and see as much as we can?  2 of us ride mopeds, so was going to hire 2 and 1 carry the 3rd person, is this the best way to see everything?

And is there much nightlife, not after neon lights and dancing girls, just a few places to eat traditional (love street food in BKK and Pattaya)

Thanks

is it better to get my holiday money in the UK before I fly out, or change it up at the airport in BKK? I visited Thailand 10 years ago a few times and I'm sure we got the better rates in Thailand

Is this still the case?

We are off to Thailand in September and at present, staying in Pattaya, Ayutthaya and Bkk, are there any places close to these areas where we can visit and see monkeys (preferably attractions which are actually monkey friendly - would hate to see the animals being mistreated)

Only place I know of is monkey island just south of Pattaya, and Lopburi, are there any reserves/sanctuarys that are local(ish) to the areas we are visiting please?

For the time being I'd say they are, but you never know what is around the corner, though tinpot regime, after tinpot regime have hammered the nation in taxes to cash in while their tenuous grips on power last....

We could open a tin of worms here by debating whether you are going to get the same sort of value for money you did ten years ago but there is a similar and entertaining thread running on that along the lines of 'I can't afford to live in Thailand any more' which can be found here.....

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/796239-cant-afford-to-live-in-thailand-anymore/

Thanks again Meryl

I'm on a different job than I was when I was younger and expect a price increase as it is, I'm imagining it is still cheaper than most other holiday destinations and not too concerned about the cost (within reason obviously)

My trips 10 years ago I stayed in rooms for 450bht a night to keep costs down, fortunately I wont need to this time round. But I know what you mean, I was surprised 10 years ago at the prices people used to moan about, it was always cheap I thought

We are due to visit Thailand and my partner smokes and was wondering can you buy genuine branded cigarettes in Thailand (probably the most stupid question ever asked I know)

Having never smoked, i never paid any attention to it on my earlier visits

They should be though there was a new issue in the last year or so....A thread on the new notes ran here recently.

Don't expect them to 'stretch' as far as they did ten years ago though......

Thanks, that's good to hear... And I'm already prepared for the increase, I think i got close to 70bt to the £ when I was visiting previously, I guess those days are long gone.

I have a few 1000 bht notes left from Thailand about 10 years ago, are they still valid please?

Also, and this is a little more random, my partner would love a day or afternoon with a more traditional thai family, in there home/garden seeing how they live/cook etc, how on earth would be do this? I know the North of the country is classed at the real Thailand (places in Issan/Khon Khan/Korat etc) but is there any way of seeing a Thai family live in or around the Pattaya/Chonburi province?

Forgot to say, have now planned in our last 2 nights in BKK, and the 2 nights before than in Ayutthuya to see the ruins and temples for some culture too.

Already on our list for Pattaya are:

Big gold buddha and look out point

Nong Nooch

Crocodile farm milion year park

Are there any places close to Pattaya where we can see monkeys and elephants please, preferably where they are treated better than most animals in the area? (I realise a lot ore treated poorly, and would be happier to pay a premium for a more 'animal friendly' day/afternoon out)

Any places please?

Google Koh Samet. Not for everyone but I love 2/3/4 days there when I can. Boats depart regularlyfor a few kilometre shuttle to the island from Ban Phe(various spellings) in Rayong. A taxi can take you to the wharves from Pattaya. Bit over an hour?

You can do the transfer on a "sort of private" boat but I love the slow one for about 50 baht as opposed to maybe 800baht. Gives me time to wind down on the 30 minute trip over and sup a brew.

Every level of accomodation available.

Look it up.

Thanks Andrew

I done Koh Samet when over there 9 years ago, loved the placed just not a fan of the boat trip over, not good on water at the best of times (not even in swimming pools) and didnt enjoy it, we got a package deal and went over on a wooden boat, think it took between 45 mins to an hour (it felt like forever) but i really didnt enjoy it, shame as we want to go to monkey island just south of Pattaya this time round but already worrying about the boat journey, and I think its a quicker crossing than Koh Samet isnt it?

If in Pattaya, take her to Khao Kheow Open Zoo.Take a picnic and make a day of it. There is Thai food there for sale and golf carts for hire. A lot of the monkeys roam freely...which means that in some parts of the park your food needs to be locked away...otherwise they will just take it.

Unfortunately, there is the usual dual pricing. But it is probably one of the few places worth visiting in the region. Go independently. Renting a car or hiring a driver for the day.

Many thanks, just looked it up and it looks really good, definatley on our list of places to see.

Experienced dual pricing years ago so pretty used to it by now. There will be 3 of us for part of the Pattaya visit so will get a driver for the day. Any advice on finding one please? I'm pretty clued up and have a friend who runs a restaurant and shop in Pattaya, just wondering the best way to find a reliable driver?

Thanks again

Bit random this, I was over in thailand for a few years on and off between 7 and 10 years ago and did enjoy some of the music, including Sek Loso and Bird Thongchai, am back over in September this year and was wondering how I can find out what the latest 'big' songs are? Is there a way please before I arrive?

i dont want to use my new iphone while in thailand in September, and will only really need a phone to arrange to meet up with a friend whos also going, and call home to the UK, but will be doing his own this most of the days we are there (2 weeks), I frequented Thailand 10 years ago and bought a 1-2-call (think it was called that) pay as you go SIM and put it in my old nokia, obviously i cant replace the SIM in my ihpone, so can anyone please recommend me a cheap phone to buy in the UK (Im thinking from ebay) that will take a SIM in thailand when we arrive?

Are the SIM's still standard size, or mini SIM or micro SIM now? Thanks in advance

I'm visiting thailand in September for 2 weeks with my girlfriend, we are going to pattaya to see an old friend who owns 2 restaurants over there (my girlfriend knows what pattaya is like), but we want to see other things while we are there, any recommendations please?

She's not a keen traveller on buses/coaches though, so ideally not travelling that way if possible. Cost isnt going to be a huge problem, so taxis could be an option (distance depending of course)

We'd like to see animals, ideally elephants and monkeys in as natural habitat as possible (not the performing type). Any places you'd recommend going?

Many thanks

Am planning a 10 night holiday in LOS with the mrs and am thinking Pattaya as a base. I've done the whole beer bar thing and walking street 7 or 8 years ago (as a single guy) but now we want to see things during the day like elephants, tigers, crocodiles and monkeys and temples etc. Ive decided on Pattaya as I know it fairly well. Are there places local to Patts to do all of the above?

I know of Sri Racha Tiger zoo, crocodile farm and million year old park, the numerous temples and big gold buddha. Are there any monkey places local too? Only place I saw them years ago was at Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens

She's cool with the beer bar thing so that wont be an issue at night