henrik2000

Hi, thanks again, I was there atWat Chaiwatthanaram. If anything, the costume and selfie frenzy is fiercer than described in the linked article. For a while I wondered whether the Thais enjoy creating their own domestic tourist Disneyland - what with talad boran galore, flower garlands half out of plastic (even from highway junction vendors), vintage phones and bicycles standing around at random, and now this posing in traditional costumes which gels nicely with the selfieing in obsession. Aware that even years ago they took photos in traditional costumes at the photo studio, but maybe not openly in the historic temple.

Hi all, thanks for more input. Now I bicycled through a few times and was either ignored or saluted, but never asked for any documentation. So next time I would love to leave the passport in the house, but then I'd worry they ask me for it. One time I wanted to bicycle from town to Ao Manao just after 6:00 p.m. and I wasn't even let in (for some reason I believed there was a firework commemorating local war events, but was perhaps totally wrong).

Thanks, the link seems spot on, I will take a look.

Hello, Thai people told me that now many Thais flock to Ayutthaya to shoot selfies and videos of themselves in classical garb in front of certain temples or palaces, obviously inspired by a TV series (“lakorn”?). Would you know where these selfie sessions take place and if there are certain timings? I'll be there as of this Saturday afternoon for some days.

Hi all, thanks for more interesting input about 7-Eleven and rabies. In an earlier post I had inquired here if I as a tourist could "pay by scan" and was told it would be very complicated to get a Thai bank account without a Thai residence and whatnot, so I forgot about it; would love to "pay by scan" for various reasons, even if not possible in the 7-Eleven. I just remembered that I often buy street food and I ask for the price before food is handed over to me, when I am still more flexible with both hands. When I put money on the counter I note that they never ever they touch that money before I have my food and before they have produced the correct change - so it's very correct handling by the street food vendors, even if it would be more convenient at least for me to finish the full money transaction before getting the food into my hands. It just happened again at a fruit store on the morning after I got ripped off at the 7-Eleven. I still only had 1,000 Baht notes for an 80 Baht purchase and the vendor confirmed to have change. I squeezed 1,000 Baht under some oranges; he did not touch the 1,000 Baht before I did not have the correct change and the fruit in my hand.

Hi all, thanks for some good information that I will follow in the next case - ask for CCTV and perhaps fix the 1000 bill visibly under some thing, until the correct change has been shown. Even though this shows open distrust in the cashier and might be seen as an affront. I hadn't thought about asking for CCTV reviewing. Now I know. It's surprising (or not) that they themselves didn't offer to check the CCTV, especially as that assumed supervisor demonstratively counted many 100s and 20s in front of my eyes to prove I don't know what. As is said above, I must forget and move on. But I know forgetting is difficult for me. I am still very sure that I gave 1,000, even though there is a tiny chance that I am wrong about that. I remember especially clearly how I had asked the cashier in Thai if he could produce change for a 1,000 bill (I asked to be polite and apologetic, not because I really thought he couldn't produce the change). On a side note, recently I did some bicycle maintenance in a provincial town at a bicycle dealer in a quiet residential area. I thought I had forgotten a small pouch in front of his shop (where some packages lay around unguarded when I arrived as the shop was still closed at 2 pm). I returned and he showed me the CCTV of our joint maintenance action and the pouch was nowhere to be seen where I thought it should have been visible in front of the shop window. I think I saw many times in the west that cashiers lay a customer's bill openly on top of the till until they have produced the correct change so that you can always watch your bill. I also believe (like other contributors above) that Thai salespeople and anybody are very honest almost any time. I forgot wallet, camera etc many times and got it back without fuss (somehow this doesn't happen in Cambodia). I do remember one or two other cases of shortchanging in Thailand including one in a provincial Tesco lotus where after some tense repeated whispering suddenly the correct change had been produced (in the new case described above I had expected the same result; actually I thought at one moment in time the cashier looked very uncertain and might give me the correct change). Also there was a lovely riverside restaurant in Chiang Mai which had a trick with a wrong receipt being described online; exactly the trick described online happened to me, so I was able to point out the “error” and avoid getting cheated. Thanks again, lesson learned.

Hello, the bill at the 7-11 was 59 THB. I opened my wallet and saw that i only have some 1000-Baht-bills. i showed 1000 THB, asked in Thai, “dai mai khrap?” (can do?) and the cashier murmured something jolly confirming. I received the change of 41 baht. After some fruitless waiting, I said “I still need 900, because I gave you 1,000”. The cashier said “no, you gave me 100”. A tense discussion ensued. At one point someone like perhaps a supervisor counted all the 100 THB bills and the 20 THB bills in the cash register without commenting on it. Stupidly I didn't check if there was any 1,000 THB bill. My cashier said something about “Thailand Thailand” which I didn't understand. He seemed to insinuate that I confused the 100 and the 1,000 TBH bills because of their slightly similar colors, but I am 1000% sure that I gave him 1,000, and I can distinguish between the two very well. Now 4 or 5 staff watched us. Then he opened the cash register again and showed me that there was not a single 1,000 THB bill in it. I hadn't looked for that when they had opened it first for me, but of course my 1,000 THB could have been hidden anywhere, not the least under the stack of 100 THB bills that were there. Finally I said, “okay up to you”, took my two small things, my 41 THB and left. On the spacious parking lot was my blinking bicycle (7 pm). At least one staff member observed me through the window. I was hoping they would come down, but they didn't and let me leave. When cycling home I thought, I should have not taken anything - neither the 41 THB change nor the two small things - and should have said instead, “okay, please wait a little, I come back with police”, and see if they follow me to the parking lot. (I would have never contacted police anyway.) How would you deal such a situation? Backgrounds: It is the 7-Eleven in Samut Songhkram, the one next to the Don Hoi Lot landmark, about 3 km away. I believe that 7-Eleven doesn't get many foreigners. I had shown upon entering the cashiers two photos of anti-mosquito things I had snapped at friends’, and one had helpfully accompanied me to the 2 different shelves where I could find the items. I think I overheard them saying “oh, he speaks Thai” (and they can't know that I understand much less than I speak). They were much more personal with me than, say, a 7-Eleven cashier in Jomtien. I believe that I was dressed politely enough (not in sports garb, not in beach garb), but of course seeing me with a bicycle is a minus normally (I think I didn't see more than 3 bicycles total in several days of cycling around the province and locals told me it was silly and dangerous to bicycle; on the same morning a dog had bitten me physically because I bicycled). Again I know very well that I gave 1,000 in the 7-11, as I am aware that I spent my last 100 THB bills for fish and rice at the Don Hoi Lot market. Your take? PS If you have a comment on getting bitten by a dog that clearly belongs to a rural 1-family-home next to a regular paved road I am interested too.

Hi all, thanks for your intel from the ground. Sorry, I may be dumb, but I am still not perfectly clear from your info whether I should carry the real passport on that bicycle trip across the army land or whether a photocopy would suffice (must an entry stamp also be photocopied?). I'm a plain tourist who could show a passport and a hotel key card. I very much dislike carrying the real passport around on a bicycle trip, even if I don't go into the water. That's why I keep asking and don't just carry the passport along to be safe anyway. The photocopy is with me anytime. I was just on army land in Phetchaburi town, where you visit that royal summer house that is now on army grounds. There was no passport and no signing in required, I just got a tag (and a reminder that I could donate for the upkeep), but then there is no airport either.

Hi all, thanks for more considerations. FWIW, the situation has now dissolved into about nothing, with both parties seemingly relaxed and friendly about it (but what do I know about Thai women, or the one discussed here).

Hello, some small questions about Prachuap Khiri Khan town only (not Hua Hin, Cha-am or elsewhere in the province): Bicycle dealer + workshop For the bicycle, I'd love new, soft, comfy handlebare grips. Even more I'd love a complete new handlebar that is better adapted to humane anatomy. Would you recommnd from your own experience a dealer/workshop who has interesting stuff available and who would install it at short notice? If the dealer needs to order it, I can wait 1-2 days. But he should install it right when I come, not keep the bicycle in his workshop for days on end, because i want to use the bicyle myself. I do speak basic Thai, but not bicycle-Thai. If you give me a dealer's name I can find on Google Maps and a reason why you recommend the place, that'd be nice. Crossing army land to the south – passport required? At the southern end of Prachuap town beach, you can cycle through army land ("Wing 5") to get to another beach further south, past the Monkey Monument. Do I need to bring the real passport there? Or a photocopy? Your recent experience? Live music I like Thai live music like lukthung, morlam, pleua-chiwit (Carabao), enjoyed together with Thai food. But I do NOT like rock, 90s, acoustic, folk, trashmetal, dinner music. For instance i like music pubs like the Tawan Daengs across the country. According to my research, LYNX and TIMBER HUT could fit the bill. But it is almost impossible from reviews to find out the music styles on offer. What would you say style-wise? Thanks!

Thanks, you are certainly right. I guess I will type 2 - 3 short, soft sentences into the translator app and then first try to explain it in my own Thai words face to face, and to seal it I will show the app. Hopefully she has some quiet minutes in the restaurant. I couldn't do this by Line (even if it saves some heartbeating). I am sure that on the face of it she will cheerfully agree. Maybe she's even happy because she has the same musings about how to dump me politely. If she is deeply saddened, I guess that's life and one has to take such a risk sometimes or else it would be a bore. I never pretended anything, even though my genuine actions might be seen as more serious than they were meant. Occasionally I brought her little Christmas chocolates from Europe, but I even brought some for her immediate coworkers, and one regular massage girl told me that her repeat customers (non-naughty) also bring Christmas chocolates from Europe, so it can't be seen as too serious.

Disagreed, but I see your point. If it's not too small a thing I will add that he held the yellow plastic bag in my view, yet at the same time moved away from me towards the water line. So there was very little time for me to consider and react and to wake up from my earphone and thoughts. So he also asked me in a decidedly fleeting manner making me feel like a waiter standing around (a thought I only have now). Had he fully stopped next to me and perhaps kneed down, of course I would have taken off the earphones and would have politely asked him to repeat his question. That's completely sure. I will add another unimportant blip. In the Pattaya area I fall constantly prey to lonely, logorrheic guys who tell me their life story and sex exploits with little regard for me and without even trying to speak with less accent and more Oxford, as I'm obviously a non-native English speaker who might not be familiar with the newest Texan twang. By instinct I fight off such advances at early points, because I'm too shy and polite to cut them off later. That may have been a small part in my quick no no gesturing.

There you go, it's a dilemma. Thanks, interesting story.

Sad, but true, with total strangers. If we had had friendly small talk before or if they had been pleasant enough beach neighbors for a little while, I would certainly have watched their bag, and without x-raying it (but I certainly see your point there). I might have attached their bag in my care to my arm to avoid any tragic mishap, which I never do with my own bags, at least not in Thailand so far.

Thanks, I actually thought so too. But I agree I wrote the topic too early after the event. I should have focused on the question of "bag watching for strangers" and perhaps leave the altercation completely out of it; it was not my main issue, or maybe it should not have been my main issue.

Thanks, agreed, and so it happened.

Thanks, lots of food for thought in your lines, including the Japan story. Agree with the snippet from your post quoted above, but find it heartbreaking to follow suit.

Thanks. She would certainly make a great partner for a decent, Thai speaking foreigner. I find it extremely difficult to tell her "just friends, okay mai khrap", but I guess it's in my responsibility to get around to do it.

Thanks. It all sounds quite right.

Thanks. I guess you are right and things turned out the way you predict.

Thanks, interesting to see that two guys have the same "problem", and interesting to read the replies in your thread. Do you now regret not to have gone? I refuse quite a lot of invitations from ladies to show me around just because I suspect they see me as a good food ATM. But in this case I decided against some worries to go for it, because sometimes I like to leave my comfort zone to see other people and cultures in a new light. What I saw then at the temple didn't differ much from several other temple occasions into which I sometimes run just by accident (Loy Khratong on Jomtien beach had been far more joyful for me from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. alone). And the lady on that outing was her usual smiling caring companion, obviously without any scheming (I hadn't expected that anyway, still it was nice to get to know her outside her restaurant). So for me I am glad I accepted the invitation in spite of some doubts beforehand and small awkward moments on the night itself that perhaps are quite natural.

Yes, letting her down gently... Are there YouTube tutorials for that? It's the very hard part. (If she does have serious designs which I don't know.) She casually took my hand as we crossed busy roads and as you say, sometimes touched my arm or leg while talking. It seemed all very friendly and innocent.

Thanks, in the end it happened about as you suggest. As per the lady's design, I floated the Khratong that she had selected. She had none for herself. At the 100 temple stalls before the pool, I suggested several times to get another Khratong for her but she dragged me away with a smile. Not impossible that she wanted me to insist more on getting another Khratong for herself.

Hi all, thanks for many interesting comments! In the end I followed an advice by my local condo service worker. She said I should get her flowers after the Khratong action, so I took my lady to a flower stall at 11 pm and let her choose some. As predicted by the local condo service worker, my lady chose only roses in two colors and I had to urge her several times to take more than three (a big bunch finally cost less than one single rose in my country). Before, she had filmed me as I floated the Khratong and had talked to a monk who confirmed that it was okay if we floated one Khratong for two people. When floating the Khratong, my hand touched the very seedy water of that temple pool; I thought it was a typically nice Thai caring gesture when she took out a little bottle and sprayed hand sanitizer into my hands. We then went to an atmospheric, crowded mid-range restaurant with almost only Thai customers (she had waited until I suggested a restaurant, but happily agreed). The atmosphere there was quite upbeat with all staff and musicians in beautiful traditional dress (and sneakers). While she never made any attempt to share any cost, she ordered extremely little (roses, food, drink) (unlike other, much richer Thai ladies in my experience who at the restaurant table order so much seafood at my expense that they can take home half of it). We parted ways in a friendly way in front of her apartment door with her repeating her thankyous for everything, and later she sent me a few nice, unobtrusive messages including a photo of the roses in her place. The weird thing is that I would like to take her out again, before I leave for a while, in spite of the 98% language barrier (but she doesn't need to talk much and still feels comfortable and happy-go-lucky as it seems, while aforementioned much richer Thai ladies were absolute motormouths (in excellent English)). Even though it might be sensible not to take her out again if I don't have serious designs. When I picked her up in her restaurant, all co-workers and boss were all smiles, supportive and made friendly jokes as we set off (some of those co-workers quite desirable and anglophone, and I think the atmosphere was very comfortable for all parties). For our next outing I would likely pick her up in her restaurant again (only 2 days off per month). It can't be good to meet her in that public situation and then perhaps to disappear for a long while. -- About aforementioned local condo service worker: she lives together with a much older, slightly ailing, but mobile Westerner. I noted the quite big Khratong in her office and she said she bought it for herself (100 THB) and will float it herself. I replied, that was very sad and the westerner should be with her when she chose and floated the Khratong. She replied in her basic English, "only important to care", and I didn't want to inquire what that was supposed to mean.

Hi all, thanks for more interesting input in an interesting dilemma. When I was under the headphones, and the guy approached me first, he held the bag clearly my way, so his question must have been about the bag and not a tsunami warning. I am sure he would have placed the bag next to me, had I agreed to watch it. Personally I would not in my life ask a total stranger to watch my bag. You can prepare yourself for such situations by not bringing too much and maybe by carrying a waterproof pouch which is sold for situations just like that. That's why I was not even able to assume he might ask me to watch his plastic bag (plus I had been wrapped up in totally different thoughts for a while). In Gambia, West Africa, I once went for a dip and left a half-transparent plastic bag with towel, change clothes and small money on the beach. A big guy appeared, looked happily at the bag, then at me and said, “oh is that one for me”, and started to walk away with my plastic bag. I shouted “police” etc (he was double my size, weight, height), and he dropped the bag and ran away. A vaguely similar thing happened nearby in Sierra Leone where taking away my bag with change things etc was announced, but not executed, while I soaked in the waters. I also happily assist to make other people's life a little easier or nicer, but this is not an eligible situation in my view, and in some other people’s view too, as we now know. When someone hurls abuse or aggressiveness at me, I try to “not even ignore them”, at least outwardly; invertly I cannot. I would certainly not talk back and pour oil into the fire