What Did You Think About Thailand?

[Bluecat]

What were your first impressions?

As my boss says:

Your first impressions are very often the correct ones.

Especially when they are bad,...

It does not really apply to me because my first impressions were not that good.

The congested airport.

The traffic and the pollution (air and noise).

The Thai people overcharging me.

The difficulty of communicating

...

Well, it's still the same but now, I like it,...

[itsme]

I may be naive but my first impression was:

Thai people so nice and polite (either faking it or not)

Thai food excellent

Weather very hot (maybe a bit too much sometime but still better than UK:)

Fantastic beaches around

Great shopping centers like MBK

Communicating was not a big deal as most of thais speaks little english

Bluecat I live in London and all the negative impressions you posted you can find them here and anywhere else in the world. I've been in Bangkok quite few times and everytime I come back in London I see the difference of just being ignored and the rudeness of the people living in this country.

I may be influenced by the different lifestyle but isn't it worse looking at the positive points instead?

itsme

[RamdomChances]

The first time I came.

I'd never been to thailand!!

[davethailand]

what were my first impressions?

wahheyy

yippee

yeeehaaaa

pick one.

[marquess]

I felt very lonely when I first came over. Most of the tourists in Koh San, where damned unfriendly too. I thought that Bangkok was a rather hot place, with lots of strange smells. With a public transport system, that was difficult to use, as I could not read anything.

I could not believe the level of emaciation of the dogs that I saw and the poor quality of pavements, when one had to the chance to walk on one. I never really got the feel of the place until I had a Thai girlfriend. Then I felt that I had made that transition from tourist to traveller.

[Stocky]

I was impressed with Thailand on my first visit. It was only for four days on a visa run from Malaysia; where I'd just started working. But after two months in Pahang, four days in Phuket was a serious liberation.

[wolf5370]

I would think the heat - first time I came was in May. The next was the traffic - this was before the expressway opened. It took hours to reach the hotel. The next was how crap the hotel was - this was just because it was a crap hotel, not because TiT.

I found the people at opposing extrematies of politeness; either really nice or threatening (never felt this on any other visit though).

The food was spicey. Everything was more expensive that I thought it would be (I had just sold a business in the UK and paid back all my depbt, so was watching the pennies a bit and the exchange rate was under 45Baht to the pound).

Went from BKK to Lampang (I was travelling with a Brit Thai couple who had family in Lampang) - out in the sticks. It seemed prehistoric to me.

Chiang Mai (next stop) was much better. It felt like a holiday there.

Stayed on a Navy base in BKK (one of my traveling companions sister lived here). This was where I met the family that a few years later were to become my in-laws.

Had spent a few months in the Philipines before, and thought LOS would be the same. It was not; I was totally overwhelmed at first as I remember.

I was only there for 16 days, and it was all too rushed. I was so miserable going home. I had stopped smoking the second day in LOS - just didn't feel like a ciggie the whole time I was there - I lit up in Don Muang on the way back to Blighty feeling desparate for one (could smoke in the airport then).

[medicinebox]

I just jumped on a plane alone, got off in BKK and went from there. Didn't even know were I was going.

I walked around just trying to take it all in. It was an awesome feeling, and you only feel that once. Total sensory overload. I felt totally alive.

First night met some students at the World Trade Centre beer gardens, and they took me with them on the piss. I went into a student bar and when we left, one of them came out and handed my wallet back, which I had left on the table, and told me to be careful in Thailand. I ended up sat with them all at 4am playing football on the sony platstation in their dormitory.

Lost touch, but would love to meet them again.

So for me it was a great experience.

[Harry Palmer]

what were my first impressions?

wahheyy

yippee

yeeehaaaa

pick one.

Yes, there are indeed many a katoey to choose from

[Davidcharles]

What were your first impressions?

As my boss says:

Your first impressions are very often the correct ones.

Especially when they are bad,...

It does not really apply to me because my first impressions were not that good.

The congested airport.

The traffic and the pollution (air and noise).

The Thai people overcharging me.

The difficulty of communicating

...

Well, it's still the same but now, I like it,...

All that Bluey AND the WONDERFUL GIRLS!!!!

I was like a kid in a chocolate factory.......

That was a couple of years ago. Now after several long visits, I intend staying for the rest of my natural.

In UK at the moment and dying to return to dear old Pattaya and my Fiancee.

It isn't perfect by a long way, but I love it.........

[itsme]

Same for me, I went there the first time in 1995 and went back several times since.

I consider myself lucky to have seen a good half of the world but been repeatedly back so many times only in Thailand.....and still dreaming to spend the rest of my days there...Am I crazy or dumb or what?

I think there is something magic in that country I'll leave it to you to identify WHAT it could be

[Padkapow Guy]

It is freaking hot!

When I left Wisconsin it was @ 22 degrees F below zero and when I step off of the plane at midnight it was @ 89 degrees F. I thought I was stepping into an oven. I thought to myself , If it is this hot at midnight what they heck is it going to be like in the day time.

That was my first thoughts. My 2nd and 3rd thoughts were

hey your driving on the wrong side of the road.

how many time does this bell boy wnt to shake my hand? (waiting for a tip. I was a little slow after the long plane ride)

My real first impression is this is an awesome place with good hot food and good hot women. Seeing the majority of the women are petite was a plus. I always get nervous when the women are bigger than me like in wisconsin. Then when I discovered the Islands and beaches I new that I would retire here some day.

20 years to wait I hope it does not change to much before then.

Thailand is Awesome

[Pepe']

At the airport some of the "thickest air" I had experienced in all of the many years spent in SEA.

Beaches in the south, food, girls, fun all great. Eight trips since my first in 1995.

Like the girls so much I decided to marry one and bring her home. She gets her US citizenship July 15.

Will be semi-retiring there by the end of the year.

[Nam Kao]

Mine was

LOOK AT THESE GIRLS !!

[Wild Republic]

The heat. Twas like a sauna.

[sonthaya]

And mine was " I have found paradise on earth"

[Darknight]

I was dropped of by a cruiseship i was working on in sattahip.

I was 21 at the time (1990). First and only stop was Pattaya.

And first thought was " hey feels like long lost home here"

Second thought was indeed " YEEHAA PATTAYA"

[Pepe']

What did you find sooo interesting about Pattaya?

[TizMe]

The first 6 or 7 times I visited Bangkok it was just a dirty, sweaty waste of my time during a lay over on my way to somewhere else. Then one time I decided to lay over a bit longer and get out of Bangers.

Only then did I realise what I had been missing out on.

[theviking]

My first thought was:

''wich girl''?

[Wild Republic]

My first thought was:

''wich girl''?

And, how many beers did it take you to make a choice? Did you regret it in the morning?

[snoophound]

Staying on Sukhumvit at the Sheraton with my Falang girlfriend in 89.

The pungent aromas of the street.

The hundreds of BGS trying to drag me into their bars even with my GF.

The River cruise in the Longtail....awesome ,still do it every time I come.

Dancing and Window shopping at RIVAS and CM2

The soft hushed tones the thais speak in ......ie:not what you hear on the tv.

The mind blowing scene of arriving at the EASTINY soi 8 pattaya ,with the music and bars in full swing.

Nong nuch gardens in Pattaya....awesome place.

Never looked at a falang girl since.

[Boon Mee]

The best food in the entire world...!

[mbkudu]

The smells of the streets at night. There is something reassuring and comforting

when I return and go out at night and smell all the smells of the streets; the food,

heat, exhaust, people smell, all balled up into one. I can never forget it.

[davethailand]

what were my first impressions?

wahheyy

yippee

yeeehaaaa

pick one.

Yes, there are indeed many a katoey to choose from

The problem is finding one that you havn't had.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

My first thought was how I would set about delaying the flight to Australia by a couple of months.

...That and what Dave said.

[kenk3z]

To me there was some culture shock at seeing so many street vendors in BKK.

It also seems odd to find really nice modern buildings and blocks right next to places that look like bombed out Dresden in WWII. Cities in America have more sharp divisions: Good Neighborhood - Bad Neighborhood. I'm sure its the same in BKK but I couldn't discern it immediately.

Ride the BTS down to Phra Khanong and you think you're in the Ghetto, yet there are sharply dressed young ladies headed into work walking on the streets by themselves.........

It was a bit of a shock to see people living in the tin shacks in some places, especially along the railroad lines.

If you're from Europe or Japan, it must be shocking to know (maybe you don't?) that guns are readily available to Thai citizens.

kenk3z

[Debaryman101]

My feelings about thailand:

1. Since being born in thailand and not seeing it since I was 3 years old

(Product of a American father and a Thai Mom) And living in the USA I was glad to see a different country First time i came was in 1987

2. The Thai People are very nice

3. Much traffic and alot of pollution.

4. My Head hurt from looking at the pretty girls all over the place.

5. I was very happy to be finally seeing the place i was born in.

Ever Since then I been to thailand in 1989,2002 and 2003 2002 I married a Thai woman, Well those were my first immpressions

Chok Dee everyone

[Bluecat]

My feelings about thailand:

1. Since being born in thailand and not seeing it since I was 3 years old

(Product of a American father and a Thai Mom)  And living in the USA  I was glad to see a different country  First time i came was in 1987 

2. The Thai People are very nice

3. Much traffic and alot of pollution.

4. My Head hurt from looking at the pretty girls all over the place.

5. I was very happy to be finally seeing the place i was born in.

My thoughts, exactly.

The first time I came here.

Except point nbr 1, 2 , 4 and 5,...

[Andi]

OK, so I'm a single farang female living in Patong, so my first impressions may be a bit different to most of the postings on here.

I backpacked alone through Thailand in 2002, and the heat was a real issue at first. BKK was a real trip, and I'm really open minded I loved the night markets, the food, smells, and total change of culture. I stuck to main areas and felt quite safe. I used the sky train, and didn't stay out too late.

Pattaya next, and I thought it was ok at first. Got propositioned by many women who wanted to "take care me" , but not really my scene, if you know what I mean After I left Pattaya, I realised there are so many better places than that.

I island hopped, met loads of other backpackers, and just experienced Thailand for the beautiful, friendly place it is. Some of the beaches are the best in the world, especially the quieter ones. It's the tourists that ruin it.

I liked it so much I came back after Australia to work here, so my first experience must have been good. I have to admit though, after working here for a year in Phuket, cos that's where the work is, I'm ready to leave. It's a great place for a guy who likes the look of Asian girls and doesn't mind being used as a walking ATM, but it's not really the same for us girlies. Thai men don't hold the same appeal, and we all have needs!

I have a lot of friends here now though, so I'll be coming back for visits I hope. It's still beautiful, laidback, great weather, and as long as you learn to slow down your pace of life to fit in, it's great. Take off your watch, and live "cha cha" for a while.

I'll always have fond memories of Thailand