Thai national's first visit to UK - any suggestions?

[ipeterrobinson17]

we have a pending visit to UK starting next week and i wanted to ask 2 things of those here with more knowledge/experience of such matters than myself: -

 

i) are there any places in UK you can suggest, other than the obvious major UK tourist attractions, that have a strong Thai link/interest (only place i can think she might want to visit is Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon)?

ii) i asked her to bring some inexpensive Thai souvenirs to give to my family here to get a genuine Thai experience (my suggestion of candy/cookies/dried durian fruit seems more like "western" souvenirs than typically Thai).

 

we have weekend trips to London and Edinburgh already arranged, and no doubt we'll visit (North) Wales, York and possibly Leicester City! but i've a few more trips to add still.

 

 

[roo860]

Where will you be based? Will you have your own transport?

Edited November 27, 2022 by roo860

[Denim]

Find a good genuine car boot sale and take her there. I found that Thais I have taken there enjoy the bargains and get an idea of how to recycle unwanted household items.

 

Bad time to be going weather wise. Might be cold and wet plus the early nights can spoil days out in the country so plenty of indoor excursions as a back up might be useful.

 

One of the things my wife most enjoyed was snow ! Life long dream of seeing it and touching it satisfied.

[Denim]

7 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

With so many Brits moving/traveling to Thailand that should tell you all you need to know about why you shouldn't waste time and money visiting the UK. Charles isn't as friendly as the queen was. 

However we may feel about the place I have never yet met a Thai or Filipino who wasn't exited by the chance to travel and who overall, enjoyed the visit to see how the other side lives.

[ipeterrobinson17]

11 minutes ago, Denim said:

Find a good genuine car boot sale and take her there. I found that Thais I have taken there enjoy the bargains and get an idea of how to recycle unwanted household items.

 

Bad time to be going weather wise. Might be cold and wet plus the early nights can spoil days out in the country so plenty of indoor excursions as a back up might be useful.

 

One of the things my wife most enjoyed was snow ! Life long dream of seeing it and touching it satisfied.

she also dreams of seeing snow, but other than the mountains of Scotland there's little chance of seeing any in December.

[nigelforbes]

My wife was really taken by the old architecture, she loved Cambridge and Kings College (but who doesn't). The Lake District was a real wow also, as were all the major sights in London. Other possibilities include Oxford and the Cotswolds, The Yorkshire Dales, big city shopping in Manchester or Leeds (if not close to London), my wife really enjoys all those places. Oh yes, take her on a train and a double decker bus.

[Denim]

4 minutes ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

she also dreams of seeing snow, but other than the mountains of Scotland there's little chance of seeing any in December.

My wife was lucky. It was early April and one morning there was heavy snow which settled for the day.

 

Next day it was hot and sunny and all snow gone. We took the underground into London then a boat trip down the Thames to Greenwich. Lucky enough to see Tower Bridge closing behind us. From there was saw the Cutty Sark and Maritime museum. Then up Greenwich park hill to the Meridian. Coming down we enjoyed an all you can eat Oriental buffet in the old town. Great day out.

[Denim]

6 minutes ago, nigelforbes said:

The Yorkshire Dales, big city shopping in Manchester or Leeds (if not close to London),

Wife loved the clothes shops in Manchester. Cheaper than London. Also took her on the tram then another buffet lunch in Manchesters China Town. She even enjoyed the motorway driving and at how far better they are than anything in Thailand.

[Kildonan]

Most important, take a good moisturising cream for your wife, as both Asian ladies who have visited UK and Sweden with me experience "dry skin". Seriously! 

[proton]

Why Leicester? my Mrs visited me there twice and hated the dump, so did I and I grew up there. There is the football club with the Thai connection that's about it.

Edited November 27, 2022 by proton

[ipeterrobinson17]

5 minutes ago, proton said:

Why Leicester? my Mrs visited me there twice and hated the dump, so did I and I grew up there. There is the football club with the Thai connection that's about it.

she is a fan of Buriram United (we visited earlier this year) and she tells me that 4 of their players are training with Leicester City at the moment.

[hotandsticky]

38 minutes ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

she also dreams of seeing snow, but other than the mountains of Scotland there's little chance of seeing any in December.

 

You are touching on something important there.

 

 

Don't ask US where you should take her, get her to do some research into where SHE would l;ike to go and what she would like to see.

 

For our first trip I organised everything based on what I thought she would enjoy; I wasn't wrong but for future UK visits (and Europe) I told my missus to come up with a list of places to see - and the reasons why. I wanted her invested in the planning aspect of the trips.

 

My missus wanted to see snow so we went to the Highlands in late March. Easyjet flights to Inverness are cheap. 

 

Pack dry Mama noodles and chilli. Avoid over-priced UK Thai restaurants that sell dumped down versions of Thai food but find someone that your wife can speak Thai to at least once a week. Avoid the local Thai mafia.

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

she is a fan of Buriram United (we visited earlier this year) and she tells me that 4 of their players are training with Leicester City at the moment.

Do the Old Trafford tour and get a photo of her wearing a BUFC shirt - that will go down well on social media.

[ipeterrobinson17]

7 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

You are touching on something important there.

 

 

Don't ask US where you should take her, get her to do some research into where SHE would l;ike to go and what she would like to see.

 

For our first trip I organised everything based on what I thought she would enjoy; I wasn't wrong but for future UK visits (and Europe) I told my missus to come up with a list of places to see - and the reasons why. I wanted her invested in the planning aspect of the trips.

 

My missus wanted to see snow so we went to the Highlands in late March. Easyjet flights to Inverness are cheap. 

 

Pack dry Mama noodles and chilli. Avoid over-priced UK Thai restaurants that sell dumped down versions of Thai food but find someone that your wife can speak Thai to at least once a week. Avoid the local Thai mafia.

i already did that but she knows little of UK other than Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament, London Eye and a few football teams.

[ipeterrobinson17]

9 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Do the Old Trafford tour and get a photo of her wearing a BUFC shirt - that will go down well on social media.

she's more interested in visiting Manchester City and even Liverpool before MUFC!

[roo860]

58 minutes ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

she also dreams of seeing snow, but other than the mountains of Scotland there's little chance of seeing any in December.

Lake District 

[hotandsticky]

1 minute ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

i already did that but she knows little of UK other than Tower Bridge, Houses of Parliament, London Eye and a few football teams.

 

I bet she knows a lot more about places in Thailand that she has never been to.

 

Social media is brilliant for broadening the mind, or researching places that you might want to see. Even in Thai they can Google "where should I visit on my first trip to the UK".

 

My missus asked if we could visit Lausanne in Switzerland. "Why Lausanne, I asked"......... she went on to explain that the late King spent his early years with his mother and she would like to see where he lived.  A good enough explanation, so we went. This year we are taking in Budapest because she thought it looked interest on You Tube bloggs etc.

 

London Eye is worth a look but London offers so much more with riverside walks, old fashioned pubs (try looking up the Prospect of Whitby, the oldest riverside pub in the UK in the Docklands area.  Take in a show but remember the language/culture barriers; we did Phantom of the Opera - we were also lucky to find the Killers performing at Wembley on one visit.

[hotandsticky]

2 minutes ago, roo860 said:

Lake District 

This was a winner with my missus (as was the Highlands) and we regularly make return visits. Grasmere, Hawkshead, Ambleside, Keswick.

 

One moment she was running on the fells shouting "Baa" at the sheep, 2 hours later she was enjoying roast lamb in a pub in Coniston. 

 

 

[hotandsticky]

9 minutes ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

she's more interested in visiting Manchester City and even Liverpool before MUFC!

Then she needs re-educating.  ????

 

The Old Trafford tour is actually very good and the souvenirs from there were well received by Buriram family members - even if they did support Liverpool!@

 

 

[ipeterrobinson17]

3 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Then she needs re-educating.  ????

 

The Old Trafford tour is actually very good and the souvenirs from there were well received by Buriram family members - even if they did support Liverpool!@

 

 

i'm a part-time MUFC fan and even i'm not that interested in visiting Old Trafford - i'd rather go to Oakwell!

[phetphet]

Tell her to wrap up warm. UK at this time of year can feel very cold for a Thai.

 

Depending on her interests, maybe the Natural History museum (especially the dinosaur skeleton and the Blue Whale), Science Museums, or V and A Museum (fashion history).. Perhaps Kew Gardens. Maybe check out any Farmer's Markets.  In fact any markets or shopping malls.

 

Thais, especially the women really seem to miss their home food.

I doubt she will have room for presents. Her suitcase will probably be filled with Thai herb, spices and vegetables to cook her own food. So you might want to warn her about what is, and what is not allowed to be brought into the UK. Not a good start if everything confiscated on arrival.

 

Try and find a good authentic Thai restaurant for a night out.

 

HTH.

 

 

[hotandsticky]

3 minutes ago, ipeterrobinson17 said:

i'm a part-time MUFC fan and even i'm not that interested in visiting Old Trafford - i'd rather go to Oakwell!

 

Jesus!  Your missus is going to have a whale of a time...????

 

 

Might as well take her to Jump and Frickley Colliery!

[Dmaxdan]

The Christmas tree in Trafalgar square, at night obviously.

 

And don't forget proper British fish and chips.

My wife adored it when she was there.

 

 

[it is what it is]

dried durian fruit...

 

good idea, what could possibly go wrong...?

[blackshadow]

go to Morecambe and see the statue of ERIC MORECAMBE !!!

OR A TRIP to stonehenge.....or whitby and smell the smell of fish!!!

[blackshadow]

43 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

Eat some Frogs ?

with RICE ????!!!!

[brianthainess]

1 minute ago, blackshadow said:

with RICE ????!!!!

You want fries with that ?

[brianthainess]

A nice country pub, fish n chips, decent beer, and a relatively safe drive there n back. Ask her to count how many motor bike riders not wearing a helmet  

[actonion]

When a Thai inlaw joined us on a trip to U.K. incl;... Gloucestershire, London, Devon, and  Cornwall, i asked them  what do they know of England, points of interest, History, etc .. the reply was,  Margaret Thatcher and Harrods,  10 Downing street, Buckingham Palace  meant nothing, never heard of them  before ..!  On return to Thailand   they  said,    why so many old buildings   in England , knock them down make new  is better.. why did i bother  !!!!!

Edited November 27, 2022 by actonion

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, proton said:

Why Leicester? my Mrs visited me there twice and hated the dump, so did I and I grew up there. There is the football club with the Thai connection that's about it.

Maybe she got your negative Leicester vibe? Lord knows the forum membership already has.