Best free things in Thailand

[Dolf]

I noticed the National Aviation Museum is free. Looks good. I'm going next time. The train night market added to list as well.

 

What are the best free attractions you have seen in Thailand?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[proton]

Lots of luktung/ morlam concerts are free 😃

[transam]

My Covid jabs.............🤗

[OneMoreFarang]

8 minutes ago, Dolf said:

What are the best free attractions you have seen in Thailand?

Hundreds of pretty girls walking from NANA BTS station to NANA Plaza. 😉 

[scubascuba3]

For me it's nature, so cycling or walking in the countryside or by the sea

[Ralf001]

14 minutes ago, Dolf said:

 

 

What are the best free attractions you have seen in Thailand?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Am an avid tittie and tush watcher... they are free.

[HugoFastor]

Filing my 90-Day reports on time. 

[KhunLA]

Too many to list, and really don't remember paying for most national parks when first visiting them in the early years here.   Also don't remember any of them actually being worth paying for.   

 

Some had entrance 'guard' shacks, some didn't.  Most were unkept, and nothing special, maybe a viewpoint or a waterfall.  But nothing more interesting, usually less so than surrounding are or view from balcony of the bungalow we were staying at.

 

Remember first time I actually paid ฿100 entrance fee + parking free for a waterfall, at Nakhon Nayok, and thought, this should be nice, better be nice.   It was nothing but a slight downhill stream, with a 1 meter drop, and I think I'm being generous.   Nothing more than a creek behind the house where I grew up at, and thought WTF.

 

That was with present wife, so 2006 and onward.  Prior to that I don't remember ever paying, with exception of Phang-Nga Bay boat tour, which included the 'fee' in ticket price, and was a joke, since I chose not to get off at Ko Khao Phing Kan (James Bond island) or Koh Panyi.   Scratch that up to one of the most overpriced tourist traps in TH.

 

On waterfalls, I've seen better, a local ones in Udon Thani, and many other places, roadside or just off the roadside, that were nice, quite nice.  One at Ranong, was a regular nice break 2X a year (when going to Phuket), chicken & rice vendor there, and here in TH, considered huge waterfall, free for years, although now charges ฿100.    Though don't know why anyone would pay, and didn't see anyone paying, as can still see the same from roadside.  Being 50 meters closer isn't going to give you a better photo.   That was strange last time I passed through, and just last year.   Maybe some fake guard in uniform with nice official looking signage up, just collecting money from idiots.

 

After a few parks, where I did actually pay, the Thai price, and always disappointed, I simply stopped thinking about entering any of them in the future, and that was years ago, when ฿200 was the 'high' farang price.   Seen much more impressive things just driving around.  

 

Why we enjoy our O&As so much, not that staying home doesn't have great views, but see it everyday. 

 

 

[bradiston]

I'm free to leave any time I like.

[alex8912]

The BACC is the best free thing to do in Bangkok. Great open multi level space with changing exhibitions as well. 

[Surasak]

The air that I breath, but don't tell anyone or some fool will put a charge on it!

[rwill]

The free water at restaurants...

[Lemsta69]

2/10

[Real Name Hidden]

Royal Bangkok Symphony free concert in lumpini park Sunday at 5:30

 

https://www.rbsothailand.com/news/concert-in-the-park-no-31/

[expat_4_life]

2 minutes ago, Real Name Hidden said:

Royal Bangkok Symphony free concert in lumpini park Sunday at 5:30

 

https://www.rbsothailand.com/news/concert-in-the-park-no-31/

 

Was just looking up info to post on this ...

The concerts typically run each year from sometime around Dec 1st and into March.

 

This coming weekend is the season finale.

The Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra (RSBO) can also tbe found on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/royalbangkoksymphony

[Lacessit]

There used to be a free ladyboy show at the Night Bazaar in Chiang Rai. I don't know if it is still going, after COVID.

 

My three COVID shots I had here were free. The one in Australia cost $15.

 

There is a monk's refuge on the way to Udon Thani. It was founded by a very holy man who banished the tigers from several villages, and they built a large elevated hall in thanks.

Entrance is free. Every day, the wooden floor of the hall is polished by volunteers, using dry coconut husks.

Walking on the floor in bare feet is an unusual sensation, it is like walking on silk.

[mstevens]

On 3/6/2024 at 12:59 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Hundreds of pretty girls walking from NANA BTS station to NANA Plaza. 😉 

 

They're blokes, mate.

[OneMoreFarang]

6 hours ago, mstevens said:

 

They're blokes, mate.

I look at the cute girls.

But if you prefer the blokes and that makes you happy...

[rickudon]

I live in Udon Thani. I like the parks. We have 3 urban parks, and all are infinitely better than most in the UK. Many years ago UK parks were OK, but 30 years of cost cutting has left many parks with no permanent staff, just a contractor with a mowing machine. The only things there are grass and a few trees. On my very first day in Udon, i walked through a park, and fell in love....

Other attractions - Chinese temple, Sino-Thai friendship centre, both free to visit. UDtown, also very attractive water features and vegetation, and at Halloween, Xmas, Chinese new year also have some nice displays for the kids. Rural areas just a few kilometres from the centre. Could do with a few big hills though, rather flat.

[KhunLA]

50 minutes ago, rickudon said:

I live in Udon Thani. I like the parks. We have 3 urban parks, and all are infinitely better than most in the UK. Many years ago UK parks were OK, but 30 years of cost cutting has left many parks with no permanent staff, just a contractor with a mowing machine. The only things there are grass and a few trees. On my very first day in Udon, i walked through a park, and fell in love....

Other attractions - Chinese temple, Sino-Thai friendship centre, both free to visit. UDtown, also very attractive water features and vegetation, and at Halloween, Xmas, Chinese new year also have some nice displays for the kids. Rural areas just a few kilometres from the centre. Could do with a few big hills though, rather flat.

Always enjoyed knockin' around UT, during the daytime, and night time during the holidays.  Stellar night markets, congested as hell, so arrive early.  Scooter comes in handy in the evenings.  A very walkable city.  Decent baht bus system, once figuring it out.

[still kicking]

On 3/6/2024 at 5:35 PM, Lacessit said:

There used to be a free ladyboy show at the Night Bazaar in Chiang Rai. I don't know if it is still going, after COVID.

 

My three COVID shots I had here were free. The one in Australia cost $15.

 

There is a monk's refuge on the way to Udon Thani. It was founded by a very holy man who banished the tigers from several villages, and they built a large elevated hall in thanks.

Entrance is free. Every day, the wooden floor of the hall is polished by volunteers, using dry coconut husks.

Walking on the floor in bare feet is an unusual sensation, it is like walking on silk.

My three COVID shots I had here were free. The one in Australia cost $15. 

Pending on age I had 4 shots, and they were all free.

[Dolf]

19 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Always enjoyed knockin' around UT, during the daytime, and night time during the holidays.  Stellar night markets, congested as hell, so arrive early.  Scooter comes in handy in the evenings.  A very walkable city.  Decent baht bus system, once figuring it out.

Only found 1 restaurant that does Khao Soi, same with Khon Kaen. Nong Khai has 2 or 3.

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Dolf said:

Only found 1 restaurant that does Khao Soi, same with Khon Kaen. Nong Khai has 2 or 3.

Only place I knew that offered it, was 'Lemongrass', and damn tasty.  Closed up before we left, 2017, I think.  As did most other places we frequented.  Many offering some of the best food I've had in Thailand.  Western & Thai, none by farang managed places though, with a few exceptions, though Thai cooks, usually.

[Rampant Rabbit]

car parking generally

[Dolf]

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Only place I knew that offered it, was 'Lemongrass', and damn tasty.  Closed up before we left, 2017, I think.  As did most other places we frequented.  Many offering some of the best food I've had in Thailand.  Western & Thai, none by farang managed places though, with a few exceptions, though Thai cooks, usually.

Khaosoi Tai it is called. Went twice. They have large options.

[KhunLA]

15 minutes ago, Dolf said:

Khaosoi Tai it is called. Went twice. They have large options.

Check that, same place (ร้านข้าวซอยไทยใหญ่(อั่วอุดร).  Brain freeze, as Lemongrass was the place next door.  Yea, decent stuff served up.  Used to pop in a few times  year.

[Dolf]

7 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Check that, same place (ร้านข้าวซอยไทยใหญ่(อั่วอุดร).  Brain freeze, as Lemongrass was the place next door.  Yea, decent stuff served up.  Used to pop in a few times  year.

Khon Kaen one is called Khao Soi Chiang Mai, opposite a temple. It is actually better.

[daveAustin]

Probably visiting some of those abandoned buildings in Bangkok. Not sure if that thread is still going, but it is one of the best, most thorough topics that has ever been on this site. I have typically had the best times here on road trips when making impromptu stops and bumping into normal Thais going about their daily business. Also, Songkran with the natives when they are at their laidback best (boomers will not like that suggestion... but a good reason why the rest of us leave our staid countries). As to individual Thai sites, there are probably fewer and fewer since most of it is being monetised, albeit out of the way mountain temples for cyclists are still abundant and often garner great views.

[motdaeng]

a few things, one of them is ... i (no working) didn't have to pay any taxes the last 20 years in thailand ... next year it may will look a little bit different ...