Anything I Should Bring To Thailand?

[Harcourt]

Perhaps the most important thing to bring: An open mind, and your manners.

[sunholidaysun1]

I would bring a healthy Buffalo with me , all the ones here are sick

As for clothes , its not so easy to get quality and sizes to fit unless you pay the higher prices .

Food here from the UK or Europe is getting better , more and more selection but very high prices

my 250gr jar of Marmite has just cost me 384bht from the Rimping Super market in Chiang Mai .

[Hawk]

All you need to bring is money, as everything else is available.

Food is everywhere, clothes of every description on sale everywhere, toiletries in every mini mart or supermarket, books easily obtainable. You want, girl, boy or in between, again, everywhere.

So, bring lots of cash/traveller's cheques and/or a few visa cards. (The Chinese always bring hundreds of credit cards when they come a visiting but some stay longer than others)

[Scully]

I came here on a three month visa with one small suitcase and have now been here a year. It makes me laugh looking at some of the backpackers who have the entire contents of their house on their back. Trust me travel light it makes travelling a lot more enjoyable.

Oh bring your laptop I forgot mine and I pay a fortune in internet cafes.

[Jingthing]

From a US perspective especially if you are a larger size, GOOD quality fashionable clothes are MUCH CHEAPER in the US. Unless you are happy wearing Billabong copies and t-shirts that shrink in half the first washing. Bringing your own clothes also lets you have your own look rather than look like every other sorry arsed expat relying on the local crap. If you want high quality name brand stuff also, MUCH more expensive in Thailand.

Foodstuffs? Yes, some. This depends on your tastes and whether you cook. It might take some time living in Thailand to see what you want to use and what it costs locally before a list of must imports gels.

After living here some time, you realize some foods you can easily live without after all, some foods you are OK paying the premium for because you just gotta have it, and some foods have very acceptable low priced local substitutes.

Books? Depends on where you live. In Pattaya, many used bookstores keeps me well stocked. Chiang Mai is also good for books.

Fusion razor blades. Not available in Thailand.

Edited August 9, 2009 by Jingthing

[mrtoad]

I'm coming to Bangkok soon and staying for a good few months maybe a couple of years.

Is there anything I should bring with me I can't get over there?

I guess most things can be purchased in Bangkok - they have Tesco don't they?

I'm bringing lots of t-shirts and shorts and some trainers and shoes so that should be ok.

I hear protein powder is hard to come buy but not sure if I want to bring that through customs!

Thanks.

Don't forget to bring your brain, lot's of people leave it at the airport.

[zorro1]

I somewhat agree with others here. You can buy most everything in Thailand that you will need. However, electronics are more expensive in Thailand. At least they are comparing to North America. I don't know about comparible costs in the UK. Computers are far cheaper in North America.

Also, you often can't find good, comfortable sandals with covered toes for changing gears on motorbikes. I like "Keens", but haven't seen them in Thailand and they would be more expensive if they were available. As others have mentioned, you will spend 90% of your time in sandals. However, long walks wearing new sandals WILL cause blisters in hot weather until your feet toughen up. A comfortable pair of good quality running shoes gives your feet a rest... even it they are hot. I almost wore out my Keens after 6 months of constant wear.

You WILL miss the specialty food items (like certain cheeses) that you love back home. They cost far more in Thailand, even if you can find them. Rimping food market imports many items from all over the globe, but they are more expensive. But, even if you could get food through customs I doubt if it would be worth the effort.

Certainly bring a good novel or two to read along the way. Sitting for hours in airports between connections is a pain. Books are more expensive in Thailand.

If you like to back pack and need good nylon luggage be sure to bring your gear from home. The stuff in Thailand only LOOKS good. The stuff is mostly junk with poor straps. I've looked all over the place in Thailand and have yet to find a good outdoor store handling quality gear.

Cotton clothing of all types is readily available in Thailand.

If you like fly fishing then bring your own gear. It's not available in Thailand. I don't know about golf clubs because I'm not a golfer, but my golfing friends bring their own clubs and leave a set here if they intend to return on a regular basis. I've seen tennis raquets in Tesco and other sports items like bicycles.

I would also bring your own camera. They are more expensive in Thailand.

Hey Ian how come no pics of you with a few teenies in their tennis gear LOL Just winding you up but that I would like to see

OP if you are over 6ft tall you will need to bring EVERYTHING clothes and shoes. Im 6"3 and there is nothing I can but of any quality in BKK except jeans. They dont make shoes or sandals if you have big feet . Sunblock from kmart by the litre is cheap. Dont worry about food if you like Thai food, I still find it amusing when someone Pays 350 bht for coco pops at VILLA

[mauGR1]

If your planning to live out here best to bring tools & hardware items you might need. The tools here suck. I brought a shovel in July from the U.S. because my old one was on welding repair #8. I do regret not bringing my tools. If you wear good sandals in England Teva ,Scotts or any other good gear you might wan't to sprank the 15-20 quid for something that won't break & leave your feet shredded. My Scotts finally died after 2 years & had 5 new pairs waiting in the U.S. Unfortunately I had to settle for a pair to make it for 3 weeks- They didn't!

If you fancy special BBQ sauce for the next couple years -Stock up I bring 10 kilos of BBQ sauce every year I go back home. Unless you like Kraft regular & Heinz or A1 steak sauce. If you are planning on getting an Ipod or a music player or phone buy at home it is cheaper.

I agree on this one,you can find almost everything you need in Thailand,but i had to bring a good pair of pincers and pruning scissors,the ones you find here don't last and they are almost useless.Oh and Olive oil enough for a year and a huge stock of my favourite brand of Italian coffee which i never could find in LoS.

PS Have a read at the customs rules,you can find them on this Forum.

[thailandbluegrass]

If your planning to live out here best to bring tools & hardware items you might need. The tools here suck. I brought a shovel in July from the U.S. because my old one was on welding repair #8. I do regret not bringing my tools. If you wear good sandals in England Teva ,Scotts or any other good gear you might wan't to sprank the 15-20 quid for something that won't break & leave your feet shredded. My Scotts finally died after 2 years & had 5 new pairs waiting in the U.S. Unfortunately I had to settle for a pair to make it for 3 weeks- They didn't!

If you fancy special BBQ sauce for the next couple years -Stock up I bring 10 kilos of BBQ sauce every year I go back home. Unless you like Kraft regular & Heinz or A1 steak sauce. If you are planning on getting an Ipod or a music player or phone buy at home it is cheaper.

I buy my BBQ sauce in Foodland for 120 THB and it is Heinze (chicken & rib) and (regular)

Tools are not allowed to be brought into Thailand. Well I mean the electric ones are charged at 700% tax.

Bring lots of KD as Foodland started selling it and were always sold out but for some strange reason they do not sell any more.

[thailandbluegrass]

Ok, I agree depending on your size about the clothes but I found all these cheap copy clothes here are great. You only pai 199 baht so if you gotta throw them away in 1 years who cares.

Just a question because your post also depends on where in Thailand you will be staying what you can buy or not buy. Of course in BKK you can get everything but if you plan on living on klong song Sakhon Nakhon or somewhere you might wanna bg more. Or just buy in Bkk while you are here.

Unless you have a job to come to and have the proper work permit/visa etc your stay will only be for max 90 days anyways. If you get the 90 day visa in your country great but if not you will be doing border runs after 30 days every 15 days. Just saying that you might wanna think about how long you will be ehere first. If only 90 days then when you return again from your country you will already know exactly what you will need to bring.

I would also agree with many posters here that you might as well leave your paranoid what will I need in thailand at home. Also I would suggest that when the day comes that your flight is leaving to throw a few things in a bag and head to the airport with no worries.

[MisterBean]

Your location in LOS will make a difference for shopping. Chiang Mai is a great place to buy western clothing brands (and sizes) cheap because of these "export" shops. I saw a couple in BKK, but the prices were a little higher.

[Jingthing]

Your location in LOS will make a difference for shopping. Chiang Mai is a great place to buy western clothing brands (and sizes) cheap because of these "export" shops. I saw a couple in BKK, but the prices were a little higher.

I shop at those shops, they also have in Bangkok and Pattaya. A good portion of their stock consists of REJECTS for export, I kid you not. You have to examine each item very carefully, some of the flaws are very major. Rejected stock that is OK is better than nothing, but better to import Grade A clothes for a bargain price from the west, NOT available in Thailand.

Edited August 9, 2009 by Jingthing

[Familyonthemove]

As many posters have said - you can get almost everything here - but cost is a factor with some things.

Don't expect Tesco here to be like Tesco in UK .... it's pretty good but it's ranged for the Thai customer.

And the checkout queue rule here is "if there's ever more than 3 in a queue, we'll close another checkout"

But shoes over size 10 are very hard to find and cheese is more expensive than gold.

As are teabags, which is odd as I don't think English Breakfast Tea is actually grown in the UK.

Oh ... and colour machine wash liquid for coloured clothes is tough to find - but the weight may be an issue if you bring this in?

If there's space in your luggage, I'm after a Triumph 1050 Tiger motorcycle, they are also made here but are hellish expensive compared to the UK!

[Alwaysright]

Porrage Oats ( maybe obtainable in Bangkok ) Maybe not, If you can get them they will be Expensive.

Pottato Masher and OXO's Vacum packed Bacon to Freeze ( Bacon in Thailand is not good)

Gaviscon ( Not to be taken on to the aircraft in hand lugage )

Most western medicines available at a Price 3 to 4 times the cost in the UK Good Luck

The Emporium bacon is perfect.

[MisterBean]

I shop at those shops, they also have in Bangkok and Pattaya. A good portion of their stock consists of REJECTS for export, I kid you not. You have to examine each item very carefully, some of the flaws are very major. Rejected stock that is OK is better than nothing, but better to import Grade A clothes for a bargain price from the west, NOT available in Thailand.

ALL of the stuff there are rejects for export for one reason or another, that's why it is there! But there is plenty of stuff there that is perfect, you just have to check. I always get a laugh when they cross out the brand name on something with a black marker but then there are twenty more of the same item without the name crossed out. I have had good luck shopping there, but I admit I did buy a golf shirt for 79baht that had a small defect that I didn't notice until later. It wasn't major, I threw it in the pile of clothes I took to Cuba to give away.

[thaimate]

MONEY,MONEY,MONEY. AND IF THERE IS STILL ROOM IN YOUR CASE MORE MONEY.

[eurozhongguo]

Edited August 9, 2009 by eurozhongguo

[Soutpeel]

Euroz....see those square things in front of you with funny shaped symbols on ??....its called a keyboard....you need to push them in a coherant manner...and you will get something called text, which by the miracle of the internet appears on TV General forum...

[IanForbes]

Hey Ian how come no pics of you with a few teenies in their tennis gear LOL Just winding you up but that I would like to see

I've got pictures of them, but they're not suitable for this topic. I don't mind being wound up. I'm like an old Swiss watch. I kinda like touchy feely... just not with guys.

[purplehaze]

A sense of humour and some chill pills,for those enjoyable driving experiences and visits to the immigration office.

[speleo]

Is there anything I should bring with me I can't get over there?

I've never seen Marmite for sale in Thailand.

Happy to be corrected if anyone knows where it is obtainable outside Bangkok.

[katana]

...most T-shirts {in Thailand] have the feeling of wearing a plastic bag even though the label states '100% Cotton' yeah right, more like polyester. ..

Yeah, I noticed that too. Maybe I buy at the wrong places, but the label says 100% cotton, however they feel polyester or cotton/polyester mix at best.

[sanook2me]

...most T-shirts {in Thailand] have the feeling of wearing a plastic bag even though the label states '100% Cotton' yeah right, more like polyester. ..

Yeah, I noticed that too. Maybe I buy at the wrong places, but the label says 100% cotton, however they feel polyester or cotton/polyester mix at best.

Thats rubbish...go to Tesco and they have cotton tees for 199 baht or if you can afford the little extra go to Central in the sports department and buy golfing polo shirts about 600 - 1000 baht each but will last a long time as good quality golf clothing.

[Gary74]

I'm coming to Bangkok soon and staying for a good few months maybe a couple of years.

Is there anything I should bring with me I can't get over there?

I guess most things can be purchased in Bangkok - they have Tesco don't they?

I'm bringing lots of t-shirts and shorts and some trainers and shoes so that should be ok.

I hear protein powder is hard to come buy but not sure if I want to bring that through customs!

Thanks.

Yes, please bring your common senses with you(no pun intended). You'll be amazed how many farangs leave that at home.

[sanook2me]

Yes, please bring your common senses with you(no pun intended). You'll be amazed how many farangs leave that at home.

How strange, thats what i was going to post then got sidetracked about t shirts and forgot to write it....scary stuff...

I would rather arrive with nothing and common sense than everything and no common sense as everything will soon be nothing without common sense...

[Soutpeel]

Is there anything I should bring with me I can't get over there?

I've never seen Marmite for sale in Thailand.

Happy to be corrected if anyone knows where it is obtainable outside Bangkok.

Have bought Marmite in Villa at Major Ratchada in BKK and even Bovril in same place, never see it anywhere else...

[thaimate]

Is there anything I should bring with me I can't get over there?

I've never seen Marmite for sale in Thailand.

Happy to be corrected if anyone knows where it is obtainable outside Bangkok.

for sale in just about every store in Pattaya,villa,friendship,foodland ,tesco.ect.

[sunny747]

Protein power is very expensive here. you better get it from UK.

[oldsparrow]

Yes, please bring your common senses with you(no pun intended). You'll be amazed how many farangs leave that at home.

How strange, thats what i was going to post then got sidetracked about t shirts and forgot to write it....scary stuff... I would rather arrive with nothing and common sense than everything and no common sense as everything will soon be nothing without common sense...

The common sense will tell you that you are no longer in UK so you won't waste wonder why this? why that? why not? why me?

You should bring shoes. local shoes are generally bad and the good brands with quality are more expensive here.

[bedbugy]

sainsbury's red label tea

and more sainsbury's red label tea