17 Year Old Travaling In Thailand

[kevbomac05]

hey everybody so i am a 17 year old American

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I am gonna go out there with very little money and spend not much at all.

I am gonna leave in march, so my question is can you give me some advice and tips about living in thailand.

I got kicked out of high school about 6 months ago so i thought i live for adventure and am against the way america is right now where everybody is caught up in the money game.

thanks alot for any advice or any input

Whats one of the cheapest towns, maybe like chaing mai.

I believe in living simple with just maybe some rice and noodles and just a little bed to sleep.

The only revolution is of the mind.

Edited August 18, 2009 by kevbomac05

[bina]

I am gonna go out there with very little money and spend not much at all.

I got kicked out of high school about 6 months ago so i thought i live for adventure and am against the way america is right now where everybody is caught up in the money game.

its like time fo r the three billy goats to like run off the bridge................

first thing i read after getting off shift?????????

bina

[Harcourt]

It's like, wow man, so cool what ur planning. How did you get kicked outa school dude?

Yeah man, evryone is into the money game, dude, i no what u mean. hit the road jack. freedom. yeah.

my advise to u is to stay in the states for a while. do the hobo drifter train jumping thing for a few years. get sum more experience first. backpacking is an art, so is successful bludging.

[junki3korean]

Whats with these 17 year olds??

You trippin young blood.....

[ukrules]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

[kevbomac05]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

ya all im spending money on is food and accommodation

anyways ya im going like a month before i turn 18

the truth is im just a guy who realizes that life is short and im gonna do what i wanna do in life, because when i wake up in the morning its me i gotta take care of

and its not like my parents are paying for it, im working and saving some money then gonna travel when i get there probably all over asia and see what happens,i wanna help people in life.

so any insight on cheap places or towns would be appreciated

[endure]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

ya all im spending money on is food and accommodation

If all you're going to do is eat and sleep you might as well stay at home. At least your Mom will do your laundry for free...

[slapout]

He wants to help people, maybe he could give testimony to students about what not to do to get kicked out of school. The op seems to have at least one area of knowledge.

[britmaveric]

I suggest you save a heap of dosh and Buddha knows you better keep your wits about you and have street smarts or I fear the worst.

[kevbomac05]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

ya all im spending money on is food and accommodation

If all you're going to do is eat and sleep you might as well stay at home. At least your Mom will do your laundry for free...

come on man, you have no idea why i got kicked out

i got kicked out for speaking against the school, government and other political things.

anyways ya ill do some travailing too, im just saying im not buying any thing

ya i wanna gain some experience and then probably start a shelter or donating food or what not to poor or needed children

thanks

[mc2]

well the locals live cheap so its possible. you can catch a bus around the country , the regular buses are not expensive.

i suppose you can do it but its gonna be very rough.

best if u get a job for a few months, any old crap job will do and save up a few thousand and then you have more options (a better use of your time). yeh and do your research first, travel books, maps, plans etc

[Beardog]

Hey Kev,

Spell check is a wonderful thing. Says a lot about a persons esteem . Especially in history & the arts dept.you may find very useful.

On the other note. While traveling is great & I have done my share. I started at 30 years old & I can tell you from experience that it is way more fun to have more than enough & come home with extra than it is to do the low budget shuffle. Unlike the U.S. there will be no hotties to hook up with that will sprank you funds to enjoy your lack of cash.

This is not Hawaii! If you were to get in trouble & needed $1000-$1500.00 could you cough up with the funds. Things can happen here & if you were to get caught in the wrong crowd( or the right crowd at the wrong time in lets say at a full moon party down south) & next thing you know the heat wants a handout or it is the Bangkok Hilton. Three squares a day of nothing but rice & sleeping on a cement floor shared by a hundred inmates. I almost got unlucky in Indonesia by just being near some hosers getting popped for puffin up. I was not in their party but the cops decided it is a good way to make revenue so I coughed up $100 bones to keep out of the pokey. Even though I was not doing anything. It is the same here. They can easily decide your a mark - so my advice to you is stay in the U.S. make what you can. come here or all of Asia with extra(you don't have to spend it all.) My vacations were a hel_l of a lot killer diller when I had 3 times what I needed than when I was broker than shit.

If you really feel strong about U.S. politics channel your energies into academics & do it from within. The way to fight the power is to be the man & get involved.

[way2muchcoffee]

The devil is in the details. Plan properly. Sort out the places you want to go in Thailand and Asia. Determine transportation and visa costs. Suss out the accommodation and food costs. Determine a real budget with overhead. Have an emergency fund and a return ticket just in case.

[noise]

The devil is in the details. Plan properly. Sort out the places you want to go in Thailand and Asia. Determine transportation and visa costs. Suss out the accommodation and food costs. Determine a real budget with overhead. Have an emergency fund and a return ticket just in case.

And find out what the chances are that a Thai consulate in the US would grant a tourist visa to an unaccompanied minor, that the airline will let an unaccompanied minor fly overseas, specially without a visa, or that Thai immigration would grant a visa on arrival, even with a return ticket.

[Scott]

Thailand is a country in which money counts. It really counts. If you think the money game is played in the US, just wait until you land here. It starts at the airport.

Here's some questions for you to ponder:

Why are you planning on coming to Thailand? From the tone of your post and reading between the lines, it doesn't appear that it's an 'educational' or cultural experience that you are looking for. It sounds more like an escape. The best thing is to 'escape' to somewhere with a familiar language and culture.

If your coming for the extracurricular activities--they are expensive. The ladies will cost you money--even the free ones and the others may cost you your freedom.

Thailand is a wonderful place to be, if you have money. If not, I fear we will be responding to your visit on this forum via a Press Release.

Get some cash and come on holiday and have a nice time.

[dondraper]

Do it. At 17, you can easily sleep with a large percentage of the girls 20-25 years old and not pay for it. Different University girl every night if that is what you are into. Just saying.

[Birdman]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

ya all im spending money on is food and accommodation

If all you're going to do is eat and sleep you might as well stay at home. At least your Mom will do your laundry for free...

I hitch hiked throughout the EU many times in my teeny years with almost no money. No proplema at all! Had the best time of my life. And I dare to say, that I experienced countries and the peoples more than package tourists in their buses.

I can understand that urge for many young people to discover something new, even saving is a day by day necessity. And these young people travel in Thailand by the thousands since decades.

Even if the max budget per month is low, it would also be possible to have a nice time here. One can rent a room or a bungalow for less than 5.000 Baht per month as a basis for instance, eat locally, travel by bus/train and so on. Lonely Planet is one of the the shoestring travel books to take along.

I once travelled a whole year throughout Thailand and was surprised how cheap it is. Considering of course, that I was zero interested in nightlife and all the standard "luxury"...

[Birdman]

Do it. At 17, you can easily sleep with a large percentage of the girls 20-25 years old and not pay for it. Different University girl every night if that is what you are into. Just saying.

Ever occurred to you, that girls don't have to be on top of the priority list by travelling in a foreign country for everyone? And young budget tourists are often under them selfs, so...

[Scott]

This doesn't sound like an adventure tourist or a regular backpacker. This sounds like someone who is running away.

We need to hear more from the OP. I hope he has a plan. I don't want to discourage anyone from experiencing life, but at the same time, he may need to plan this out a little better.

[Jonathanpattaya]

hey everybody so i am a 17 year old American

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I am gonna go out there with very little money and spend not much at all.

I am gonna leave in march, so my question is can you give me some advice and tips about living in thailand.

I got kicked out of high school about 6 months ago so i thought i live for adventure and am against the way america is right now where everybody is caught up in the money game.

thanks alot for any advice or any input

Whats one of the cheapest towns, maybe like chaing mai.

I believe in living simple with just maybe some rice and noodles and just a little bed to sleep.

The only revolution is of the mind.

Good luck. You are going to need it. Just be ware that Thailand has many potential pitfalls and you will need to learn fast.

Incidentally, it's travelling not travaling! Back to school.

[IanForbes]

One word of warning to the OP is DON'T carry a lot of cash on your person for very long. Arrange somehow to have a Thai bank account to withdraw funds as you go. The conmen and conwomen WILL spot you for a mark and prey on you the first chance they get. It's better to just lose a $100 than your whole life savings.

[sandgroper2]

hey everybody so i am a 17 year old American

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I am gonna go out there with very little money and spend not much at all.

I am gonna leave in march, so my question is can you give me some advice and tips about living in thailand.

I got kicked out of high school about 6 months ago so i thought i live for adventure and am against the way america is right now where everybody is caught up in the money game.

thanks alot for any advice or any input

Whats one of the cheapest towns, maybe like chaing mai.

I believe in living simple with just maybe some rice and noodles and just a little bed to sleep.

The only revolution is of the mind.

Good luck. You are going to need it. Just be ware that Thailand has many potential pitfalls and you will need to learn fast.

Incidentally, it's travelling not travaling! Back to school.

If u cant afford health insurance, dont come, u will end up like the many bums here who have to beg and borrow when then get crook(ill).

[nigelandjan]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

ya all im spending money on is food and accommodation

anyways ya im going like a month before i turn 18

the truth is im just a guy who realizes that life is short and im gonna do what i wanna do in life, because when i wake up in the morning its me i gotta take care of

and its not like my parents are paying for it, im working and saving some money then gonna travel when i get there probably all over asia and see what happens,i wanna help people in life.

so any insight on cheap places or towns would be appreciated

You end up in the wrong place at the wrong time here and you will find out just how short life is .

Do you have an international driving licence ? or are you gonna rely on public transport ?

My bit of advice to you if you can get a friend to travel with you , so you can at least look out for each other ,, also if you do drink too much shandy DONT upset the locals , Thais tend not to issue threats , they tend to just do it ,, be carefull !

[babuhavas]

hey everybody so i am a 17 year old American

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I am gonna go out there with very little money and spend not much at all.

I am gonna leave in march, so my question is can you give me some advice and tips about living in thailand.

I got kicked out of high school about 6 months ago so i thought i live for adventure and am against the way america is right now where everybody is caught up in the money game.

thanks alot for any advice or any input

Whats one of the cheapest towns, maybe like chaing mai.

I believe in living simple with just maybe some rice and noodles and just a little bed to sleep.

The only revolution is of the mind.

welcome to land of scams,and enjoy your stay

[tb86]

Well Just be careful kid, remember this isn't the US. What you may precieve to be the "rules" dont apply here. If you by chance do get in trouble, no one will be able to help you, i repeat no one your all on your own,,,,, forget mom and dad, the embassy no one will be able or willing to help you. Thailand can be a fantastic and beautiful place or it can be the ultimate hel_l for a very long time if you make a mistake. Budget yourself, and for god sakes have a get out of the country fund stashed away. If your well prepared it could be the trip of a lifetime, have fun

[malcolminthemiddle]

Become a novice monk, that way you will be able to fulfil all your goals.

Live a simple life

Help other people

Sleep on a little bed

Eat rice and noodles.

The only drawback I can see is the haircut.

[dondraper]

Do it. At 17, you can easily sleep with a large percentage of the girls 20-25 years old and not pay for it. Different University girl every night if that is what you are into. Just saying.

Ever occurred to you, that girls don't have to be on top of the priority list by travelling in a foreign country for everyone? And young budget tourists are often under them selfs, so...

no it never occurred to me. everywhere i am, girls are whats on my mind.

[cdnvic]

Don't let the romanticism of travel get the best of you. Before you make firm plans do a sober self assessment:

- How much independent travel have you really done?

- If you lose your plane ticket and bank card do you have a backup plan?

- Are you coming for the ideal of Thailand, or are you aware of it's realities?

The last one is very important. The romantic view of Thailand is one of simple people tending ricefields, Buddhas, Samlors, and a society built around those things. While these things all do exist they do so in a country where "the money thing" is a very big issue, and it's far more brutal than it is back home, because it's a place where unfortunately money often determines who is right or wrong. You may think this is the case in the US, but there it is not affecting you on a daily basis as it can in Thailand. It can be cold, brutal and unforgiving if you show up with a head full of romantic ideals about a place that exists only in your mind.

That being said, if you are prepared, and keep your wits about you it can be the adventure of a lifetime. Live in a hut near the beach, sleep in a country temple, listen to the jungle as the sun goes down, see Bangkok from the river at night. It's an amazing, beautiful, chaotic wonder that many people never see, even if they spend years here.

I personally think Mexico or Canada may be a better choice for your first outing on your own (worst case scenario, you walk home ) but Thailand isn't undoable so long as you go while in the right frame of mind. The country will be an assault on your senses from the moment you hit the arrivals hall at the airport. You need to be prepared.

[longstebe]

Bring a friend.

You being 17 travelling alone is not a wise move.

Unless you speak the lingo of course!!!!

[topben]

I will be going to travel in Thailand for like 2 or 3 months.

I am working now and saving up money.

I suggest you bring as much money as you can otherwise you will probably regret it. If you don't drink too much, have little to do with the bar girls and avoid the western food then it will be much cheaper.

ya all im spending money on is food and accommodation

anyways ya im going like a month before i turn 18

the truth is im just a guy who realizes that life is short and im gonna do what i wanna do in life, because when i wake up in the morning its me i gotta take care of

t like my parents are paying for it, im working and saving some money then gonna travel when i get there probably all over asia and see what happens,i wanna help people in life.

so any insight on cheap places or towns would be appreciated

many world leaders started life that way before. then upon their return to their homeland, they return to school. but that was in the good old days. today? am not sure. give it a shot, you never know. just keep your spirits high - no, that kind of high. just stay good - to yourself if no one else. remember, see no evil, hear no evil, and do no evil. also just don't do monkeys do in asia. you 'll be ok then. wish i was as gungho as you are then when i was young like you. guess your generation mature much much earlier than us because of the inernet......................

the temples, anywhere in asia......their grounds if you don't want to don their "uniform". they will share their food with you too in some cases.

Edited August 19, 2009 by topben