17 Year Old Travaling In Thailand

[Scott]

Sorry for being rather tough on you in an earlier post, but it's out of concern. Since you are internet savvy, you might make the aquaintance of someone here or on other web sites who can help you out a little. At least a local contact in case you have trouble.

I would like it to be a pleasant, meaningful learning experience.

[pattaya_girl]

Buy a Return Air Ticket in case things dont go to plan, that way you can always get home.

Good luck to you, you are only young and I dont blame you for wanting to see the World a bit, but you got to be careful.

Would be better if you could come with a friend, might be a bit touph on your own in Thailand for the first time surrounded by people who dont speak your language...

Dont squander your Money on Ladies and drinking, be sensible and careful if you are determined to do it.

[pattaya_girl]

good luck

Edited August 19, 2009 by pattaya_girl

[way2muchcoffee]

I reckon the lad just wants an adventure. Nothing wrong with that. Very nasty things could happen to any one of us here or anywhere. If things go badly he'll grow and become stronger for it. If things go well, the same.

So I say go for it, but make sure you have adequate funds and an escape plan in place.

Edited August 19, 2009 by way2muchcoffee

[ukrules]

It might be better to go somewhere nearer to home for your first trip, it would be less expensive to travel there, etc. Have you considered going to Mexico or a little it further to some of the Central American countries ?

I think I was about 22/23 when I first went to Thailand, when I was about 17/18 the furthest I went was Spain, Germany, Holland, etc, the local countries.

[Datsun240Z]

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

Absolutely right, just make sure you don't end up emtpy on money in Thailand.

[PeaceBlondie]

Mexico, more than 100 miles south of USA - excellent idea. Check visa and re-entry laws.

[steven45]

go stay in issan cheap there nice to lol stay away from patong pattaya and learn some thai then thinks are cheaper ,travel using buses and the trains , the thing that cost money are bird and beer ,if you want beaches there all nice down south ,you can rent monthly that the cheapest way but then you will not see much off thailand ,

[OxfordWill]

Read a few books on thailand before you come, once youre in Bangkok send me a PM (message) on this forum and ill help you out with some basic things. That is if you decide to come to bangkok. Just make absolutely certain you keep either a return ticket or enough money somewhere you cannot easily spend it, for a return flight home.

[astral]

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.

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.

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.

I picked out these three posts as I feel they offer the best advice

The last particularly, if you find yourself on hard times.

The Monks will not turn you away if you need food and a bed,

but you may have trouble communicating.

I suggest you start to learn the Thai language before you leave,

otherwise you will have to stay on the tourist trail, where the touts and con-men abound.

[MiG16]

there have been some good practical advice given

but I sure hope you are doing more than simply talking to people on the net for the advice. perhaps you know people who have been here?

people who are here in thailand, that you can reach in case of emergency, for whatever help?

and remember it should be people you know and can trust.

its one thing to be adventurous and make friends, meet new people. however in doing that, you always have to remember to stay on your guard. have fun, talk to them, but dont go all trusting and reveal personal details or get so drunk while you are out with strangers.

if you know of thai people in your town, talk to them, find out as much as you can about it. but also do listen to advice about scams and dodgy things that COULD happen. not saying they will, but its better to be careful and it not have happened to you, than feel sorry later.

not sure what else I can say.

[mahtin]

"Come unto me all ye who travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you."

Learn to spell before you go to TEFL Town.

[PaulUSA302]

First, get a MSN messenger or Yahoo account and chat with some people in Thailand who can give you some of the best advice possible. They may also be able to help you. Also, talk to as many Thai people as you can for the advice you seek.

Also you should know that in Thailand you will often be charged a much higher price for things simply because you are not Thai. It will not be a surprised if you are charged well over 5X as much for the same goods or services.

Good luck and best wishes!

[PaulUSA302]

Mexico, more than 100 miles south of USA - excellent idea. Check visa and re-entry laws.

American youth are being killed by the handful in Mexico. They are even mailing back body parts and demanding ransom for the living parts.

Mexico is a no-go right now for most Americans.

[brianw]

I hope you are not running away to escape the Draft.

[highlander76]

My advice to you is to wait one more year the more money you save the you will enjoy yourself Thailand is not that cheap, have you thought about India much better for low budget backpacking than Thailand

[lioness]

You sound very immature, I think Thailand is going to chew you up and spit you out. Make sure you have a back up plan.

[loser1]

Kids...

[thaimiller]

Do it mate, I wish I would have had the balls to come here at 17 instead of travelling Europe, I didn't get here until I was 28. Good luck and keep your wits about you.

[cdnvic]

Mexico, more than 100 miles south of USA - excellent idea. Check visa and re-entry laws.

American youth are being killed by the handful in Mexico. They are even mailing back body parts and demanding ransom for the living parts.

Mexico is a no-go right now for most Americans.

Please give your source for this.

[Neeranam]

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

good for you bro. ound like me when i ws young

khon ken khon ken khon ken is the best plce for you. pm me for detils. 9sorry my " ' is not working

[PeaceBlondie]

I hope you are not running away to escape the Draft.

No. No conscription in USA since early 1970's.

[ukrules]

I hope you are not running away to escape the Draft.

No. No conscription in USA since early 1970's.

So far . . . .

[MyphuketLife]

Check with thai consulate in your area, I highly doubt a 17 year old can come alone. You will have to wait until you are 18.

Also you need to have a return ticket, that way when you run out of money you can still leave the country.

If you think money games are bad in the US wait till you come here and everywhere you go, people will look at you and try to treat you like a walking ATM machine.

It seems from your post you stand up to authority when you feel something is wrong... If you come and run into any trouble or no trouble but a COP looking for extra pocket money, you better not stand up...

If you come here it could be the best thing to ever happen in your life, a real eye opening experience, or it could be the worst thing you have decided to do in your 17 years, or a mixture of both... Just what ever you do, make sure you have a back up plan, money stashed in a bank that you touch ONLY for an emergency or parents that have the extra money to send you if/when you need it.

[Jigger]

As said earlier, Thailand is going to eat you alive.

By your posts, you are going to get into trouble.

Ive visited Thailand 5 times, spent over 2 years in the country and now at 22 im only just looking at finding work in Bangkok..

If I had tried that at 17, id be in jail now.

[FD333]

Am I , like, you know, the only dude here that speculates this post from Biff Kerouac, is like a joke?

If it isn't, it should be.

Peaceblondie...

I thought the Mexican border was about an inch south of the US border, or did you mean that the 'Rebel Yell' above needs to get himself 100 miles into the Baha hinterland?

The dude abides.

[PeaceBlondie]

I've never been to Baja, but I've been to Oklahoma. I swam from US to Canada, US to Mexico, and Mexico to Guatemala, often. My twins live in Southmost Texas. Border areas are the worst on both sides, but interior and coastal Mexico are nice. I paid 800 pesos (now US$61) PER MONTH for 3 bedrooms and a private pool at the beach in Chiapas; $3 per night for a cabin at the lake, etc.

[jwisland]

Young man,

It appears you've had a tough crowd to win over here, but it is experience talking, so listen to all. I applied for my passport on my 18^th birthday……that would have been in 1973. Bus from Phoenix to NY, then a cheap flight to Europe. Too dam_n cold up north, so I headed to Rome. Eventually made my way to Brindisi, Italy (after nearly dying from exposure in the mountains) where I found another long hair type that had some maps all over the table in a bar. He was headed to India. I decided to tag along.

Istanbul was incredible, the train across Turkey into Iran was a nightmare, Rode the top of a cargo truck all the way to the Afghan border. Enjoyed the local black squishy stuff in hookahs, with locals, all the way to Kabul, crossed the Khyber Pass and mingled with the locals in Pakistan for a couple of months. Thoroughly enjoyed my third class train ride to Delhi (kidding), saw the Taj Mahal, caught rides up to Varanasi, then up to Kathmandu and did some obligatory trekking up in the Annapurna mountain range. Send a telegram home and asked my parents to sell my car to my little brother (kind of a forced sale there), and wire me the money to Nepal. Broke? You betcha! Headed down to Calcutta, then Rangoon, and ended up in Bangkok my "first" time in 1974. Not exactly the Bangkok of today. From here I caught a cheap flight to Oakland and a bus back to Phoenix.

Total trip time……10 months. Total weight loss.....about 30 kilos. Total rip offs…….one…..on the bus back to Phoenix (My passport was stolen while I was asleep. Now THERE was a loss......all those stamps). I've had many more adventures since, but this post addresses your current age and the current world situation. You could never travel where I traveled, alone, today, with the safety I found in the early 70s. That's the difference. Unfortunate, is it not? What I discovered about culture and life was priceless. And it was my attitude, the way I carried myself (open…non-threatening….always smiling even at the worst of times.) Today? I wouldn't even attempt most of the trip, at least not without a Canadian passport. Man….you Canadians piss me off! Everybody likes you! Total cost circumnavigating the world was around $2800 usd, but no bungalows for me. I ate with Bedouins tribes, slept in farm stalls, the desert or the jungle…..anywhere that was free. Camels spit by the way. Nasty creatures….but make for great photo ops. Don't try that now….the world, unfortunately, has changed.

You're hearing this from a 54 year old retiree. Do I wish I was 17 again? Yes, for the stamina, and no, because I could never do again what I did at18. It sounds like you've been reading adventure stories that were written by people of my age and ilk. However, a positive attitude and the way you present and carry yourself is a quality that transcends time.

If you're going on an adventure, expect an adventure……and that may not be a good thing. But it may. You will never know until you've returned home. Listen to the advice of all, because it is advice from the 21^st century. The world has changed. I too would recommend exploring Central or South America on your first try. As someone previously said…..at least you can hitch-hike home if your adventure takes a turn for the worst, and English is spoken throughout the Americas. Not California English, but the characters are easier to read for a native English speaker. If you are in fact "running away", then run to Wyoming. Phone calls home will be much cheaper. Good luck!

Edited August 20, 2009 by cdnvic
removed font/size tags to make readable

[blakegeee]

Not sure if the OP is still even here so I'll keep it short. ( I failed)

First of all, to answer one of you main questions as to not entirely scare you off,

'Chiang Mai is fun with many things to do in several directions and in town. It is also very competitively priced for rooms, internet, and has lots of cheap food vendors.'

Planning is obviously important so I'd recommend the following;

1st Thing -talk to Thai Embassy/Consulate in the US for advise

2nd Thing -read the Thailand Lonely Planet (recent one). You can't rely on it word for word for the specifics as things change fast here but it will give you a good idea of things to consider.

-Forget about "freedom of speach" or any of those "rights" that you may consider important to you if you are coming here. This isn't the US which is great in some ways and "not-so-great" in other ways. So called "rights" are abused here regularly and continuously so this might not even be your kind of place? You will likely have to witness these horrible things and do/say nothing or risk getting in some serious trouble.

-It would likely be hard to find someone to travel with at home but its great if you can. You also have a good chance of meeting people to travel with here. It is very good to have someone else to watch each others backs.

-Partying in any way tends to be totally out of the expected "cheap" Thailand budget you might be expecting. When I first traveled for 6 months on a budget here; I just avoided it totally and kept busy traveling around, waking up early, keeping busy etc. It is cheap to travel around and see things if you go to bed early!

-Thailand is "cheap" but most people (young and old) tend to spend a lot of money here even when they can't afford it. This often lands them in trouble.

-I'm sure you know already but have a return ticket. On top of that have a few thousand dollars in the bank. You can withdrawal it at ATMs everywhere, $5 per withdrawal Thai fee, and probably another $5 fee from your bank for using an international ATM.

-I'd be happy to show you the ropes a bit around Chiang Mai if you make it. Feel free to send me a PM if you want to chat. You can also feel free to check out my travel photos/journal www.blakemarc.smugmug dot com.

Good luck with it! This is a great place to travel but we all need to be cautious as its no utopia over here.

Edited August 20, 2009 by blakegeee

[PaulUSA302]

Mexico, more than 100 miles south of USA - excellent idea. Check visa and re-entry laws.

American youth are being killed by the handful in Mexico. They are even mailing back body parts and demanding ransom for the living parts.

Mexico is a no-go right now for most Americans.

Please give your source for this.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navc...n+kidnap+mexico

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz...oq=&aqi=g10

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz...mp;oq=&aqi=

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz...mp;oq=&aqi=

Those are just a few sources for you. Want more?