Chiang Mai as Thailand's heaven for backpackers

[puukao]

Guesthouse, 2-nights: 450 baht

Street Food, 9 meals: 400 baht

Beer: 2,000 baht

Karaoke Bar, one-night: 30,000 baht

future money lost on ex-wife met at bar: 4,543,243 baht

riding an overnight bus that almost crashed 10 times, killing everyone: priceless

[Ricky from Brisbane]

I have to admit being a back packer in my young days and I was thrifty. Without being so I could not have afforded to see most of the world, though backpacking across an island that is mostly desert and an ex penal colony, really never held much interest for me. I don't recall dumping rubbish or causing damage to people's property though, perhaps it was something to do with the way I was brought up? In the 60's I did indeed do drugs, never stole for them though always paid or were given to me. Heck if I could go back to that wonderful time of roaming the world and taking drugs, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm sure current backpackers don't spend much in Chiang Mai or anywhere else for that matter, otherwise they couldn't see the world at such an age. Those I see look quite happy and contented gaining experiences that people like yourself will miss out on forever and I hope that we will never see the end of these bright youngsters, who no doubt will one day become the bankers, lawyers and politicians that we all love and admire. Fair dinkum?

Yeah your experience back in the 1960s is relevant to the backpackers of today .Thats good you saw all those places and did those things but that was like 40 years back. listen to you now and you sound like some pompous bore.

You hit the point on teh head when you say these youngsters will become bankers and lawyers and stuff but you miss the point why they can do this and also be backpackers.

That is becasue they come from middle class and rich families in the main and they can afford to take a year or so off life and prance around like a rich girl/boy pretending to be poor or slumming it for a year. And how they slum it is take advantage of everythign thats free around them, that is in australia how they do it. They bring some money to the economy sure but not much and it probably cost more to support their lifestyle. they leave the country not paying their parking fines or speeding fines or anythign else they can not pay. They often work cash and make it so the wages become less in that industry for every day people and dont have the visa to work ot owrk in the first place. Of course they are happy and contented becasue they have a good life to go back to, now they have done their one year of membership to the 'slumming club'.

I dont mind all these people doing what they want but i'll call it like it is.

[Ulysses G.]

That is becasue they come from middle class and rich families in the main and they can afford to take a year or so off life and prance around like a rich girl/boy pretending to be poor or slumming it for a year. And how they slum it is take advantage of everythign thats free around them

Although I agree that some of them are like this, a lot of them are OK. It is not really fair to lump them all together, but it is certainly true that many backpackers are freeloaders with plenty of money behind them.

[Ricky from Brisbane]

That is becasue they come from middle class and rich families in the main and they can afford to take a year or so off life and prance around like a rich girl/boy pretending to be poor or slumming it for a year. And how they slum it is take advantage of everythign thats free around them

Although I agree that some of them are like this, a lot of them are OK. It is not really fair to lump them all together, but it is certainly true that many backpackers are freeloaders with plenty of money behind them.

yes sorry. They are not all like i said before.

I see a lot like that and probably less than 50% but still a lot.

[Ulysses G.]

Agreed and that might be generous.

[uptheos]

I have to admit being a back packer in my young days and I was thrifty. Without being so I could not have afforded to see most of the world, though backpacking across an island that is mostly desert and an ex penal colony, really never held much interest for me. I don't recall dumping rubbish or causing damage to people's property though, perhaps it was something to do with the way I was brought up? In the 60's I did indeed do drugs, never stole for them though always paid or were given to me. Heck if I could go back to that wonderful time of roaming the world and taking drugs, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I'm sure current backpackers don't spend much in Chiang Mai or anywhere else for that matter, otherwise they couldn't see the world at such an age. Those I see look quite happy and contented gaining experiences that people like yourself will miss out on forever and I hope that we will never see the end of these bright youngsters, who no doubt will one day become the bankers, lawyers and politicians that we all love and admire. Fair dinkum?

Yeah your experience back in the 1960s is relevant to the backpackers of today .Thats good you saw all those places and did those things but that was like 40 years back. listen to you now and you sound like some pompous bore.

You hit the point on teh head when you say these youngsters will become bankers and lawyers and stuff but you miss the point why they can do this and also be backpackers.

That is becasue they come from middle class and rich families in the main and they can afford to take a year or so off life and prance around like a rich girl/boy pretending to be poor or slumming it for a year. And how they slum it is take advantage of everythign thats free around them, that is in australia how they do it. They bring some money to the economy sure but not much and it probably cost more to support their lifestyle. they leave the country not paying their parking fines or speeding fines or anythign else they can not pay. They often work cash and make it so the wages become less in that industry for every day people and dont have the visa to work ot owrk in the first place. Of course they are happy and contented becasue they have a good life to go back to, now they have done their one year of membership to the 'slumming club'.

I dont mind all these people doing what they want but i'll call it like it is.

I bow to your supreme knowledge.

[daoyai]

I think that 500 baht a day number for backpakers is bs. I've lived in the old city for 2 1/2 years and see these backpackers everyday. What do you think they do at night, sit in their 200 baht rooms and study maps? They are out in the bars getting sh*tfaced, they're getting massages, buying things at the markets, spending money. Most of them like to smoke, they rent scooters at 200 baht a day, or bikes, they go on tours . . . these kids are spending money, don't kid yourself.

AND they don't have to pay for sex !

[jobin]

Is a 'moo baan' the same as a 'gated community'? Or more generally, what the hell is a moo baan?