What Surprised you most when you first came to Thailand?

[villagefarang]

I am afraid 1975 is a bit of a blur at this point. What would surprise me, is being able to remember anything that far back.

You mean you are now max 40 years old ...

Recently turned 60. First arrived shortly before my 21st birthday.

[how241]

The thing that surprises me is that there are not many flies. Sure, there are some, but in a tropical climate, with a lot of pollution and lots of food out in the open, I would have expected swarms of them. Food stalls seem to have more wasps than flies. Open air butchers have almost none.

Australia....well you almost can't breathe without swallowing them, and NZ has many in the summer.

+1...Not many bugs in general here in Pattaya...Coming from Florida, I expected at least as many but I see way less here...Surprising, as there are so many food carts and small restaurants here.

[gerry123]

pardon ??

[namdocmai]

I still remember how huge cockroaches can grow, and they even can fly! And in Krabi i saw whole gutters full of them , brrr.

But last years in BKK i rarely see any roach and have never ever seen one in our house.

[TheFishman1]

First time in Thailand 3 yrs ago plane landed in BKK had a two hour wait for plane to CM and a ladyboy with about a two day worth of beard surprise to see. I don't have anything against them just not for me. But that did surprise me my first time 25 mintues after landing here. After three years I still love Thailand . Life is Good

[davidmann]

I am afraid 1975 is a bit of a blur at this point. What would surprise me, is being able to remember anything that far back.

I was in Pattaya 1978 , the Blur was there anything there ,what i can remember was one bar 4 shops ,clean sea ,nice beach 2 hotels ,was there more ,lot jungle lot bugs ,the bugs drove me away ,to chang mai seemed to run on opium ,could not buy train ticket as westerner ,army on the trains , free grass in the hotels with ladies in bed on the house ,thats 5 star in the past ,those where the days

[Costas2008]

First thing that surprized me was the big room, and the size of the bed I had, in the hotel I booked.

During my flight, I was worried the bed wouldn't be enough for 3 but I can assure you we had ample space available to ourselves.

[BudRight]

It was realizing how much I like Thai food after refusing to eat it for about a week and giving in when I realized no-one knew how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

[Globeman]

Cockroaches the size of Volkswagens.

[Globeman]

It was realizing how much I like Thai food after refusing to eat it for about a week and giving in when I realized no-one knew how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

Why did you initially refuse? Was there a deep seated fear that it was not real food because it was unfamiliar?

People's aversion to new foods always baffles me. Thais get slagged off sometimes for being "closed-minded" about non-Thai food, but I think it is a universally common affliction.

Grilled cheese sandwich? They have still yet to learn how to make proper toast. 22 years and counting... nope, it's still white when it comes out of the toaster.

[Globeman]

First thing that surprized me was the big room, and the size of the bed I had, in the hotel I booked.

During my flight, I was worried the bed wouldn't be enough for 3 but I can assure you we had ample space available to ourselves.

What, you and your two new friends?

[BudRight]

It was realizing how much I like Thai food after refusing to eat it for about a week and giving in when I realized no-one knew how to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

Why did you initially refuse? Was there a deep seated fear that it was not real food because it was unfamiliar?

I was eight and a picky eater.

[Smurkster]

I thought it was going to be more like the other Southeast Asian countries I had been to, I was disappointed highly as the reality was not what I had envisioned..

[khrab]

First time in Thailand 3 yrs ago plane landed in BKK had a two hour wait for plane to CM and a ladyboy with about a two day worth of beard surprise to see. I don't have anything against them just not for me. But that did surprise me my first time 25 mintues after landing here. After three years I still love Thailand . Life is Good

Conchita Wurst?

[CharlieH]

"Grammar police" removed. I suggest you read the "netiquette" section of the forum rules.

[Smurkster]

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I am afraid 1975 is a bit of a blur at this point. What would surprise me, is being able to remember anything that far back.

I was in Pattaya 1978 , the Blur was there anything there ,what i can remember was one bar 4 shops ,clean sea ,nice beach 2 hotels ,was there more ,lot jungle lot bugs ,the bugs drove me away ,to chang mai seemed to run on opium ,could not buy train ticket as westerner ,army on the trains , free grass in the hotels with ladies in bed on the house ,thats 5 star in the past ,those where the days

That would have been a Thailand I would have loved to have seen, alas, those days are very far gone unfortunately...

[chicowoodduck]

How really ugly my ex wives had become and how they couldn't find me.....?

[NoshowJones]

First thing that surprized me was the big room, and the size of the bed I had, in the hotel I booked.

During my flight, I was worried the bed wouldn't be enough for 3 but I can assure you we had ample space available to ourselves.

I did not know that you were one of the naughty boys Costas, three in a bed? I assume one of them was your wife. Who was the other one?

[Costas2008]

First thing that surprized me was the big room, and the size of the bed I had, in the hotel I booked.

During my flight, I was worried the bed wouldn't be enough for 3 but I can assure you we had ample space available to ourselves.

What, you and your two new friends?

I wouldn't call them friends......just acquaintances.

Booked them before I left Greece.......and wasn't disappointed when arrived in BKK.

[Costas2008]

First thing that surprized me was the big room, and the size of the bed I had, in the hotel I booked.

During my flight, I was worried the bed wouldn't be enough for 3 but I can assure you we had ample space available to ourselves.

I did not know that you were one of the naughty boys Costas, three in a bed? I assume one of them was your wife. Who was the other one?

Sorry Possum, met the wife 6 months later.......don't even remember the names of those acquaintances................

[NoshowJones]

First thing that surprized me was the big room, and the size of the bed I had, in the hotel I booked.

During my flight, I was worried the bed wouldn't be enough for 3 but I can assure you we had ample space available to ourselves.

I did not know that you were one of the naughty boys Costas, three in a bed? I assume one of them was your wife. Who was the other one?

Sorry Possum, met the wife 6 months later.......don't even remember the names of those acquaintances................

So I was right, you are a naughty boy, sorry, I mean were.

[Andyfez]

We rented a car at Don Muang airport.

However even before we got to the main road outside the airport we had to pay 500 baht to a local policeman.........

[NanLaew]

There were no donkeys. Still aren't any. Maybe I should start a thread. Oh, wait...

[ToddinChonburi]

The crime and corruption. very sad I think.

[Foxter]

I remember how friendly the people are, I live in Chiang Mai, and it always warms my heart in the way the people smile regardless of their circumstances

Yes it's sounds all wooly and fluffy but it's true . As a Brit I think back in the way you are treated and the attitudes of people their , not realising what they do have .

I agree with one of the posts here , I wonder why some people stay here, as all they ever do is complain about Thailand and the people . It makes you wander why they stay .

Yes there are negatives , there are bad people here, but that's everywhere

[wprime]

Not bad looking farangs with unattractive girls. Seems to be no shortage of them.

[xen]

My immediate impression was getting of the Thai Inter plane and walking down the mobile stairs and being assailed by the warm sticky heat at 11.00 at night. We had to get onto a small bus to travel to the terminal at Don Murang and there were armed police ( or soldiers - i can't remember) everywhere with 12 guage shotties and M16s . This boy had never seen so much weaponry . I was impressed, and a little apprehensive about making a sudden wrong move.

I remember admiring a Pearl handled 357 strapped to a cop's hip gun-slinger style in Chiang Mai airport which was basically just a tin shed at that time.

And in Phuket i watched these 3 cops ride past , all on one small bike all carrying pistols and shotties and M16s. Stayed at Karon and the generator shut down at 10.00 at night.

Many more first impressions - opened a whole new world for me.

[jaywalker]

First checked in to the Dynasty Inn Soi Nana.

I was TERRIFIED of the jumble of wires on the poles.

Still am.

Driving on the left (I'm American), & STUNNING women everywhere who all thought I was a hansum man.

How a young, fit Thai girl can eat like a horse, yet stay slim & pretty.

The first time I ever heard a cutie say "Khap Khun Kaa" when feeding her room service at 3:00 AM in the Dynasty Inn.

Singha, Mittweida & Carlsberg beer.

A 3 wheeled BKK tuk-tuk (I hate them for the noise now).

Ass-washers (best thing since canned beer & sliced bread).

[umbanda]

Not to see so many homeless people and beggers like in most "3rd world" countries, India, and most Middle East countries, and the streets fairly clean and not so much trash considering the quantity of food stalls.....at least in Chiang Mai. Later, the quantity and quality of city parks, considering that Thai people is not outdoorsy at all.

[Liquorice]

The heat.............it was over 40C.

Those damn trucks with wailing loudspeakers..............so loud, I thought World War 3 had started.

Manual washing machines................thought they became extinct with the dinosaurs.