What Surprised you most when you first came to Thailand?

[Munger]

My first trip was in 2004. I had read up on things and wasn't much surprised by the older falang with younger Thai girls. I have been around a bit and I get it. What surprised me most was the basic infrastructure and education level of most of the Thais. Their reading and writing and basic math skills were better than many of the US high school graduates these days in the USA. Sure the Thais didn't seem to know as much about western history or world geography as I might have thought, but that is all relative. I don't know much about the Asian histories either.

I also was surprised, pleasantly that is with the general friendliness of every Thai lady I met. Maybe I smiled more back than or was more easily pleased, but I had a blast and the girls seemed happy. One of my "tour guides" I spent a few days with, had a friend that had a car and he drove us to The crocodile park, and the next day the Nong Nooch gardens. All for a very reasonable cost. My friend she knew how to get a boat to Ko Larn and that was a great quiet day. It was a great first holiday experience in Thailand. I have returned 11 or 12 times since and can't wait to get back there again.

N00bs writing about Thais, don't ya just love em?

Literacy rate in Thailand is very low, about 40-50%.

Many university graduates need a calculator to find 10% of 100.

Had "a friend" = her husband

I expect she made a profit from every transaction you made while with her.

The whole thread is about "Noobs" when they first came to Thailand. Do you expect him to be an expert like you on his first trip.

I would much rather listen to a noob tell of their own situations than a self proclaimed expert try and draw statistics from his <deleted>. Your whole post is just to try and show that you know more than the poster and try and prove that he is an naive. I am sure the Thais just love someone with that kind of attitude. Even if your points were true, which they are most likely not, who cares! He had a fun trip and still enjoys to come to Thailand. Maybe you are mad because you don't enjoy it anymore?

Nonsense, why would you want to listen to any fool, "noob" or not.

[joecoolfrog]

Well I for one wish I was still a ' fool ' , loved those a early trips to Thailand , every day was an adventure. I am certain I made a huge number of noob errors but nothing that haunts me , probably paid too much for everything from 'honey' onwards , didn't care then and dont care now , had a great time !

[1BADDAT]

My first trip was in 2004. I had read up on things and wasn't much surprised by the older falang with younger Thai girls. I have been around a bit and I get it. What surprised me most was the basic infrastructure and education level of most of the Thais. Their reading and writing and basic math skills were better than many of the US high school graduates these days in the USA. Sure the Thais didn't seem to know as much about western history or world geography as I might have thought, but that is all relative. I don't know much about the Asian histories either.

I also was surprised, pleasantly that is with the general friendliness of every Thai lady I met. Maybe I smiled more back than or was more easily pleased, but I had a blast and the girls seemed happy. One of my "tour guides" I spent a few days with, had a friend that had a car and he drove us to The crocodile park, and the next day the Nong Nooch gardens. All for a very reasonable cost. My friend she knew how to get a boat to Ko Larn and that was a great quiet day. It was a great first holiday experience in Thailand. I have returned 11 or 12 times since and can't wait to get back there again.

N00bs writing about Thais, don't ya just love em?

Literacy rate in Thailand is very low, about 40-50%.

Many university graduates need a calculator to find 10% of 100.

Had "a friend" = her husband

I expect she made a profit from every transaction you made while with her.

The whole thread is about "Noobs" when they first came to Thailand. Do you expect him to be an expert like you on his first trip.

I would much rather listen to a noob tell of their own situations than a self proclaimed expert try and draw statistics from his <deleted>. Your whole post is just to try and show that you know more than the poster and try and prove that he is an naive. I am sure the Thais just love someone with that kind of attitude. Even if your points were true, which they are most likely not, who cares! He had a fun trip and still enjoys to come to Thailand. Maybe you are mad because you don't enjoy it anymore?

Nonsense, why would you want to listen to any fool, "noob" or not.

If you think that he is a fool that is your opinion. We can all learn from peoples experiences, but I guess you are just here to educate the masses? The thread wasn't about absolute truths we learned on our first visit. It was about what surprised us.

[In Search of Space]

Arriving in 1985 after working in Middle East, getting into a taxi that was a big left-hand drive car, the surprise was then driving on the left, people everywhere was another big surprise, food was unbelievable

[Benmart]

I am still very saddened when i hear one one of our race (human race) refer to another as a "Big Fat Ugly one". We are all somebody's child and probably very much loved by someone near and dear to us somewhere (if we are fortunate enough). Either way, we can all show each other a bit of love to try and help somebody have a nicer day. I call that a "spiritual" way of thinking ....nothing to do with a religion.

For some, "spirit-ual" resides in a glass bottle or can. The altar is the bar and a higher power is defined as the "proof" of the beverage consumed.

To each their own.

[gk10002000]

My first trip was in 2004. I had read up on things and wasn't much surprised by the older falang with younger Thai girls. I have been around a bit and I get it. What surprised me most was the basic infrastructure and education level of most of the Thais. Their reading and writing and basic math skills were better than many of the US high school graduates these days in the USA. Sure the Thais didn't seem to know as much about western history or world geography as I might have thought, but that is all relative. I don't know much about the Asian histories either.

I also was surprised, pleasantly that is with the general friendliness of every Thai lady I met. Maybe I smiled more back than or was more easily pleased, but I had a blast and the girls seemed happy. One of my "tour guides" I spent a few days with, had a friend that had a car and he drove us to The crocodile park, and the next day the Nong Nooch gardens. All for a very reasonable cost. My friend she knew how to get a boat to Ko Larn and that was a great quiet day. It was a great first holiday experience in Thailand. I have returned 11 or 12 times since and can't wait to get back there again.

N00bs writing about Thais, don't ya just love em?

Literacy rate in Thailand is very low, about 40-50%.

Many university graduates need a calculator to find 10% of 100.

Had "a friend" = her husband

I expect she made a profit from every transaction you made while with her.

The whole thread is about "Noobs" when they first came to Thailand. Do you expect him to be an expert like you on his first trip.

I would much rather listen to a noob tell of their own situations than a self proclaimed expert try and draw statistics from his <deleted>. Your whole post is just to try and show that you know more than the poster and try and prove that he is an naive. I am sure the Thais just love someone with that kind of attitude. Even if your points were true, which they are most likely not, who cares! He had a fun trip and still enjoys to come to Thailand. Maybe you are mad because you don't enjoy it anymore?

Well stated 1BADDAT. Thanks

[KonaRain]

Septic tanks don't like paper.

Gotta add bacteria..

Too much information?

[tim armstrong]

Actually very little as somehow I knew quite a bit from my wife who I'd met in Timor Leste, and a lifetime before that from contact with 2 thai boys who went to my boarding school in Sydney some 50+ years previously. If I had to pick one thing it would be thais avoidance of regulations and everyday rules, which mostly seems like a good thing.

[razorramone]

The Bangkok smell. This whole city smells of chinese food. You forget about it until you spend a few days away.

[Mooner]

How this alleged 3rd world country had better cinemas than my home town

[smotherb]

I arrived at midnight on a saturday in january from a very cold Canada. The heat and humidity smoothered me. On the way to my hotel we were caught in a traffic jam at midnite. My driver couldnot find my hotel and had to stop and ask people in the area where it was. Next morning I was in a taxi at 8 am and the most beautiful young woman all dressed to the nines was smiling at me and making motions for me to stop and talk. After years of visiting Mexico Thailand was exotic and exciting. I amazed by the street life it was so vibrant. People selling things everywhere. Tasty looking food everywhere. And the hustle and bustle everyone was busy going some where,on the sidewalks.

But the really big shocker was the rats. I grew up in an area of the wolrd that is rat free. My second night in Bangkok I went to the Malaysia Hotel for dinner and check out their night entertainment. The Malaysia I was told used to be a hot spot for after hours but I think things had changed.Well rats would hit my legs and feet well scurrying around under the tables. I looked under the table and saw them everywhere. I then noticed the curtain behind the singer on stage moviing like the wind was blowing.. I then noticed rats running up and down the curtains. I simply ask for my bill and left. On getting outside I witnessed rats running over everything near the pool,tables chairs etc. I never went back to that area of Bangkok again.

The traffic back then was terrible less cars but no one stayed in a lane,,cars were everywhere.

lovelomsak, has no one told you? The rats are here for your entertainment. Sit at any sidewalk cafe, stop the first vendor selling slingshots. Order a bucket of ice, and use the cubes as ammunition to rid the city of rats. Great fun, and the girls will offer themselves free to the one who hits the most rats.

[sam3384]

I was 26 years old and it was my first time outside of the States apart from Canada and Mexico. After exiting the airport I went upstairs to arrivals to negotiate with a taxi driver to drive me into town.

After making a deal for 300 baht I put my bags in the trunk and proceeded to walk towards the right side of the taxi to sit in the front passenger seat.

My first surprise was realizing that there's a steering wheel on that side...

[adambear]

I know there are some dirt poor places in Thailand but I was surprised how many nice areas there were as well. Love the malls in Bangkok. Nicer than a lot of other malls I've been to in Asia and even nicer than many here in the US.

[puukao]

Surprises.......

1. Very friendly people, but then very depressed when you got to know some of them

2. i love not tipping

3. how many farangs are much worse off than me

4. can't find good tea

5. food stalls on random roads is perfect

6. nobody knew the meaning of life

7. money is almost everything

8. i didn't like the bar scene

9. people laugh when you speak thai

10. felt like home at times

11. wherever i go, there i was

12. somethings are really expensive

13. everything has sugar

14. roads in decent condition

15. there is heat, and then there is heat

16. there is pollution, and then there is pollution

17. one day in Pattaya made me believe satan exists

18. 40-years of savings gone over a girl from Issan.

[benalibina]

Surprises.......

1. Very friendly people, but then very depressed when you got to know some of them

2. i love not tipping

3. how many farangs are much worse off than me

4. can't find good tea

5. food stalls on random roads is perfect

6. nobody knew the meaning of life

7. money is almost everything

8. i didn't like the bar scene

9. people laugh when you speak thai

10. felt like home at times

11. wherever i go, there i was

12. somethings are really expensive

13. everything has sugar

14. roads in decent condition

15. there is heat, and then there is heat

16. there is pollution, and then there is pollution

17. one day in Pattaya made me believe satan exists

18. 40-years of savings gone over a girl from Issan.

Lets hope nr 19 will not read.......balcony

[AYJAYDEE]

Surprises.......

1. Very friendly people, but then very depressed when you got to know some of them

2. i love not tipping

3. how many farangs are much worse off than me

4. can't find good tea

5. food stalls on random roads is perfect

6. nobody knew the meaning of life

7. money is almost everything

8. i didn't like the bar scene

9. people laugh when you speak thai

10. felt like home at times

11. wherever i go, there i was

12. somethings are really expensive

13. everything has sugar

14. roads in decent condition

15. there is heat, and then there is heat

16. there is pollution, and then there is pollution

17. one day in Pattaya made me believe satan exists

18. 40-years of savings gone over a girl from Issan.

no wonder youre jaded

[hhgz]

"First Post: 61 yr old male...5 trips to Thailand in last 10 months...Now have GF in BKK and have applied for K1 Fiancee' Visa."

No surprise, there.