What is the biggest mistake you have made in Thailand?

[mca]

Flushing toilet paper and not using the bum gun.

Or in my case not checking to see if the bum gun was working in an upcountry petrol station with no toilet tissue or water trough. Though that's a mistake I only made once.

[soihok]

That happened to me at an Indian Railway Station, but that's another story.

[alanso]

Going to Koh Samugi.

Why???

[dennis123]

In a very drunk state asking a good looking foreigner why he has such an ugly Thai boyfriend while that Thai was standing next to him lol. The Thai freaked out completely and broke a beer bottle on my head. Not such a smart move.

[saintphil]

Around 20 years ago , went to my GFs place in Khon Kaen to visit the family very basic thai house

it was bloody hot and she asked if I wanted to wash, gave me a towel and directed me

to the bathroom, I jumped in the concrete square full of water , had a wash down and jumped out. Went back in the family room ,and I said that was a nice bath she

looked at me with daggers to inform me I had just had a bath in the families shower water .doh

[TuskegeeBen]

For your own sake, did you learn anything about Thai male mentality, from that experience?

Edited October 4, 2015 by TuskegeeBen

[TuskegeeBen]

Around 20 years ago , went to my GFs place in Khon Kaen to visit the family very basic thai house

it was bloody hot and she asked if I wanted to wash, gave me a towel and directed me

to the bathroom, I jumped in the concrete square full of water , had a wash down and jumped out. Went back in the family room ,and I said that was a nice bath she

looked at me with daggers to inform me I had just had a bath in the families shower water .doh

No matter how hard you may try, you just can't win, in the LOS.

[davethailand]

1) trusting a white man.

2) trusting thai visa forum to warn me about the white man.

[Mot Dang]

I attempted to use squat toilets.

Terrible results.

Me too, when I first arrived. All my change rolled out of my pockets straight down into hell. I wasn't going after it. I have learnt the tricks now, plus how to use the hose properly without getting in a mess.

[Mot Dang]

eating som tum with live poo naa

Actually I like somtum, if I have it with khow neeo (sticky rice). The Thai find it amusing watching a falang roll the balls of rice and dip into the somtum. I don't like the fermented fish (pla la) or the pickled small crabs, both have made me ill in the past. But leave these out, add some grated carrot strips with the green papaya, hand full of peanuts, halve the chili, a little more lime juice, and its great. Has to be eaten on the spot.

[Mot Dang]

My biggest mistake was not coming to Thailand sooner...

I'm in heaven....

I came in 1980, but when the first Amazing Thailand TAT campaign started in 1984 everything started to change rapidly, and more farang started to arrive. A mate of mine arrived in 1975, the stories he can tell. I wish I was here then.

The bar slobs hadn't arrived yet, and the characters and bars were straight out of the '50's. I would have liked to have seen the Mosquito Bar in Klong Toey, Lucy's Tiger Den in the Patpong district, the bars on the Petchburi Extention. All gone now. These bars had atmosphere, some straight out of dime novels or a Casablanca movie set. Good fun.

[fang37]

I arrived for the 2nd time in 2003.

Basically, smooth sailing.

Mistake - FE rates were a big challenge (I am a self-funded retiree). Bought vehicle, condo etc.

[balo]

My biggest mistake was to pretend I loved spicy food with lots of chilli. Now I'm almost allergic to it.

[cobbler]

Around 20 years ago , went to my GFs place in Khon Kaen to visit the family very basic thai house

it was bloody hot and she asked if I wanted to wash, gave me a towel and directed me

to the bathroom, I jumped in the concrete square full of water , had a wash down and jumped out. Went back in the family room ,and I said that was a nice bath she

looked at me with daggers to inform me I had just had a bath in the families shower water .doh

1 of my favorites. Lmao. I can never resist. Just dont say anything . Cheers. Try not to piss in it

[buji]

My biggest mistake I've made, was creating an account with ThaiVisa using my main account... Thus can never unsubscribe

[totally thaied up]

So far I think my biggest mistake was not buying a TE Visa at 45. I am 47 years old and just come back from a Visa run from Mae Sai. I have been driving today for 8 hours with a very bad cold and I am very tired. Just worrying about Visa runs for another 3 years till I can get to 50 is just a bit too much. I have been doing this now for 8 years (I am retired and not a Nomad) and just sick to death of doing this all the time. I looked like shit today from this damn cough and flu, was asked to show funds at the border (20k) and I thought, do I have to keep doing this shit for the next 3 years?

So flapping over it ....

[cobbler]

Do you have to pay 20k every 3 months.?

[tomwct]

Built a house and paid in Cash! You never build a house and pay in Cash! You will always be the loser in Thailand!

[phuketruski]

No mistakes as i learned from TV forum members mistakes.

[ripstanley]

Do you have to pay 20k every 3 months.?

NO

He has to show that he has cash of 20,000 Baht. This proves he can survive in Thailand without working illegally.

[1BADDAT]

Do you have to pay 20k every 3 months.?

NO

He has to show that he has cash of 20,000 Baht. This proves he can survive in Thailand without working illegally.

All that proves for me is that I can go out and have a fun night.

[totally thaied up]

Do you have to pay 20k every 3 months.?

NO

He has to show that he has cash of 20,000 Baht. This proves he can survive in Thailand without working illegally.

This is correct. I just had to show I had 20K on me. So far, I have only been asked twice in 8 years for flash money but things are changing here. Visas have proved to be my biggest mistake here. I can certainly afford a TE but the miser in me just tells me, the money I save from doing Visa runs just will mean I can upgrade my car when I turn 50 just due to a little bit of mucking around.

In reality, I should have said flap it at 45, bought the TE Visa and just relaxed and live a good life. I worked hard enough for it (mining industry since 15 years of age). The last Visa run was a horror as I had a fever when driving, bad cough and just looked and felt like crap. Driving for 8 hours on these crazy roads should have been warning enough for me just to stump up the money and to say hell with it.

Now with the METV coming in, going home to my Home country once or twice a year just make bigger headaches. I use to fly in and out of remote mining camps and about 15 years ago, we had the cargo side door blow out on us during a bad storm coming into PNG. I was next to the door and it was a horrifying experience and since that point, I have never flown well. The less flying I do, the happier I am.

[cobbler]

Ok. You just never know. Depends who is on the desk,or the 1 in charge.

[NoshowJones]

Another mistake was buying a new Yamaha Fino with the windshield and fancy headlights. I got it to replace my six year old Honda Wave 125.

My fuel consumption just about doubled, and the value dropped to about a third of it's new price after just over a year old and 9000 Ks.

I went back to my Wave and what a difference.

[JLCrab]

I don't make much effort to figure out what are/were my mistakes here in Thailand. I just post some of the things I've done and there are several posters who will come on and take some of their valuable time to explain to me just how badly I have screwed up.

Edited November 2, 2015 by JLCrab

[fang37]

Listening to the opinions of other expats. I prefer to follow my own intuition.

[luk AJ]

We all make decisions, choices and take risks every day. When the outcome is negative, we call it a mistake, but imo it's just part of life. Accept it, get over it and move on.

[stander]

Hiring expats, believing that they would be more reliable than Thai’s

[FruitPudding]

Letting go the finest maiden in the land.

It may never lose its sting.

[wow64]

Didn't pull out