5 things i wish i knew before going to Thailand

[jhonnie]

That the food was sooooo delicious ..i'm now FAT

That the girls were soooo pretty ...now i'm married

That the shopping was soooo cheap.. now i'm now broke

That the people are sooo kind ...i'm now a Buddhist

The countries so beautiful...i now have to live here...

[whaleboneman]

Some absolutely practical advice:

1. Thai king-size beds are the same size as U.S. king size beds, but for reasons totally unknown, good quality sheets sets in Thailand cost 10 times what they do in the western world and it's nearly impossible to find flat top sheets that match the rest of the sheet set. So, bring several sets of good quality sheets with you. (Isn't this stuff made in this part of the world?)

2. Ditto for good quality bath towels.

3. Ditto for good quality athletic shoes.

4. Ditto for good quality underwear, especially women's bras.

5. Ditto for good quality swimwear, especially for a woman who isn't toothpick thin and swims laps for several hours weekly.

Thank you. This is the kind of info I was hoping to find when I opened this thread. Hopefully people will add more.

[Suradit69]

You should also know that you are more than likely to have at least one paedophile within spitting distance of you at any given time! So remember to spit.

"So remember to spit."

Better to preemptively proclaim yourself a spitter before, by process of elimination, you become the designated spittee.

[benalibina]

That even if your married, own a company, working and have kids you will NEVER be accepted as you are back home, no matter how long you stay

and at any time you can be kicked out or refused your visa

And that the Wife's dedication is to her mother first, children second, you will be considered third at best. So keep an eye open for those other family ties

Funny enough many foreigners always seem to hook up with the best and most responsible girl of the family. Whose dedication, financial ofcourse, is to her mother, and her mothers siblings, first.

The other siblings dont seem to care though.

[gk10002000]

Number 1 is that the Thai beds/mattresses are so bloody hard! I would bring the foam padding one can buy here in the USA from Walmart for $20 USD and bring it with me every trip.

[i claudius]

Some absolutely practical advice:

1. Thai king-size beds are the same size as U.S. king size beds, but for reasons totally unknown, good quality sheets sets in Thailand cost 10 times what they do in the western world and it's nearly impossible to find flat top sheets that match the rest of the sheet set. So, bring several sets of good quality sheets with you. (Isn't this stuff made in this part of the world?)

2. Ditto for good quality bath towels.

3. Ditto for good quality athletic shoes.

4. Ditto for good quality underwear, especially women's bras.

5. Ditto for good quality swimwear, especially for a woman who isn't toothpick thin and swims laps for several hours weekly.

Thank you. This is the kind of info I was hoping to find when I opened this thread. Hopefully people will add more.

Now that Marks and Spencers have opened we have it all , both my son and i always got our underwear there and the wife likes the biscuits

[Mr Money Bags]

Number 1 is that the Thai beds/mattresses are so bloody hard! I would bring the foam padding one can buy here in the USA from Walmart for $20 USD and bring it with me every trip.

Actually, I could not agree more!

Sometimes, I think concrete would be softer than most Thai beds......

You're Welcome!!

[MaeJoMTB]

3. Ditto for good quality athletic shoes.

Robinsons in KSK have a half price sale on trainers.

I bought some Reebok running shoes (US size 12) last week for $45 ...... cheaper than the USA.

You're right about the sheets and towels though.

Don't know about the womens stuff, my misses and the teen are toothpick thin.

Edited January 17, 2016 by MaeJoMTB

[HaleySabai]

Super Bliss Rule no.1: Avoid farang - Keep local Thais @ arms length.

[phoenixdoglover]

1. The cheap food at BKK is down on Level 1; Level 3 is for suckers.

2. No matter how much you are aware of Thai tourist scams, one day you will be scammed; laugh it off.

3. National Park is a marketing term.

4. You have overestimated your ability to stay out of the clutches of a beautiful, affectionate woman.

5. Wear a watch, but only as a fashion accessory; the timekeeping aspect is not useful.

[jadee]

5 things I wish I knew before I came are ...
...that most condos don't appreciate in value (if you're reading this and your condo has, congrats!)
...that no matter how much you have or give, you are always 'stingy'.

...that Thais only truly excel at one thing: sleeping.
...that Thais have no regard for excessive noise (pubs until 3am etc)

and finally, I wish I knew that that the thing I would most miss about Thailand when I leave is the 'bum gun' water hose in the bathroom. Yes really.

[farang95]

1- Always be careful about Farang

2-Learn thai (read and speak (write is optional but if you do..You good )

3- money...its always (or not) about money .....

4- You can take the girl out of the bar but you cant take the bar out of the girl ...

5- Alcohol is bad....dont drink too much.

[Rob13]

- Always be careful about Farang

You had to come to Thailand to find out whitey can't be trusted?

[farang95]

- Always be careful about Farang

You had to come to Thailand to find out whitey can't be trusted?

it is not personal.. just a fact...... its easy to give your trust to a farang who speak the same language as you do..its a natural mistake i guess......

[Rob13]

Sounds like you got burnt.

[farang95]

Sounds like you got burnt.

sorry.... i know its bad to say that farang are not good right????? but newbies need to know that fact...Cause at first you go first to foreigner person to take advice from the country ..the personal experience of a farang is interesting i guess....So easy to trust..But like i said..it is not personal.

[Rob13]

IME; Scammers come in all colors and languages, Thailand might have a few more farang scammers cuz they get over here and spend all their cash on beer and bargirls and run amok. Mexico has the same problem with gringos.

[Rhys]

Upcountry hotels.. .have bed bugs

Upcountry hotels have hooker services

Traveling by train is a leisure travel mode

Taxi drivers can be cool or AH

Thailand is still cool.

[mcfish]

Some absolutely practical advice:

1. Thai king-size beds are the same size as U.S. king size beds, but for reasons totally unknown, good quality sheets sets in Thailand cost 10 times what they do in the western world and it's nearly impossible to find flat top sheets that match the rest of the sheet set. So, bring several sets of good quality sheets with you. (Isn't this stuff made in this part of the world?)

2. Ditto for good quality bath towels.

3. Ditto for good quality athletic shoes.

4. Ditto for good quality underwear, especially women's bras.

5. Ditto for good quality swimwear, especially for a woman who isn't toothpick thin and swims laps for several hours weekly.

Thank you. This is the kind of info I was hoping to find when I opened this thread. Hopefully people will add more.

Buy all of your cotton t shirts from home, they are cheaper and much much better quality.

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[Gringogazzer]

IME; Scammers come in all colors and languages, Thailand might have a few more farang scammers cuz they get over here and spend all their cash on beer and bargirls and run amok. Mexico has the same problem with gringos.

Steady on now. I haven't been to Mexico in a while.

[thefamilyjules]

Don't bother to learn Thai, they pretend they don't understand and are not worth talking to anyway most of the time

The one thing you cannot do without here are good ear plugs, you do not want to be listening to the Thai in laws rabbiting away about som tam or why it's hot/ cold.

Don't eat the food, Thai 'cuisine' really is the most ghastly repetitive stuff, but if you like lots of rice, veg, + fish served with some of the worst smelling stuff (plha ra) maybe OK

Never lend money to a Thai for obvious reasons, other foreigners even more so.

Never ever be tempted to marry a bar girl, most are as thick as a brick and as crafty as a fox.

The only thing Thais excel at are music and dance, that's the amazing part, the rest is not worth a mention.

Noise cancelling headphones - ordinary ear plugs are useless. I have tinnitus from the noise pollution.

The rest is bullocks from a fogey who can't speak Thai. Learning Thai is the best thing you can do. Then the other gripes mentioned above won't be at issue.

[thefamilyjules]

Some absolutely practical advice:

1. Thai king-size beds are the same size as U.S. king size beds, but for reasons totally unknown, good quality sheets sets in Thailand cost 10 times what they do in the western world and it's nearly impossible to find flat top sheets that match the rest of the sheet set. So, bring several sets of good quality sheets with you. (Isn't this stuff made in this part of the world?)

2. Ditto for good quality bath towels.

3. Ditto for good quality athletic shoes.

4. Ditto for good quality underwear, especially women's bras.

5. Ditto for good quality swimwear, especially for a woman who isn't toothpick thin and swims laps for several hours weekly.

Thank you. This is the kind of info I was hoping to find when I opened this thread. Hopefully people will add more.

Buy all of your cotton t shirts from home, they are cheaper and much much better quality.

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

No 100% cotton. It's too humid. You'll be soaked.

Good quality sneakers can be found, but only in cities and sizable towns, and for the same you'd pay at home.

[thefamilyjules]

That even if your married, own a company, working and have kids you will NEVER be accepted as you are back home, no matter how long you stay

and at any time you can be kicked out or refused your visa

Sounds about same as a Muslim in the West.

except a muslim in the west will be accepted if they knuckle down and find a job, work hard and try to become a valued member of the communtiy.

that won't happen here

Not in the U.S. these days they won't. Being Muslim here is only slightly better than being black.

I would agree with the lack of acceptance mentioned before that. After 6 years, fluent and literate in Thai, and I was still called Farang like it was my name or regarded as such.

[thefamilyjules]

You should also know that you are more than likely to have at least one paedophile within spitting distance of you at any given time! So remember to spit.

Hmmm, within hitting distance has a nicer ring to it.

[phuketrichard]

That even if your married, own a company, working and have kids you will NEVER be accepted as you are back home, no matter how long you stay

and at any time you can be kicked out or refused your visa

Sounds about same as a Muslim in the West.

except a muslim in the west will be accepted if they knuckle down and find a job, work hard and try to become a valued member of the communtiy.

that won't happen here

Not in the U.S. these days they won't. Being Muslim here is only slightly better than being black.

I would agree with the lack of acceptance mentioned before that. After 6 years, fluent and literate in Thai, and I was still called Farang like it was my name or regarded as such.

wait til your older they no longer call u Farang but call you Pa LOL

[fey]

i'm getting a lot of thais acting nice then talking @hit in thai when ordering food at restaurants, drinks etc.
also, not taking orders until you grab one or making you up to order, not providing water and making me walk up to pay.

upon observation, anyone thai is provided with an menu immediately and things go smoothly.

you can know that things are not always what they seem literally. most of the friendly stuff is an act. thais are as racist as you would expect people to be anywhere.
if you keep that in mind is much easier to not let your guard down and your safer and probably happier in the long run if you choose to stay. no dashing of expectations, so to speak.

if your just on holday, i would just run with it and not over analyze. it's a good experience to have even if it's an illusion.

[CHRISTIANa9]

Super Bliss Rule no.1: Avoid farang - Keep local Thais @ arms length.

Might as well live in the mountain

[NeverSure]

Super Bliss Rule no.1: Avoid farang - Keep local Thais @ arms length.

Might as well live in the mountain

Absolutely. But treat yourself to a Western style house.

[arunsakda]

Do not get into a physical altercation with a Thai

Do not purchase a home to be registered in a womans name.

Do not open a business.

[farang95]

FARANG is not that bad.... even in your own country most of you are "farang" ...... just find a good Nickname..And they will call you by the Nickname....simple as that.... but at the end of the day....you will always be a farang.....

Does there is any Farang...who did achieve in their goal to be fully thai and got the Thai passport? is that possible ?