Thailand - Lessons Learned, Observations and Other Useless Information

Convenience Stores 

There are 7-11s everywhere and unlike the US, they're a pretty good deal. Especially for beer. They sell everything! Get a beer to go, they open it and walk around. The restaurants don't care if you walk in with an open container!

Eating Utensils

Thais typically use a fork and spoon for eating. We have rarely seen any chopsticks. Knives usually are not provided since most food is cut bite-size when it's prepared. 

Napkins if you get them are usually a roll of toilet paper or box of tissues.

Restaurants

Expect to be warmly greeted and seated. When you are about halfway through page 1 of a 12 page menu, a server will appear at your table side, pen and pad at the ready.  This is generally a good time to order a drink because if you dismiss the server because you aren't ready to order food, you may not see them again for quite a while. Once your food arrives your server will rarely "see if everything is OK". In fact you could probably sit at your table until closing time before getting your check. If you need anything, you need to make eye contact and give a small wave. 

The entrees rarely come out at the same time. One of us is usually finished eating before the other gets served. 

Food 

Don't eat all the ingredients - For those new to Tom Yum soup. You do not eat all the ingredients! Eat what is familiar: tomato, onion, cilantro, protein and mushrooms (OK... the oyster mushrooms may not be familiar). Do not eat lemon grass, galangal and leaves. I mean you can but 🤢.

My (Rob) top 3 favorite food discoveries:

Papaya Salad - fresh, spicy and crunchy. Goto lunch meal.

Green Curry - the Thai eggplants 🍆  look like lime wedges. Two pepper spicy!

Tom Yum soup - sour and spicy.

Thai food can be spicy. Generally levels range from 1-5 chili peppers. 🌶 Five being "Thai spicy". My comfort level was two. Sharon's about a half to one. I think most restaurants and street vendors in tourist areas are afraid to cook meals too spicy.

Term of respect

We were often called, "Mama" and "Papa". I was once papa Rob. Or, "OK mama papa?" (Is everything OK?) It's just how younger people show respect towards older people.

Men say, "Krab" and women say, "Kah" at the end of expressions. Kob kuhn krab/kah means thank you. There really is no English translation. I think it's comparable to meaning sir/maam.

As a way of greeting, saying thank you and goodbye, Thai people put their palms together 🙏  and bow. Children have stopped dead in their tracks to greet us this way. It's very humbling. 

Times to buy alcohol

You can only purchase alcohol from stores 1100-1400 and 1700-midnight. Bars and restaurants appear to be exempt from this. 

ATMs

ATMs in Thailand charge a 220 baht access fee. You can't get away from this (other than don't use the ATM). There are banks like USAA and Charles Schwab that pay back ATM fees. My bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, also charges a 1% "foreign transaction fee". Wish I would have looked into that more before we traveled overseas. I was only concerned about credit cards not charging a foreign transaction fee and since cash is king here, I rarely pay with a credit card. 

Make larger withdrawals less frequently. Most banks allow you to take out 20,000 baht max per transaction but a few allow 25,000 and 30,000.

Currency conversion at an ATM is a SCAM worldwide. The ATM will offer you to "convert" to your home currency and post the transaction with that currency, but the conversion is at a terrible rate. You are far better off choosing "NO CONVERSION." Then the transaction will then post to your bank in Thai Baht and YOUR bank will do the conversion. Your bank may charge a fee for this, but it will certainly be less than you lose using the ATM's conversion rate. See sample picture below -- choose the one with the green check mark.

ATMs in Thailand dispense your cash before returning your card. If you are accustomed to getting the card first, it is very easy to walk away and forget your card.

You can also walk into a bank and have a bank teller make an "EFTPOS" withdrawal from your ATM card. This is free (unless your bank charges for foreign currency transactions), HOWEVER not all banks and not all branches will do this. You just have to pick one and ask, and if they don't go to another bank and try again.

Bathrooms - not bathrooms but Toilets

Most squat holes have been replaced with toilets. The squat holes 🕳 that remain have a bucket with water for you to flush.

No toilet paper, sanitary pads, or trash can go into the toilet. Luckily, having a boat prepared us for this part since we didn't flush TP.  Most places do have toilet paper, but not everywhere so be prepared (note to the ladies). There is a hose (anchor wash down) next to every toilet to rinse yourself and remove the Klingons circling Uranus. 

Note the wash down hose.

You can find a toilet just about anywhere. Some charge a fee of 10 to 30 baht.  The most disgusting bathroom Sharon used was at a train station that charged 10 bhat.

Now it's time to wash your hands. Many toilets have a shared sink outside. Some have soap. Some have something to dry your hands: "paper towels" which are usually tissues that dissolve as you're drying, a hanging cloth towel or a hand dryer that never works (even at the airport). Bring hand sanitizer.

Hot water is on-demand in the shower. I don't think they have water heaters in Thailand. Only the nice resorts have hot water at the sink. Nothing like taking a shower with a 240 volt electric box in front of you. Hopefully the ELCI actually works!

Hotel Rooms

Electricity is a precious commodity. All hotels have a place to put your key card for the lights, AC and outlets to work. If you are lucky, you can find an outlet that your fridge is plugged into to charge tablets when you're out of the room. 

Some rooms are a little noisy since there is little to no insulation. All our hotels had comfortable beds. One had two twin beds so Sharon got a break from sleeping with me for a couple nights. 

Prices are WAYYYY cheaper than the US and most came with a buffet breakfast. The breakfast is not American. You get everything from a salad bar to entrees to omelets. The cheapest was $18/night and the most expensive a little over $100. Our total hotel cost for the month of November was $1700. We have had pretty much no complaints from any hotel or resort we've stayed at. 

Thai massages

Thai masages are quite different than traditional massages because they involve a lot of yoga-like stretches. The masseuse maneuvers your limbs into different positions so you reap the benefits of acupressure, mobilization of your joints and deep muscle compression. I like to joke that the bottom of my foot shouldn't be able to touch the back of my head. We enjoyed both traditional and oil massages. I was never offered a "special" or "make your day" massage. Massage parlors are everywhere, "Massage kah!" (Women say kah. Men say krab. The words don't really translate to English but are a sign of respect. )  Expect to pay 250-300 baht (about $7-8 USD) for one hour. 

Google Fi is awesome!

We have had cell service everywhere with the exception of driving over a mountain once. Wifi calling and Whatsapp have been great for keeping in touch with family and friends. See my Preparation blog post for why we chose Google Fi.

Power Packs and Lithium-Ion Batteries

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand prohibits all lithium batteries in check-in baggage, and limits the capacity of batteries in carry-on bags. If you are bringing lithium batteries or a power bank, then you need to make sure it is MARKED with the capacity and meets their standards (see below). If it doesn't, or it's not marked, expect it to be confiscated by airport security in Thailand.

Don't put battery packs in your check-in bags. They will x-ray the bags and if they find batteries, they will remove them from check-in baggage.

Also note that if you are transiting in another country on your way to/from Thailand, you must meet their requirements as well which may be more restrictive.

VISAS

In Thailand, "Visa on arrival" and "visa exemption" are two completely separate classes of entry:

VISA ON ARRIVAL is granted to citizens of 18 countries (mostly in Asia) who must BUY a visa for 2000 baht when they arrive in Thailand. These are only good for 15 days (30 until March 2023) and cannot be extended.

VISA EXEMPTION is granted to citizens of 58 countries (mostly Western, including UK, US, AU, and most of Western Europe). Visa exemption is FREE and valid for 30 days (45 until March 2023) and can be extended one time 30 additional days and 1900 baht.

If you call the Thai Embassy in your country and ask them if you can buy an extension for "visa on arrival," they will tell you "NO" because you can't. But in all likelihood, you probably don't come from a country that is granted "visa on arrival," you actually get a "visa exemption" and these are two separate things.

Make sure your passport is stamped with the correct timeframe and if stamped for longer than you are allowed do not stay. You will be fined.

One-Way Airline Tickets

You are officially required to have proof of exit travel within the permitted stay of your entry. They will not consider extensions of stay for this. Thai immigration doesn't usually ask--but they can. They just probably won't. Immigration didn't ask us.

However, your airline will probably require it. We flew into BKK (Bangkok) from HNL (Honolulu) on a one-way ticket with Philippine Airlines. At check in, the ticket agent required proof of exit travel (which we had). You can buy another flight on the spot (refundable flights cost $$$). Will your airline ask? Who knows?

Credit Cards

Most merchants other than large hotels and large chain stores (like 7-11) do not accept cards at all. Assume you will need cash for most transactions. If they do accept cards, like restaurants, they will most likely charge you a 3% fee.

- Foreign currency is not generally accepted in Thailand; you must have Thai baht. There are currency exchanges readily available, especially in “tourist” areas.

- Do not carry all your cash on you. Leave the bulk in the hotel safe and carry what you will need for the day. Thailand is pretty safe but there are pickpockets, especially in "tourist" areas, and they are masters of their craft.

- Even if you do not plan to use a credit card, bring one. Keep a backup credit card different from the one you carry in your hotel room for use in case of emergency.

- The Thai 100 baht note and 1000 baht notes look somewhat similar. Make sure it is clear if you are paying someone with a 1000 baht note, particularly for a small purchase. Most merchants are honest, but some have been known to take advantage of this similarity to scam tourists stating that you only paid 100 when you actually paid 1000. You can get 1000 baht notes easily “broken” by buying something cheap (like a drink or snack) at 7-11.

- Exchanging cash: The exchanges accept all major currencies. SuperRich in Bangkok typically has the best rates. They have a branch on the B level of BKK airport (near the train) and several branches throughout the city. The exchanges in the baggage hall do not have good rates--get your bags and then head down to B level. When exchanging cash, you will need notes in excellent condition. Exchanges will often refuse any notes with marks, tears, heavy wear or folds. For our UK members, bring English notes only--they will not accept Scottish notes. Don't "over exchange." Figure out what you will need for a week and exchange that. You can exchange more later. Time your spending so you run out of baht when you are leaving. You will take a big hit changing excess baht back to your currency.

At the exchange:

1. Know how much you are exchanging and at least an approximation of how much you should receive for it. (ie. I have $2000 USD and I should get a little more than 65000 baht.)

2. Have your notes organized neatly before handing over to the clerk. This will help prevent counting errors. A wad of cash out of order may be miscounted, especially by a clerk that may not be as familiar with your currency.

3. Announce how much you are handing over: "I have two thousand US dollars and I would like to exchange for Thai baht." This way everyone is clear.

4. The exchange should tell you what you will receive and give you the opportunity to accept that amount or not.

5. COUNT what you receive back before leaving the window. If there are any errors you won't be able to fix it once you leave the window.

Walking and crossing streets

There are literally zero even surfaces anywhere. From sidewalks to bathrooms. Step up. Step down. Step over something. Duck. When crossing the street look RIGHT! They drive in the opposite direction. Keep your head on a swivel. Always! Even when you think the coast is clear, a motor bike will suddenly appear out of nowhere. It's literally like playing Frogger except you're the frog.

A typical sidewalk

People

People are the same, they may look different and speak a different language, but they are generally the same.  The Thai people are so friendly and always smiling 😊. Everyone speaks English from all over the world! At least to some degree. It is the common language throughout the world. Thank God!

Candy Crush while out to dinner with the family

Airlines: Thai domestic airline rankings:

Top tier--full service + includes checked baggage:
Thai Airways
Bangkok Airways (Includes lounge access for all ticket classes--nice bonus)

Mid-tier. Less service but includes checked baggage:
Thai Smile

Budget tier. Does not include checked baggage and has limited carry-on allowance, limited (or no) refunds, and limited customer service contact options:
Nok Air
Air Asia
Thai Lion
Vietjet

“Blessed are the curious, for they will have adventures.” – Lovelle Drachman