Travel in Thailand
Stickman's Guide
to BangkokAll of the material on this site, including all of the text and the photos,
is original. It is all copyright (c) 1998 - 2007.
One of the world's most popular cuisines. Beautiful beaches and islands. Friendly, charming people. Warm weather all year round. Cheap prices for most things. Colourful, enchanting temples. An exotic culture preserved through the ages in a country that has never been colonised. Where are we talking about? Thailand, of course!
Located in the heart of Asia, Thailand has been captivating foreign visitors for decades. Previous visitors return year after year and as the word spreads, first-time visitors come flooding in. The number of foreign visitors to Thailand continues to increase and year after year, records are broken as international visitors flock to this fascinating country.
Arguably the most exotic destination in South East Asia, Thailand offers travellers and holidaymakers a huge range of vacation possibilities. It doesn't matter whether you're a budget traveller wanting to explore a foreign land on a tight budget, or a well-heeled traveller who wants to be pampered and experience the very best, Thailand has something for you.
But despite such huge numbers of international tourists, no mean feat given its location such a long way by air from the West, Thailand has not been unduly damaged by the ravages of mass tourism. It is still quite possible to find a pristine stretch of beautiful white sand beach that you can have all to yourself. Lazing away the days on a hammock under a palm tree on a mile long beach, without anyone else in sight, swaying in the breeze under a cloudless sky as the waves gently break against the soft white sand....is an experience that can still be had. Welcome to Thailand!
There is a huge amount of information about travelling and holidaying in Thailand already available - both on the internet and in print. In my usual, no nonsense, BS free style, I have tried to create a worthwhile. As always with my online writings about Thailand, I try and get beyond some of the lies, and misconceptions that are out there.
This page should not be seen as any sort of alternative to the excellent Lonely Planet book as I could never hope to compete with that book while running a non-commercial website. Further, the coverage of a limited number of destinations on this site reflects my experiences in only the places that I have been to and had enough time in to develop a bit of a feel for it. There are plenty of places that I have never been to that are therefore not covered and other places that I have visited but have not mentioned as I consider that I wasn't there long enough to develop a real feel for the place and therefore cannot offer any wisdom.
While I hope to provide some useful information, if you are planning a holiday to Thailand, you should consider picking up the excellent Lonely Planet Guide To Thailand. Like all publications, it is not without its faults, but in my opinion it's still the best guide book for preparing yourself for Thailand.
A lot of other information about travelling in Thailand can also be found in the extensive Working & Living in Bangkok section. Although that section was originally written as a guide anyone looking at relocating to Bangkok, it also includes much information about food, transport, people, problems and the police that are relevant right throughout the Kingdom. There is a lot of overlap so it may be worth skimming over too.
This page could largely be separated into two separate sections. The first part gives general information about travelling in Thailand while the second part goes into detail about some of the places to visit and some of my feelings about them and experiences there. If you do not want to read through the entire page, select the section that interests you here.
Bangkok Introduction Phuket Scams & Problems Ko Samui Getting Around in Thailand Ko Samet Accommodation Pattaya What To Buy Hua Hin Miscellaneous Isaan Stickman's Bangkok Tour Historic Places Kanchanaburi Ko Chang VISAS
Visitors from most Western countries to Thailand get 30 days permission to enter Thailand upon arrival. This is not a visa per se. If you really like Thailand you can exit the country and re-enter immediately thus getting another 30 days. You cannot do this indefinitely and after spending 90 days in Thailand in a 180 day period you cannot return for 90 days, unless you apply for a visa at a Thai embassy or consulate outside of the country first. (There is more on the whole visa issue in the living and working section.)
Holders of South Korean, Brazilian and Peruvian passports get 90 days permission. A lot of developing countries get permission to enter for a shorter period of time and visitors from some countries may have to apply in advance for a visa.
You can apply in advance for a two month tourist visa which can actually be extended in the country for another 30 days at any Immigration office. The extension costs 1,900 baht. I believe that you may be able to get a multiple entry tourist visa although I personally believe that strictly for tourism purposes, three months is plenty.
WEATHER
With regards to the weather most people feel that the best time to visit Thailand is December through to the end of February, which is curiously named the "cool season". It doesn't usually get what I would term cold, or even cool, in the central or southern regions of the country. In the north and the northeast it can get cool in the evenings, especially in the mountains and in the border regions - so if you are visiting those areas in the cool season may need to pack clothes accordingly.
March through to mid June is the hot season and it gets very hot across the entire country. You simply cannot escape the heat. In addition to the heat, in some parts of the country it can get hazy, which may mean breathing problems if
you have any such ailments. It also means that visibility is limited in some areas, such as Chiang Mai where from the city centre it can be difficult to see the mountains even though they are only a few kilometres away!
The rainy season runs from early September - November and that is obviously the wettest time of year. Still, it doesn't rain every day and even when it does rain, it doesn't rain for that long - and the rain is usually only mid to late afternoon for an hour or two. It can be very heavy when it comes down though! It is not an entirely unpleasant time to travel but is perhaps not the best time of year for a beach or sunbathing holiday.
Most travelers to Thailand find the weather to be very hot, no matter what time of year they come! So, with this hot weather in mind, should one just chuck on a singlet and a pair of shorts and sandals and explore the country? Well, this may be the most comfortable type of clothing BUT, the Thais are not that fond of such clothing being worn and it is deemed to be somewhat impolite with the notable exception of wearing such clothes at the beach. Thais tend to cover themselves up and a shirt and trousers are the norm for men and for females, something of a similar vein that is not too revealing.
In some of the chicer places in Bangkok, one can see the Bangkok Thais wearing all manner of clothes but generally speaking, they seem to stick with a sort of semi-formal clothes regime. You'd think that such clothes would make you roast in the Thai heat but actually, with the light fabrics used in the manufacture of many of the clothes bought in Thailand, most people are comfortable. There is nothing stopping you from wearing shorts and a singlet but in many places, the Thais will deem this inappropriate, particularly shopping malls, cinemas, restaurants but especially temples or places of cultural or religious importance to the Thais where those decked out in such gear may be refused entry. Whatever you decide to wear, loose fitting clothes are the order of the day. The Thais place little importance on footwear and after a while in the Kingdom, seeing a Thai businessman walking around in an expensive suit accompanied with a pair of cheap plastic flip flops won't surprise you!
The tourist high season runs from around late November through to mid April. At certain times, particularly Christmas, New Year, the Chinese New Year and Songkran the most popular beaches and islands can be extremely busy to the point that getting accommodation can become a bit of a problem. Hotels and even some guesthouses hike their prices - and people are willing to pay it. So if you are travelling over any of these periods it pays to book well in advance.
With regards to other factors of when it is best to visit, Thailand doesn't tend to have any periods where it closes down like some Western countries, for example Italy, do. The major holiday period is mid April, the peak of the hot season, when the Songkran holiday is celebrated. At this time of year, businesses close down for up to a week and many Thais return to their homes back in the provinces. While tourist related services continue to operate and most major shops remain open, intercity transport can be very hard to come by. Airplanes, buses and trains are usually booked solid from April 10 for about the next week or so. But for the staff in shopping centres / temples etc., it is just another day at the office. Some smaller shops close over this period but really, travellers shouldn't be effected greatly.
The Songkran period really marks the end of the tourism high season for the year.
There are a number of other holidays throughout the year and on some of these holidays nightlife areas and bars and discos can be closed - and the sale of alcohol is outlawed. Some bars slip the boys in brown a bit of cash so they can remain open. Generally speaking it is the Buddhist holidays and December 5th, the birthday of HM The King, when most places close and alcohol is hard to come by.
HEALTH
I first visited Thailand with a good mate in the late '90s and within 24 hours of arriving I got a dreadful dose of food poisoning. We both ordered the same dish, a seafood combination with rice. He thought the shrimps didn't smell right so he didn't eat his. Me, being quite the pig, not only wolfed mine down, but ate his too. A few hours later I was staring down the toilet bowl and throwing up every last bit of whatever was in my system. It was a fairly nasty bout of food poisoning and took me a few days to get over it.
One has to be careful with what they eat in Thailand. Let me say right off though that you should not be any more concerned about the food that is sold on the street that the food sold in restaurants. Thai people eat food off
the street every day and seldom have any problems at all - and so most Westerners can eat this food without problems too. However if the vendor looks like they have poor hygiene then move on to the next place to eat.
One also should be careful with spicy food if you're not used to it. Eating a lot of spicy food when your system is not used to it is never a good idea.
Finally when it comes to food, do drink as much water as you can. Thailand is very hot for much of the year and it is easy to become dehydrated.
With regards to health, you should consult your local doctor before leaving home regarding any vaccinations that you may or may not need. A lot of people come to Thailand and do not bother with any vaccinations while others line up their arm as a pin cushion and get the full batch. I am not a doctor and the following should be taken as my experience only. I do not know anyone who has caught any of the diseases for which vaccinations are available and most of the people I know who have visited Thailand did not get any vaccinations.
When I went to see my local doctor, he recommended that I got typhoid and hepatitis shots as these are two of the most common and easily contracted diseases. If you reside in a country where the vaccinations are very cheap or even free, like in England, then bugger it, get the damned lot and protect yourself - though many are no doubt unnecessary. Like I said at the start, consult your doctor as he or she knows best. Remember that you may need to go and see your doctor a couple of months before you take off on your travels as some vaccinations require not one, but a whole course of shots. Oooh, what fun!
While some of the shots may not be particularly necessary for Thailand, if you are going on to other countries in the region then you need to check out the need of shots for those countries too. I believe that travellers to Laos and Cambodia may require certain shots, whereas travellers to Malaysia and Singapore need not worry.
If you are going to be getting any malarial prophylactics, then the word on the street is to avoid Larium. I have both read and heard a number of horror stories about this drug and its dreadful side effects, which include intense nightmares and hallucinations - so if any doctor tries to get you to go on this one, do your research first!
If you think you're going to be a naughty boy and get involved with the ladies of the night in Thailand then make sure you use condoms. It goes without saying that AIDS is much more common in Thailand than in your own country and the prevalence of STDs amongst sex workers AND women who may liaise with travellers on a frequent basis is high. Condoms are available locally, but to be safe I recommend you bring your favourite brand from home. Durex is the top selling brand locally, but avoid buying the Kingtex range as they are made for the local market - and too small for the average Westerner.
I WANT MY MONEY BACK!Thailand is a wonderful country for a holiday but many people experience a problem of some sort or another and as often as not, it has to do with the expected level of service. Service in Thailand is a little different to in the West and while it can be a lot better at times, sometimes things aren't handled as well as they could have been. If you are
staying in the best hotels and eating in the best restaurants then you should largely be dealing with well trained service staff who have a good understanding of what western tourists expect. It's when things go wrong that some Westerners start to lose the plot a little. As mentioned in the scams and problems section, remain cool, point out the issue and don't get too loud! After that you may need to hope for the best!
One thing that justifiably annoys some tourists to Thailand is that if you do suffer a problem while in the country, it is VERY seldom that you will receive a refund - it's quite simply not the Thai way to give people their money back.
If you do have a problem with anything, do not lose your temper. Stay calm, smile and try to very slowly and clearly explain yourself. Losing one's temper will simply have the opposite effect on the vendor or service provider and make them disinterested in in your problem to the point of being totally unhelpful and perhaps even walking away. Put enough pressure on them and complain loudly enough and you will likely get nowhere!
COMMUNICATION
The language of Thailand is Thai and while English is widely spoken, the level is often still pretty low. When speaking English with the locals, try to speak slowly and as clearly as possible in order that the person that you are communicating with has as much chance as possible to understand you. Do what us English teachers call "grading our language".
Learning Thai is the way to go but if you are only in the country for a short holiday, it isn't really worth the effort. Further, even if you say a few words of Thai with utter mediocrity, don't be surprised if the Thai you're speaking to replies to you with a string of Thai, and a big grin on their face followed by confusion that the white person who just spoke some Thai is now not able to understand! You generally find that in Thailand, the Thais speak a functional level of English that enables them to carry out their job. Get away from this specific language that they use every day and you can quickly lose them. Frankly, as long as you stay on the main tourist path, like most people do, the ability to speak Thai, while nice, is not necessary. Other languages such as French, German and other European languages are not widely spoken in Thailand at all. There is a growing interest in learning other Asian languages but for the time being it is often only a basic smattering of English that the locals understand other than Thai.
ARRIVING IN THAILAND
Most people arriving in Thailand fly into Suwannaphum international airport in Bangkok. Your first time in Thailand, which may be your first time in Asia, can be more than a little confusing. You are more than likely jumping off the plane after a fairly lengthy trip and probably want to get to your hotel as soon as possible. To make matters easy I would recommend you grab a cab. There are buses available but if you do not know where to get off then you risk getting lost.
When you grab a cab at the airport the driver should use the meter. Please note that he is entitled to tack on a surcharge of 50 baht - that is for all airport pick ups.
No matter what your budget, you can find something to suit. Thailand and indeed Bangkok has a huge range of places to stay. Whether you want the opulence of the Oriental Hotel, the filth of a Khao Sarn Road backpacker hole or somewhere in between, you will be able to find it in Bangkok. And right throughout Thailand, you will be able to find something to suit your needs, at least most of the time in most places.
In surveys of (admittedly well-heeled) international travelers, Bangkok's top end hotels continue to rate extremely highly. The Oriental Hotel, The Dusit Thani, The Peninsula and The Shangri-La are often mentioned when you hear the top hotels in the world being talked about. These are five star hotels in every sense and should suit the most demanding of travelers. But if you've read down this far, you obviously have a bit of time on your hands and you are more likely to be looking at another class of hotel.
Throughout Thailand, you have all of the big international hotel chains like Marriot, Sheraton, Regent, Hyatt represented. You also have some very good Thai hotel chains like Amari. And then you have got a lot of stand alone hotels. At the lower end of the range you have guesthouses. I gather that camping grounds are available in some places but having seen one snake show too many, I think I'll give that one a miss, thank you.
Bungalows are a very popular Thai style of holiday accommodation. What exactly is a bungalow? Well, it is just a stand alone building that may have as little as a bed, bedside table and chair or be a stand alone building decorated and with the facilities as flash as a room in the best 5 star hotels. One tends to think that bungalows are only found near the seaside and while this is where they tend to be located, you can find them in many other places too, especially outside of cities and in the countryside.
Of the beaches and islands in Thailand, the most popular spots like Pattaya, Phuket and Ko Samui are oozing with a variety of accommodation options. But this is not always the case at some of the more off the beaten track type places. It should come as no surprise that the further off the beaten track you get, generally the harder it is to find quality accommodation. Even in some of the islands the quality of accommodation is not always that good - and sometimes the prices, while cheap by international standards, can be expensive by local Thai standards. Places like Ko Samet and Ko Chang are classic examples where, in my personal opinion, accommodation prices really are higher than they should be.
One of the great things about accommodation in South-East Asia (with the exception of Singapore) is that you can get your own room at an affordable price. I remember travelling around Europe as a young backpacker in 1990 and spending around $US12 equivalent for a bed in a room with 6 - 8 other smelly, stinky backpackers. There was no privacy whatsoever. Well, this is Asia and you don't have to worry about such dormitory style accommodation. Having said that, in the areas that are popular with backpackers, such accommodation can be had for a pittance, at less than 100 baht a bed. However, again, this is Asia and sometimes the quality of said establishment may be questionable. You can therefore forget the idea of youth hostels that you may have had to suffer in the likes of Western Europe. While there are a handful of youth hostels in Thailand such as those run by YHA, these aren't so common.
While I acknowledge that some people don't have a lot of money and want to make it go as far as they can, I'd be wary about choosing the cheapest accommodation options. In Bangkok that would likely mean the Khao Sarn Road and as with a lot of the other locations with budget travelers, the cheapest accommodation can often be dirty to the point of being unhygienic. Sheets go unchanged and bed bugs breed like mad, waiting for that magic moment when you go to bed so they can start to feast! Such venues may have bathrooms rife with stagnant water which are homes to armies of mosquitoes which wait patiently for the chance to snack on you too! Basically, with the cheaper places, inspect the rooms closely and don't be afraid to ask them cutting questions such as when the sheets were last changed!
Thailand is not an expensive country to travel through and if you are on a real budget, you can do just fine. Let's look at the cost of accommodation in Bangkok first. A room in the top end hotels tends to go for 5,000 baht or more a night. The very best spots, like the Oriental may even go for twice this. As I mentioned earlier, hotels in Bangkok really are excellent and the top end places are just fabulous. My pick is the Sukhothai which has a wonderful combination of Thai style with modern convenience. It is worth just going for a wander through as it really is that nice!
The mid range in Bangkok would be those venues where a room goes from around 1,000 to 3,000 baht a night. The variance in this range would largely be determined by the facilities offered at the hotel, how new it is, and to a lesser extent, just where it is located. You can get some perfectly acceptable hotels for not much more than 1,000 baht a night in Bangkok.
At the lower end of the scale you have the guesthouses which go from anywhere from loose change up to close to 1,000 baht a night. Yes, there are some budget locations knocking on the 1,000 baht a night rate!
As Bangkok can be quite difficult to get around due to the dreadful traffic conditions and the fact that the skytrain and underground only cover a small part of the city, one needs to think carefully about the area where one chooses to stay. The most popular areas are Sukhumvit Road, Silom Road, the Siam Square / Pratunam area, Banglampoo and the river. I’ll try and outline the particular advantages and disadvantages of each area as well as mention a few other areas which for various reasons I would not really recommend.
Sukhumvit Road
The Sukhumvit Road area has long been a popular spot for Westerners and we have been staying in that area for as long as we have been visiting the Thai capital. There are a large number of hotels in the area, ranging from older, but still comfortable and very affordable 2 and 3 star accommodations at around 1,000 baht a night, many with names which you just know they sprouted up in the Vietnam area, to a number of genuinely fine 5 star properties which can go for several thousand baht a night.
Sukhumvit is central, easy to get to and from, and is the most popular area for a good percentage of Bangkok’s resident Westerners to live. It is also the main area for much of Bangkok’s farang oriented naughty nightlife industry which is predominantly in the area from Sukhumvit Soi 1 to soi 23. If that excites you, then this is a good area to stay, but if it abhors you, you may want to stay away from Sukhumvit. I personally do not think there is anything particularly special in this area and frankly, the main reason people come to or stay in this area is for the nightlife. The shopping in this area doesn’t compare to other spots and there really aren’t any major tourist attractions in the area.
The skytrain runs along Sukhumvit Road so access to other areas serviced by the skytrain is easy.
Siam Square / Pratunam
This is the home of Bangkok’s biggest and best shopping malls and as such if shopping is your thing, this is most definitely the area to stay. There are a number of huge shopping malls in the area, ranging from the ever popular Mahboonkrong to the ultra upmarket Gaysorn, as well as the more budget minded Pratunam Market. You really can shop until you drop in this area.
Traffic congestion and pollution in this area can be very bad at peak times, but it remains a very convenient area to stay in. Not only is the shopping very good, but this is an area where the vendors are used to dealing with foreign tourists so most vendors and the staff in most shops, speak fairly good English. Here are also some interesting attractions in the area such as the Erawan shrine and the Baiyoke Tower, the tallest building in the city. It is quite frankly, an easy and convenient area to stay.
Silom Road
The Silom Road area, and the two roads that run parallel, Suriwong Road and Sathorn Road, encompass the main business district, an area where there are many banks, embassies, insurance houses and both local and international company head offices. If you are doing business, this would likely be a good area to stay. You’re not too far away from the skytrain either and there is some shopping in the area, including a lot of tourist related shopping. The Patpong night market and the Lumpini Night Bazaar are right there too. As it attracts a lot of business travellers to the area, many of the hotels are not cheap and there aren’t as many budget hotels in this area as there are in say, Sukhumvit Road.
From the top of Silom Road you have the Dusit Thani Hotel, a very fine hotel, with a number of hotels down SilomRoad and the roads running parallel either side. Some of the big name hotels in this area include the Sofitel, the Narai Hotel, the Holiday Inn and my personal favourite, the gorgeous Sukhothai Hotel.
The River
Essentially located at the bottom of Silom Road, the hotel properties along the river are some of the finest not just in Bangkok, but in the world. The famous Oriental Hotel exudes a colonial charm, in contrast to the Peninsula directly opposite, which is much more modern, yet still in the same price bracket. The Shangri-La is another world famous hotel and the Sheraton Orchid is also lovely. These are all very fine 5 star hotels, cheap compared to many other 5 star hotel properties around the world, and all have very fine facilities and restaurants.
It should be noted that the skytrain does not make it down to the river so traffic can be a bit awkward down there, especially from late afternoon and into the evening.
Banglampoo
This is the backpackers and budget travellers’ area and is very conveniently located to some of the city’s historic attractions like the Grand Palace, Wat Po and the wonderful Chao Praya River. This is the place to go if you are travelling on a budget, or want to be among others travelling on a similar budget. Khao Sarn Road is the main road in this area, although there are guesthouses and budget hotels strewn all over the area.It should be noted however that a number of guesthouses and budget hotels in the Khao San Road area do not allow Thai nationals to stay! I am not sure of the reasons for this but if you are travelling with a Thai, you need to be aware of this! Of course one of the reasons is that the guesthouses and hotels want to discourage blokes from bringing hookers back to their room. I'll never forget a sign in Tawee Guesthouse where I stayed way back in 1998 which said "Don't bring prostitutes back to the establishment because things go missing, missing and the police come sniffing, sniffing"!
Rachadapisek Road, Chinatown and the Airport
Two areas where I would not really recommend you stay unless you have a very specific reason for being there are Chinatown and the airport area. Chinatown has dreadful pollution and the traffic down there is about the worst in the city. Getting in and out of the area to go to other areas can be a major ordeal.
There are a number of hotels along Rachadapisek Road. In the past I would never have recommended that a Westerner stayed in the area as the traffic was very bad and there is little of interest in the area, but note the underground runs up that road making it more accessible to other areas. Many of the hotels in this area seem to market to other Asian travellers and this, as well as the lack of any real reason to stay there, mean I would not really recommend it – unless you got a super deal.
The new Bangkok international airport opened in September 2006 and I am unsure of the hotel situation out there. I don't believe there is much out there so cannot really find any reason to stay in the area, unless you find yourself flying in late at night with an early flight out the next morning.
A fab choice of discount Bangkok hotels: • Silom Hotels
• Siam Square Hotels
• Sukhumvit Hotels• Pratunam Hotels
• Bangkok Airport Hotels
• Chinatown HotelsAccommodation in Bangkok is readily available and the city almost never suffers city wide accommodation sell outs. Wherever you are or wherever you want to be, you will never be far away from some sort of accommodation.
The prices of accommodation in Phuket and Ko Samui are much the same as in Bangkok. These are now big international beach resorts with many fabulous places to stay and as such the prices reflect what people are prepared to pay for them. On the other hand, Pattaya and Chiang Mai both have high quality accommodation available at prices which simply do not exist - at least what you get for that money - in Bangkok. This is one reason to visit Pattaya and Chiang Mai - you get very good value for money on your accommodation.
Once you get outside of Bangkok and the most popular tourist areas, the prices for accommodation plummets, but the quality remains reasonably good. In much of regional Thailand, in towns such as Khon Kaen, Phitsanulok, Korat, Nakhon Phanom etc, you can get a great room for 1,000 baht. This usually gets you a very comfortable well-maintained hotel room with either a double or two single beds, all the usual facilities and a very good buffet breakfast for two. You can actually find cheaper than this, but the 1,000 baht mark seems to be the average. Such hotels can be very comfortable indeed. One such example is the Nakhon Phanom River Hotel where for this price you get a very nice room with a view of the river and an excellent breakfast buffet. The quality of hotels in regional Thailand really is excellent and as I say, the cost is very fair indeed. Another favourite of mine is the Charoen Thani Princess Hotel in Khon Kaen where for 1,100 baht you get a really nice room and again, an excellent breakfast buffet.
You don't need to worry too much about squat toilets as although they are still popular in the countryside, just about anywhere where a Westerner goes has standard Western toilets. But then you might come to prefer the squat toilet, the absence of toilet paper and the requirement to use one's left hand... It's better for the environment and I believe it's more hygienic too. Give it a go, you might like it! A note about toilets. Many apartment buildings and even a lot of modern, expensive hotels will have notes requesting that you do NOT flush toilet paper down the bowl. If there is a basket there in the cubicle, it is expected that you will discard your used toilet paper there. Apparently the reason is not only for preservation of the environment but also that the refuse system was not designed to handle toilet paper. But like many things in Thailand, this is changing.
Some of the cheaper places around about will rent out rooms short time for use by working girls and their customers. Unless you are a prude, there's no reason to let this bother you and keep in mind that if you go somewhere that is busy and there seems to be no rooms available, just hunt for the local short time hotel which will be more than happy to rent you a room for however long you require.
Khao San Road
If you're travelling on a budget then and are planning to spend some time in Bangkok then you will almost certainly spend some time in Khao San Road, the backpackers ghetto (and I don't use that term lightly) of Bangkok. This 400 odd metre stretch of road and its immediate surrounds are home to all of the businesses that a traveller ever needs with cheap restaurants, internet cafes, travel agencies, photo processing stores and of course a multitude of guesthouses and cheap accommodation as well as many like-minded people on the road, just like you.
Khao San Road is actually extremely well located for anyone visiting Bangkok as it is walking distance to the river and the most interesting and historically significant parts of the city. The must see Grand Palace is about a mile or so
away, easily walkable, even in Bangkok's oppressive heat.
For those on a real tight budget, you should be able to find a room for as little as 100 - 150 baht a night. There are cheap places in other areas of Bangkok but not the sheer range and number of places that are available at Khao San in this price range. However, you shouldn't expect the Ritz at this price. But Khao San is slowly moving upmarket. In the old days it was all about cheap, cheaper and cheapest, but now you have more and more better places. Starbucks, McDonalds and Burger King can all be found there and the accommodation options are moving up with some better places charging well over 1,000 baht for a room for a night, and at that price point you're starting to think more of a mid-range place than truly budget accommodation.
I used to think of Khao San Road as a rat hole serving Western food and culture to those who seem oblivious to the fact that they had travelled half way around the world to exotic Asia, only to spend it amongst their Western peers in this false hybrid environment. But as I spent more time at Khao San, never as a traveller mind you, only ever as a resident of Bangkok going to the area for a night out, my opinions mellowed. One can find fun out there and the vibe isn't bad once you know where to go.
A lot of Bangkok residents, that is Westerners and Thais, like to go to Khao San Road for a night out as it is different to anywhere else in the city. Having said that, the are is still dominated by budget travellers. What makes le laugh about this bunch is how they try to show off to all and sundry how much they have learnt about Thai culture by doing such dumb, improper and downright inappropriate things such as wai-ing every Thai service provider they deal with. You can see the Thais snicker to themselves when the intrepid farang makes a fool of himself!
Khao San Road has all of the essentials for anyone travelling through Bangkok, Thailand or on to other popular spots in the region. Hippies and wannabe hippies trying to recapture the romance of those who travelled through the region in the '70s can buy their hippy attire on Khao San.
Ironically it's also the best place to buy a variety of copied documents such as foreign press passes, journalist passes, international driving licenses, degrees, RSA English teaching qualifications, ISIC cards etc. Just remember that these documents are NOT real and if you are caught using them in Thailand and purporting them as originals then you will probably go to jail! Think I'm joking? I'm not! In early 2007 there was a major crackdown on foreigners using fake degrees and purporting them to be originals. The first two guys charged pleaded guilty and were sentenced to three months in a Bangkok prison.
A few of the cheaper eateries have disappeared, making way for some interesting bars. Khao San at night can be a fun place and sitting outside one of the restaurants, sinking a few cold ones and chewing the fat is something I enjoy.
Khao San Road has increased in popularity with the Thais and at around 10:00 PM, a lot of Thais of university student age descend on the street. They usually start at one of the outdoor bars and as the night goes on drift in to one of the dark clubs, of which there are more than a few.
Suzy's Bar was the most popular for a long time and then Gulliver's came along. These two venues remain popular and with the growth of the street as a centre of nightlife and entertainment there are now quite a number of popular venues and an old guy like me can't keep up with where the most popular spots are. it should be noted that a number of the bars on Khao San Road are home to Thai working girls, so for you guys, if you meet a girl who wants to go back to your guesthouse, please be aware that in the morning she might expect 1,000 baht from you!
The bars in the Khao San Road area are amongst the more reasonable places in Bangkok for a night out. A bottle of Heineken or a local beer ranges from around 70 - 80 baht and something harder, such as Jack Daniels coke should be less than 100 baht. Local beers can be very cheap, at around 50 - 70 baht a bottle. Obviously there are cheaper and more expensive places but this should give some idea of the prices you'll pay.
There are also some interesting bars in the streets and alleys around Khao San and there's even a temple just across the road from the Police Station at the west end of the road. The lanes surrounding the temple have some great little bars and restaurants. Some good second hand bookshops exist in the area but prices asked are steep for second hand gear - surely, people don't actually pay these prices which seem to be around 50 - 60% of retail for a book on its last legs up to about 80% of retail for one in good condition.
Khao San Road is worth a visit and its location is good, but it may not the best place to stay if you are not into the whole backpacker ghetto scene. While some visitors may describe the area as vibrant, others might just call it noisy!
It seems that a lot of Westerners come to Khao San Road, spend a week there and then leave for one of the southern islands never seeing the real Bangkok - which seems to be rather a shame. There's much more to Bangkok than Khao San Road and its surrounds!
For an alternative neighbourhood with budget accommodation, you might like to consider Soi Kasemsan 1 in the Patumwan area. It is very conveniently located in central Bangkok, right across the road from Mahboonkrong Shopping Centre. In this particular lane you can find several guesthouses with rooms in the 450 - 500 baht range - and you get a far better room for the money than you would in the Khao San area. The major shopping district of Siam Square is a stone's throw away and the soi is right beside the National Stadium skytrain station which is convenient if you have any business to do in the city, or if one of your primary reasons for visiting Bangkok is either shopping or nightlife, for the best shopping and nightlife areas are all on, or very close to the skytrain lines
You can actually find cheap hotels all over Bangkok and many apartment buildings will also be happy to rent you a room for a short stay. Even way out in the suburbs you can see apartment buildings with big signs in English saying that they will rent out rooms by the day / week / month.
BUS TRAVEL
One of the great things about getting around Thailand is that no matter what form of transport you choose, it is always going to be reasonably priced. Imagine trying to travel 600+ km in an air-conditioned bus back in your country for around 500 baht = about $US 15. Well, you just couldn't do it, could you? And before petrol prices started getting silly it was even cheaper!
The most popular form of intercity transport in Thailand is public bus and there are many different types of buses in Thailand so you need to think carefully as to which service to use. The Government run BKS buses is arguably the best bus service.
There are several different classes of bus from the ordinary non air-conditioned buses through to the big VIP buses. The difference in cost between the best and worst class of bus is significant in terms of the cost, sometimes as much as ten times difference.
The ordinary buses are orange and unless it is raining, or in the middle of the cool season, the bus will drive along with all of the windows open - so you get a nice breeze running through. These buses stop pretty much anywhere and pick up anyone who waves down the bus. Further, if one wants to get out of the bus mid route, the driver will stop the bus at your request - great service! However, these buses, easily recognisable because they are bright orange, can be very slow and unless you are down to your last few pennies, I wouldn't recommend travelling on them as they are really slow! Further, the seats are much smaller and there are no seat allocations so you may have to stand - but getting to the bus station early usually prevents that from happening.
There are a few local routes in the provinces where air-conditioned buses routes just don't exist so if you get off the beaten track you might find yourself on such a bus! But it is not that bad and there are a few benefits. People using this type of bus are often poorer folks who have never met a Westerner and they will be delighted to try and chat with you so you have a great opportunity to meet and have conversations with the nicest Thai people on these buses. When these buses stop, vendors often jump on board selling all sorts of food, drinks, clothes etc. It's absolutely marvellous to be able to buy some grilled chicken, sticky rice and even from time to time, if you are really lucky, some som tum, all without having to get off the bus. These vendors sell food in the same manner on the trains too. Ahhh, the pleasures of overland travel in Thailand - just great!
The next class of bus up from the orange non air-conditioned bus is the standard air-conditioned bus. All of the air-conditioned classes of bus are blue in colour. The standard air-conditioned buses are a little nicer than the orange buses, obviously air-con but they tend to be a little older and can be run down.
While they may pick up people on route, it is not common to have people standing on air-con buses i.e. they sell tickets with allocated seat numbers and once the bus is full, that's it, no more tickets. But, if in mid route, someone waves down the bus, they may be allowed on board but they will have to stand until another passenger gets off and a seat becomes available. Although prices vary, the fares on the standard air-con bus is around 75% dearer than the standard, non air-con bus. As with the other classes of air-con bus, there will usually be a television and video on board. The entertainment is usually in Thai or if on the off chance it is a Western movie, it will probably be dubbed in Thai. Even though the bus may be running to a far flung destination several hours away, and running at night, the bus company are convinced that you do not want to sleep and the volume of said entertainment is played at full ball - just like in the Thai cinemas! Actually, some of these buses have very flash sound systems with up to 20 odd speakers on board so escaping the sound sometimes isn't an option!
Better than the standard air-con buses is the first class air-con bus. These are usually be newer and the seats are nicer, finished with cloth instead of vinyl as is usually found on the standard air-con bus. There will also be less seats on board, meaning more leg room. You will be given a drink and something sweet or savoury to eat soon after the bus has departed - more often than not a soft drink and a Thai style cake. If it's a long journey you will be given another drink later on. And not too long before you reach your destination you will be given one of those chemically smelling wet cloths, similar to what you get on planes not long before landing. There will be a toilet on board but there is a chance it's out of order. First class air-con buses cost around 20 - 25% more than the standard air-con bus and for lengthy journeys, the extra cost is well worth it, especially if you're tall and appreciate the extra legroom.
The VIP bus is the highest class of bus and can be a very pleasant way to travel. VIP buses seem to vary a little and while some of them are remarkably similar to the first class air-con bus mentioned earlier, others are quite luxurious. The genuine VIP bus will have a limited number of seats and every seat has a truckload of leg room - pro basketballers wouldn't complain. VIP buses can be quite dear comparative to the other bus services, with the fare from Bangkok to Chiang Mai over 800+ baht, as an example, but if you think of that in Western currency, it is peanuts.
It should be noted that intercity bus crashes are common in Thailand and you often see the chilling remains of what was once a bus on the side of the road. Not only is the standard of driving very poor, but many of the truck and bus drivers take speed to keep themselves awake and allow them to drive for long periods - and hence make more money. Some try to drive like Michael Schumacher after he's spent the afternoon in a beer garden! I will never forget the first time I took an intercity bus in Thailand, a lengthy journey from Bangkok to Nongkhai. The driver was driving like an absolute maniac - overtaking on hills and around corners. I really thought I was going to die so I drained all of my stowed away alcohol really fast which luckily put me to sleep. I woke up not at the gates of hell but at the bus station at Nongkhai which in retrospect, was something of a miracle.
What I love about land based domestic travel in Thailand is that you are treated well and the service is generally very good. In many Western countries, it seems to me that everything is so stiff - the train leaves at this time and gets to the destination at this time - if you want to stop for a leak, forget it. If the bus passes right past your house and you would like it to stop there, forget it. In Thailand, it's the complete opposite. If all of the tickets for the bus have been sold and everyone is board, the bus will leave - bureaucracy goes out the window as the driver takes charge of the situation - great stuff! And if you want to get off somewhere along the way, you can. It is all very sensible!
But there are times when perhaps the notion of good service is taken a little bit far. I never fail to chuckle when on the Pattaya to Bangkok bus trip, the driver is more than happy to stop the bus by one of the median barriers in the middle of the motorway so that people can get off. Not only is it tricky to stop there and then re-enter the fast flowing traffic, but the passengers who jumped off then have to battle their way over a few lanes of traffic barreling along at high speed before they reach the side of the road. This is Thailand and you have to expect the unexpected but I still laugh when I see this happen.
At bus stations in Thailand, there are various touts around trying to get you to buy a ticket for your journey. Their English will usually be good enough to ask you where you're going and then direct you or show you to the ticket counter. What is the deal with them? Well, not only is the Government bus company represented but there are also various private competing bus companies competing for the travelers' baht. If you can't read the signs in Thai at bus stations and on the side of the buses, you wouldn't know it for all of the buses are the same colour but on some routes, there are several competing companies. These touts are trying to get you to buy a ticket from their company. Don't worry about commissions or anything as the ticket price is the same whether you were taken to the counter by them or not. The private companies operating out of the major Bangkok and provincial bus stations are usually fine but the Government run buses still have the best reputation - they are a little dearer so you get what you pay for.
In addition to the Government run buses and the private companies offering similar services, there are the "Khao Sarn Road buses" that go to and from Khao Sarn Road, the backpacker haven of Bangkok. These really are a bit of a lottery, sometimes good and sometimes not so good. When booking one of these buses, the first thing you need to ascertain is whether it is a full sized bus or a minibus. Yep, sometimes they will sell you a "bus ticket" but when the bus arrives, it is in fact a small cramped Japanese minivan. And they will shove you in like sardines and drive you to the far flung corners of the country with your knees up around your ears and that stinky smelly backpacker's hairy armpits no more than three inches from your mouth! Sounds like a nightmare doesn't it? The great thing about these buses however is that if you are staying in the Khao Sarn Road area, you do not need to go hunting for the bus station which can be a little tricky, costly and time consuming. Funnily enough, when going the other way from the provinces to Bangkok, these buses do not always go to Khao Sarn Road and will sometimes drop you off somewhere else! The price of the ticket varies from travel agent to travel agent so you may find that the person sitting next to you with those damned armpits paid a different amount to what you did - but with the smell coming from those armpits, you won't give the price difference much thought at all.
There are three main bus stations in Bangkok - MoChit which is huge and more like an airport than a bus station, Ekamai which is located half way down Sukhumvit Road, conveniently next to the Ekamai train station, and the Southern Bus Station located west of the Chao Praya River. You need to ascertain where you want to go and then make your way to the right bus station. Generally speaking, buses to the North and Northeast which includes places like Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ayuthaya, Sukhothai, Korat, Khon Kaen etc leave from MoChit. Buses going east of Bangkok to places like Pattaya, Chonburi and Chantaburi leave from the Ekamai station. Buses going anywhere south and a few places not far from Bangkok such as Kanchanaburi leave from the southern bus terminal. There are a few exceptions though so you need to check!
One curious thing that was happening in early 2000, gosh that is many years ago now isn't it, was police approaching foreigners at the Ekamai Bus Station in Bangkok. They would ask the foreigner if they could check the foreigner's luggage and do a reasonably thorough check including a pat down of the body and checking every compartment of the person's wallet. They appeared to be checking for drugs. I'm no legal expert but I wonder if this is actually legal or not and also wonder what would happen if you said, no, I do not give you permission to search me. Still, it seems
innocuous enough. If it was me, I'd let them search me as I never have anything to hide. Fortunately they seemed to give up on this some time ago.
TRAVEL BY BOATIf you find yourself venturing to any of Thailand's islands you may find yourself on a boat. Good luck. Boat travel in Thailand is cheap, but then it should be, because many of the boats are rickety old things, often driven by some young punk that you just know doesn't have a clue about the rules of the sea, and to say nothing of a terrible shortage of life jackets and other safety features. No means of travel makes me so nervous in Thailand as boat travel.
On the eastern seaboard the boats that make their way across to the Ko Samet and Ko Chang are older vehicles and they tend to move at a slow pace. Even with that in mind they often a lean to one side, or are so old and worn out that you find yourself willing the old girl to reach her destination as quickly as possible. I also always find myself eyeballing the life jackets.
There are various boats in operation in the south, connecting the many islands down that way. In recent years there have been a number of high profile accidents involving drunk boats man, over-crowded vessels, boats at sea in inclement conditions and a shortage of life jackets.
Sometimes using a boat in Thailand is unavoidable but frankly, I avoid them like the plague.
TRAVEL BY AIR
Thai Airways is the main domestic airline and airfares for flights within Thailand are fairly reasonably priced, the schedules are good with lots of flights to the most popular destinations and the prices are fixed - it doesn't matter when you buy the ticket, 3 months in advance or 3 hours before the flight leaves, the price will be the same. Further, the planes are generally in good condition and you do not get anything like the horror stories you hear of some neighbouring countries where you share the cabin with farmer Joe and half the cattle from his farm! Thai Airways flies to most parts of the country, but not quite all.
The notable exception of where Thai does not fly is the tropical paradise of Ko Samui. There is only one airline which flies between Ko Samui and Bangkok and that is Bangkok Airways who I believe own the airport at Samui. The fare to fly from Bangkok to Ko Samui on Bangkok Airways is more expensive than the fare on Thai to fly from Bangkok to Phuket, something which many people question, with some feeling that Bangkok Airways really stings you when you fly between Bangkok and Ko Samui. Bangkok Airways also flies to some neighbouring countries as well as operating domestic flights within Thailand, but it is the route to Ko Samui for which they are most famous. Bangkok Airways has tried to reposition themselves and now markets themselves as Asia's boutique carrier.
Thai Airways introduced a budget carrier called Nok Air which flies some of the more popular routes at fares a little more than half the price of the equivalent fare on Thai. The planes are ex Thai Airways fleet and the flights are generally on time. Nok Airways is my preferred budget airline in Thailand for this very reason.
Air Asia is the biggest budget airline in the region and is run out of Malaysia. I personally have found their planes to be a little old, and they're often late, usually an hour or two. I have not had good experiences with Air Asia and I will not fly them again if it can be helped. That said, if you book a good period in advance before flying then you can save a lot of money with this particular airline.
Finally of the budget carriers operating in Thailand is One Two Go. I have never used them so cannot really comment on them, but a workmate swears by them.
Many of the popular places in Thailand such as the islands in the south and Chiang Mai in the north are quite a distance from Bangkok so travelling by air does make sense if you want to save time.
Look closely and the two cloud covered islands in the pic are Ko Samui
on the left and Ko Phangnan on the right, seen from 30,000 feet.TRAVEL BY TRAIN
The trains in Thailand are good and a very pleasant way to travel if you are not in a hurry. Generally speaking the train is slower than a bus running the comparable route. Even the deceptively names express and sprinter services often feel like they are crawling along at a snail's pace. Sure, you can get up and walk around etc but for the most part, when I used public transport to travel intercity I preferred the buses - that's just a personal preference.
Like trains elsewhere in the world, there are three different classes, 1st, 2nd and 3rd - funny that. Third class can be a bit rough if you are travelling a long journey. Personally, I wouldn't want to sit in 3rd class for any journey of more than about 3 hours or so. The seats are uncomfortable and if you get a busy train such as the Bangkok to Korat, they pack the punters in like sardines. 2nd class is comfortable and 1st class is apparently very nice but truth be told, I never tried it. I do note that some of the first class prices are about the same as an airfare!
As mentioned in the section on travelling by bus, vendors get on and off the trains along the way and sell various items of food and drink, often at very reasonable prices. Also like the non air-conditioned buses the train can be a great way to meet the locals.
TRAVEL BY CARHiring cars or even a big bike is one way to get around Thailand. The quality of the roads in Thailand is generally pretty good. Where the problems start to arise is in the quality of the driving and if you spend much time watching the way the Thais drive, I hate to say it but all of the Asian driver jokes suddenly seem to have some credence.
All of the big international car rental car companies such as Budget and Avis are represented along with a lot of smaller, private rental car companies which may offer slightly older cars, but at very reasonable prices. Many of these firms have websites and searching for Thailand car hire should be a start.
With the big firms you do have more peace of mind than the smaller firms where occasionally you hear a story about the cars being poorly maintained or having some sort of problem.
Car rental is fairly cheap in Thailand which is a little surprising given that the cost of buying a car in Thailand is much dearer than in the West.
You can hire a variety of motorbikes in Thailand and this seems to be fairly popular in most of the beaches and islands along with places in the north. The most popular bikes seem to be the little 125 cc Honda Dream which you can get for about 150 baht a day or as little as 3,000 baht per month. Whether or not you would want to do a lot of intercity riding is questionable though.
While Bangkok can be a difficult place to drive in - signs are generally in Thai only, traffic jams are legendary and it can be very difficult to orient yourself, the opposite is said of the provinces. Generally, driving in provincial Thailand is easy, the drivers are less aggressive, there is much less traffic - and the further you get from Bangkok, the less traffic and congestion you find. However, wherever you go, signs are generally in Thai only. In a few places, and Pattaya is one exception, some road signs are in Thai. Fortunately street signs are in both Thai and English nationwide, something which I have been extremely impressed with. Yes, for many years, street signs in even the most far flung corners of the country have English on them too!
Petrol in Thailand is reasonably priced and as at March 2007, the price is around 26 baht a litre for the highest grade, 95 octane petrol.
Many of the Thais living in Bangkok come from provincial Thailand and moved to the big smoke to pursue employment. On public holiday weekends, there is often a mass migration out to the provinces as these folks head back to see their families. A lot of the folks working in Bangkok have partners and children in the countryside that they are supporting and so they take every opportunity to go home and visit them. With this in mind, you should, and indeed often need, to buy your tickets in advance if you plan to travel over public holiday periods. This is especially true for the Songkran holiday period in April when routes can get sold out well in advance. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Photography & The Internet
PHOTOGRAPHYMy main hobby is photography. I know that it is hardly essential or even necessary information for anyone travelling in Thailand but let me tell you a little bit about all things photography in Thailand.
First of all, if you are still using an old film camera - shame on you - film, is very cheap in Thailand. You can get a roll of Kodak or Fuji 100 ASA for less than 100 baht in a camera shop, more in touristy area. Photo processing is cheap and fast but the results are, quite frankly, not always that good with perhaps inconsistent being the best word to describe it. Getting a film developed generally costs around 30 - 80 baht and 6 x 4 inch prints cost around 3 - 5 baht. Many shops allow you to choose the type of paper you would like them printed on. I do not know a lot about this sort of thing but I would hazard a guess that many of the camera stores have photographic printing machines that are configured wrong or have some sort of issue with the chemicals. Of course operator error might also be an issue. Prints tend to be way over-exposed and many look washed out, like everything is much whiter than it should be. Enlargements can be found very cheap indeed. I have had no problem getting 12 X 10 enlargements for 40 baht on Kodak professional paper.
As far as the photography revolution towards all digital goes, photo shops and labs can print your digital image files at the same cost as printing film, 3 - 5 baht for a 4 x 6 inch print. Again, the quality is not as good as overseas, at least in my experience. If you need a professional lab, I'd recommend IQ Labs which is just off Silom Road.
As far as actually taking pictures goes, Thailand is an amazing place and there are always all sorts of interesting or even crazy things going on so there are unlimited opportunities to take lots of photos! Generally, Thai people like to be photographed and don't be surprised to see them jump into your photograph, as opposed to move away when they see a camera! This might be changing a little bit as people become conscious of the internet and the fact that there photos might unwittingly end up on some questionable website! But generally speaking - and especially outside of the capital - Thai people love to have their photo taken!
The light in this part of the world is very bright so one has to be careful when taking shots in the middle of the day. In fact any time from late morning to late afternoon with the sun almost directly overhead can be a real nuisance for photography because this harsh light which can wash out the colours of everything, and if you have a great composition, the colours might come out drab, more in shades of brown and grey, than the deep saturated colours you had hoped for. As far as taking landscape and general outdoor photography goes, the cool season, that is December through to February, is best. Also, the golden hour, that short period before sunset, is a good bet to take shots but remember that the sun drops in the sky a lot faster in Thailand than it does in countries that are further from the equator.
With digital photography becoming more and more popular, it seems that many folks want to send their digital photos home via the internet. In practicality, this is not really that easy. First, a single digital photo file may in some cases be many megabytes, which even on a high speed internet connection can take a number of minutes to transfer. Secondly, you may have hundreds of pictures so you could actually be sitting on the net for ages, trying to transfer them all. Basically, it is just not that practical. The best bet is to go to one of the many shops, usually internet cafes or photo shops, that can take the pictures from your camera's memory card and write them to a CD or DVD for you. More and more places are offering these services. Just one recommendation - get a couple of copies of each DVD in case one goes bad. Or even consider getting two copies of everything and sending one copy home while keeping the other copy on your person.
Also on the subject of digital photography, there are a lot more shops around printing pictures from digital images i.e. you can take your camera in with all of the pictures stored on the media, or even just take them in on floppies / CDs and they will print them there for you. The quality is excellent, much better than any home photo printer. My favourite shop for this type of thing is Snow White Digital Photography which is on Phyathai Road, directly opposite Mahboonkrong. The cost of photographic prints in Thailand may be cheaper than home, but in all truth and honesty, the quality is not always the same.There is always something happening in Thailand and there are so many things that are completely different to what we have in the West. Different modes of transport, different foods and places that sell them, different architecture and the list could go on and on. You could well find that you end up shooting a lot of photographs and I bet that they'll all be interesting. I have found with everything that is going on in Thailand, unless you are an extremely talented photographer, a still photo alone does not manage to capture everything. With this in mind, it is worthwhile bringing a video camera with you if you have one. The video camera allows you to catch a lot more of what is happening and captures the sounds of Thailand too.
INTERNET ACCESS
As the internet becomes more and more important in our lives, so too does internet access while we are travelling. Thailand's internet infrastructure has improved markedly over the last few years and you're never far from a cheap yet fast internet connection.
The best hotels usually have internet access. They may have hard-wired internet access in the rooms or they may have wireless internet that covers the entire building - though of course this will requite the use of your own laptop. Some may only have internet access in a business centre where there may be laptop connections and computers to use. In the better hotels you might have to pay for internet access and in the 5 star properties this can actually be quite expensive - in early 2007, internet access in the Oriental Hotel ran 650 baht ++ per day! It is ironic that in the cheaper establishments internet access is usually free!
There are huge numbers of internet cafes all over the country and they can be found in all of the popular tourist areas, be it where backpackers venture or businessmen pass by. Internet access averages around a baht a minute so it is hardly expensive - and if you hunt around you can find internet cafes offering connections at next to nothing.
More and more venues in Thailand are offering free wireless internet access, or wi-fi. I maintain a section on this site with listings of just where you can find free 'net access which really is very handy if you are travelling with a laptop and like me are an internet junkie!
Thailand is a great place for a holiday for many reasons but it could survive solely as a shopping destination as there is a huge range of places to go shopping and a huge range of products to buy. Remember this is Asia and at the weekends or whenever they have free time, Asians just love to shop.
All of the best shopping malls are in Bangkok, in fact the city is absolutely full of huge shopping malls. The most impressive of them all would have to be Paragon, located in Siam Square, in the heart of the city's shopping district. In the immediate area there are several impressive shopping malls but none as impressive as the gargantuan Paragon which friends from abroad have told me would hold its own against shopping malls the world over. Paragon is home to a huge department store of the same name along with a huge number of smaller stores including many high end fashion names from Europe and North America. There is a Ferrari dealership in there as well as dealerships from Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche and the exotic German marques. It is all overwhelming! As with most shopping centres in Bangkok there is a huge cinema multiplex on the top floor and the centre is full of restaurants and a number of food courts. If you love to shop you could probably spend the best part of a day in there.
The other high end shopping centres in Bangkok are the recently renovated Central World Plaza, the Emporium, Gaysorn Plaza and Peninsula Plaza. You'll find the finest goods and fashions from all around the world in these shopping centres.
In the next tier of shopping centres you have the ever popular MBK, also known as Mahboonkrong, a very popular shopping centre in the heart of the city. I used to like MBK but these days I find it a bit manic for my liking. It is always packed with people and is popular with a younger crowd so you have lots of young Thais running around, yahooing and generally making a lot of noise. Combine that with the fact that the walkways in the shopping centre being narrow and congested then you have a shopping experience which is hardly relaxed. Perhaps a more relaxed shopping experience can be had at Central Chidlom, the flagship store of the Central Group. It is just one stop on the skytrain from Siam Square and is one of Thailand's best and most popular department stores. Frankly, there are too many shopping centres in Bangkok to mention!
A lot of the major European and American fashion brands have factories in Thailand making their clothes there and selling them in the department stores. Popular brands like Arrow, Yves Saint Laurent, Guy Laroche, John Henry, Camel to name but a few are all available at less than you would expect to pay for them at home. Thailand is a great place to stock up on your wardrobe and if you come from a place like England or New Zealand where getting decent fashionable clothes at reasonable prices isn't always easy, then you will find the Thai department stores just great.
For anything high end, Bangkok is the place to buy it in Thailand. Although you can still find shopping centres in the provincial capitals of Thailand, the shopping in those centres just doesn't compare to Thailand.
For electronics and appliances, Thailand is not the best place, at least not when compared with other more famous shopping centres in the region like Hong Kong and Singapore. The prices of such goods have dropped in recent years, but you can still get better deals elsewhere, although the price differences aren't great these days. On some things, such as memory cards for cameras Thailand might even be cheaper. The prices of electronic goods in Thailand is generally more expensive than the US, but cheaper than Western Europe including the UK. However, one reason not to buy such goods in this part of the world is that the warranty may only be valid for Thailand. There's not much point buying an expensive item in Thailand if you only save a small amount but effectively do not have a valid warranty!
Of course it may be that you want to buy items of a different type, handicrafts and so forth. There are a number of shops in Bangkok that have a selection of handicrafts from all over the country but really, the best places to buy this sort of thing are in the provinces themselves, in small town Thailand so to speak. That is where you'll get the best prices and the best selection.
The night market in Chiang Mai is said to be the best place for handcrafts and the like and has a good selection of this type of thing from the northern provinces. I'm not big on handicrafts and am not a big shopper so am perhaps not the best person to ask about this sort of thing.
Many tourists end up down at the Patpong night market that runs down perhaps the most well known stretch of road in Thailand. Nestled in between some of the most well-known bar area in all of Asia is a night market that peddles predominantly copied and counterfeit goods. In my opinion the Patpong Night market is about the worst place in Thailand to buy goods unless you really know what the goods can be bought for elsewhere. The one positive side about Patpong is that there is a fairly good range of most things in one place and the quality of some of the copied goods is high. Yes, copied goods do come from various different suppliers and one fake Rolex may not be the same as another. English football shirts are really popular and there are several different grades of copies with the best being barely discernible from the original. Pictured here is the Patpong Night Market being set up late afternoon.
Some of the vendors at Patpong ask exorbitant prices and at times my eyes have just about popped out of my head when I have seen the foreign tourist nod their head and go straight for their wallet and take out the money! You can see the vendors eyes light up knowing that in one sale they have already made a good profit for the night! Copied computer games that go for as little as 30 baht elsewhere can go for as much as 250 baht at Patpong. Fake Prada and other fashion name bags that go for 400 elsewhere can go for as much as 2,500 baht - you get the idea. There is no rule of thumb when negotiating a price with these vendors as some of them will come down to as much as 20% of the original stated price and others will quote you a fair price to start with and will only move a little on the original offer. All I can really say about this place is that while it is well worth a look, but if you actually want to buy something, try and get a local to take you along to ensure that you don't get ripped off. The vendors can be a bit pushy and some are downright rude. The whole area can be crowded but this notwithstanding, it's still worth a visit for a look, if nothing else.
An alternative to the Patpong night market is the Pratunam Market, located on the corner of Petchaburi and Rajadamri Roads, near the Amari Watergate Hotel. This market is famous for clothes and traders from all over the world go there to buy bargain basement clothes that are then shipped offshore and sold in foreign markets. But Pratunam has a lot more than just clothes, fabrics and apparel. It's a good place to get many of the things that you can get at Patpong.
There are street vendors all over the city selling much the same junk that is peddled at Patpong. All along the heavily touristed area of Sukhumvit Road between the Nana and Asoke intersections, and especially in the area just east of soi 3 are many street vendors selling much the same stuff that is on offer at Patpong but at less inflated prices.
The biggest market of all in Bangkok is Chatuchak Market, also known as the weekend market. The easiest way to get there is to take the skytrain to MoChit station which stops right beside it. Chatuchak Market is huge and attracts hundreds of thousands of shoppers at the weekend. The range of goods and "things" available is mind-boggling and in many ways it is as much a tourist attraction as it is a place to shop - although 99% of the people doing the shopping are Thais. Amongst the "things" for sale are animals, including some wild animals and all sorts of other strange stuff. If you're a shopaholic you might really like it, but frankly, I do not like the place. The area is open and crowded and so it is very, very hot and uncomfortable. There are a lot of really terrible smells coming out of the place and much of what is for sale is cheaper, or lower end goods and clothes. I haven't been for a few years and have no real desire to go there again, but that said, anyone spending a few days in Bangkok should check it out. It is called the weekend market for a reason - it is only open on Saturday and Sunday.
I gather that jewellery made in Thailand is tastefully designed and comparatively cheap due to the low labour costs. Of course when buying such jewellery you really need to be careful as there are some scam artists out there who are not averse to selling you counterfeit jewellery.
There is a great range of goods and what not available for sale in Thailand but please do take care when choosing. Refunds are not the norm and if you buy something and later decide that you do not like it you cannot change it. Further, if you buy something and it breaks down or simply doesn't work as it should then you might find the vendor unwilling to help. Electronic goods and appliances come with a warranty and these are honoured but with most other types of goods if there is a problem you are on your own. Carefully check and examine any major purchase - or even smaller purchases - before you actually put your cash on the counter!
GENERAL PROBLEMS
Thailand receives a large number of foreign tourists every year, well in excess of 10 million, and the vast majority have a good time and go home without any problem. There are however a small number who have problems. Being are of the potential problems should help you to avoid being a victim.
Please do not forget that Thailand is, compared to most Western countries at least, far from wealthy. The average Thai in Bangkok earns around 10,000 baht per month and outside of the capital a lot less. When Thais see foreigners in their country throwing around more in a day than they earn in a month it can create resentment and jealousy, and sometimes that manifests itself into crime.
PERSONAL SAFETY
In terms of personal safety, most Westerners feel that Thailand is very safe. I would question this notion. The areas where most Westerners go, being central Bangkok and the most popular beaches and destinations as well as Chiang Mai in the north, are very safe. The odds of someone hitting you over the head, grabbing your money and running are fairly slim. That is not the usual type of crime perpetrated against tourists. What is much more common is tourists being tricked to give up their hard-earned.
The one area in Thailand where there has been quite an increase in violent crime is in Pattaya. More and more people are being mugged or attacked and their valuables taken. Again, most people who go to Pattaya have no problems at all, but you do need to exercise caution. Most problems of this nature happen at night, usually very late, often after midnight, so be aware of your surroundings if you find yourself out late.
Despite the warning notice on the right here, the problem of pick pocketing is not great. Sure, it happens, and one has to exercise caution in large crowded markets like the Patpong night market and Chatuchak Market, also known as the Weekend Market. MBK (aka Mahboonkrong) is another shopping centre where pick pocketing is a problem. Stories from the '70s and '80s of people's day bags or jeans being sliced with a razor blade and their wallet or cash removed without them knowing seem to be a thing of the past.
As mentioned already, tourists are often tricked to part with their money, a crime where greed of the victim is exploited. Tourists are approached by well dressed Thais in popular tourist areas or by tuktuk or taxi drivers and are taken to a gem store or a jeweler store. They may be offered fake jewellery at inflated prices with the promise that the sale of this jeweler or gem stones in one's own country could make the tourist very rich indeed. Some incredibly silly tourists have gone on to spend a fortune, thinking that they could return to their own country and get rich overnight, only to later find out that the stones they bought were imitation and pretty much worthless.
Some tourists have also been told that the day they are there is a special holiday or there is a "government sale" or some such other nonsense. This is all a scam and what is offered is knock off junk jewellery that may not even be worth 10% of what is paid for it. I have heard countless stories over the years of people putting down a couple of thousand dollars for this crap. An article in the Bangkok Post a few years back mentioned that the Tourist Police get about 20 complaints a week from people who have bought this rubbish. Frankly, anyone who falls for this scam is stupid and deserves what they get. But what really bothers me is that while complaints are made to the police about this issue, nothing is done, at least long term. The same shops have been pulling the same scams for years and years and continue to do so. Hmmm, is someone in on it?!
THE TUKTUK / TAXI DRIVER TOUR SCAM
A similar type of scams occurs with the tuktuk drivers and to a lesser extent, taxi drivers, in Bangkok. As a foreigner you stand out in the crowd and you will be constantly approached by taxi and tuktuk drivers inviting you on a "tour of Bangkok". They might even off to take you on a tour for anywhere between 1 and 3 hours, all for a silly fee, like 10 or 20 baht. They are not about to take you around the temples, museums or places of historic interest, but around a bunch of stores where the sales assistants will put pressure on you to buy something. Many of the goods are for sale at high prices and the tuktuk or taxi driver who takes you to the establishment will get a significant commission on everything you buy. These shops can be really sneaky. After battling the heat, you will be led into a shop with cool air-conditioning, often by a very pretty and
charming Thai lady, well dressed, and who speaks very good English. In the more sophisticated operations you will be offered a choice of cold drink and a cool, wet towel to wipe away the sweat and dirt. But in no time the snakes will be all over you, pressuring you to buy something in their store. If they sense that you are going to buy something he charm will remain but if they feel you are going to get away without buying anything then expect their demanour to change completely, for them to be cold, and for you to suddenly be made very unwelcome indeed. Don't worry, your personal safety is never at risk, but you will be shown the door quickly. rankly, it is all a very unpleasant experience.
Various types of establishments pay commissions to tuktuk and taxi drivers, from large jewellery stores - some of which sell genuine gems and jewellery, and some of which sell fakes, through to tailors' stores, duty free stores, massage parlours and even some restaurants, particular seafood restaurants. The commissions made by the tuktuk and taxi drivers can be significant, often more than they would earn in an entire day if they were just driving passengers around, hence there is real motivation for them to get involved. A driver taking a customer to a massage parlour may get 500 baht per customer who indulges. At tailors' stores and seafood restaurants the commission is usually 10 - 15%. At stores operating the gem scams the commission can be really, really high, meaning many thousands of baht. In a country where people live on 6,000 - 7,000 baht a month, this is a very significant amount of money. Frankly, these establishments see that the drivers are richly rewarded for their efforts. A lot of the businesses are so keen to get potential customers in the door that even if that person doesn't make a purchase here, the driver will get a commission in the form of petrol vouchers.
If taken to a tailor's shop, a charming tailor of Indian ethnicity who speaks many languages well will put on a very convincing sales pitch. I have seen some tough characters give in to the wishes of these tailors and end up buying some suit or other tailored clothes that they really didn't want nor need. The quality of such tailored goods is variable - remember Bangkok tailors seldom make the clothes on the premises but rather send out the material to one big sweatshop where hundreds of tailors make all of the clothes to order. This means that it doesn't really matter which tailor shop you go to, the quality could well be the same as a place on the other side of town. BUT, if you get taken to such a store by a tuktuk or taxi, that person's commission will be built in to the price so you will be paying more than you would have had you gone there alone.
While I do not believe it to be a big problem, there were a lot of reports in late 1999 and 2000 regarding non licensed taxis. Basically, these just consist of people running their private car as a taxi. They will try to pick you up in heavily touristed areas and take you to the sites. While the regular taxi drivers don't really have any tests or anything that they need to pass before they can do the job, these other fellows are even worse. They will take you to all of the places offering high commissions as above. If you get really nasty, they might even try and kill you as happened to a number of unlucky punters... If it is not a regular taxi, steer clear!
CREDIT CARD & ATM FRAUD
Thailand is one of the worst places in the world for credit card fraud. You give you credit card to a vendor and they somehow either take a copy of it or do something or other and then they can go on to run up huge bills. Obviously when you get your bill back home you will be able to successfully challenge it and will not be liable for it but it is a hassle and inconvenience and is not going to endear you with your bank. To try and avoid being the victim of such a scam, do not let your credit card out of your sight when using it to make a purchase. This is one of those scams that seemed to be very common in the past but we seem to hear less and less about it these days.
Personally I am less concerned about credit card fraud than I am ATM fraud. Just as in the West the ATM machines at some banks are tampered with so that when you insert your card into the machine it is retained, or the number is read, and can be used by the criminal later. One of the big problems of ATM fraud in Thailand, at least if you are a Thai bank account holder, is that the banks do not just automatically write the fraud off and re-imburse you for how much was lost. Oh no, not at all, you are now in a fight to get that money back. There have been numerous stories in the press over the years about unlucky people who have lost serious amounts to ATM fraud and had a fight to get it back, so to speak.
DRIVING STANDARDS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT
The standard of driving in Thailand is very poor indeed. Taxi and tuktuk drivers generally drive too fast, follow too close, and perform dangerous maneuvers. Thank God that traffic in Bangkok generally doesn't move that fast meaning that if you should be involved in a crash then with a bit of luck the vehicle was not going too fast.
You should also exercise great care and caution when getting in and out of taxis, or any vehicles for that matter. Motorcycles squeeze in and out of traffic and many a tourist has opened the taxi door to get out only to open it right in front of a motorcycle who hit it, causing damage not only to the taxi and the motorbike but possibly themselves too. In a case like this it is you who opened the door who is at fault and you will be asked for compensation right away. Failure to pay it and you'll be off to the police station where a settlement will be agreed AND paid before you are free to go!
There is a law in place that says that if you cause a traffic accident and someone else is injured or hurt, you must pay for that person's immediate medical treatment. In reality this means handing over a small amount of money, most likely between 200 and 1,000 baht. Even if you are not at fault, you may be asked to hand over money. If you have any problems, it would be best to contact the local tourist police - assuming that they are represented where ever you happen to be.
Intercity travel in Thailand can be nerve wracking because once out on the open road many Thais fancy themselves as the next Michael Schumacher and like to see just how fast their vehicle can go. The intercity buses in Thailand can be a bit hair raising and at times you start to question your immediate surroundings and wonder whether you are on a bus or a roller coaster. You read many reports in the newspapers of intercity bus crashes, and the carnage caused. The only way to avoid being a victim is to take the train or private transportation. While I do not travel intercity by bus any more, I can confidently say that the problem is not as bad as it used to be.
Another problem with the intercity buses concerns luggage stowed on the buses. Large pieces of luggage are stored in the luggage hold. Many people have found that upon reaching their destination, that their valuables have mysteriously disappeared. What happens is that a Thai may travel the journey down in the luggage hold and go through all of the luggage, looking for valuables like cash, cameras or other items that can be quickly turned into cash. Basically, when
you travel on the intercity buses, be it the Government run bus service, or the private companies, take all of your valuables on board the bus with you.
A lot of Westerners suffer motorcycle accidents, particularly on the islands in the south of the country where it is popular to hire a bike as one's primary means of getting around. As already stated, driving standards may not be what you are used to at home and the surface of the road might not always be as good as it could be. There are often other problems like the camber of the road going the wrong way and confusing signs, all of which contribute to causing problems. I cringe when I see Westerners zooming around on a motorbike wearing but a pair of shorts and no shirt. Come off that bike and you're going to have all sorts of problems. I cannot re-iterate enough that many, many Westerners have bike accidents in Thailand, and a number die. Yes, people do die while riding bikes in Thailand so please, please, take care out there on the roads. No-one wants to go home in a box. By the way, the law states that you must where a helmet and there is a 400 baht fine if you're caught without one - and Thai cops love to catch Westerners out!
Motorbike theft is a problem in Thailand, although strangely, the theft of cars seems not to be such a big problem. One of the big problems is that there are some unscrupulous characters who directly target bikes hired by tourists. In a worst case scenario, when you hire a bike you may be followed by someone who is effectively working for the person who hired you that bike. When you have parked the bike and have disappeared down to the beach, gone to some tourist attraction or wherever, the person who followed you simply rides your bike away using e a spare key they had! After you have reported it stolen, you read the fine print of the motorbike agreement and see that you have no insurance and that you are in fact liable for a replacement bike. Bit of a nasty one this. What a lot of the folks hiring motorbikes do is to ask to hang on to your passport as security. My strong recommendation is that you do not give it to them and if hiring a bike, it may be best to not let them know where you stay as this way, if you do have an unfortunate mishap, you can quietly disappear and they will be none the wiser... Yes, I know this is wrong, but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Also, if they know where you are staying they might come and take the bike at night when you are sleeping. Most of the folks hiring bikes are fine so do not worry too much!
It should be noted that the condition of some of the bikes can be iffy so try and get someone that knows a little about bikes to check it out before you take it, especially if you plan on taking a bike for a few days. A lot of the bikes hired out to tourists are not what I would term road-worthy - little in the way of decent tread on the tyres, the breaks are not operating as effectively as they should be, the engine is running rough etc.
DRUGS
Anyone travelling to Asia who has done their homework knows that drugs and Asia just do not mix. That said, there are still plenty of tourists who fail to heed the advice of every guidebook and use drugs while on holiday.
If you do drugs in Asia, you deserve what you get - it's as simple as that. I have never done, nor will I ever do drugs, but what you do is up to you. However, don't forget that the penalties in Thailand are VERY harsh if you are caught with drugs on your person. How harsh I hear you ask? Well there was the story of a Brit who was caught in Lumpini Park with drugs in person a few years back. The case went to court and if I remember rightly he got 50 years jail. 50 years!
I gather that drugs can be obtained easily in Thailand but while I know my way around Bangkok, I wouldn't have a clue where to get drugs from - and nor do I have any reason to know.
There are some tuktuk drivers and other Thais, especially in the backpacker areas, like Khao San Road, on Ko Phangnan and up in the far north, who will offer to provide drugs for you. But what may follow is the police knocking on your guesthouse door to bust your ass because they have been tipped off by Mr. Tuktuk Driver! Now Mr. Tuktuk didn't do this because he doesn't like farangs - in fact he loves them - but because he'll be getting a very nice cut of the money that you have to expend to pay off the cops to keep your virgin ass out of prison!
Yes, that's right, in the case of a small amount of drugs you may be given the option of paying your way out of it. As much as I am against drugs and corruption, my advice would be to pay whatever is asked. No-one wants to end up in a Thai prison.
THAIS WORKING IN THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
Some of the Thais in the tourist industry have become jaded dealing with foreigners day in day out and all of the cultural nuances that go with it. While most Thais that you meet will be friendly, there are some rogues out there who think nothing of scamming the foreigner. With this in mind, you need to be aware of anyone that appears too friendly without a reason which is hard to do as Thais are extremely nice people. If the chambermaid in the hotel is friendly
then that is to be expected but if a stranger approaches you in a public place and seems too nice without a valid reason, you have reason to be cautious.
One scam that has been around for many moons is for a well dressed Thai lingering near the entrance to a popular tourist attraction to tell you that that particular tourist attraction is closed that day. Wat Po and Jim Thompson's House are two popular venues for these scammers but it can occur anywhere. Basically, as you approach the destination, a well dressed Thai will come up to you and tell you that due to <insert some bullshit reason> the said attraction is closed. He will then try and steer you in the direction of some venue for which he will get a commission such as a duty free store, gem shop etc - in much the same way the tuktuk drivers and taxi drivers do.
In extreme cases, it may even be suggested that you go to a gambling game and gamble money on his behalf citing another crazy story that for some crazy reason, he cannot participate (probably true as he is a cheat!). This is all a big ruse to part you with your money. Steer clear of these fellows even though they can appear very smooth and are well rehearsed. For whatever reason I hear that many of the victims of this type of scam are young Japanese women, which is very sad.
While Thai people can appear to be very friendly and gracious when you first meet them, be aware that the Thai smile does not always mean the same as the farang smile. Thais don't jut smile when they are happy - the smile can show one of many emotions but for the uninitiated it can be hard to read.
Thai people are some of the warmest and friendliest people in the world and your experience will no doubt be invigorated by the Thais' constant smiles and happy nature. It is sad to say that the Thais that are in constant contact with foreigners can become a little jaded and some of the people that you meet in your travels may only be interested in being pleasant to you if they believe there will be something in it for them. You may meet some money hungry folks. If you get the feeling that someone is only interested in your money, then give them a wide berth. Don't be surprised if Thais you meet ask you for a loan, something which may come as a surprise from someone you barely know. They may give you some sort of hard luck story about how they have no money, or how their tuition fees are due, or their rent is due, or some other fabrication. Sadly, many Thais do not look at a loan as something that needs to be repaid, but rather as a gift. Only give money away that you can afford to lose and do not expect to see again. Simply think to yourself if someone asked you for money under those circumstances in the West whether you would assist them or not. Remember, this is often a ruse and the money may well be used for liquor or narcotics!
Please be very careful when making complaints about service failures in Thailand. The aggressive attitude of some Westerners rubs Thais up the wrong way and even if they have a genuine complaint the Thais may not be responsive if they perceive that they are being threatened. Keep your calm and simply outline what has happened, and what you would like to happen next, be it a refund, a replacement, or whatever. As crazy as it sounds, Western tourists who have complained too loudly have often found that the person they are complaining to thinks that they are now in the wrong - and there is a refusal to help them! In a worst case scenario, someone arguing or complaining too loudly might be set upon.
It has to be said that Thais really do not understand Westerners very well and vice versa, we Westerners have a real problem getting inside the heads of the Thais. With this in mind there are often service failures in Thailand, unless you are staying at and dining at the very best places. As a very basic example, when you order food at a restaurant in Thailand it doesn't necessarily all come at the same time. So a wife's food might come 20 minutes before her husbands. For Thais this doesn't represent a problem because they usually get a plate of rice each and share all the other dishes. But for Westerners who tend not to eat this way suddenly it is a big deal as while they are dining together they will be eating their food at a different time - and complaining about it will simply bring confusion from the service provider who simply doesn't understand that there is a difference in concept at play!
DOUBLE PRICING / MONEY SCAMS
It is a sad fact that in Thailand dual pricing is very much present and it is tourists who are the targets of the high prices. At many places from national parks to tourist attractions and even to some restaurants there are two sets of prices, one set for the Thais, and another for foreigners. Sometimes the price difference is small, but at other times it is huge and can make the foreigner feel like they are being taken advantage of and ripped off.
To give you a few tangible examples, at many national parks it costs Thais 20 baht to enter and foreigners 400 baht. Yes, you read that right, foreigners pay 20 times the price that Thais do! At the Ancient City to the east of Bangkok, foreigners pay 300 baht while and Thai national pay 100 baht. And at a small but popular Thai restaurant opposite Wat Arun on the Chao Praya River, most dishes cost Thais 25 baht whereas foreigners are charged 50 baht.
There seems to be no logic nor reason behind the price differences. It cannot be argued that the foreigners make more money than Thais and so should be charged more because in many cases it is wealthy Thais who are visiting these places - and these people are very wealthy. It also cannot be reasonably argued that Thais pay taxies in Thailand and foreigners don't so the Thais have already contributed to the cost of the venue - many of the places charging these fees are privately owned businesses. Really, there is no other reason other than to gouge the tourist. Sadly, what many Thais fail to realise is that many foreigners choose to visit Thailand for the very reason that most things in the country are cheap and affordable. The Thais fail to realise that if they start playing games with prices like this then they will put foreigners off visiting - and then they will make nothing at all!
I guess what riles me most of all is that at virtually every place where this scam is practiced it is done in an underhand way, with the price for foreigners in English, using Roman characters, whereas the prices for Thai people are in the Thai script, a script which very, very few foreigners can read.
Thailand based expats are often able to get around this problem either by simply speaking Thai to the vendor or ticket seller, or by producing some local ID, be it a Thai drivers license, a work permit, or some other local official document.
Loosely related, but not a scam as such, you may find when shopping in markets that you will be offered a price much higher than a Thai would but this is just standard market practice and fair play. How well can you bargain?!
The picture here shows a price board from the Sukhothai Historical Park in Northern Thailand - all of the text in red was added by me. I have taken the liberty of translating the Thai. I just wish they wouldn't be so sneaky about it. Why don't they just come out and say that it is Thailand and they are going to offer reduced rates to their nationals? That they go and hide this irritates many Westerners. It is annoying too that at some places the
price differences can be several times, and that the prices paid by non Thais are NOT cheap at all, and can even reach or sometimes even exceed the equivalent Western price!
Another of my pet hates is the "I no have change" look that some vendors come up with. A favourite scam of anyone providing transportation to you, this is usually a ploy to extract "a tip
