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Dress codes Bangkok
17 Reviews In most Asian countries it's common to understand the remains of British influence, in the students' dress code. In Bangkok we saw a parade with students using traditional costumes and some...
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Religion & Beliefs Ko Samui
10 Reviews One of the things that I have never understood about travellers is their desire to break the rules, or guidelines of the local people. Out of respect to the people who look after this temple, and also...
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Correct behaviour Chiang Mai
21 Reviews To take off your shoes is extremely important when visiting temples. At the massage rooms, it was also necessary to do so. It was even requested at one of the restaurant I went to. So, it is helpful...
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Bullfighting Hat Yai
1 Review Apparantly Hat Yai is one of the main centre for Bullfighting in Thailand. Many local people seem to have no problem with a variety of 'sports' that enable humans to use dumb defenceless animals for...
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General Dos and Don'ts Bangkok
29 Reviews The must Do: -dress properly when visiting a temple -treat monks with the highest respect -try to learn a few Thai phrases -smile -enjoy DON'T EVER TRY TO: Don't show disrespect towards the...
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Language Ko Samui
3 Reviews As with any foreign country it is an advantage to learn some basic communication terms.In thai it is handy to know the following terms. Sa-wa-dee khap for males,Sa-wa-dee ka for females(hello or...
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Local people Chiang Mai
17 Reviews This flower market is located along the western bank of the Ping River, to the north of Nawarat Bridge. Here you can see stalls and shops selling the offering garlands that people take to temples plus...
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Religion Hat Yai
1 Review At various shops around the place you will see orange buckets loaded with food and toiletries. These are passed to monks as part of their daily 'alms-collecting'. Monks are supposed to have very few...
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The Wai - Traditional Thai Greeting Bangkok
17 Reviews Many people in the capital speak some English, sometimes too enthusiastically as they speak so fast. However you should try to learn the basic words, but no-one expects you to learn much more than...
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Song Kran Festival Chiang Mai
8 Reviews Songkran Day has been celebrated as New Year's Day in the Thai solar calendar since ancient times. The date coincides with the day the sun leaves Pisces and enters Aries, usually falling on April 13...
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Thai Language Bangkok
17 Reviews People who want to learn the Thai language should listen to some Thai music.Listening to Thai music is a good way to improve your listening skill as well as to learn new words . One band that is...
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Excursions Chiang Mai
7 Reviews Interested in different kinds of Fruits and Plants not found in your country? Then there is a good chance of seeing something entirely different in an Akha & Lisu village. I saw a Longan Fruit tree,...
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Feet (and Heads) Bangkok
16 Reviews In Buddhist culture, the feet are the lowest and most unclean part of the body, while the head is the highest part of the body. Touching someone on the head, or shaking your foot, or pointing with...
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Buddhism / Monks Bangkok
38 Reviews A few years ago, a Thai friend told me that it was forbidden and highly avoided that a female approach and give alms to monks. Females can do so via a male conduit. I am not sure if this is till...
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Beer drinking Bangkok
6 Reviews Singha beer is the leading beer product in Thailand and the Boon Rawd Brewery Co. Ltd. (located in Bangkok, Thailand) Brews this popular beer. Singha has for many years been Thailand’s most popular...
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Bargaining Bangkok
7 Reviews Bargaining is meant to be fun so the first rule is that you should never get angry or rude with merchants. Sometimes merchants will be rude to you in an effort to make farangs lose face but don't...
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People Bangkok
22 Reviews On the banks of the Chao Phraya river, you will see rickety old wooden houses on stilts and covered boats. The people that live here are called the boat people. They do not have much money but seem...
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Shoes - when to take them off Bangkok
11 Reviews Whenever you enter a religious building (Buddhist temple, Mosque, etc), you must first remove your shoes prior to entering. So, sandals with closed heals or other shoes easily removed and put on are a...
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Traditional Thai Dancing Bangkok
9 Reviews With all forms of dance drama in Thailand, music forms an important role which is greatly bound by tradition The performances you will see are mystical dances based on stories from classical Thai...
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Songkran Festival Bangkok
7 Reviews Songkran is the Thai New Year's festival. It is celebrated on the first after the first new moon of April. Everything shuts down for the Songkran festival and then a country wide water fight emerges....
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Shrines and Spirit Houses Bangkok
15 Reviews There are many Thais with Chinese ancestors ,so you will often see Chinese style shrines all over the country .On certain ocassions such as Chinese New Year you will see people paying respect to Gods...
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Respect for Royalty Bangkok
17 Reviews A person can notice coming to Bangkok that many people (men and women) are wearing light pink shirts. Dress shirts, polo shirts or tee shirts in light pink. Winston, my VT friend, explained how the...
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Money Bangkok
3 Reviews Paid 250Baht to get into the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, upon entering the palace, looked up and was surprised to see a sign that says it's FREE for the Thais. Later, I found the same thing for...
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Statues Bangkok
9 Reviews Shiva's carriage was the bird of eagle. Shiva is the Hindo deity of Destroying, and Creating! That is why this deity is considered the supreme Hindu Deity, possibly the oldest one. That is to say the...
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Traditional Thai Massage Bangkok
2 Reviews Thai massage is believed to have been developed by Jivaka Kumar Bhaccha, physician to Buddha, more than 2,500 years ago in India. It made its way to Thailand, where the Ayurvedic techniques and...
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Keep seeing same questions over and over again in the forums regarding proper etiquette for the various countries.I wish people would do some research by either reading up on culture in the guide books or via internet.We will try and update general Do's and Don'ts for the different places we've visited.Below, find an useful "Do's and Don't list" for Thailand.http://www.thailandholidayguide.com/thailand-dos-and-donts.htm
Y tried to hitchhike between Mae Hong Son and Pai, as you may know, Thays are very friendly, all of them wabe at me smiling….what I didn´t know is thet they do use another sign to hitchhike moving the hand open flat( like doing a wabe in the stadium ) no with the thumb up,
Eating & Ordering Thai food :Thai food is eaten with a fork and spoon. Even single dish meals such as fried rice with pork, or steamed rice topped with roasted duck, are served in bite-sized slices or chunks obviating the need for a knife. The spoon is used to convey food to the mouth. Ideally, eating Thai food is a communal affair involving two or more people, principally because the greater the number of diners the greater the number of dishes ordered. Generally speaking, two diners order three dishes in addition to their own individual plates of steamed rice, three diners four dishes, and so on. Diners choose whatever they require from shared dishes and generally add it to their own rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with rice. Soups are enjoyed concurrently with other dishes, not independently. dishes, Spicy dishes are 'balanced' by bland dishes to avoid discomfort.
The Thai people that I have encounted on my trips have often been very thoughtful and courteous and they also love a good laugh. The very first word I learnt was Sawadee meaning Hello, if I was greeting a female I would say Sawadee Kaa and if I was greeting a male I would say Sawadee Krap (each time you meet a male or female please add these to the end of each sentence. Baht is the currency used in Thailand so if you want to ask how much the item is that you wish to purchase you would say Gee baht.Thai's like to hear that their food is good and you have enjoyed your meal. Tell them a roi and you have told them that you found it was delicious. Lastly you want to thank your host/hostess for their hospitality/service and in this situation you say khorb koonTo find out more about the Thai language, check out any Thai language page found on the Web.
There are many festivals that take place in Thailand.Loy Krathong is a lovely one and can be joined in ny foreigners as well as locals.It takes place early November (full moon night when the rivers are high).Local hotels also organise Noppamas Queen Contests (beauty contests).The kathongs themseves are made of leaves and must contain a flower, a candle and three incense sticks.When lit it is floated off on the river and is said to bring good luck to you.And yes, the longer it remains lit and afloat, the greater your luck.
Almost all Thai people have a small spirit house in front of their own house or building. They make sacrifices every day for example food or drinks to protect themselves from all evil and evil spirits.
People have their preference of their type of accommodation. For me, I used to only want 5 star luxury. Even if I can't afford it. But I found that the lower in the scale the accommodation level is, the friendlier the people are, both the guests and the hosts. So, I found that if I have time, I tend to stay in different types. In Chiang Rai, I stayed in a cheap thai guesthouse (no hot water-share bath), all for 200 baht, in Chiang Mai, I stayed in a budget hotel (Lai Thai Guest House ,400 baht (room with no street view-old), in Bangkok , at the Narai at 2,000 baht ,all mod cons- moderate, and then in Phuket at the Chedi , wow-5 star luxury- don't ask how much, a bit too much for my budget but stayed there anyway. My point, people -wise, the most fun I had was when I hang out with backpackers in the el cheapo places, but the most comfortable time I had was when I stayed at the Chedi...
When a Buddhist Thai has to build a new house or start a new business they talk to the monks and they choose the correct place to locate this tribute to the ancients and spirits for everything to go all right.
When you go to a temple you have to take off your shoes. That's the custom in every temple ( at least in temples around Bankok and up north) + you are never allowed to show your back parf of feet to Budha
Remember that when the Thai National Anthem is played - stand and face the flag and the picture of the King. I watched a couple of Aussies almost get arrested for not respecting this at the train station in Bangkok.
The Oriental, Bangkok Bangkok
25 Reviews and 922 Opinions its an experience one must have...stay there at any cost. its totally worth it in every way u can...
Mom Tri's Villa Royale Phuket Phuket
4 Reviews and 312 Opinions Ocean Wing Suites (Villa Terracotta) Mom Tri’s Villa Royale now have a beautiful new area which is...
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Chiang Mai
2 Reviews and 320 Opinions Everything you would expect from a Mandarin Oriental plus the really spectacular design. Two...
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Q: I am from Canada and going to Thailand, what kind of plug adapter do I need to charge my camera?
A: You will find all the information you need about voltages and plug adaptors (and photos of plug types) here: http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm
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