Small tips for travelling to Thailand

Thailand is one of the beautiful countries in SE Asia. Here, there are many wonderful places that you should not miss. Thailand is also the place for shopping and eating. However, you have to pay attention to some things when taking consideration to go to Thailand.

Belongings

The weather in Bangkok and Pathaya is all-year-round hot like in the summer, so that you should bring light and cool stuffs. Here are the list of something that you should take into consideration:

1. Summer clothes: decollete, tanktop, skirt/dress, shorts, etc, which make you the most comfortable and convenient. You can also bring a thin cardigan in order to avoid the sun ray. During the trip, you can dress as you like. However, only at Royal Palace, you should dress discreetly and courteous plus wearing sandals. Don't worry if you're dressing summer clothes as mentioned above, because at the gate of the palace, you can rent those clothes at some stores. 

1. Ventilated sandals or short-heel shoes
2. Glasses, hat
3. Swimsuit
4. Sun cream
5. Personal hygiene stuffs: shower gel/cream, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes (in the hotel/hostel, they do have these stuff but actually they're not very good at all)
6. Specific remedy (if necessary): regardless of where ever you go, you should bring along with some medicine for influenza (flu) and stomachache that you usually use, because the guide do not have permission to buy and let tourist have medicine without the appointment of the doctor.

1. You should pay attention to buy what you think it is really necessary and affordable. If there is something which your country has, don't buy those stuff. According to my experience, it's better if you buy domestic products in Thailand so that the prices will be ok and affordable, don't buy too many imported products.

• In the supermarkets/ shopping malls: Products are good. You cannot bargain but will receive bills and you can be repay tax.
• Products at the market or some other stores: It's very difficult to choose if you don't know actually. However, you can bargain freely but don't have bill to refund tax.

Eating & Drinking, Currency, Transportation

Foods and meals in Thailand are tend to be sour and sweet plus bitter and a little bit fat.

If you are person who don't like those tastes, you still should try some special foods in Thailand.

In Thailand, there is one thing that I like the most: FRUITs (Coconut, guava, mango,etc ... all those fruits are really really great). With only10 baht, you can eat a lot of fruits.

You don't need to bring reserved food because you can go along Thailand streets and eat something, it's not very expensive.

However, you should beware of "Tuck Tuck 20 Baht" - which allow you to have a tour around Bangkok, then they will guide you to a false jewelry stores. In these store, the sellers are very  smooth-tongued; for example, they will tell you that each year, Thailand government have one day of duty-free for jewelry for tourists, so that the price will down to 50% or 80%, etc; in fact, it's not the truth.

About currency, you can exchange money at the airport because the rate there is still ok


If you go to Phuket from Bangkok, you can buy flight ticket of Asia Airline - it's the cheapest. The round way flight ticket Bangkok - Phuket is around 60USD, but you have to buy by Credit card.

If you are in Phuket, the most beautiful beach is Karon. Another beach is Patong which is somehow commercial, and the seaside is not very big and not as beautiful as in Karon. If you like seafood, don't hesitate eating at some small restaurant because the seafood there is good and the prices are affordable; at some big restaurants, the prices are always expensive.

 

Karon beach

The last experience is that if you buy soft drinks or beer or mineral water, don't buy at the hotel or peddled wares but at the supermarket. There are supermarket chains named 7/11 (it is in everywhere), prices for stuff there are quite cheap. Especially, if you go to remote areas, look for this supermarket because if you buy things at some other stores, the prices will be really expensive.



Visiting Thailand Royal Palace

There are some strict requirements:

• Men: dress smartly, don't wear shorts and slippers
• Women: dress discreetly and politely, don't wear: short skirt, thin clothes, non-sleeves shirt, tapering trousers/pants, slippers

If you breach these rules, you cannot come inside the palace. And in any cases, women are not allowed to touch or give anything directly to the monks.

Most of the Thais are Buddhist. The Buddha image is highly reversed in this country. Guests or tourists should not wear sandals in areas having Buddha image; do not climb up any statue; dress smartly and politely at the places of worship. If you have any activities offending religious beliefs, you may be punished by imprisonment, not exclude international tourists.


Do not rub the others' head, even if they are children. For the Thais, head is the most sacred place.


Conception

The Thais concept that foot is the dirtiest part of the body; so when sitting, you should avoid putting your food on the table.When sitting cross legs, do not let your leg directed towards other person, especially the Buddha or King image. Before going inside Thais' house, visitors should take the shoes out.


Almost all hotels in Thailand do not equipped with toothpastes, toothbrushes, and slippers in the room. Therefore, you should prepare these items.

If you plan to go to Thailand, wish you have a wonderful trip here. Remember not to buy a tour (or through tour agent) but traveling yourself - it is cheaper and bring to you more interesting experiences.

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