Travelling in Thailand (and Southeast Asia)

March 2009

Ok so if you want to follow in our footsteps but have never been to this part of the world before then here are some travel tips. If you are planning on staying at western style hotels and taking only managed tours then skip this. Best Westerns are the same all over.

• Driving – stay alive and don’t drive. Maybe rent a scooter in a nice safe place but don’t even consider driving here. This is from someone who enjoys driving in Montreal or Detroit.
• Hope you like rice and noodles. If you are eating cheap then those are your options. Western style food, especially pizza and spaghetti, cost two or three times as much. In the bigger cities, you can find any kind of Western food that you want but you won’t pay Thai prices for them.
• Buy only bottled water. I don’t drink bottled water elsewhere but I do here.
• Take only clothes that hide it when you sweat. If you do any degree of walking or trekking you will sweat. If you sweat a lot at home this will be a lot worse. Wear colours that look the same way wet and dry. Take only clothes that don’t need any special care. Be prepared if the laundry has ironed your socks and bleached your favourite beige blouse into something that looks like a hospital uniform.
• Learn how to walk. In the towns and cities there are many open drains, broken tiles, unexpected drops and curbs. Your feet have to have eyes of their own if you want to avoid a twisted ankle. (The concept of liability is not one that rules the day here). Walk a lot on rough ground before you come here and your feet will teach themselves (or spend all your time looking at the ground).
• Everyone knows someone who can help you. Every guesthouse or hostel or hotel already has a suggestion for how to book a tour, do the laundry or find a business. Usually it is owned by a family member or friend. Thailand runs on what we would call kickbacks or commission. This doesn’t make it bad and in fact it can be very convenient at times. For expensive stuff always check around. The more expensive the accommodation the more likely you are paying more for the extras.
• Toilets – a traditional Thai toilet is one where you squat over the hole in the floor (which is probably hooked up to a modern plumbing system). A typical en-suite in a guesthouse has a western style toilet, a sink and a shower all in the same space. If it is a shared bathroom, wear your sandals. Expect, in some areas, to have no handle to flush but rather a small cistern in the room where you can ladle water into the toilet. Toilets in train stations, etc., usually have a small charge to use them. Oh and if you are wondering what that small hose with the nozzle is next to the toilet it is connected to the fact that there may be no toilet paper in the room. I'll let you figure it out.
• Thai don’t sweat much (generally not at all) and go to great lengths to look good in public. Do what you can to match that.
• Beer is everywhere and pretty cheap. Wine is not cheap at all and is very hard to get in budget places. The more westernized (and higher priced) the restaurant the greater the chances of getting wine. Street stalls never have it. Don’t expect it to be on a budget restaurant menu.
• Learn to love 7-11 stores. As amazing as it seems they are the great equalizer for pricing on beer (the cheapest), cigarettes, pop and water. They are everywhere in all mid to large sized towns.
• Air Conditioning – always ask for it when you stay somewhere and pay the dollar or two extra. Be prepared that many businesses (and subways and buses) set their units at about 16C (62F). For example, when I step out of the monorail cars my glasses fog up. On the other hand, 7-11s are a great way of avoiding heat stroke.
• Many people in Thailand know 5-10 words of English, are genuinely nice and just want to help. Their English is just enough to do some business. Try to talk simply and without using vowels (i.e. pay bill) until you know how much they understand. Do not assume that since they are smiling and nodding you are getting through. They may just not want to embarrass you or themselves. And, please for God’s sake, don’t talk loudly. Their hearing is just fine. Your lack of Thai is the problem – not their lack of English.
• Thai writing. Many things are written in English letters in Thailand but most aren’t. Thai script is indecipherable to most English speakers. Their street numbers and names are a completely different system than the one in use in NA and many streets have no markings. Always try to get a map or specific directions if you can.
• Taxis and Tuk-Tuks. Always settle on a fixed fair beforehand. Most Thais take the bus and that is always preferable if you can figure it out.
- Staffing – expect there to be at least two Thai staff, and maybe more, in every tour bus or truck or at every desk. Sometimes it maybe the whole family. That doesn’t mean that they are all there to help you. They may just be hanging out, catching a ride or doing something else. Don’t be mad if they aren’t all trying to solve your problem.

Dogs – last but not least there are dogs everywhere in Thailand. “Mixed breed” is an understatement. Some may belong to people but most don’t. They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them. Don’t make the mistake of trying to pet them or play with them. Think of them as more of an urban coyote. They help keep the streets clean and won’t beg for food.