50 Important Things You Must Know Before Visiting Thailand
For those who are comfortable with Western lifestyles and comforts, Thailand is massive luggage of culture shock for first, second, or even third time visitors, so there are a lot of things you must know before visiting this land of smiles.
I have lived in Thailand for my whole life (because I was born here), and yes sure there are obvious cultural differences that you should know before visiting such as “Don’t talk about the king” or “Respect the Buddha Image”, but those are common knowledge that every website or blogger will tell you.
But how about the smaller yet important details that no one other than Thai residents or long term visitors will understand? Like some fun ones such as “Alcohol sale is restricted to a certain time” or more serious ones like “Avoid traveling to the deep south”.
*Note: This is a looooooooong article with tons of information, so I recommend you bookmark it so that you may refer to this at a later time.
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My Experiences to You
I’ve compiled a huge list of common things to know as well as lesser known ones so that you can be culturally prepared before you spend your holiday in the land of smiles. These are points that my foreign friends have made or ones that I see many travelers and tourists are surprised or unprepared by. I try to provide as much detail and contextual information into the points as I can to give you a deeper understanding of the why things are the way they are.
1. Be respectful of Buddhism, a part of everyday life in Thailand
95% of Thais practice Theravada Buddhism, so religion plays a huge role in day to day living here. You’ll spot many Thais wearing amulets or necklaces picturing the Buddha image and many little shrines throughout your travels in Thailand.
Making good merits is a huge factor in the behavior of the residents and it explains their most humbling and kind nature.
Fun Fact: You’ll frequently see little “Spirit houses” by trees with red Fanta as an offering, the Fanta signifies blood.
2. Women must dress modestly while visiting a temple
On the subject of respecting religion, while visiting some of many beautiful temples, women must dress modestly and ensure that their shoulders and legs are covered by wearing either long pants or a long skirt. This also applies to men but more so, women.
This is due to the teachings that monks should not be sexually tempted or show impure desires.
If you don’t have any long pants, or are unprepared for a sudden trip to a temple, not to worry, temples will often provide clothing to wrap around your lower body.
3. Lèse-Majesté, Do not criticise the King
Usually this tip is phrased as “do not TALK about the king”, but that’s not wholly true. You can talk about the king, but just don’t talk negatively. To make things easier, yes, just don’t talk about the king.
The Thais revere their king, More specifically, King Rama 9, as he helped the nation greatly to make it to where it is today and so us Thais have a huge respect and love for him.
But if you do decide to commit Lèse-Majesté be prepared for years of fun in a Thai prison.
4. Vegetarians are fully welcome, Jay Festival
Vegetarianism is fully celebrated in Thailand in the form of “Aharn Jay” where Aharn means food and Jay means Vegetarian.
There is even a yearly 9 day Jay festival that takes place around September to October where street food vendors are encouraged to cook a wide variety of delicious vegetarian foods, many families and individuals also participate in the festival.
Many Thais have Chinese ancestry and this festival is to commemorate the 9 Chinese Emperor Gods by cleansing our bodies of impurities.
Jay food is instantly recognizable by their yellow flags with either a the Thai ‘เจ’ (Jay) or Chinese ‘齋’ (Zhai) written in red.
5. Dual pricing, Foreigner price vs Local price
Unfortunately it is a fact that tourists and even foreigners living in Thailand will have to deal with.
A form of casual racism that many Thais are unaware it even is racism, dual pricing is a practice that most if not all tourist attractions have. Local Thai residents will pay the normal cheaper entry/ticket fee while foreigners will have to pay a higher price.
This also extends to many restaurants in tourist hotspots such as Phuket or Pattaya that will charge foreigners a higher price for food.
I am against this practice but unfortunately it has been internalised into Thai society… Even I get confused for a foreigner sometimes and will be pushed into paying a higher price until I showed the ticket booth my Thai ID.
6. Learn some basic Thai words and phrases
Yes, sorry you have to do some learning for this one but know that simple phrases can go a long way and will help you become more involved in the Thai culture.
*Note: always end your sentences in a Krub (for male) or Ka (for female), Krub/Ka doesn’t have a direct translation but it stands as a way to show politeness and respect.
Numbers:
neung/song/sam/see/ha/hok/ched/paed/gow/sib - 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10
In the tens the outliers are tens plus ones such as 11, 21, 31, and so on. Instead of “neung” for one, it becomes “et”.
The other outlier is 2 tens which becomes “yi sib” because “song sib” is makes too much sense.
sib et/yi sib/ yi sib et/sam sib hok/ha sib et - 11/20/21/36/51
neung roi/song roi/sam roi/etc… - 100/200/300/etc…
neung pan/song pan/sam pan/etc… - 1000/2000/3000/etc…
Greetings + General:
“Sawasdee krub/ka” - “Hello”
“Khob khun krub/ka” - “Thank you”
“Kor toad krub/ka” - “Sorry/Excuse me”
“Tao rai krub/ka?” - “How much?”
“Mai pen rai krub/ka” - “It’s ok”
Food:
“Aow neung/song/sib ti krub/ka” - “One/two/ten orders please”
“Check bin krub/ka” - “Can I have the bill please”
“Aow nam bloaw kub nam kaeng krub/ka” - “Water and ice please”
“Mi arai nae num mai krub/ka?” - “What do you recommend?”
“Aroi (mak) krub/ka” - “(very) delicious”
Transport:
“Chai meter na krub/ka” - “Use the taxi meter please”
“Pai [destination] dai mai krub/ka?” - “Can you take me to [destination]?”
7. TukTuks are cool but don’t rely on them
TukTuks are something that every tourist and even local will have to try once in their life. But that’s the thing, only once (or maybe twice).
Unless you can afford it, TukTuks are insanely expensive compared to taxis, motorbikes, trains, and even private transport like minivans or Grab personal drivers. The prices can be up to 400% more than a regular taxi.
This is because TukTuks are there to cater to tourists, you won’t find many locals riding on one.
8. Tell the taxi driver to use the meter
Taxi Drivers are suppose to use the meter to calculate price according to distance traveled, sometimes the drivers won’t turn them on in the hopes of scamming the unknowing tourist who rides them.
To avoid getting scammed, before you even get inside to sit, tell the driver to turn on the meter by saying:
“Chai meter na krub/ka” - “Use the taxi meter please”
If they refuse, get out.
9. Get to know Bangkok’s BTS (Sky Train) and MRT (Subway) inside out
The most useful and second most efficient form of transport (first being motorbike taxis) in Bangkok is the BTS and MRT.
These trains will take you to almost all of the major hotspots and districts so it is essential to understand how they work.
For the both, there are only 2 lines to worry about so the map is easy to read and learn. Tickets can be purchased at the various kiosks at every station or at the ticket booth next to the entry gate.
10. We don't use chopsticks for everything here...
Contrary to popular stereotypical beliefs, Thais don’t use chopsticks for everything. In fact the only thing we use them for are noodles, and for the geniuses amongst us, to pick up snacks without getting our fingers dirty.
We use forks and spoons.
11. There is no such thing as Pineapple Fried Rice
Contrary to another popular stereotypical belief, there is no such thing as pineapple fried rice. Thai fried rice is similar to Chinese style fried rice, the only place you’ll find this weird American-Asian fusion food is at fusion Thai restaurants or touristy hotspots.
12. Thai Shopping Mall Tiers
When in Thailand you’ll likely do a lot of shopping, and why wouldn’t you? Everything is so cheap here!
There are plenty of shopping malls here and it’s actually one of Thai people’s favorite past-times to just go to a mall and hang out. So here are some popular shopping malls in Bangkok that you should know about:
Luxury Malls
ICONSIAM - Newly opened shopping mall with an indoor floating market on the bottom floor.
Siam Paragon - Located right in the center of Bangkok and branching out to many adjacent malls and fashion streets.
Emporium - Luxury department store in the Phrom Phong district.
EmQuartier - A newer sister mall opposite to Emporium.
Casual Malls
Central Group Malls
Central World - The largest of all the central malls and the largest shopping mall in Thailand.
Central Eastville - A shopping mall with a unique design philosophy focusing on community, Pets are allowed here.
Lots more…
Terminal 21 - Mall with a theme of each floor being decorated in the style of other countries.
Everyday Malls
MBK - Tons of clothing, food, and cheap and dubious tech, more like an indoor market.
Platinum Fashion Mall - Cheap but plentiful clothing, same style as MBK, more like an indoor market.
13. Taking Buddha images out of the country is illegal
Coming back to Buddhism and Religion, taking any items containing the image of the buddha outside of Thailand is illegal.
This includes: statues, bracelets with a Buddha image, necklaces with a tiny encased Buddha, and even just pictures or posters of Buddha.
14. You NEED to visit the Local Markets and Night Markets
You haven’t been to Thailand if you didn’t spend the evening at one of the various night markets gorging on food or throwing your money away at clothing and souvenirs. Thai markets are on another level and my favorite has to be Jodd Fairs, modern, trendy, and a great place to discover vendors expressing their culinary creativity.
Another famous market you need to visit is the Amphawa Floating Market, a traditional market spanning a long canal with lots of long-tail boats passing by selling boat noodles and grilled seafood.
15. Bum guns are incredible
Bum guns are a hygienic invention that should be adopted everywhere. Unlike regular guns, bum guns are not violent (well, maybe to your bum).
They are often described as tiny shower heads that are installed next to your toilet seat. After you finish doing your business just take it and spray directly to the area that is dirty, pat it dry with a tissue paper, and congratulations you have just discovered a more hygienic way to clean your bum.
It’s a mystery why the west didn’t adopt this invention yet.
16. Travel adapters and electrical sockets
Thailand uses 5 different socket types, type: A, B, C, and O. The most common being socket type A and B.
You will rarely find type C, and O.
17. Taking the public buses? Use the ViaBus App
In addition to learning how to use the BTS and MRT, you’ll also find it useful to learn how to use the public buses, personally I don’t see many foreigners using this mode of transport but if you are a student or are staying in Thailand long term, it helps to know how to use them as they are the cheapest mode of transport available.
Buses come in many numbers and many types, so it can be confusing to know which ones go where, the official app, ViaBus, helps you track and search which bus go where and what routes it takes, it works in similar fashion to Google Maps, but tracks all the buses in operation.
18. Napkins are toilet paper or tissue material
Napkins that you’ll find in local restaurants are thin and frail similar to the texture of toilet paper, They also come in a bright pink color.
19. Gas station food is delicious
Every single gas station has a 7-11, toilet, and either an Amazon Cafe or a fast food restaurant or both. Most gas stations also have various food vendors selling local one plate dishes, you’ll also find Thailand’s favorite 5-Star Grilled Chicken fast food stall.
You might even see a large shop selling a some snacks or foods unique to the province in which you are in.
If you ever find yourself at a gas station, step out of you vehicle and take a walk. When coming back from a holiday, a lot of Thais buy souvenirs and snacks to bring back to their loved ones at these gas stations.
20. 7-11 doesn’t have bathrooms
This one is an UNO reverse card, apparently 7-11s in other countries have bathrooms? I didn’t know this…
But yeah, 7-11s or any convenience stores here don’t have bathrooms. I think the same goes for all convenience stores in this part of the world.
21. A lot of Thais are very non communicative
Try striking up a conversation with a random stranger and you’ll be met with awkward stares and silences, and when you continue walking, you’ll hear innocent gossip and curious giggles about that random “Farang” (Thai word for foreigner) who just tried to talk to them.
This of course doesn’t apply to all Thais, but a lot of us have this mentality of minding our own business and not standing out.
Keep this in mind when you try chatting up a stranger, it’s not a negative reaction they are showing, it’s just that we Thais aren’t as used to chatting with random passerbys compared to other countries.
22. P*rnHub is banned
Every teenage boy’s favorite website is banned here, but just this website, other websites are still up…
The reasons for banning goes deeper than just “it’s obscene or it’s not appropriate” but I’m not going to discuss that because frankly I enjoy ability to walk freely on the streets.
I’m also not going to tell you that there are definitely easy ways to bypass this ban by changing your DNS settings or just going to a foreign version of this website.
23. Get to know Thai Cuisine
Thai cuisine comes in 4 different flavors: Northern, North-Eastern, Central, and South. And you might have also heard of the 5 flavors of Thai food: sweet, sour, salty, spicy, umami.
And Thai cuisine consists of noodles, salads, curries, stir fries, meats, different types of desserts, all sorts of things.
So to truly enjoy satisfy your Thai food cravings and enjoy all the wonderful foods Thailand has to offer it is good to understand all there is to know about Thai Cuisine.
24. ALL snacks are sweet. No matter what the flavor is supposed to be
Thai people love their sweets, so it is no surprise that whatever the sweet or snack may be, it is always very sweet.
Sticky rice and mango? You bet the mango is going to be sweet.
Tom Yum flavored chips? For some reason that is also sweet.
Pick up any snack item at a 7-11 and you’ll be guaranteed to be hit with a wave of sugar, both natural and processed.
25. Electric water kettles are available in every hotel room
A must-have hotel room amenity, the electric kettle is there for you to brew tea or coffee, but the most important use for it…
To boil instant noodles. Not kidding.
26. Coffee is either pure acid or pure sugar
Unless you go to a specialty coffee shop, or one of the establish brands like Starbucks or Cafe Amazon, every cup of black coffee is either really acidic and bitter or combined with loads of milk and sugar.
You’ll encounter this phenomena at street-side coffee/drink carts.
27. The National Anthem plays 2 times a day
Don’t be surprised when you’re jogging at the park early morning and you hear a patriotic anthem at 8:00am.
Also don’t be equally surprised when you are enjoying an evening picnic at a different park and you hear the same patriotic anthem at 6:00pm.
The Thai national anthem plays twice throughout the day at 8:00am and 6:00pm, you’ll hear this at mainly schools, education institutes, and public parks.
28. Grab Taxi is the Uber of Thailand
Don’t like using a Taxi because the driver won’t turn on the meter? Try Grab, basically the Uber of Thailand.
There are numerous transport apps available from Grab, Maxim, and Bolt, but the most popular and widely used is Grab.
You simply choose your destination and pick up point, your type of transport whether that is a minivan, regular car, or even a bike, and that’s all done.
The price is calculated based on distance and traffic, and the best thing is that the price is fixed. Knowing the traffic congestion here, Grab can even be cheaper than taking a regular Taxi.
29. Food is wrapped in multiple layers of plastic and then put into plastic bags
Although efforts have been made in the past to reduce plastic bag waste in grocery stores, It seems like Thailand has forgotten all of that effort and have reverted back to our old ways of plastic wrapping everything in layers of unnecessary plastic.
If you have accumulated a supply of plastic bags, don’t throw them away, use them as make shift trash bags or to carry used laundry.
30. Always carry tissues
Whether you are walking along the streets or stopping by a department store to use the bathrooms, always ALWAYS carry some spare tissue.
You will need them to wipe away your sweaty face after walking in the humid heat. Don’t sweat a lot? You will need them when you find out there is no toilet paper in the bathrooms. Don’t intend to use the bathrooms? You will need them to wipe your hands clean after eating the many irresistible street food options.
Always carry tissues.
31. Despite what Taxi/TukTuk drivers tell you, the attraction you are visiting is most likely NOT closed
A common scam that you will encounter at many tourist attractions is that Taxi or TukTuk drivers will tell you that a certain attraction is closed. They are most certainly NOT.
The reason they will tell you this is so that they can bring you to another location or shop so that they can earn a commission for bringing in unknowing customers.
32. Don’t do drugs, but yes, cannabis is now legal in Thailand
Do. Not. Do. Drugs. unless you want to end up in the previously mention fun house that is the Thai prison.
Foreigner or local, the Thai authorities won’t take it lightly.
However, cannabis has been legalized recently and you’ll see many dispensaries out in the open as you travel through the cities of Thailand. You’ll even find normal restaurants and stalls selling cannabis themed items such as drinks or desserts.
That’s not to say you can smoke marijuana out in public, no there are still restrictions in place and being caught with drugs while crossing the border will result in the death penalty.
33. Khao San Road is not what you think
Khao San Road is arguably the most popular street in Bangkok for chaotic nightlife parties, however the area is also known to be home to plenty of shady practices and scams particularly targeted towards foreigners and tourists.
Yes, you’ll meet plenty of interesting people and party to your heart’s content, but beware of your own safety here.
34. Gambling is prohibited, however there are exceptions.
Gambling of any form is prohibited, and owning more than 120 playing cards can land you a fine or prison sentence.
Playing cards? It sounds ridiculous, yes, but the Thai government is very strict about gambling.
That being said, Thailand is the land of many paradoxes, betting on horse races and participating in the government sponsored lottery is perfectly fine and legal.
35. When looking for an Elephant Sanctuary or Animal Attractions, research beforehand
Doing activities at an Elephant or Animal Sanctuary or is a popular attraction in Thailand but unfortunately, many of these places do not treat their animals well and can downright be labeled as animal abuse.
There are a some places that do it right, so research the location beforehand so that you can avoid indirectly supporting animal abuse.
36. Always carry bug spray
Thailand being located in a Tropical environment, of course there will be plenty of bugs and mosquitos even in big urban areas like Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
Fortunately bug sprays are available for sale in every convenience store, so be sure to purchase some and always carry it around with you.
37. Do not touch other people’s head or use your feet to touch or point at anything
In Thai culture, the head is considered as the most sacred and cleanest part of the body so it is in big offense if you touch another person’s head.
Similarly, the feet is considered the lowest and most dirty part of the body so using it to touch or point at anything is a big offense.
38. Alcohol sales are time restricted
Alcoholic beverages are available for sale between the hours of 11:00am to 2:00pm and 5:00pm to 12:00am.
The reason for the strange time gap is from the outdated idea that civil servants will not be able to work properly while drunk.
39. Ketchup served with pizza
I’m sorry Italians and New Yorkers, but Thais like to eat their pizza with a side of ketchup.
Go to any big chain pizza places like: Pizza Hut, Pizza Company, and Dominos and you’ll be given a few packs of ketchup to squirt or dip your pizza into.
40. Learn when to properly Wai
A “Wai” is a gesture you do when you greet or thank someone.
To do a Wai, place your palms together and close to your upper chest. As you say your greeting or thanks, gently and slightly bow down while doing the Wai.
That’s the simple explanation but there is also another dimension to it.
The older or more respected/revered the person you are wai-ing to, the higher you place your palms. For example, when wai-ing to a monk, you would place you palms in front of your face.
41. Avoid travelling to the deep south
The Southern tip of Thailand is dangerous, there is an ongoing conflict between the Thai military and insurgent forces regarding ethnic and racial issues.
Thousands have been murdered, beheaded, blown-up, etc..
Just don’t go there.
The provinces and areas to avoid are: Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, and Songkhla.
42. Soi Dogs (and sometimes cats) are a part of life
Soi Dogs are are a normal part of Thai urban life, they can be seen everywhere. These are dogs without homes who are left to wander the streets scavenging for food. The “Soi” comes from the Thai word for alleyway.
However, recently these dogs are becoming less common as there are many business and charities opening up to provide these dogs shelter.
Even so, if you spot a Soi Dog, then be cautious as you might now know if it will bit you and transmit disease, but also don’t be reluctant to help it out by sparing some food.
43. Remove your shoes while entering homes and temples
A custom you’ll encounter is that when entering sacred places like temples or people’s houses, people will remove their shoes. This is a sign of respect and to keep the property clean as who knows what dirt and bacteria your shoes have been stepping on throughout the day.
44. Common Scams and how to avoid them
Much like any other country scams towards tourists are a problem that can turn your sweet holiday sour. It’s important to recognize the methods these scammers use so that you can enjoy your holiday. So some common scams are:
Taxi meter is broken - As mentioned previously, before you even enter the taxi ask the driver to use the meter if they refuse or say it is broken, just walk out and find another taxi.
Wrong change - Vendors will give back incorrect change or convince you that you are using the wrong bill, to avoid this familiarize yourself with the Thai Baht.
The attraction is closed - As mentioned previously, the attraction is most certainly not closed, double check on Google Maps or ask any other tourist if the attraction is open.
Jet Ski and Motorbike rental scams - When returned a rented Jet Ski or Motorbike, the vendor might slap on a “damage” fee and argue that you damaged their vehicles, take pictures of any pre-existing bumps and scratches, and don’t give your passport to the vendor as a deposit. Men in fake uniforms might come to intimidate you but stand your ground.
Fake tourism authority - Fake authorities will recommend you services at a cheaper price as your initial option was already full or no longer accessible. Know that tourism officials are government workers and they don’t go around selling their services.
45. Telephone wiring is a free for all
Telephone wiring is all over the place, there are efforts to move these underground but progress has been really slow.
They come in various forms: correctly running high up in the air, dangling in your face, dangling broken with the wiring exposed in your face, laying lifelessly on the floor…
So if you couldn’t quite get that nice serene photo of the beautiful Temple of the Emerald Buddha because telephone wires are in the way… I’m sorry but you’ll have to live with it, or photoshop it out.
46. Some toilets don’t have tissue
As mentioned before, some toilets aren’t installed with, or ran out of tissue paper.
I’m willing to bet that it’s because of our over-reliance on the bum gun that some places forgot to think about the tissue paper.
So remember, always bring some tissue paper with you.
47. Lanes in the road are a suggestion
Most people follow traffic laws, but also most people have this mentality of “no one else knows how to drive except me”, so expect to encounter lots bad drivers in Thailand.
Also the traffic jams are a nightmare, I got stuck in a single spot for about 3 hours once, not fun.
48. Be careful when riding motorbikes or scooters
Motorbikes are abundant in Thailand, especially in Bangkok. But that also means that you will need to be careful when riding a motorbike.
A lot of car drivers in Bangkok are not particularly fond of motorbike drivers as they can be annoying, this is supported by the fact that the traffic laws are more favorable to motorbike drivers.
So when you’re riding your motorbike down Bangkok’s roads, drive safely and avoid doing dumb things.
49. Tipping is fully optional
Unlike Western culture where tipping is seen as an obligation and sometimes a necessity for a customer service worker to survive, tipping is completely optional in Thailand.
If you are looking to tip, then something like 40 - 80 THB is already seen as a pretty good tip.
50. Know what type of Massage Parlors you are looking for
There are 2 things Thailand is known for: massages and prostitution (ok there are more than 2 things).
Although prostitution is regulated to certain areas and and alleys, massage parlors are also a base of operations for these services, these are known as Happy Massage Parlors.
However, not all parlors house prostitutes, the way to distinguish between the two is if you see a group of youthful looking women catcalling you then that’s obviously a Happy Parlor, if you don’t see that, or you see a group of older women chilling outside minding their own business then that is likely a normal parlor.
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