Must Know Before You Go To Thailand I - Sabai Talk
The following tips are from Hong Thaimee and Pailin Chongchitnant's Sabai Talk
podcast/YouTube video,
Must Know Before You Go To Thailand I (S2 E11).
- Winter is November through February. It's the coolest time.
Farmers burn their crops so the air quality is poor. Best deals
in January and February after the holidays.
- Summer is March through May. It's the hottest time. But you
have Thai New Year and tropical fruits at their peak ripeness.
- The wet is June through September. It's cooler than the
summer, but warmer than the winter. When it rains, it rains very
hard and everything stops, but then the rain stops after an
hour. The smell is wonderful. It's probably cheapest to travel
at this time. And durian and mangosteens are in season.
- Bring umbrella for sun and rain.
- Mosquito repellent, especially for outdoor evening dining.
- Need cash for street vendors. Small bills. Might take Google
pay now. Banks in every mall with ATMs. Can open K Bank account
and download app to pay with QR codes. 7-Eleven still requires
cash. It's possible they have a minimum for credit cards (~200
bhat?).
- Grab and Bolt are Uber and Lyft.
- Food courts in malls are great.
- Food markets are also good to get food to go. You just need
to have plates in your hotel room.
- Empty restaurants are a bad sign.
- Avoid street carts.
- Only eat hot food.
- AirBnB have 30-day minimum.
- Don't tip 20%. Leave change for tip. 20 bhat for cheap
meals, 100 bhat for more expensive meals.
- Don't need to
wai, but can smile and nod to receive it.
- Learn some Thai.
- Don't hug. Thais like their space.
- Avoid PDA.
- Don't touch someone's head.
- Feet are dirty so don't point your toes at people or Buddha.
- Do not disrespect the monarchy.
