Thailand/Bangkok QA thread

[MaisonP]

One thing that would bother me as a westerner in SE asia, Thailand in particular, is how you are perceived by locals. So many narrow-minded tourists treat it like their playground and locals bear the brunt of the crap in that industry.

You are 100% correct here. But let me tell you after COVID i think many of the Thai people realized who feeds them and who brings the money.
I also felt that pre COVID, and yes there are still those foreigners who does come here and do the typical foreigner thing. I dont think that will ever go away.

I cant stand them. I dont get along with any of them and show disrespect for them where i can.

 

[MaisonP]

I hate to say it but Brits make the worst tourists.
I guess the main thing is that you're treated with respect in your normal day to day and the longer you stay, the more friends you make and the more people realise you're not a tourist...

For sure. Making very valid points.
That is also the reason i stay away from Pattaya. Because of all the brit perverts.
I have made a few good friends with the locals (Thai nationals, Korean's etc) and yes as you say the more time you spend the more they accept you.
Also helps as i can talk basic Thai so that also helps quite abit.

 

[Wut]

I get you know

For sure. I am talking basics here. Quality of life, food, daily costs of living, cheap travelling, public transport, type of people, opportunities (Not talking work here), electricity, etc.
Thailand really offers good value for money.

What's your electric bill like? I found that mine skyrocketed over the last few years. I would always average around 900 Baht a month and then it jumped to around 3000 Baht and that was with minimal use of the aircon during the hottest parts of the day.

 

[MaisonP]

What's your electric bill like? I found that mine skyrocketed over the last few years. I would always average around 900 Baht a month and then it jumped to around 3000 Baht and that was with minimal use of the aircon during the hottest parts of the day.

You are not the first i hear that is complaining about skyrocketing electricity.

I have 2 aircons running my 65sqm apartment. 24 hours running 7 days a week and its about R1400 a month.
Still cheaper than my property in Fourways which I don't even currently use. I am never there and that is averaging about the same as my Bkk accomodation.

And I am in Thonglor area, so not even on the outskirts of Bangkok at all. I really cannot complain.

 

[myBBexpert]

What is the cost of a Phillips airfryer in Bangkok?

 

[MaisonP]

What is the cost of a Phillips airfryer in Bangkok?

R1600

 

[myBBexpert]

R1600

View attachment 1360167

Cheap as chips!

 

[MaisonP]

Cheap as chips!

And that is normal price.

You can probably get it for cheaper.
Around 1 or 2 times a year I buy screens and laptops and electronics and make a trip back to SA.

Things are cheap here.

 

[Wut]

You are not the first i hear that is complaining about skyrocketing electricity.

I have 2 aircons running my 65sqm apartment. 24 hours running 7 days a week and its about R1400 a month.
Still cheaper than my property in Fourways which I don't even currently use. I am never there and that is averaging about the same as my Bkk accomodation.

And I am in Thonglor area, so not even on the outskirts of Bangkok at all. I really cannot complain.

Small world as I lived in Thonglor too when I first arrived there in 2006 Rented a townhouse down Thonglor Soi 11.

 

[Ghost02]

Well there isnt much to say. Shows are all around Bangkok here, its everyware, nothing is hidden and its for everyone to see. The menu looks as follows..
If you can use a little imagination what you read is what you get.

View attachment 1360071

Chinese show? A Chinese person comes out of their vagina?

 

[Ghost02]

You obviously went to the wrong places. Its common if you don't really know Thailand or Bangkok well.

I don’t get this reference, is worms a common thing in Thailand? Tapeworm?

 

[Wut]

I don’t get this reference, is worms a common thing in Thailand? Tapeworm?

I didn't get it either, but there is a pretty common parasite, liver fluke, which they get from a terrible fermented fish sauce (plaraa) which is just rotten fish stored in a clay pot for months. Speaking of which @MaisonP do you eat Somtam with plaraa at all? I can not stand that stuff But every Thai person I know or meet can't get enough of it.

 

[MaisonP]

I didn't get it either, but there is a pretty common parasite, liver fluke, which they get from a terrible fermented fish sauce (plaraa) which is just rotten fish stored in a clay pot for months. Speaking of which @MaisonP do you eat Somtam with plaraa at all? I can not stand that stuff But every Thai person I know or meet can't get enough of it.

hahah yes I eat som tam Thai or som tam plaraa. The problem is that is fresh water fish or crab and our western tummies are not made for that.
Lucky my tummy is like a cement mixer.
I also eat squid eggs, fresh water crab and everything the Thais eat.
The only thing i struggle with is the amount of spicy because you know they don’t play with chillis.
My som tum is usually with 4 chilli which is quite hectic but my Thai girlfriend always carries around extra dry chilli flakes with her to add more spicy.
I have only once gotten the runs here. This was while I was busy getting a massage.
I told the masseuse to give me 5 minutes, I ran upstairs to the toilet and dropped my guts. I cleaned my ass with the bidet and didn’t have anything to dry my ass with.
So I saw in the corner of the bathroom was a washing machine and lucky there was freshly washed clothes in. I wiped my ass with I think was a shirt and put it back in the machine.

I was sick for 4 days after that. I think it was from the 100 year old egg I ate that day. Lol

 

[MaisonP]

I don’t get this reference, is worms a common thing in Thailand? Tapeworm?

Hahahah not at all. The OP just spoke nonsense

 

[MaisonP]

Dinner was squid eggs.

 

[Wut]

hahah yes I eat som tam Thai or som tam plaraa. The problem is that is fresh water fish or crab and our western tummies are not made for that.
Lucky my tummy is like a cement mixer.
I also eat squid eggs, fresh water crab and everything the Thais eat.
The only thing i struggle with is the amount of spicy because you know they don’t play with chillis.
My som tum is usually with 4 chilli which is quite hectic but my Thai girlfriend always carries around extra dry chilli flakes with her to add more spicy.
I have only once gotten the runs here. This was while I was busy getting a massage.
I told the masseuse to give me 5 minutes, I ran upstairs to the toilet and dropped my guts. I cleaned my ass with the bidet and didn’t have anything to dry my ass with.
So I saw in the corner of the bathroom was a washing machine and lucky there was freshly washed clothes in. I wiped my ass with I think was a shirt and put it back in the machine.

I was sick for 4 days after that. I think it was from the 100 year old egg I ate that day. Lol

Lol, some of our experiences match up perfectly. Those goddam century eggs are pure evil and the way they colour them pink in the stores almost gets you to think they are easter eggs by accident

I also had the runs while getting a massage. Had to quickly excuse myself to use the bathroom and the worst part was that it had one of those squat toilets with a bucket next to it. I only had stomach issues one other time after having one of those 99 Baht BBQ buffets. I was in a taxi when my life started flashing before my eyes, managed to knyp until I got out and had to leg it, schemed I'm not going to make it up the elevator to the top floor so ran like a madman through the gym on the first floor while shouting and pushing people out of my way, then almost destroyed that toilet, but luckily it had a bidet so I did a pretty good job of cleaning up afterward. Had to do the walk of shame past the people I shouted at and pushed out the way

 

[MaisonP]

Lol, some of our experiences match up perfectly. Those goddam century eggs are pure evil and the way they colour them pink in the stores almost gets you to think they are easter eggs by accident

I also had the runs while getting a massage. Had to quickly excuse myself to use the bathroom and the worst part was that it had one of those squat toilets with a bucket next to it. I only had stomach issues one other time after having one of those 99 Baht BBQ buffets. I was in a taxi when my life started flashing before my eyes, managed to knyp until I got out and had to leg it, schemed I'm not going to make it up the elevator to the top floor so ran like a madman through the gym on the first floor while shouting and pushing people out of my way, then almost destroyed that toilet, but luckily it had a bidet so I did a pretty good job of cleaning up afterward. Had to do the walk of shame past the people I shouted at and pushed out the way

Lmfao.
It’s funny we both had the same stories. Well the thing is that each and every day is a new experience. You never know what your day will bring.
The weather this time of year is amazing. We had a few night of flooding here in bangkok. Sukhumvit was flooded and shops where a mess. Cars where pushed down the road from the power of the water.
It’s overcast and helps for that immense heat.
We where in Talat Noi today. If food Ann’s street art is your thing then that is an experience all on its own.
We also went across to Bang Krachao. Have you ever been?

 

[TEXTILE GUY]

How do you manage with the language and the Thai alphabet?
Are there variations on Thai - spoken?

 

[Wut]

Lmfao.
It’s funny we both had the same stories. Well the thing is that each and every day is a new experience. You never know what your day will bring.
The weather this time of year is amazing. We had a few night of flooding here in bangkok. Sukhumvit was flooded and shops where a mess. Cars where pushed down the road from the power of the water.
It’s overcast and helps for that immense heat.
We where in Talat Noi today. If food Ann’s street art is your thing then that is an experience all on its own.
We also went across to Bang Krachao. Have you ever been?

Yeah, Bang Krachao and Koh Kret were two of my getaway places in the city. Along with some of the floating markets near Rama 2 road. I used to love shopping around Chinatown, especially Saphan Lek until they tore it down to "beautify" the place.

 

[Wut]

How do you manage with the language and the Thai alphabet?
Are there variations on Thai - spoken?

I find it easy to learn to understand the language. Just the tones get me when I speak it as the same word can have up to five meanings depending on the tone you are using. The alphabet is a whole other ballgame though...I only managed to learn a few words just to identify them when shopping so I don't buy the wrong things Like mistaking Cola Ice-Cream and Vanilla icecream because they come in the same colour tubs.

They do have regional dialects with the northeastern dialect being the most difficult for me, but everyone knows central Thai so it's all you really need to learn.