[oplapofffe]

Dos and donts of coming to Thailand……. again

DOS

Do run up the nearest hill and not go look for the sea if you see that the sea isn’t there, it will come back, it is a scientific fact.
Do get rid of that big hairy moustache, you won’t get a part on a Bollywood movie here.
Do, as a guy, ‘dress-up’ when going to a disco and not wear shorts, your hairy legs will not impress the local girls.
Do be careful when walking along a Bangkok street at night, falling down a manhole is not a memorable experience.
Do as the locals do and barge your way on to the bus, you don’t need to be stood at the bus stop all day.
Do realise that the Bridge over the River Kwai ought to be pronounced ‘Kwae’, you don’t want to inform the locals you are off to see the Bridge over the Buffalo.
Do, as a girl, not sit next to a monk on the bus, the poor fellow does not need to dash off the bus at the next stop.
Do cover up or put on repellent , allowing the mosquitoes to bite you for fun of it isn’t a very wise idea.
Do put on a strong sun-block on your first at the beach, you don’t want to resemble a tomato.
Do eat out, the guesthouse cuisine is as close to original Thai food as Pizza Hut is to Italian.
Don’t take a Khao San Road upcountry bus, you don’t need one of their villians to go through your luggage when you are asleep.
Do watch a Thai movie, they aren’t as bad as you think.
Do go for a 100 baht haircut, you will be impressed by the service.


DONTS

Don’t jump into the big water container when taking a shower, it for water to be scooped out of, not for you to dive in to.
Don’t, as an American brag about everything American, the Thais prefer everything Japanese these days.
Don’t, when finding a dead chicken cook it up for dinner, you don’t need to come down with the Chicken fever.
Don’t walk up and down the beach bare-footed, Thailand’s creepy-crawlies are not the world’s friendliest.
Don’t go wearing one of those big farmers’ hats in Bangkok, you don’t want the locals to have a right laugh, at your expense.
Don’t show your map of Bangkok to a tuk-tuk driver, he doesn’t even know where Thailand is on a world map.
Don’t complain about the hotels’ standards here in Thailand, you won’t exactly get a $15 room in your own country.
Don’t complain about Thailand’s politicians, ours aren’t exactly worth writing home about.
Don’t go popping any chemicals before entering a Bangkok disco, you don’t need to be pee-pee checked by the local police.
Don’t, when going to a disco take home a girl you have just met, you don’t want to wake up to find an empty room.
Don’t go walking across a zebra-crossing without looking both ways first, you don’t need to be the recipient of a nasty hospital bill.
Don’t go complaining about the standard of acting on Thai TV, it isn’t the actors’ fault they are that bad.
Don’t go putting a bottle to your mouth without wiping it clean first, you don’t know how many dogs have mistaken it as a small tree.
Don’t go dozing off underneath a coconut tree, you may not live to regret it.
Don’t arrive at the airport on an over-stay with no cash left, you don’t need the company of 200 room-mates for the next few nights.
And finally, don’t feel insulted by the word Farang, it is not derogatory.

My first part of dos and donts somehow, miraculousy found there way to another couple of sites around the Net besides thai-blogs. So here is another part for your entertainment.

I asked for any other ideas the last time but didnt get any, what about this time round, can you think of any?

Steve

[oplapofffe]

What's up, no-one wants to comment? Otherwisae check out thai-blogs.

Cheers

Steve

[VtLe67WR]

Yep, this was another funny one! I especially agree with your advice and reasoning for eating out. However, I can't agree with the one where you advise against criticizing Thai politicians:

Quote[/b] ]ours aren’t exactly worth writing home about.

Whose are 'ours' , Steve? For people who live in Thailand, who are their politicians?

Finally, the word 'Farang' can, in some cases, be derogatory, spoken with insults in mind. It really depends on the situation.

Quote[/b] ]Do go for a 100 baht haircut, you will be impressed by the service.

I went for the 120Bt haircut just the other day, and their service was excellent indeed!

[oplapofffe]

Thanks for the constructive comments there Seeker, wrote you a comment back over there at thai-blogs especially your bit on the word Farang. To lazy to write it again!

steve

[QwOpHGyZ]

Quote[/b] (Seeker @ Feb. 28 2005,16:49)]Yep, this was another funny one! I especially agree with your advice and reasoning for eating out. However, I can't agree with the one where you advise against criticizing Thai politicians:
Originally Posted by [b Quote[/b] ]ours aren’t exactly worth writing home about.

Whose are 'ours' , Steve? For people who live in Thailand, who are their politicians?

Finally, the word 'Farang' can, in some cases, be derogatory, spoken with insults in mind. It really depends on the situation.

Quote[/b] ]Do go for a 100 baht haircut, you will be impressed by the service.

I went for the 120Bt haircut just the other day, and their service was excellent indeed! i have a place i visit in bangkok for 60 baht haircuts- they always assume im in the service though-

[pkxlugbsbv]

cheers...best one was about farang as i have been very confused by it......i am very proud to be British and to just keep being called a 'farang' and not British i kept feeling offended being lumped into such a huge catagory just like the 'white man' but i guess if that is not how Thai's see it i will not be so offended now.

[Indian Butt Magic]

Quote[/b] ]Do go for a 100 baht haircut, you will be impressed by the service.

Well. that is just a little cheaper, than A$6 Hair Saloon in Hurstville Sydney Australia. That's all I pay, 180 baht, probably illegal immigrants for that price.

[Tazqoaap]

some places in my town, samut prakarn, provide a really good service just for 50 baht!!! do you believe that?!?

[entaifsfets]

Today I get a hair cut for less than (equal to)50Baht. And also a head & shoulders massage and neck and ear cracking.

[VtLe67WR]

Enjoy, Trangam...

Quote[/b] ]some places in my town, samut prakarn, provide a really good service just for 50 baht!!! do you believe that?!?

Yes Gor, I believe it - when I was in a tiny village in Isaan, I got a nice, no-frills haircut for 30Bt.

[Tazqoaap]

30 baht, that's very very cheap!!!

[VtLe67WR]

Yes, it is.

The small village doesn't have any Farang residents, and this particular barbershop was off the main road; a local friend of mine took me there. Perhaps it would have been more expensive if it was one of those Farang Isaan villages that are in the news nowadays.

Oh, the perks of living in the middle of nowhere!

[euylvaygdq]

If stevesuphan doesn't mind, I'd like to add a couple more Dos and Don'ts.

DO

Remember that you are a guest in the kingdom.

DON'T

Make negative comments about the Thai government or its officials.

Become a political activist, especially a communist.

Forget that you are farang and will never be accepted as Thai, no matter how much you try to identify with the locals.

[entaifsfets]

Vision, I think you are angry. Sorry. I know you and your posts from long time and I will not feel good when you may feel otherwise. So, whatever be the case my apologies to you.

[euylvaygdq]

Quote[/b] ]Vision, I think you are angry.

Actually, I am quite happy. Do my dos and don'ts express some sort of emotional overtone? Are they not good advice to visitors to Thailand?

[Indian Butt Magic]

Quote[/b] ]Do my dos and don'ts express some sort of emotional overtone?

This terminology translates from Vision to English = "Vision packs a weapon so don't provoke me and I won't get angry."

[OgrGlgHu]

[DON'T

Make negative comments about the Thai government or its officials.

Become a political activist, especially a communist.]


So my Jit Pumisak tee shirt design is not really a good idea then?

[euylvaygdq]

Quote[/b] ]So my Jit Pumisak tee shirt design is not really a good idea then?

I would suggest that it is in poor taste, especially if a farang were to wear it while visiting the kingdom. What one wears in one's home country is, of course, quite a different matter.

[VtLe67WR]

Hey Steve, I don't know about you, but don't you find it irritating when someone comes into your topic, paraphrases one of your points and then pretends it to be his "own addition"? I find that extremely annoying in my topics, and I can't help but to assume that the writer is too shallow to come with some original points.

Case in point:
1. Your quote:

Quote[/b] ]Don’t complain about Thailand’s politicians, ours aren’t exactly worth writing home about.

2. The "original" addition:

Quote[/b] ]DON'T

Make negative comments about the Thai government or its officials.

Last time I checked, the Thai government is a subgroup of Thai politicians, making the above comment a redundant, wasteful clutter. Wait; "complain" was also changed to "make negative comments" - now that makes a difference!

I have the feeling that the original post didn't really matter in this case. Were this topic about pink flamingoes and white elephants, the quoted reply would have likely been the same. Trangam and Paul were spot-on, noting the obvious, pitiful reason.

[freevideoandoicsI]

Allright you two, enough already!
Quit it. It's just so catty. like a couple of women's blouses.
I think you two should and make up.

I was going to ask who Jit Pumisak was, but then I just Yahooed him.