[Diandaplaipsy]

Ready for part two?

DONTS:

Don't take up any offer of a ten baht tuk-tuk ride, or you will be taken for a big ride.
Don't complain about the standard of English here, your Thai language skills aren't that exactly that hot.
Don't try a shirt on if you aren't going to buy it, the vendor doesn't need the smell of your armpits all over her goods.
Don't go walking around Bkk shirtless hoping for a nice tan, or you will get a right tanning at the nearest police station.
Don't go throwing your cigarette butt around downtown Bkk if you don't want to made a few dollars less off.
Don't feed a 20 baht bunch of bananas to an elephant on the street, you don't want to promote cruelty to animals.
Don't buy a rose from a child beggar at night, you don't want to promote child labour.
Don't take the advice of a taxi who recommends you go for a naughty massage, he's not taking you there cause he likes you.
Don't buy a Buddha Image for household decoration, it doesn't belong on the top of your TV.
Don't take advice from any Farang that has spent the past 20 years sat on a stool at a Pattaya bar beer, he knows nothing.
Don't come here for 3 years and complain about all things Thai, or the locals will ask 'Why don't you go home?"
Don't think she fancies you just cause she asks where you are staying, questions like that are only the norm here.
Don't dictate to the Thais about their humans rights, our records are nothing to boast about.
Don't argue with a Pattaya songthaew driver, you don't need a plank of wood over your head.
Don't whistle to the King's anthem in the cinema, Thais are rather sensitive about such things.
Don't walk around drinking a bottle of beer, you don't want to be mistaken as a drunkard.
And finally don't carry all your valuables in your handbag while walking around Chatuchak, you may live to regret it.


DOS:

Do learn how to say a few Thai dishes in Thai, you don't want to eat just Pat Thai and fried rice throughout your entire stay.
Do buy gems at a reputed estalishment, the tuk tuk driver's recommendations are nothing to be desired.
Do dress politely, you don't need to be seen that you have no self-pride.
Do give a tip at a nice restaurant, not everything the Lonely Planet states is true.
Do, if you wish, donate money to respectable charities for the under priviliged, and not some dodgy beggar on Silom.
Do get off the beaten track, there is more to Thailand than just writing boastful postcards and drinking banana shakes.
Do keep your alcohol limit under control, or you will enjoy a free breakfast as guest of the Corrections Dept.
Do say hello to the local kiddies, the local adults won't think you are some kind of pervert as like in the west.
Do take a shower regularly, you sweat and get more smelly here than you do in the west.
Do take your shoes off when entering a Thai house, they don't need your sandals dirtying the floor.
Do have respect for their religion, in their eyes your religion is 'weird' too.
Do speak politely to the authorities, you don't need to be sat around all day.
Do be very careful and ask around first if you want to see a ping-pong a-go-go show at Patpong, you dont want to be relinquished of all your money.
Do be patient, the locals don't appreciate Farang who lose their temper just cause the waitress got the order wrong.
Do, as western girls, dress modestly in the Muslim areas of the south, you want to be seen in a good light.

* * * * * * * *
Thought I would try and liven the Forum up a little bit.

Can you think of anything else that I could add to this list.

Will enjoy reading your comments.

All the best,

stevesuphan

[didrexx]

that is such a nice long list, i wonder that did you write it all yourself or you got it from a book?

[Diandaplaipsy]

Thank you Mr Gor for the compliment. I'm not cheating, i wrote it all myself. Promise.

Cheers,

Steve

[HagsPusia]

hehe very interesting read....cheers

[Anakattawl]

Nice, most of them I allready knew and a few of them made me think.
Thanks Steve you have opened my eyes a little bit more

[gSjQEEmq]

Many ESL positions advertised for Thailand are for native english speakers. I am canadian of oriental heritage and have live in canada for 25 yrs. Am I qualify to apply for such positions ??
Will I be discriminated for speaking more than one languages
Replies appreciated
Thanks

[AmfitNom]

Question...
What happened to Part One?

[Anteneprorid]

Quote[/b] (stevesuphan @ Feb. 09 2005,19:31)]Don't buy a rose from a child beggar at night, you don't want to promote child labour.

Not sure what ypu mean by this or if I can agree with you. When I used to be a co-owner of a pub in Ratchada, Bangkok not too long ago, I sometimes buy roses from a lovely little 7 year-old girl t give to my girlfriend whenever we visit. This little one is a really smart gal, and she can sell more flowers per night than her mother! I had asked her once if she hated what she was doing and she said no. She enjoys selling the flowers and at the same time help her parents to make a living as she knows that they are working very hard, and she does it only after school in the evenings anyway.

In fact, many customers (including me) found her so sweet and lovable and in addition to buying flowers from her specifically (yes, we waited for her to come and some of us even bought the whole bunch that she was carrying), some of us also bought her stuff toys sold by other vendors. She always had something nice to say about the lady partners, smart little girl.

Do I see myself as promoting child labour? No. I often spoke to her mother and you can tell how proud she was of her little gal. I also remember how poor my family was when I was young. I had to help out in my father's little market stall since I was 5 years old. My dad had no choice but to drag the whole family in. He simply cannot afford any helpers. Every precious bit we made comes back to the family. I never felt exploited at all. In fact I was glad I could contribute, even at a tender age of 5 years old. So I could certainly identify with that little girl. I have met so many young school-going Thai kids who felt the same sense of responsbility to help out in the family.

[opelayday]

Quote[/b] ]Do give a tip at a nice restaurant, not everything the Lonely Planet states is true.

Very true! And the 'dek serv' at the Thai-style discos like Dance Fever get tipped too. From what I've seen if they're not too badly off then Thais can tip very generously, I guess there's a measure of prestige in it. Though Bangkok taxi drivers are relaxed about tips it seems, in fact they've often rounded the fare down!

Quote[/b] ]Don't come here for 3 years and complain about all things Thai, or the locals will ask 'Why don't you go home?"

Yeah I wondered about these chronic moaning types myself too. No country is perfect, but at the end of day (for me at least) living life in Thailand is a lot better than living outside of it, and I'm very happy here so I figure I've got nothing to complain about really.

Quote[/b] ]Don't try a shirt on if you aren't going to buy it, the vendor doesn't need the smell of your armpits all over her goods.

Not sure I'd agree with this one, if you're thinking of buying clothes it's standard practice to try them on first isn't it ? Or how else you can't be sure they'd fit. If you're not thinking of buying it, well then it would seem pretty pointless to be trying it on.

Quote[/b] ]Don't buy a rose from a child beggar at night, you don't want to promote child labour.
Do, if you wish, donate money to respectable charities for the under priviliged, and not some dodgy beggar on Silom.

I bought a rose from these child beggars once, and as soon as getting my 100B the kid ran off with my change. There's not much you can do in that situation, as the money is not that much and who wants to be seen trying to forcefully take money off a 5 year old, even if it is rightfully yours. I just let it go, but give to established charities instead of the street beggars and kids now. http://www.dpf.or.th/ is one I like, where the money goes to helping out Bangkok's underpriveleged - slum dwellers, funding orphanges for AIDS orphans, paying tutition fees for children otherwise too poor to go to school etc....

[Diandaplaipsy]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

Thanks for that Mike. Just going back there to what you said about trying something on before you buy it. Thai style is that you agree a price before first then try it on. If it doesnt fit, then the vendor has to look for a size big enough for you, if she cant find one then you have every right to just walk away.

Thanks for the comment Thanchart but i can not agree. Since last year the govt have clamped down on kids selling stuff on the street, especially at night. And it isn't the kids that get trouble, it is their parents who can now be arrested for forcing their children to work.

According to a report in the Bkk Post last year completed as a Masters degree thesis, the children selling roses etc.. in the bars of Pattaya, Phuket and Patpong etc.. are also very much at risk of paeodophiles as was proven by the arrest of a German in Pattaya couple of years ago who was caught frolicking with a kiddie rose seller on the beach.

A night-time bar is nowhere for a seven year-old to be.

[Diandaplaipsy]

Oriental Farang:

If you would like some furhter info on that subject then it would be better to ask by mail.
steve