Thailand: Anyone ever been?

[Chairman Wood]

On Friday I'm going to Thailand for Ten Days. I'll be spending time in Bangkok and Phuket. 5 days of the trip will be partying, having fun, playing rugby and the other 5 days will be spent rebuilding a school in Phuket that was damaged by the Tsunami. I was wondering if anyone on here has ever been there? Recommendations, stories, pitfalls to avoid? I am not sure if there is much poker to be played there. I think I would rather be doing other things though as I can play a lot here. If you would also like to tell any other sort of crazy travel story please do.

[partygirluk]

Nolanfan34 made a very similar thread 2 months back.

[Chairman Wood]

Thanks do you know if him and his wife ever went?

[partygirluk]

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Thanks do you know if him and his wife ever went?

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They didn't.

[MikeNaked]

Had a great time in 2001- there's definitely partying to be had. You are going to have a blast.

My recommendations:
1) Insist on looking at the rooms in your guesthouse before you put down a deposit. Rooms range from very comfortable to rat-infested.
2) Bring copies of all important documents! I got my wallet stolen in Koh Lanta and had to trek back up to Bangkok because they told me it would be a week to process. Well, with all my copies, it only took a day...meanwhile my GF was snorkelling in the Turatao Islands. /images/graemlins/mad.gif
3) The alcohol - Singha, Beer Chang, SamSong "whisky" - is rumored to have amphetemines in it, cause boy, you will rock all nite long, but crash painfully the next day. Beware.
4) Pickpockets - check out the massive Bangkok market (forgot the name) but hang on to your stuff. A stealthy thief got our camera out of my GF's bag.
5) I recommend Thai kickboxing (Muy Thai) every week at the stadium!
6) Take the boat nearly everywhere in Bangkok. Forget sitting in the back of a tuktuk during rush hour (which lasts 18 hours a day). Took us 1.5 hours to travel about 10 miles from the bus station to the train station. My fave activity while alone in Bangkok...take the boat to the other end of the city, and meander back to your guesthouse!

Man, I'm all jealous now! You're gonna have a blast!

[pokerjo22]

Bangkok is the armpit of the world. It is also a lot of fun. I believe that most forms of gambling are illegal in Thailand, and the penalties are quite severe. One exception is the kickboxing. It definitely has to be seen to be believed. The only thing comparable I can think of are the old stockmarket floors before everything was made electronic. Have fun. The Thai people are some of the nicest people in the world.

One piece of advice: getting around can be a pain in the ass. They'll tell you a hotel is closed, a bus station is closed or whatever, so that they can redirect you to their friends hotel or their friends taxi or whatever. The solution is just to wave a 100 baht note at them and insist they take you where you want to go.

[BeerMoney]

Thailand is crazy. I spent the summer there 2 years ago, and will be moving there permanently. The people are gracious and generous in a lot of cases and they love Americans.

the market that was mentioned in another post is Jat-tu - Jak.. (sp?)

there is a poster on here who has userid Faith who can give you a lot info as he lives in Bangkok. He also offers a buy a beer.

You may want to get a thai phrase book so you can communicate somewhat better with the people. Most know very little english. ( I was fortunate in that I had a pretty good tour guide, My wife /images/graemlins/cool.gif ..) I never went to phuket, so I can't really tell you much about that. If you have an oppourtunity to go out to eat in Bangkok definitely try Bussaracham.

[partygirluk]

Kum suay makma = you are the most beautiful

You will find this rather useful. Thai girls like white guys. Watch out for the ladyboys.

[BeerMoney]

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Thai girls like white guys.

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I didn't want to get into this... but, there is probably some truth in this. As I mentioned earlier, you will have some status as an American. They will also be after your american dollars as well.

I would recommend you try finding a wife while you're over there. Thai women just have a lot of heart.

[Chairman Wood]

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Kum suay makma = you are the most beautiful


[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks, exactly what I was looking for.
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Thai girls like white guys.

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Like real legitimate girls or just hookers? How about some of my African American friends that will be joining me?

[Chairman Wood]

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I would recommend you try finding a wife while you're over there. Thai women just have a lot of heart

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Last year I was in Argentina. I was falling in love with a new woman everynight. IMO, the most beautiful women in all of the world are there. It is also very affordable and beautiful and I recommend it to any traveler. I am considering moving there for a while after I graduate from college. Thanks a lot for the advice!

[Chairman Wood]

Thanks for the advice, Muy Thai is on the itinerary! I'll be sure myself and my companions are all aware of the precautions you gave me.

[BeerMoney]

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Like real legitimate girls or just hookers? How about some of my African American friends that will be joining me?

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Both.. Your black friends will do fine too.

Also, it does not surprise me one bit what you said about the Argentine girls. I'm sure they have a lot of charm.

[Chairman Wood]

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Bangkok is the armpit of the world.

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Never heard it described like this before. I live near Detroit which a lot of people describe as the armpit of the US. I guess it will make me feel at home /images/graemlins/grin.gif

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only thing comparable I can think of are the old stockmarket floors before everything was made electronic.

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I'm confused. Are you comparing this to Muy Thai? Do you mean the chaos and activity is like the old stockmarket?
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One piece of advice: getting around can be a pain in the ass. They'll tell you a hotel is closed, a bus station is closed or whatever, so that they can redirect you to their friends hotel or their friends taxi or whatever. The solution is just to wave a 100 baht note at them and insist they take you where you want to go.

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Well noted thanks!

[Chairman Wood]

Thanks, what's Bussaracham. Any other culinary musts? Someone told me lobster was quite cheap and pretty good there? I am also pretty adventerous with foods so I am open to any suggestions.

[Chairman Wood]

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Quote:
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Like real legitimate girls or just hookers? How about some of my African American friends that will be joining me?


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Both.. Your black friends will do fine too.


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A few years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Trinidad and Tobago. When we would go out to the bars there and I would say close to 30 % of the girls that were there were hookers. It was a little hard to tell which ones were hookers because some of the things they were wearing, normal american girls would go out to the bars in. I know prostitution is pretty big there but are the bars just flooded with them like they were in T&T and if they are can you easily point them out.

[lucas9000]

great article and very much worth the read...

part 1 (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=146B1F3719F6162702030FD0BD B58733.titan?id=460840)

part 2 (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=146B1F3719F6162702030FD0BD B58733.titan?id=460839)

part 3 (http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do;jsessionid=146B1F3719F6162702030FD0BD B58733.titan?id=459998)

[pokerjo22]

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Bangkok is the armpit of the world.

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Its polluted, chaotic and depraved. There's a lot of sex tourism there, and fairly open pedophilia.

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I'm confused. Are you comparing this to Muy Thai? Do you mean the chaos and activity is like the old stockmarket?

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You place bets with other spectators. This can be someone stood some ways away. There's a complicated system of hand signals (tic tac) you use to indicate the odds you either want to bet or are willing to lay and the amount of money. Multiply that by tens of thousands of people and you get some idea of what it is like. It's not small sums of money either. The guy we were with was betting 10000 baht a bet, and he was making bets every few minutes. He was an accountant, and that was about a months wages for him.

[Chairman Wood]

WOW!!

[BeerMoney]

[ QUOTE ]
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Quote:
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Like real legitimate girls or just hookers? How about some of my African American friends that will be joining me?


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Both.. Your black friends will do fine too.


[/ QUOTE ]
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Trinidad and Tobago. When we would go out to the bars there and I would say close to 30 % of the girls that were there were hookers. It was a little hard to tell which ones were hookers because some of the things they were wearing, normal american girls would go out to the bars in. I know prostitution is pretty big there but are the bars just flooded with them like they were in T&T and if they are can you easily point them out.

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Well, there are areas which are pretty much flooded with prostitutes, and that is the whole point of those areas.. In Bangkok, the area is called Pat-Pong. I think though that you could meet a female elsewhere, like in a mall or at a restaurant. For example, if you go to an Ice Cream shoppe, and you have a cute waitress, ask her out.. something like that. Point is, you don't want to meet a girl who is just after you cause you are american, so do your best to avoid that. I don't know if they have a club/bar scene like we have in the US where it is a common place to meet people.

I'm pretty much with PokerJo in that the place is pretty filthy. But its also very interesting and fascinating.

One other thing. Make sure you go to the temples in Bangkok. There is one where you can get a massage from a person trained in the temple using their old methods.. I believe the temple is called wat-poh. (Not sure though.) The massage costs like $5. If you want them to massage just your back or something like that, specify, otherwise, they will give you a full massage. (No, not really a FULL massage.) For a rub & tug you need to go to a less reputable place not located in a temple!

I also hear they have some wild sex type shows, the type where a girl fires out ping pong balls... anyway

have fun, it will be a trip you'll never forget.

Bussaracham is just a good thai restaurant in Bangkok. You know, I actually find Thai food that I get back here in the states to be better than thai food in thailand. go figure.

[KJS]

I lived there for a year and a half in 2003-2004. I lived in the Northern capital of Chiang Mai, but have been to nearly every Province.

Bangkok:

Go to Chatachuck Market if you are there on a weekend. Also, one of my favorite things to do was go to the racetrack. You'll be one of only a handful of foreigners there and it's super cool, IMO. There are two and they run at each one on alternating weeks. Ask a cab driver or someone at your hotel where it is when you are there. I think it's on Saturday, but might be Sunday. I forget.

Take the skytrain and their new subway. Taxis as a last resort. Motorcylcle taxi if you are very brave. But make sure the driver is sober.

Don't believe anyone who tells you it is a Buddhist holiday so you can't go somewhere. It's a scam, they will try to sidetrack you to high pressure clothing or gem shops. Don't let anyone take you anywhere except your stated destination. And do bargain on Tuk Tuk fares but not taxis.

There is a lot to see besides Khoa San Road and the Grand Palace. Get on the train or subway and get off somewhere else and look around.

Phuket:

Don't know where the school is but I recommend Nai Thon Beach and Nai Yang beach, in the North of the island. These are quiet spots which much prettier beaches and better waves than the tourist areas of Patong and nearby. Do hit Patong if you just want to party. I stayed one night there but our room stunk and we wanted something quiet (it was my honeymoon when we first arrived) so we rented motorbikes for the week and drove up north. There is a nice National Park up there and also a Gibbon monkey restoration project that is small but pretty cool.

General:

Learn how to read a Thai menu. Anywhere that serves Thai food to foreigners will be about 2X as much as a street stall or little local restaurant. Thai script is very foreign looking but if you get a book that shows you what meals like Phad Thai, Fried Rice, Khoan Man Gai (chicken on rice), etc. look like you will be able to pick out who sells it. It will be better and cheaper. Or just be brave and walk up to someone and try your best to order in English. They probably know how to recognize their dishes in English.

Stuff about their beer having weird stuff in it is total BS. But Chang tastes terrible and is very strong so be aware. Singha is a bit weaker, but still 6%. Stick with Heinken; you'll pay a bit more but you'll be glad you did the next day. Same with whisky. Avoid Sangsom; buck up for 100 Pipers.

Have a great time. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

KJS

[KJS]

Khun (you) ends in an n sound, not an m sound.

Trying to speak Thai without tone marks is useless. You say that phrase in the wrong tone and you will be saying "you are very unlucky".

KJS

[KJS]

If you think the Thai food in America is even close to be as good as it is in Thailand, you were eating at all the wrong places. The food there is better by at least a factor of 5.

KJS