londongeejay

Hello,
I am going to Thailand at the start of March for 2 weeks and I've been doing quite a bit of reading up but my husband hasn't read as much and is finding himself feeling nervous about going.

What would you say are the most important things for tourists to keep in mind/be aware of (dangers, scams, illnesses, etc)? We've never been to Thailand before - the only place we've been in Asia is Tokyo, and he was very comfortable there (but had been once before and was quite familiar with the culture). We do travel quite a bit but this our first time in Southeast Asia. We're going to Chiang Mai (4 days), Bangkok (3 days) and Koh Chang (5 days).

Thank you very much for your help!

GB

rhkkmk

it really is not much different from japan, just a bit more exotic.. I like it better than japan..

just now there are some political issues, but only in Bangkok really. they are basically peaceful and easily avoided---all are announced in advance..

almost all types of food are available easily... many American foods as well as European... all excellent quality and affordable..

transportation is reasonable and safe...

hotels are fabulous at a reasonable price...

we always say there are only 2 bad things about Thailand: how long it takes us to get there from USA and the intense heat and humidity 24/7.

althom1122

Thailand was our first trip to Asia several years ago. We (my daughter and I) did it on our own and felt very safe and comfortable. It's easy to get around, a lot of people speak English, and it does, as Bob says, feel very exotic.

Tell your husband to relax and enjoy it! Thailand is wonderful.

DonTopaz

I find very few similarities between Japan and Thailand. They're both in Asia, and they're both relatively free from street crime (compared to, say, London or Rome); beyond that -- and especially wrt the OP's questions, they're night and day.

Western tourists need to be cautious when eating and drinking in Thailand, avoiding tap water for one thing. You'll find lots of street food vendors in Thailand -- the food is surely appealing, but eating at one can increase the chances of your getting a stomach bug. (Japan, OTOH, might be the most hygenic country in the world.)

In cities, you'll find both taxis and 3-wheeled motorcycle cabs; the latter are called tuk-tuks. When taking a taxi, ask the driver to use a meter. If he says it doesn't work, find another taxi, or agree to a fixed price before the trip. Tuk-tuks are notorious for trying to gyp tourists; agree on a price before the trip. (No such issues in Japan. Taxis there are terribly expensive, but the public transportation network is fantastic and reasonably-priced.)

Thai food is often extremely spicy compared to Western cuisine. If you have issues with very spicy foods, stick to restaurants where you can ask that the heat level can be adjusted for Western tourists. Or, I suppose that you could eat most of your meals at Italian restaurants and hamburger joints. (Japanese cuisine is just about the exact opposite of Thai cuisine; it is almost never spicy.)

There's a good chance that the current political turmoil will be resolved peacefully, but the situation is in flux and anyone heading there should carefully monitor events.

Hanuman

Japan and Thailand were never colonised so the cultures are quite unique in comparison to the other countries in Asia and perhaps the world. Both governments are a constitutional monarchy and both countries have very high respect for their monarch or emperor.

There are scams in Thailand just like there are in New York, Paris, Rome etc. If you are well traveled, or a wise traveler, then you will be able to avoid them. For "illness" I suggest you seek the advise of your country's medical advisory - http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/desti.../thailand.aspx

I would caution on your plan for going to Chiang Mai in March as that is during the peak of the "burning season" and the air quality is often very poor. If it's not too late to change your plan, I would suggest you spend them in Bangkok, Koh Chang and perhaps add another destination like Phuket, Krabi or even Siem Reap in Kampuchea (Cambodia).

mareeS55

Check with your travel advisors and your government security advisors, as there is quite a bit of political disruption in Bangkok at present.

It won't affect your personal safety, as Thais are not remotely violent people, but it may disrupt your travel arrangements through the airport and into the city if the protests keep going.

It's hard enough to get around at the best of times in traffic in Bangkok, but political upsets make it harder (only on the main thoroughfares). No problems elsewhere, except for the usual stuff in Asia, stealing, scamming and such.

March isn't bad weather-wise, it's the dry season, cooler and less humidity. As Hanuman said above, it's also the burning season, so visibility is poor and your photos might be disappointing.

Go anyway. Thailand and Indochina are lovely places and lovely people, whatever the weather.

sakya

Hi

Be very aware of any demonstrations of any kind, political or otherwise.
It is a very fluid political nation and things can change very quickly.
Check your country's travel warnings/advice before you go
As with all travel , just be aware of what is happening around you.

Frances

My recent experience. We travelled to Thailand on Boxing Day to spend a three day layover on the way to New Zealand.This was the second time we had tried to go as we were booked to be there in November 2011 but cancelled because of the floods.

We spent two nights in Hua Hin and one in Bangkok. We travelled from the airport in a car arranged with someone recommended by this forum and it worked excellently. We hit severe traffic and the journey took much longer than we were expecting but there we are. We then enjoyed one day and night in Bangkok before travelling on to New Zealand.

The protests were on-going very close to our hotel (The Old Bangkok Inn). We could hear the singing from our bedroom. We walked through the location of the gathering in daylight and felt completely comfortable with it.

We were due to spend another night in Bangkok on the 14th but by now the Bangkok shutdown was under way. Our hotel (the Bhuthorn )was in the middle of three of the blockade sights and even though we had booked transport with the hotel it appered that we may not reach there. We asked our agent if we could change our flight to avoid Bangkok but they would only do this if we purchased new tickets(£1000 each). I followed this board and the FCO website and the Bangkok Post Breaking News very carefully. It was a question of keeping safe whilst not reading too much into an untested situation. My biggest fear was that the airport would be blockaded (even though the protestors had said they would not). Eventually we resigned ourselves to spending our lay-over (28 hours ) in the airport.

The morning we were due to leave New Zealand , Thai Air agreed to change our ticket from Bangkok so that we could transit through Bangkok and leave on the next plane.
There was not a lot of coverage of this still-unfolding situation in Britain but when I returned home I found out that my elderly parents had heard about it and were concerned for our welfare. This was another aspect of the situation which I had not expected but was sorry I had put them through.

It doesn't look as if Thailand is a place where I am meant to be. I will think twice about visiting again even though I realy enjoyed what little time I spent there.

I want to thank Hanuman who on both occasions has provided invaluable information on this site which has helped me take decisions. He also (although he probably doesn't remember ) helped when my teenage daughter was on an overnight bus in Thailand some years ago and had her purse stolen from her bag by her feet.
One of the most helpful contributors on Fodors I think

Hanuman

If you did used Peter the taxi driver then it was me who first recommended him to a couple of Fodorites. Nice young man.

Now that you have mentioned it, I do remember about your daughter. Hope you will give Thailand another go even though we are going through a rough time right now. Hopefully the future will be better!

Lastly, thank you for your kind words and I was and am happy to help as others have helped me on this forum.

londongeejay

Thank you all so much for your comments - this is very helpful!

madboy

I was in Thailand for two weeks two years ago and found it incredibly fascinating and the best vacation of my life. I felt completely safe at all times and the people despite the poverty very friendly and kind. I went in summer and it was very hot of course. It is true you must avoid the food in the streets but I ate in a different restaurant every day and never got sick once and enjoyed every last bit. Bangkok is a huge city but it was fun to navigate. Local train system was clean and easy to use. I would not attempt to drive myself but taxis were efficient and not expensive at all. Traffic can be very busy. I was only "bothered" one afternoon in Phuket City with street peddlers. Tons of beautiful items to purchase at inexpensive prices throughout the rest of the country. Exotic, rich country with kind people. I hope to return some day. Enjoy.

Charging

Thailand is not a place to be worried about. It is very different to Japan though. Less organized, less clean, much hotter and a lot more messy. However, also a lot of fun.

The only thing to be worried about is that the protesters will occupy the airport and your flights get delayed....

lcuy

Do not believe anyone who tells you the Grand Palace ( or any other temple or monument) is "closed" and wants to steer you to a tour.

If anyone offers to take you to a shop of any kind, be aware that anything you buy will be marked up to cover a commission to that "nice" person.

Don't get into any taxi or tuk tuk without negotiating a price or confirming that they will use the meter. For all their cuteness, a tuk tuk will probably cost more than an air-conditioned taxi, and they will often insist you go into a shop along the way.

If you do fall for any of the above, don't let it ruin your trip. I think many of us have fallen for at least one tourist scam in our travels. It's only money...

virginiafish

Agree with all of these detailed posts. We thoroughly enjoyed 2.5 weeks in Thailand in Nov., 2012 with so much help from our Fodor's friends. The only negative encounter we had was someone telling us the boat museum in Bangkok was closed erroneously. Otherwise, everyone was helpful and we felt safe and sound. http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...ore-part-i.cfm