After 19 years in Thailand, we have decided it’s time to leave its shores. For every year that I made Thailand my home, I will name one thing that I will sorely miss even though you can be sure, there are way more than only 19.
-
The Friendly People of Thailand
Ever since the first time I set foot in Thailand, I immediately noticed how friendly and polite the Thais were. After living here for 19 years, I can safely say, nothing changed during this time. When you pass them on the street, they smile at you. Your scooter breaks down and someone will stop and, without speaking English, offer to help you. They either push you and your bike to the nearest bike shop (foot against the footrest style) or load you and all your bags onto their scooter and take you to where you need to be.
Even while overcharging you in the market, the Thais do it with a charming smile. I can truly say, I will miss the genuinely, lovely people of Thailand.
-
The Thai Weather
The only thing to say about the weather is that every day, for practically 19 years, was hot, hot and hot, and I loved it. The coldest time we experienced in Bangkok was during one December when we only needed to use one fan for the whole week.
The weather from Bangkok to the south remains fairly neutral throughout the year, so don’t expect any seasons whatsoever. Traveling to the north, you will have a more structured seasonal experience. That said, as a whole, Thailand is not a cold country, so forget the jackets and pack your shorts and t-shirts.
-
Pad Krapow
Also known as ‘fried holy basil’ which is served with either beef, pork, chicken or seafood on rice, is spicy hot and amazing. My favorite is the pork version. Most of the time it is accompanied by a fluffy, thai omlette and then the tradition is to sprinkle a dash of potent-smelling fish sauce [prik nam pla] over the whole lot.
The sauce itself stinks to high heaven and in the beginning one wonders why you would even let yourself sit close to it. However, after being here for a while, we came to recognize its charms and it simply became a necessity when eating this very comforting plate of Thai food.
It’s normally eaten with a fork and a spoon so I suggest you try it this way first before asking them to bring you a knife. If you want to check Pad Krapow out for yourself, see these two sites: https://hot-thai-kitchen.com/holy-basil-stir-fry/ https://toptravelfoods.com/article/best-pad-kra-pao-bangkok
-
Songkran
Three days of total water mayhem. What makes this 3-day Thai holiday so much fun is that you not only get to stay cool, but you’re allowed to and expected to drench anybody who is in your vicinity, even the police. This is considered good luck, so people take to the streets with the largest water guns you have ever seen, accompanied by massive water tanks on their backs. War is declared and for three days you shoot, soak and douse anybody and everybody while getting totally drenched yourself.
If you choose to avoid the three precipitous days, all you have to do is stock up on food and water supplies and hide indoors. By refraining from putting a foot outside the door until all the madness has passed, you will come out dry in the end.
During this Covid era however, things have been watered down (see what I did there?) quite a bit with many restrictions, taking the fun out of the festival. But I’m sure that in the not too distant future, things will return to normal and the water fights will be on again.
For a fun view of Songkran click on this music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxpOYfNcOg0 For more on Songkran, check out this post: https://thethaiger.com/travel/everything-you-need-to-know-about-songkran
-
Mango and Sticky Rice
This is one of those weird Thai dishes that should not work as well as it does. When one is first confronted with the idea of eating a dish that displays a combination of fruit and rice on the same plate, one’s western upbringing stubbornly kicks in. Deep inside we hear the warning that the east and west really should not be mingling like this.
However, once you’ve sunk yourself into a plate of real sticky rice with slices of mango, covered with a good portion of sweetened coconut milk, you’ll never look at the east the same again. Once more, a fork and a spoon is all you’ll need, for this astoundingly delicious dish.
See the 7 top places to eat mango and sticky rice in Bangkok: https://toptravelfoods.com/article/mango-sticky-rice-in-bangkok—local’s-top-pick
-
The Beautiful Beaches of Thailand
Aah, the beaches of Thailand. The Thais do beach life in their own charming way, making it an experience that one never can forget. With toes in the sand, you feel like royalty as you stare at the blue ocean, eating your favorite Thai dish, drinking today’s chosen Thai beer. All the while, your friendly host shoos the sun away, making sure you’re comfortable by moving the multiple large umbrellas around, so that you remain in the shade for the whole day. Thai customer service at its best!
Our favorite jetty restaurant on Koh Samet, would take our breakfast and drinks order, after which we would lazily go down and dunk in the very calm blue sea. While floating about like the rich and famous, the waiter would then beckon us from the pier, signaling that our food is ready and waiting for us at our table. You’d think it was a five star hotel, right? Not at all. We were just budget travelers on one of the many quaint beaches in Thailand. Yes, I will miss Thailand.
See more about Thailand’s beaches here: https://www.planetware.com/thailand/top-rated-beaches-in-thailand-tha-1-17.htm
-
Fantastic Transport System
No matter where you are in Thailand, there will always be something traveling in the direction in which you are headed, whether it be a bus, train, taxi, tuk-tuk or motorcycle taxi. Buses are ridiculously cheap and plentiful while taxi-drivers are willing to transport you all the way from Bangkok to Phuket. No trip is too far or too difficult for them and nothing costs an arm and a leg. If you need to get somewhere quickly, simply grab a motorcycle taxi and hang on for dear life as he (or she) craftily weaves his way through the busy Bangkok traffic. You can also hop on the sky train or take the underground, which are both fast, efficient, affordable and clean. For its great transport system, I will miss Thailand.
-
Kaohsan Road
Even though Khaosan Road has changed quite a bit during the 19 years that we have lived here, it still remains one of my favorite places to visit. This is probably one of the most un-Thai streets in Bangkok, where western music blares from restaurants and pubs, while foreigners throng the pavements chasing a vibe that forces them to forget about home and their dreary, regimented lifestyles.
If you’re into people-watching, then Khaosan Road is the place to be. Here, people are given license to step out of themselves, buy weird sunglasses, have hair extensions put in, get tattoos, pick up souvenirs and drink towers of local or foreign beer. Vendors are plentiful and you can even get yourself a degree if you’re really desperate.
Check out this music video taken in Khaosan Road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWQaCI-1Jl4
Also, see more on Khaosan Road here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293916-d546013-Reviews-Khaosan_Road-Bangkok.html
-
Tom Yum Gung
Another culinary delight, and as someone once said, ‘a taste sensation!’ Tom Yum Gung is probably the most famous tourist dish in Thailand and quite rightly so. It is a weirdly wonderful combination of a boiling pot of sweet and sour soup, blended with hot and spicy lemongrass in which you’ll also find shrimp, mushrooms and seafood. For more info on Tom Yum Gung, see this post:
https://toptravelfoods.com/article/what-is-the-best-tom-yum-in-bangkok
-
The Great Thai Internet
Like with the wonderful Thai transport system, when it comes to the internet, there really is nothing to complain about. Choose your package and aim for top speed at very reasonable prices. Seldomly in my 19 years, did my internet cut out or leave me in the lurch, and if I did dial the call center, they would apologize profusely for any problems I was having, and do a quick test on my modem.
For $30 a month I had unlimited internet with a download speed of 1Gbps and an upload speed of 500 Mbps. For this too, I will miss Thailand.
-
China Town
Heading into China Town in Bangkok is an adventure in itself. There where the TukTuks race through the streets with you in the back, squealing with delight, making you feel as if you’re at Le Mans. With throngs of people in narrow walkways, bargaining with Chinese shop owners who, with disdain and indifference, unwillingly lower their prices.
You can find anything in China Town, from toys to technology, hand gel, perfume and hair clips to rubber tubing, watches, cloth, packaging, Christmas lights, leather, stickers and food, lots of food. And to end off the perfect day, stop off at the Grand China Hotel and ask for a plate of their amazing wing bean salad [yam tua pu]. You’ll probably never be the same again.
Click on the link below to find out why Bangkok’s China Town is the largest and the best one in the world: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/the-ultimate-guide-to-bangkoks-chinatown/
-
Wing Bean Salad
Yam tua pu is like something I’ve never tasted before but you have to experience it for yourself because talk is really way too cheap. It’s made with wing beans, shallots, shrimps, fish sauce, coconut milk, lettuce and yes, it’s spicy. They normally serve it with halved hard boiled eggs on the side. Click the link and see for yourself: https://explorekohchang.com/features/koh-chang-restaurant-reviews-food/thai-recipes-winged-bean-salad/
-
The Techno Hackers of Thailand
Thailand is truly the country of ‘short cuts’ when it comes to gadgets, devices and accessories. There’s nothing worse than shattering a cellphone screen, dropping an iPad on its on/off button or being stuck with a battery that has no more juice. And as if that’s not bad enough, you find out that just because your name-brand device is no longer under guarantee, they can’t (or won’t) repair it – best, they say solemnly, is to simply to buy a new one. What?!
However, around every corner somewhere you’ll find a hacker who will gladly replace your screen, battery or whatever broken part of any device for a fraction of the price, and in far less time. And off you stride into the sunset, device in hand, as good as new for at least another few years. These hackers are my heroes and another reason, I will miss Thailand!
-
Accessible technology
And along with the great techno hackers you will find every form of technology you can think of, even things you’ve never even heard of. There are centers which cater only for technology, 5 storeys of stuff from button cameras to radio controlled just-about-everything, sound systems, lasers, all spare parts, gimmicks, gizmo’s and what have you.
Even while walking on the sidewalk, the chances of finding that special accessory that you drastically need is extremely high. And if this guy doesn’t have it, the chances are that the next vendor will know somebody who does. See these two centers that cater mostly for technology: https://foursquare.com/v/พนธทพย-พลาซา-ประตนำ-pantip-plaza-pratunam/4b18b7cff964a52058d523e3 https://www.hotels.com/go/thailand/mbk-shopping-center
-
Chatuchak market, Thailand’s biggest outdoor market
Thailand’s biggest outdoor and weekend market with more than 10 000 shops and stalls. JJ’s, as it is also known, is a must for anyone whether you’re a tourist or a resident. Apart from the great colorful vibe with buskers here and there, and a flamboyant paella chef strutting his stuff at a sidewalk restaurant, you will find much, much more here.
It’s the playground of shopaholics where you can buy anything from art to clothes, souvenirs, decorations, glass, all things household, antiques, books, plants, furniture, handcrafts, etc., etc. They even have an animal and pets section where you can purchase anything from fish to tarantulas, bulldogs, iguanas and snakes. It really is an experience! Check out these blogs for more info: https://www.chatuchakmarket.org
-
The Thai Postal Service
I can’t remember, in all the years I’ve lived in Thailand, that I ever lost anything in the post. Even during the Covid era where one orders most things online, the postal service has kept its standards high and has continued to excel.
An incident I remember well during our first year in Thailand, while living in Phuket involves a friend who wanted to play a joke on us. We were all living in the same house just outside of Phuket. He visited the post office in town and mailed a package containing a large crab fridge magnet to the house in which we were all living (himself included). His plan was to be there and watch our faces as we opened the package. The only problem was, he was still in town on that very same day when the package arrived back at the house. We enjoyed the gag even though he wasn’t there to see it but we were even more impressed with the speed and efficiency of the Thai postal service.
-
Phuket
Phuket is quite separate from the rest of Thailand. We lived there for about 6 months and visited there again on numerous occasions after that. It’s truly a holiday island and is connected to the mainland with a bridge. The people are really laid back and quite charming.
It’s busy, has a great, cool vibe and if you’re into lying about on beaches and spending your days in your swimming trunks, exploring the island on a scooter or a big bike, then Phuket is your place. Apart from that, there are opportunities to go on diving and snorkeling tours, learn to windsurf, jet ski and sail. There are vendors everywhere, selling everything and needless to say, the food is top notch.
For more info regarding Phuket, check this out: https://www.tourismthailand.org/Destinations/Provinces/Phuket/350
-
New Year’s Eve Fireworks, Phuket 2009
The greatest New Year’s Eve I have experienced in all my years so far, took place in Phuket. We were two couples and we rented two rooms in a guesthouse, away from the beach and from Phuket’s crazy nightlife.
This guesthouse was quite small and about 4 storeys high but, as they were still busy renovating, the construction on the roof wasn’t finished yet. This meant that the roof area was off-limits to everyone because it was dangerous, having no railings at all. However, the owner said, seeing that it was New Year’s Eve, the four of us could go up and watch the fireworks from there. We took our chairs and cooler boxes, sat in the middle of the roof and waited for 12 am to arrive.
When midnight struck, the fireworks around that little guesthouse became so intense that it felt like we were engulfed in a totally different dimension. It was absolutely amazing to watch the magnificent, larger-than-life fireworks going off right over our heads and exploding around us. It carried on like this for four wonderous hours!
-
The joys and freedom of having your own motorcycle
In all the years that we lived in Thailand, we never felt it necessary to own a car. For the entire 19 years, my wife and I each had our own motorcycle, she a scooter and me a Honda Rebel. We realized early on that a car in Bangkok was more of a burden than a blessing, and that traveling by bike ensured that you were never late for anything.
While cars were stuck in traffic, we along with the other bikes, would simply weave between them and we always reached our destinations on time. Even being caught in the rain while driving was never really a negative experience. If you’re reading this and you’re in a car in Bangkok, and you see all the motorcycles whizzing by you, chances are you’re probably stuck in traffic somewhere. If you’re in Bangkok and you need to hire a motorcycle, check out Fatboys Motorbikes.
I hope you enjoyed experiencing my view of Thailand and my 19 favorite things I will miss when we leave its shores later on this year.
- For more information on how to teach online, check out this course on Udemy.
- For ideas for TEFL classroom games, see this course, also on Udemy.
- Also, check out my videos on YouTube.