E.faq

With the following pages we wish to answer to some of the most frequent questions that first time visitors are asking, in order to make their stay most pleasant and interesting.
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You will also find in this section our links to other sites including the site of Khun Olarm M.D. with valuable medical advices, the currencies exchange rates from Thai Farmer Bank and the sites of Thai English speaking news-paper.
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Some of the selected answers have not been written by us, but by some of our fellows friends on SCT. For whose who would not know the meaning of SCT these are the initials of the news group: 'soc.culture.thai' and we can only recommend you to visit it a few times before coming to Thailand. It is very instructive and you will have the opportunity to get in touch with a few interesting fellows and some other completely out of touch with reality or badly biased against the country L.

Just choose the subject you are interested in

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Why I choose to live in Thailand
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by Marc

The following message appeared in 'rec.travel.asia' the 30th of May 1998

I'd like to take a two-week vacation this summer. Get as far away as I can from my job. Asia is cheap, and I'd be going in June.
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Of course, it being my first time in the region, I'm looking for a destination with culture, history, adventure, but not some off-the-road isolated town or beach.. If you were me, where would you go and why?

(s)Vlad

Here is the answer:

When I had the same problem, I choose Thailand and it seems that I did not regret my decision, as I live here for twelve years and don't have any plans to go back to Europe. My home is now in Thailand and it is where I shall die if I have to J

Why I did choose Thailand? For a few raisons:first it was not a Muslim nor a Christian country. Second: the country was the closest one to a democracy (even if not perfect the government was an elected one and it was not a one party or one coalition of parties which ruled the country) as of today it is almost as democratic as Belgium or France (at least the constitution is as democratic as ours). Third: I thought that the teaching of the Lord Buddha was the best and I liked the fact that he did not pretend to be a god or the son of the god or the messenger of a god. But only a simple man who thought a lot about human nature and destiny. Fourth: I believe that a surrounding of tolerance is essential to an happy life. Fifth: For having bought a few books on the region, I liked the smile of the women but also of the kids in the street and of the men. And sixth - but this is a reason which came with experience - Thailand is a country incre
-dibly secure even if most of the people here are driving like if they wish to die as soon as possible :-) .

So I came and at first I thought that I would take the first flight back to my country (Belgium). Why? because of the face of the immigration officers at Don Muang... I had almost the same feelings when I was standing in front of him while he was checking my passport, that I had a few years earlier when I crossed the Iron-Curtain (the border between West and East Germany). I even wonder if the communist officer did not look nicer and more affable than his Thai counterpart :-(

But I stayed the whole 6 weeks as planned. Meanwhile on my flight home, I was not sure that I would like to come back. Yet two months later I was on my way back to Bangkok (a friend had ask me to go back and buy some handicrafts for his shop) and it is then only then, while stepping out of the plane, that I fall in love with the country...

At the time the plane from Jordan Airline (ALIA) had to park in the security zone, and when I stepped out of the plane, from the top of the stairs, I saw the saffron tiles of the roof of a nearby Wat, and from this same instant, I knew that at last I had found my country, the country where I would like to live and spend the rest of my life.10 months later I had left Belgium without any regrets...
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One out many good reasons to love Thailand
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by Dave Webster

Posted on SCT on the 30th of April 1998

After Songkran in Bangkok I drove to Issan, taking time to stop at one of the dozens of "gai yang" shacks alongside the lake on the Korat highway. A very wise choice of cuisine, just no "paa laa" please

A wrong turn and poor map got me on the east/west roads about 40-50 klicks south of the Buriram/Surin/Sisaket/ Ubon string and into one of the most violent rainstorms since December in Trang. But perseverance got me to Buriram before dark and while mother nature took a break.

It was at the odd little hotel, clean as a pin and looking more like a commercial building, that I got my first reminder that I was in Issan. The coffee shop boasted less than a dozen tables and stood within sight of the reception desk so the young lady could serve coffee between accounting chores.

I wanted to got to Phanom Rung, but for the life of me couldn't remember the name of the place. And my Thai repertoire doesn't include, "you know, that old temple some- where around here that aligns with the moon at certain times of the year."

When the energetic young woman finally understood where I wanted to go she lit up like a neon sign, literally skipped her way to the desk, drew me a very detailed and accurate map complete with lots of stuff written in Thai for when she knew I would get lost and need to ask. But she seemed a bit confused about the Bt 20 tip I offered her.

After some confusion with Thai language signs, another cloudburst, and one of those "oh you mean *that* intersection!" the one I already drove past six times misunder- standings, I arrived at my destination.

At the entrance I was behind a Thai family group who seemed quite curious about me. The family member who seemed most curious about me was an old fellow of at least 80,

Jokingly I told the young woman collecting entrance fees (Bt10/Bt 40) in my best Thai my "Thai name" and that I was 50% Thai and should not have to pay the foreigner fee.

As the Thai family, especially grandfather, howled with laughter the woman agreed enthusiastically and offered me a refund of Bt 30. I told her I was joking and now she and the security guard joined the merriment.

Grandfather could contain himself no longer and walked close and stared up at me from his bent posture. I greeted him with my very best, head bowing "wai" and greeting.

To say we had an animated conversation couldn't possibly describe the art of true communication. The family was up to get away from Songkran in Pattaya, three generations of folks who "adopted" me for the next hour. They explained, wondered, escorted, talked, asked, joked, laughed, and gave me yet another great Thai experience. They even teased a quite lovely daughter unmercifully about the unmarried "farang."

If you could have held that old man's hands, seen the sincerity and warmth in his expression, and felt the true offer of courtesy I was given, then called me an apologist, you are simply not human.

I just hope, that when that wonderful old man gets back to Pattaya and he talks to his friends about his Songkran holiday, he speaks of his experience with the "farang" with the same affection that I have spoken of him.

Dave Webster
Way Up North in the Land of Smiles

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To marry or not to marry?
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by Tom "Tomcat"

Posted on SCT the 30th of April 1998 in answer to a post from a 'Broken Heart'
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Please take note that the first part - the one in italic - is not from Tom 'Tomcat' but from another contributor to SCT. Tom just felt the urge to add some comments, or should I say some good and no-nonsense advises.
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Gee, Davide, I'm sorry you've had such a bad experience. Unfortunately, it seems to have led to you giving really poor advice. Thai women are just like women from any other country (only cuter :-), there are good ones and bad ones. I've been married to a wonderful Thai lady for seven years, we treat each other with respect, we have two daughters, and our marriage could not be better. We're friends with another couple, Polish man/Thai woman, and they're happy too. You're saying Thai women are all bad -- sorry, that's just not true

I've now been happily married to a Thai woman for nearly 18 years. I suppose that speaks for itself. I have, however, seen both good and bad examples of mixed Thai/Farang marriages. Seems like most of the bad examples I have seen are those who married in haste and for all the wrong reasons. They are now repenting at leisure. My advice to anyone is to spend some considerable time before embarking on that final step to the altar. Let the euphoria of the first date abate before making any decisions because it is your future you are tinkering with. A wrong move here will haunt you for a very long time. Other important things to consider are the cultural differences that you will encounter. They can have far more impact than you could ever imagine. I worked in Asia for a year prior to meeting my wife so I had some idea of the cultural differences, yet even then I sometimes "got it wrong".

It is also wrong to assume that your Thai wife will automatically be better off in a Farang country.
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A good income, a house and a car does not guarantee happiness. Remember, you are in your "comfort zone" whilst your wife is not and she may feel she is in a hostile and unfamiliar environment. As an example, walk the streets of a Thai village in the evening. There is life there with people strolling about and socialising. Now, by contrast, walk the streets of the average Farang town or suburb. Feel lonely? One of the most common comments made by Thais when they arrive here (Australia) is that the streets are deserted in the evenings with everyone ensconced in their houses. The social scene is different here.

Far too many Farang men head off to Thailand on holiday, meet their first Thai woman, socialize a little in an "unreal" environment, then make the most important decision of their life without even having a "cooling off" period. Would they do this in their own country? I'd suspect not! Those "rose coloured glasses" can hide a lot of truth!

Tom

tomcat@metva.com.au

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Thainess and Thai hospitality

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Posted on SCT on the 27th of April 1998
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Several asked me for more language tales, but that was pretty much it for spoken mistakes. But there is one story that I am always asked to repeat when promoting overseas study opportunities for the Oregon State System of Higher Education. It's my "PHAD THAI" story. Besides showing the worst example of being a clueless tourist, it also shows how amazingly warm and understanding Thai people are, especially in the Northeast.

Of course, everyone who has been to Thailand knows that while Phad Thai is probably the most popular Thai food dish around the world, it's not as common in Thai restaurants in Thailand as it is at Thai restaurants in the North America or Europe. Like "Italian" pizza, or "Chinese" chop seuy.
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Most days when I'm at home in Udon Thani, I eat my meals with my in-laws and have lunch at what ever school I'm working at. I usually eat stuff like Som Tam (spicy green papaya salad) and Whitiaow Sen-Yai (wide fried noodles) as often as possible, because you usually can't find those dishes in the US. But I occasionally get peckish for Phad Thai and will search out a place to buy it.

I live in a small village just outside Udon Thani, and my first time staying there (November 1994) I got hungry for some Phad Thai. I decided to go look for a place to buy some myself. I was afraid if I asked someone in the neighborhood where to go to buy some, word would get back to the mom in my Thai family, and it would hurt her feelings that I wanted to eat somewhere else that day for lunch. So I wandered down the main street of the village, and after walking about 50 meters I looked in one place on the road where a woman was cooking Phad Thai noodles. So I went in and sat down. The woman gave me a strange look, then came over and asked me with a smile if she could help me. I said in my very well practiced Thai that I wanted Phad Thai, cooked vegetarian with egg added and spicy. Did I want anything to drink? Sure, I said and asked if she had strawberry Fanta. She said she didn't, but sent her daughter to the store to buy some. She went to work cooking my meal and chatted a bit. Like usual, a crowd of locals discreetly gathered to study the behavior of this farang who just moved into their village.

There was a great deal of discussion between them about me in E-san/Lao which I could only catch a few words of that were close to Thai.

She served me the best dish of Phad Thai I had ever eaten, I drank my Fanta, and asked how much the bill was. More discussion in Lao with the neighbours, apparently about whether I qualified for the "locals" discount or should be charged as a farang. She split the difference and charged me 35 Baht ($1.40 then, 95 cents now). I paid and gave her a 5 Baht tip and went home.

The family had noticed my absence, and asked where I had gone. I didn't want to lie, so I told the truth, describing the restaurant where I went to eat Phad Thai. They seemed mystified by my description. Later that day, riding in the back of a "song-tao" (pickup truck-bus) with some of my Thai family, I pointed out the building. That restaurant there, I said. One of the nephews in the family who speak English, asked me in English if I was sure that's where I ate. Yes, I answered, why? He said "because that's not a restaurant, that's someone's house."

So I -- an unknown foreign stranger -- walked into someone's house and just sat down at the dinner table and ordered food. The lady just took it in stride, like most Thais seem to do about everything. My next few trips living in Udon Thani, the same woman insisted I come by at least once during my stay for a free Phad Thai meal. On my fourth trip there, she had turned her home into a restaurant, and was doing booming business.

Every time I have visited Udon Thani since, neighbours and friends there always recall that, laugh about it good naturally and always ask in E-san/Lao if her Phad Thai is good "Saap, bah?" (delicious?). "Saap lai!" I always answer. And they never seem to tire of having this conversation every time I'm there.

"G.S. Sean Parlaman"
Posted on SCT the 27th of April 1998
* Original subject: (Mis)adventures in Thailand
e-mail: seanpar@efn.org

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What does it mean?


Cheap Charlie	You can translate it by mean or tight-fisted (most of the time not a compliment and a bad omen about your future popularity).
I love you too much!	Expression of appreciation reserved for people who are the opposite of "Cheap Charlies" and other "Kee-niow"
Kee-niow	Translation in Thai of "Cheap Charley". Used between Thai people to let others know that you are not worth one satang. (By the way: you are not suppose to understand)
Massage 1	Body Massage: for those who are looking for reminiscence of the time they were babies being given their daily bath. A young woman will soap them without leaving any part of their anatomy unattended and brush them all over with her own natural brush.... the end is left to your imagination and the size of your wallet (don't confound with physical massage)
Massage 2	The Physical Massage is a much more traditional massage and in its native version quite an "hard" massage that most European tourists will find painful. But in most tourists places, it has been adapted to the soft skin of them (Impossible to confound with body massage J)
My friend your	Your friend.

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