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Tramadol and certain other Crackhead Clubhouse items of interest do technically require scrips in Thailand but many pharmacies bend the rules to make some extra cash. If the police found them on you (and were in an extortionate mood, which they likely are if they're taking the time to search you to begin with) and actually recognized them as controlled you may be threatened with lengthy jail time and your lawyer would try to work out a "fine" you could pay instead, or, if the cop isn't feeling too industrious, he'd just flat out ask for his bribe there during the search. Essentially you'd be treated as though you had heroin or coke on you, though your "fine" may be lower (and obviously variable but I'd expect the cops to want 1000 or more dollars if it gets to the point of having a lawyer involved, possibly much more). As certain drugs become popularly abused they are simply taken out of the pharmacies and become only salable in hospitals. I personally don't have a good idea of what has been restricted as my interest in this topic is academic, but, as usual, if TCC doesn't know then Erowid does. As for your second question just buy a Lonely Planet travel guide for Thailand (or the ever popular SE Asia on a Shoestring one). Internet cafes also abound so you'll never be fully cut off from xkcd and seeing pictures of the food the girls on you Facebook page have been eating. I understand your desire to plan but during your SE Asia trip you'll get a chance to learn how to wing it, too. I mean, if you're there and you get on the exact wrong boat somehow (would never happen if you were making the tiniest effort to talk to people and didn't have your head fully up your rear end) at worst instead of going to Koh Phangan you'd go to Burma for a day. Oh loving no. raton fucked around with this message at 12:23 on Oct 28, 2011 |
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Oct 28, 2011 12:17
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MyStereoHasMono posted:Also, I'm conflicted about how much I need to plan in order to travel to different parts of the country (still talking about Thailand). What I mean is: I'd really just like to "wing it" as much as possible, but I'm afraid of flying into Bangkok and having no clue on how to do anything complex like catch X train and X ferry to get to X island, and therefore want to write this stuff down ahead of time, as I won't have any internet devices when there. Are there places I can go/people I can talk to that could help me figure this stuff out, or should I plan ahead more and write myself directions on how to get places? Or should I just do myself a favor and get a mobile device that has internet access? Ask other travelers or hostel/hotel staff at reception. Staff will always help you, especially with basic stuff like how to get somewhere. If you stay at a hostel (http://silom.lubd.com/ is recommended here) you have a bunch of people all around you constantly that are generally very open. It's easy as hell to meet people on the road. Buses you can often book at your hotel. This usually means a taxi picks you up at your hotel and takes you to the station. Internet cafes are everywhere. One thing to keep in mind is that you really should not be signing into any stuff (facebook, mail, etc.) from shared computers. Keyloggers are pretty common. There is always the Lonely Planet book as well. It always has basic info on how to get from place to place and what to see.
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Oct 28, 2011 16:25
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wikitravel is how I get most of my online travel information, cross-referenced with travelfish. I flip through Lonely Planets when they're sitting around at hostel/restaurant common bookshelves, but otherwise I haven't needed a paper guide at all.
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Oct 28, 2011 16:39
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So I just booked flights to Vietnam leaving on November 17th. I am pumped. It's only going to be a short trip (about 2 weeks) as it's all the leave I have from work. I'm going to be concentrating on Saigon and Hanoi. I have no real set itinerary and am mainly going to wing it, though I'll be doing a heap of research on cool things to see, do and eat. What I want to know is, is there anything amazing or must do that any of you can recommend? The type of things that I'll be kicking myself if I miss. Any place particularly awesome to eat at? Any hostels you've been to that have a great atmosphere, good beds etc? I'm all ears!
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Oct 29, 2011 04:07
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Where are you landing? 2 weeks really isn't enough for both Saigon and Hanoi. Unless you will be flying around the country. I would recommend sticking to the north or south, whichever place you are landing and leave the other part for next time.
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Oct 29, 2011 06:19
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I'll be landing in Saigon. I know it's not much time, I'm not planning on doing EVERYTHING, just a little taste and some relaxation. I'm planning on getting a return flight to Hanoi, it's supposed to take 2 hours and is quite cheap. I want to do a more extensive trip later when I have time.
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Oct 29, 2011 06:42
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I was also in Vietnam only for 2 weeks. Landed in Hanoi and made it as far down as Nha Trang (then flew back to Hanoi for my return flight). If you can ride, motorcycle tours are pretty popular. Even if you can't, the guide can drive you and you stay in the back and take pictures  I went on a 1 day trip in Hoi An. There is a great tour company there run by an Australian guy: http://www.motorbiketours-hoian.com/ The reason I only went 1 day is because I only just learned to ride in the town before (Hue). Also it is very popular to go over the Hai Van pass on a motorcycle (also called the Top Gear tour). This takes you between Hue and Hoi An. I went but as a passenger as that was way over my bike riding skills. It was great. Motorcycle tours really are the thing to do in Vietnam besides the usual sight seeing.
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Oct 29, 2011 09:25
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I've never ridden a motorbike before. It's one of those things that's always associated with Vietnam so I will check out that site.
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Oct 29, 2011 09:37
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Yo, if any of you waterheads are in Siem Reap, drop me a PM or email me at reindeerf@ymail.com and let's grab a beer. Whee. Incidentally, it's dry in town and reportedly at the temples if anyone's worried. The countryside, flying over it, looks like a gigantic lake for probably 100km. Unbelievable. The Khmer seem to find it humorous when I tell them I fled Bangkok for the safety of Cambodia. Also, Pompous, I'll try to find that shirt for you this time.
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Oct 29, 2011 11:27
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dflanny posted:I've never ridden a motorbike before. It's one of those things that's always associated with Vietnam so I will check out that site. I had never touched a motorbike before arriving in Saigon and a month later, I was swimming through the traffic like a pro. Granted, in two weeks and especially if you're moving around, you might not have much time to learn but I think renting a bike for 2-3 days is a good idea. If you like it and you see it's your kind of thing and you're not too scared, that will be fun.Apart from that, I only know HCMC and Nha Trang. There's nothing particularly fantastic to see in HCMC but I love the city. I hate typical western-style tourism so I try to avoid district 1 and all that but from what I could see there's a good night life. The Reunification Palace is supposed to be quite cool, especially if you're into history. It's where the last Vietnam War fights happened and when the commies captured the place, it was all over. Senso fucked around with this message at 19:31 on Oct 29, 2011 |
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Oct 29, 2011 19:27
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Question for any goons familiar with Thailand: What would be a good way to get a crash course in the language? I'll be making a few trips to the country to visit an expat relative and I'll need to get around a good bit. Places like Pattaya and BKK I've been able to navigate before just fine between a combination of English and caveman gesturing, but I'll spend a good chunk of time in Chonnabot way out in Khon Kaen, and every time I've been out there before I was completely lost w/o an interpreter (relative's wife), as I only found one local who spoke any English and his proficiency was TV tropes/catchphrases at best. I have a basic understanding of cultural do's/dont's, bartering, etc., but I'd like to get a better grasp on the language, both as a matter of respecting the locals and so I don't wind up coming off as a tourist. My university offers Thai courses, but they're very basic, limited space, and I've never [been] able to get into them. I've dabbled with Rosetta Stone Thai, but I dunno how effective it is in the long run since I've used it for both Japanese and Pashto before and results were mixed at best. Any suggestions would be welcome. zgrowler2 fucked around with this message at 07:26 on Oct 30, 2011 |
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Oct 30, 2011 01:24
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ReindeerF posted:Yo, if any of you waterheads are in Siem Reap, drop me a PM or email me at reindeerf@ymail.com and let's grab a beer. Whee. You are my Oprah. Won't be making it down this winter though  zgrowler2 posted:Question for any goons familiar with Thailand: What would be a good way to get a crash course in the language? I'll be making a few trips to the country to visit an expat relative and I'll need to get around a good bit. Places like Pattaya and BKK I've been able to navigate before just fine between a combination of English and caveman gesturing, but I'll spend a good chunk of time in Chonnabot way out in Khon Kaen, and every time I've been out there before I was completely lost w/o an interpreter (relative's wife), as I only found one local who spoke any English and his proficiency was TV tropes/catchphrases at best. Becker's "Thai for Beginners" is pretty decent for self-study, but make sure you get the version with the CD. There's an intermediate and advanced book by the same author as well, although fair warning that "Advanced" was about on par with the third "basic" course of my Thai course in Bangkok (see below). Still, it will put you miles ahead of the average expat or traveler in Thailand and well-armed for basic conversations and everyday needs. If you've got 11 weeks to kill, $1600+ you don't really need, and can time it right, the Intensive Thai program at Chula is very good. Basic 1 will cover basic conversational stuff, Basic 2 introduces writing (which is essential if you ever want to get anything approaching a decent accent). Basic 3 as well as the three Intermediate courses are also good, but at $816 and 5 weeks a pop that's probably scraping the outer edge of what a dabbler would sign up for.
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Oct 30, 2011 08:00
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here's an interesting thread in sh/sc Why are hard drive prices so drat high? http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3445864
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Oct 30, 2011 08:21
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I decided to just buy a ticket to Chiang Mai and I'm going there directly after landing in Bangkok. That way I'll spend the month going from North to South and stay at Bangkok last.
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Oct 30, 2011 12:36
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Becker's "Thai for Beginners" is pretty decent for self-study, but make sure you get the version with the CD. There's an intermediate and advanced book by the same author as well, although fair warning that "Advanced" was about on par with the third "basic" course of my Thai course in Bangkok (see below). Still, it will put you miles ahead of the average expat or traveler in Thailand and well-armed for basic conversations and everyday needs. Much obliged for the info; Becker's material looks like a good place to start. I won't really have the budget or time for the intensive for some time as I'd need to get my foot in an employer's door post-undergrad (I get out in May) and build up some finances first, but I'll definitely keep it in mind. Hoping to land a Dept of State or GS position in Asia so I'll be able to get over there for cheaper airfare costs, but we'll see.
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Oct 30, 2011 17:03
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Water was out at my other hotel, so I moved yesterday to this place that has "No Sex Tourists!" on their site and at the front desk. You know you're in Southeast Asia when hotels have to declare a policy on sex tourists. And you know you've lived here too long when it doesn't seem out of the ordinary that hotels have to declare a policy on sex tourists, heh.
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Oct 31, 2011 03:28
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Siem Reap: "Do not have sex with children"
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Oct 31, 2011 08:58
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caberham posted:Siem Reap: "Do not have sex with children"
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Oct 31, 2011 09:36
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caberham posted:Siem Reap: "Do not have sex with children" For some reason, I remember seeing constant reminders not to buy children, not so much to avoid having sex with them.
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Oct 31, 2011 14:05
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That being said, nowhere in SE Asia have I seen more dirty old white men with small local boys than in Siem Reap. I think the warnings are actually serving as a siren call...
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Oct 31, 2011 14:57
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eviljelly posted:That being said, nowhere in SE Asia have I seen more dirty old white men with small local boys than in Siem Reap. I think the warnings are actually serving as a siren call... A couple years ago when I was in Laos I saw a real scummy looking mid 40's white guy bouncing a small Laotian girl on his lap while having a beer. I looked over at their table and it was an older Laotian grandmother type sitting there letting it happen. It was clearly not his child and shady as hell. Just walking by felt uncomfortable.
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Oct 31, 2011 15:27
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My impression of Siem Reap these days is that it's too crowded for that and, frankly, the paedo thing was always centric to Phnom Penh because it had an established population. I only came here eight years ago for the first time, but back then Pub Street was Red Piano and Angkor What? along with a few random guest houses and things. I think Sofitel and FCC were it for hotels. These days it's jam packed with guest houses, huge hotels, people, bars, NGOs and so on - which means that kind of poo poo has to go underground. If the Dateline report is indicative for SR as well as PP, most of it takes place in villages a few kilometers out of town, but that's all I know - if you google dateline svay pok you'll see one of the more disturbing things an adult male with a remotely operative moral compass can see. I have actually never seen kiddy fiddling going on in person, but I know it's here and happening. EDIT: The loving Koreans, JESUS. It's not that there are so many, it's that they rove in clench-fisted hordes, arguing with vendors, taking over entire restaurants/bars and generally behaving like the proverbial Ugly American. 2000-2100, century of the ugly Asian! ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 15:47 on Oct 31, 2011 |
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Oct 31, 2011 15:44
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The Koreans own that town so hard. I heard there's one road somewhere that Hana Tours (a Korean tour company) built, so they charge a toll. That being said, I find the Chinese tourists to be the absolute worst. At least the Koreans aren't constantly annoyed at the locals for not speaking Korean.
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Oct 31, 2011 16:39
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I have a few questions about visas in Thailand. My friend and I and are going for a year to teach English, if we cannot find employment prior to our departure in Jan we may be in a bit of a bind. We are unsure of when we are returning so we bought one-way tickets, and the Thai visa site clearly states that you have to have a return ticket if you want a tourist visa. So here are a few option that I see: 1. Say we are on a motorcycle journey and we do not have a return date, but will leave the country when our visa time is expired (and apply for a status B when we find work) 2. Write a letter of intent along with our visa application telling them exactly what our plans are and that we have reserved cash to get us back home if we can’t find work in our allotted time (unsure if it’s legal to travel with the intent to find work). 3. Travel without a tourist visa and take the risk that they will deny us entry (don’t like this one) What have other people’s experiences been regarding one-way tickets and travel in Thailand? Does anyone know how this will affect our ability to get work/ a visa?
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Oct 31, 2011 17:30
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I have never been asked for a return ticket by immigration at any point of entry. When they ask you where you are going, say Khao San Road and you will be fine.
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Oct 31, 2011 19:15
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eviljelly posted:The Koreans own that town so hard. I heard there's one road somewhere that Hana Tours (a Korean tour company) built, so they charge a toll. Israeli > Chinese > Korean
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Oct 31, 2011 20:39
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Sheep-Goats posted:Israeli > Chinese > Korean A friend of mine is a stewardess, traveling all over the world and she tells me that nothing is worse than russian tourists. Not the chinese, not the drunken UK hooligans, nobody. I didn't meet much russian tourists on my journeys (nor chinese, come to think of it), so I don't know what to make of it.
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Oct 31, 2011 22:08
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mrfart posted:A friend of mine is a stewardess, traveling all over the world and she tells me that nothing is worse than russian tourists. Not the chinese, not the drunken UK hooligans, nobody. I saw one in Bangkok getting irate at the lady manning the counter at a BTS station once. It was some dumb misunderstanding on his part, I was going to help him out but he was being suck a prick I figured he deserved it. In hindsight I should have done it for the sake of the poor Thai lady behind the glass, whoops. The only other one I met in BKK was an aerospace engineer on vacation with his family. His wife's bag got jacked from their shopping cart at a fairly decent supermarket, he was pretty patient and cool about the whole thing. We went through the security footage and stuff but weren't able to help him Yegof posted:I have a few questions about visas in Thailand. My friend and I and are going for a year to teach English, if we cannot find employment prior to our departure in Jan we may be in a bit of a bind. We are unsure of when we are returning so we bought one-way tickets, and the Thai visa site clearly states that you have to have a return ticket if you want a tourist visa. Well, it's too late, but one-way tickets are a bit of a jack; usually like 3/4 the cost of RT. I'd have bought the return tickets with the date set a year in advance, although finding one with more than 12 month validity (so you could change it to a later return date if needed) can be tricky. I've only been asked to show proof of onward travel one time, and that was for China. What I would do (and we should probably put this in the OP of the thread by now) is print out a fake e-ticket return itinerary and use that as your "proof". Thailand isn't alone on this, but due to the brilliant setup of the immigration system, you will have to leave the country to switch over to a non-immigrant B visa when you find work (last time I checked, anyways). Flying to Penang in Malaysia is the most popular, although if you're up in Khon Kaen I think Vientiane would make a lot more sense. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 23:56 on Oct 31, 2011 |
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Oct 31, 2011 22:55
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Pompous Rhombus posted:I saw one in Bangkok getting irate at the lady manning the counter at a BTS station once. It was some dumb misunderstanding on his part, I was going to help him out but he was being suck a prick I figured he deserved it. In hindsight I should have done it for the sake of the poor Thai lady behind the glass, whoops. What? How did you end up watching the security tape at a mall with a random tourist? Are you part of that creepy Tourist "Police" Group full of expat sex tourists?
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Nov 1, 2011 03:42
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imnotinsane posted:What? How did you end up watching the security tape at a mall with a random tourist? Are you part of that creepy Tourist "Police" Group full of expat sex tourists? No, I used to volunteer as an interpreter with a branch of the Bangkok Metropolitan PD (regular cops, separate from the Tourist Police) when I was studying in Bangkok. I heard bad things about the Tourist Police volunteer group in Phuket and/or Pattaya, but I met a pair of Aussies doing it in Ayuthaya who were pretty nice fellows.
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Nov 1, 2011 04:04
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Yegof posted:I have a few questions about visas in Thailand. My friend and I and are going for a year to teach English, if we cannot find employment prior to our departure in Jan we may be in a bit of a bind. We are unsure of when we are returning so we bought one-way tickets, and the Thai visa site clearly states that you have to have a return ticket if you want a tourist visa. You're worrying too much! If you can't get a tourist visa from the Thai embassy in your country, just get it when you arrive in Thailand. It's super easy and takes at most 2 or 3 days. Bangkok has several visa run companies offering this service. They'll take you to either Laos or Cambodia where you'll stay at a hotel close to the border for a day while they take your passport to the capital and get a tourist visa for you. It might sound dodgy as hell but this is probably how most foreigners do it and it works (so far). You'll be going with lots of other foreigners so it's not like it's just you and your buddy and they'll rape you at some village outside of Bangkok and steal all your stuff.imnotinsane posted:Are you part of that creepy Tourist "Police" Group full of expat sex tourists? The unwritten rule among expats in Thailand is that you never ask people where they met their wife. UH YEAH I MET HER IN A SUPERMARKET SO WHAT? (awkward silence).
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Nov 1, 2011 04:30
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Ringo R posted:The unwritten rule among expats in Thailand is that you never ask people where they met their wife. UH YEAH I MET HER IN A SUPERMARKET SO WHAT? (awkward silence).
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Nov 1, 2011 05:42
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oh, well uh... this clears things up: http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2011/11/01/confused-about-thailand%E2%80%99s-floods-watch-the-blue-whales/ Cheesemaster200 fucked around with this message at 18:25 on Nov 1, 2011 |
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Nov 1, 2011 18:22
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No Cambodia in the OP? I could possibly write something up about Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kratie, Sen Monorom, Banlung and Stung Treng and the country in general as long as someone else can contribute with Battambang, Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham and all those western places I skipped out on. Also, Laos is awesome and the OP doesn't do it any justice.
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Nov 2, 2011 07:27
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Me and a few friends were thinking about going to Thailand next July, during the university semester break. Should we avoid certain areas/call it off altogether due to the flooding? And how good is Thailand in july in general, weather wise?
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Nov 2, 2011 07:36
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Coritani posted:Me and a few friends were thinking about going to Thailand next July, during the university semester break. Should we avoid certain areas/call it off altogether due to the flooding? And how good is Thailand in july in general, weather wise? July is hotter than two rats loving in a wool sock, though April's the hottest. If you don't mind hot weather, it's a good time to visit. Central and Southern Thailand are never not-hot, so I wouldn't sweat it too much (lol). Northern Thailand gets a little cooler in certain months.
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Nov 2, 2011 08:05
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ReindeerF posted:Things will be fine by then. We'll be well into a several-month street protest or a coup and the floods will be a distant memory, don't let it put you off! Fun Thailand fact: every year a dozen or so people die of hypothermia in Thailand. This generally occurs in the Northwest but sometimes also the Northeast and is a result of Thai people being about as tolerant of the cold as plump Germans are of bartering and late public transport, but also has to do with upcountry Thais not having houses that seal to the elements, or blankets, or a coat. Ah yes, I remember it well, my one cool misty morning in a mountainous national park near Mae Hong Son...
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Nov 2, 2011 09:26
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MonkeeKong posted:No Cambodia in the OP? I could possibly write something up about Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kratie, Sen Monorom, Banlung and Stung Treng and the country in general as long as someone else can contribute with Battambang, Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham and all those western places I skipped out on. Please do! I'm looking to visit Laos and Cambodja this spring, to see all the things I've missed by staying solely in Thailand last time around.
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Nov 2, 2011 09:48
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Alright, SE Asia goons, I enlist your help again. I'm trying to decide where to go next. I'm in southern Thailand right now and I want to go south/southeast. I've narrowed my choices to either the Malaysian Borneo or the Philippines, mostly in the Visayas and maybe over to Palawan as well. I'm leaning toward the Philippines, but I'm open to either one - or maybe you might be able to convince me to go to somewhere in Indonesia or East Timor or Pupua New Guinea even (unlikely, mostly due to flight prices). For your reference, I can leave Thailand as early as November 6 and I can fly out of either Kuala Lumpur (preferred) or Bangkok (not preferred) or anywhere else in between. I enjoy scuba diving (although I'm only a beginner, so I actually would prefer good sites at low prices rather than great sites at high prices), the "backpacker" scene of being able to connect with other travelers but not necessarily the party scene, biking (pedal and motorized!) and maybe some good hiking. I've got till about Nov 26, which is when I MUST go to Hong Kong. Suggest away, goonz!
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Nov 2, 2011 12:00
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MonkeeKong posted:No Cambodia in the OP? I could possibly write something up about Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kratie, Sen Monorom, Banlung and Stung Treng and the country in general as long as someone else can contribute with Battambang, Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham and all those western places I skipped out on. ReindeerF fucked around with this message at 14:07 on Nov 2, 2011 |
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Nov 2, 2011 14:01
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