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Hey all! I'm a Junior at a US college who studied abroad last semester in northern India and taught English for two months to a class of Tibetan Buddhist monks and loved it so much that I want to do English teaching for a year or more after I graduate. I am eying Thailand as my number one spot for teaching English abroad and will try to win a Fulbright ETA grant to teach there. If I don't get it, I would be more than happy to try other alternatives in east and (especially) south-east Asia. In addition to my other courses and my experience with the Buddhist monks, I was able to formally study Tibetan Buddhist philosophy while I was in Dharamshala/McCleod-Ganj and, while I still consider myself to be an atheist, I really have a deep fascination with Buddhism and Buddhist cultures. I'm also madly in love with the whole "throwing myself into a different culture and radically shifting my perceptions of the world" thing. Thailand is also the number one place on my list to visit in general and to trek in. I'm also interested in learning more about the current political issues between Buddhist Thais and Muslim Malays and the Red Shirt movement which I only very briefly researched and wrote about before. What are some programs available to teach English in Thailand or elsewhere in south-east Asia? What are other good alternatives to Thailand (eg Vietnam, Cambodia, etc) as additional back-up plans to Thailand? I'm also looking at options in Japan and China as well as further back-ups to my back-ups. I would (ideally) like to get to other countries like Bhutan and Nepal in the (long-term) future as well. Essentially, what would you guys recommend for someone like me? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 16:17 on Feb 11, 2011 |
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Feb 11, 2011 16:12
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Thailand has been number one on my list of places to go in the world for a while now and, after spending last semester in India with the Tibetan community in northern India, I'm really, really interested in learning more about Buddhism in all its different forms. I've studied a little bit about Thai art history (from a South and Southeast Asian art history course) and did some research concerning modern Thai politics and the Red Shirt movement for a different class as well. I'm really fascinated by Thailand in general. That said, I was thinking of applying for a Fulbright grant to teach English in Thailand for a year. I also taught English for two months while in India and really loved that too (some of the best moments in my life thus far!). Are there alternative avenues for teaching English in Thailand (preferably Bangkok) or finding any other form of work in Thailand as well?
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Apr 19, 2011 23:13
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Pompous Rhombus posted:Thanks for the info and quick response.  I'm pretty sure I'd be very happy teaching English in Thailand or elsewhere as a means of having an income while living abroad. I'll still be young and without any obligations by the time I graduate undergrad and really want to use this time in my life as a way of living abroad and basically living life. Also, what color and kind of robes do the monks in Thailand wear? Are they orange? Because in India, the Tibetan monks tended to wear red robes with a sliver of blue on the ends of the sleeves. I'm not a Buddhist by religion, but I find the philosophy and aspects about it to be pretty fascinating. As far as other factors go, I'm a die-hard lover of Thai food, I really enjoyed the rumble and tumble of living in rural India, and etc. Also, is it possible to find a home-stay family or room with other cool expats and/or locals?
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Apr 19, 2011 23:43
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Hi all! I'm looking at living and working in Taiwan starting next Fall and I want to (ideally) back pack throughout all of Southeast Asia and possibly South Asia as well. I lived in Dharamsala and northern India for three months last year on a school program and would like to travel between India and Pakistan in the west to Vietnam and the east to Indonesia and Malaysia in the south. On a more realistic budget and time-scale, I'd at least want to travel through Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. That said, what kind of a budget and time-scale am I looking at for thorough back packing through Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia? What about for three months (one month in each country)? Also, would it be a completely bad idea to enter Burma as a foreigner?
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Sep 29, 2011 21:32
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Rojkir posted:Well in my opionion thorough backpacking would be 3 months in Thailand alone, then maybe one in Cambodia and atleast two in Vietnam. But your definition of thorough backpacking may differ. What about couch surfing? Also, should I generally try to budget out 6 straight months with 80 US dollars per day in Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia? What is the cheapest way to get from Taiwan to Thailand? Could I get across the Taiwan Strait to mainland China and then backpack my way down into Thailand, cross through Cambodia and Vietnam back into China, and then cross back into Taiwan (this sounds awesome to me) within 6-7 months? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Sep 29, 2011 |
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Sep 29, 2011 22:08
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Ringo R posted:Scroll up a bit to read Cheesemaster's Burma write up. Oh! I'm a dumb-rear end.  I apologize.
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Sep 30, 2011 03:31
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Cheesemaster200 posted:Burma is probably one of the safest and most rewarding countries in the region to visit. Just don't be stupid, keep an open mind, and you will be fine. Alrighty. How long would a good visit through Burma be? How much money? Would 1-2 weeks be enough? Also, how would I be able to get into Bhutan and Nepal, for example? I'm interested in someday going there as well (although that's more South Asian than anything).
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Sep 30, 2011 06:51
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Ebethron posted:IIRC Bhutan only allows tourists in on fairly high end tour packages($200 a night if wikitravel is to be believed), part of their policy of limiting contact with the outside world and not being overwhelmed by outside influences. I guess I'll have to put that on the backburner or save it for a really short time/more savings, then.
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Sep 30, 2011 12:39
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Has anyone had experience traveling from China to Thailand recently? From what I understand, it's fairly easy and cheap as a tourist if you just want to come and visit for a few days to a week on a landing visa. Plane tickets are certainly cheap compared to other destinations, at least. Is it possible to use Alipay/Wechat Pay while in Thailand or should you exchange currencies before coming over?
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Feb 1, 2023 08:42
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Not sure whether to post here or in the China thread, but this thread is more active so here goes: 1.) Apparently weed has been legalized in Thailand these days? If I were to consume cannabis once during a tourism trip there then head back to China, would it be detected in a drug test while going through customs coming back into China? China seems to detain/deport people for use of cannabis outside of its borders, but I don't know how likely a random drug test at the airport would be without reasonable cause besides "foreigner went to Thailand for tourism". Not even sure if it's worth loving around and finding out in this regard since I've been here for several years now/built up Chinese fluency etc and don't really want to risk all of that just over a happy pizza. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/xEXxWxzdWc3CDpq1gDirAA 2.) Unrelated, but I've always been interested in visiting Thailand, although people are saying Vietnam is the new fun place to visit now among long-term China expats. If given a few days of holiday and you've never been to SEA, would it be better to visit Thailand or Vietnam and why? Appreciate the feedback.
Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 01:11 on Apr 2, 2023 |
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Apr 2, 2023 00:56
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Why do people keep saying that Vietnam is "the new Thailand"? Is that in terms of cost of living, wild West atmosphere, hipster tastes, or...?
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May 19, 2023 04:53
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I want to visit Thailand in February during my Spring Festival holiday, so roughly Feb 10-17 thereabouts. Coming from China, so would Alipay/Wechat work for payments in Thailand without shenfenzheng or should I bring cash? How much should I budget for a trip like this? Any recommended hostels to stay in in Bangkok so I can meet fellow travelers? Also, would I have any trouble indulging in the devil's lettuce before heading back to China? I know it's legal now in Thailand, but I don't know if they would selectively profile a foreigner for drug testing in the airport coming back on holiday from Thailand. E: Also since I plan on staying a week or so, should I stay in Bangkok or head out to other places in Thailand like Chiangmai or Phuket? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 08:57 on Dec 22, 2023 |
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Dec 22, 2023 08:52
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I think for my Thailand trip I want to hang out on an island/near a beach for a week, so it looks like I'm between Phuket and Pattaya? Which should I choose and why? E: also I bought some books on basic Thai language/culture etc so I can practice a bit before I go. How difficult is it to pick up survival Thai with about a month/2 months to prepare? Any recommended apps for word reference/translation etc? I'm fairly fluent in Mandarin Chinese so I'm used to learning a tonal language, if that helps. E2: Also are there places where you can use Alipay or Wechat to scan to pay or should I just bring cash? I've heard Thailand is very popular for Chinese tourists, but I'm not sure if it extends to digital transactions. Still, it looks like there are ATMs and currency exchange places everywhere that accept Union Pay cards. Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 06:20 on Dec 29, 2023 |
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Dec 29, 2023 06:07
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Thanks for the advice. I'm not too crazy about shopping, but access to beach + nightlife + trying local food would be nice. Also somewhere with access to wildlife within a day's trip, maybe to see elephants or monkeys or something? I remember seeing monkeys in Himachal Pradesh in India years back in college and, although they are cunning bastards that will steal your food when you aren't looking, they are really interesting to observe.
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Dec 29, 2023 06:25
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The Saddest Rhino posted:I think the usual QR code payment accepted nowadays are Grab (the SEA Uber) and I think you can link the app with your credit card. I'm not sure if you do need a Thai bank account to activate it though I tried linking Grab with my Alipay, but it wouldn't work because I don't hold a mainland China ID. Oh well.
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Dec 29, 2023 12:01
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It seems like Lub D is the best rated/most renowned hostel in Patong area of Phuket. Any goon consensus on this? Also, will anyone happen to be in Phuket mid-February? I'd love to meet some new friends.
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Dec 29, 2023 14:35
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Has anyone used Airbnb before? Is it safe? I've never used it before, but I'm finding much better deals for 2 weeks 1 room vs hostel. Also I asked people last night at a hash walk for Thailand advice and everyone kept saying get a private room over shared at hostel, much more convenient especially if I bring someone home for the night lol
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Jan 1, 2024 05:27
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Strong Sauce posted:why would you ever get a hostel? Hostel I figure it would be easier to meet new people and make friends. I had a great time at the hostel I stayed in at Hong Kong years ago. I recently reconnected with a guy I met from there in Beijing and eventually I helped him get a job (not completed yet, bosses have been dragging it out for a long time) at my current company.
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Jan 1, 2024 06:56
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 Has anyone been to this Cat Story hotel? Being surrounded by cats every day sounds incredible to me, not gonna lie.
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Jan 1, 2024 09:09
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I am basically deciding between the Lub D hostel and the Cat Story hotel. I think for my desired goals (eg being near the beach, within walking distance of Bangla Road and other fun spots, being in the center of the action, meeting new people etc), I'm leaning toward Lub D. Also, if I am more flexible on plane ticket (ie short stop in Hong Kong vs direct flight etc), I feel like I can get get a good package with a private room at Lub D vs shared 4 bunk room. Roughly ¥11,825 for 13 nights, or $1,661, including plane tickets. Does that seem reasonable? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Jan 3, 2024 |
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Jan 3, 2024 03:25
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Waltzing Along posted:If you are paying over $100 a night in Thailand, it should be for a 5 star place. This is combined plane/room. I think for Junior room double room only is 444 yuan or $62 per night.
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Jan 3, 2024 05:07
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Doing further research, I think the following places are good choices for what I'm looking for in terms of lodging: Cat Story Hotel Black Pantera Hostel Patong Poshtel I Am O'tel Patong Big Boys' Bed & Burger Lub D Hostel Alfresco Phuket Hotel Anyone been to one of these? It seems kind of weird for some of the hostels there's a huge price gap between the shared bunk hostels and first smallest junior double room. Ideally I'd like to get a private double room and be able to securely lock away passport and put away my suitcase and backpack while also being in or close to the party/social scene yet have a private room in case I need to chill out. E: I think out of all of these, I am most partial to Cat Story, Lub D and Black Pantera. After comparing more hotels and hostels, Lub D does definitely seem overpriced, but you do get the most opportunity to socialize and meet new people as a solo traveler compared to anywhere else I've seen (the other hostels were labeled as quieter/non-social places  ).Something my coworker suggested is to book a room at a few different places to get a taste of different room styles and experiences. I could maybe do a few nights at Lub D then switch to a cheaper hotel/hostel after I've had my fill of Bangla mania socializing. On the other hand, my well-experienced traveler friend suggested booking for a few days at a hotel and leave the other days blank and book when I get there for flexibility. Is this a good or bad idea for a relatively newbie solo traveler? E2: Also since I'm planning on being in Phuket for a longer stay, are there other spots on the island I should consider too like Old Phuket Town? Or maybe just visit while keeping home base in Patong? Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 09:47 on Jan 3, 2024 |
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Jan 3, 2024 08:36
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Boola posted:Why limit yourself to staying only in Patong for your vacation? You could also split your time between Khao San Road in Bangkok and Walking Street in Pattaya to truly get a feel for Thai culture. Well, I mainly want to be on an island/near a beach for most of my vacation, but I might consider some other places as well. I'm already used to a big crowded city environment with living in Beijing, so I'm not really eager to see another big crowded city with Bangkok; but I wouldn't say no, either. I've heard there are some cool day trips and tours you can make while in Phuket, such as visiting Old Town, James Bond Island, Phi Phi Island, visiting the elephant and gibbon conservation sites, etc. It would also be great to see some Buddhist temples, reclining Buddha, and so on. If I end up staying in Patong/Phuket for the whole trip, I think I'll go Lub D -> Black Pantera -> Cat Story for my lodging. Appreciate the help.
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Jan 3, 2024 13:03
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Oh, something I just thought of: how do people normally dispose of used toilet paper in Thailand? I'm used to Chinese squatter toilets and throwing away paper in a nearby trash bin, but I'm not sure if I should flush, throw, bidet etc while in Thailand.
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Jan 4, 2024 02:31
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Can I enter Thailand using a one-way ticket and make up my vacation as I go (E.g. I book only a few nights in Phuket at first in case I decide I want to visit Bangkok and leave from there back to China later on etc), or do I need to book round-trip tickets to and from Phuket to show the airline/Thailand immigration I have proof that I will leave Thailand once my vacation is done? E: based on what a friend suggested, maybe it's best to keep round-trip tickets in and out of Phuket but leave my trip open for exploring all kinds of places in southern Thailand. Any recommendations? He said Ko Lanta and Trang are good. Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 09:15 on Jan 5, 2024 |
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Jan 5, 2024 08:53
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Booked my roundtrip tickets to Phuket!  Just gotta book my initial hostel and I'll be good to go. E: does anyone know about the Mad Monkey hostel? It looks like they opened their Phuket location in December last year, so pretty new. From the reviews it looks like a pretty social hostel with great staff. I feel like this one might be better than Lub D since the rooms are cheaper and more spacious while still providing a party/social atmosphere. That's the impression I'm getting, anyways. E2: Went ahead and booked my first 3 nights there. Really excited to see what I find out for my next step! Maybe off to Lanta or elsewhere. Those beach bungalows look rad as hell, especially the Cat Bungalow! Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 17:21 on Jan 5, 2024 |
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Jan 5, 2024 15:32
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the heat goes wrong posted:Details are unknown yet, TIT after all. But its highly likely that usage will change from recreational to medical. Recriminilization is incredibly unlikely. What do you mean by TIT? Also, that's a shame. You'd think with Thailand being so reliant on tourism that they'd view legalized weed as a huge boon to the economy. Still, people are saying that it would be trivial to get around this hurdle should it come to pass.
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Jan 9, 2024 02:49
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Atlas Hugged posted:TIT is an acronym thrown around by people here that means "This is Thailand". It's basically equivalent to shrugging whenever something inexplicable happens here and there's no other logical explanation. Oh hahaha there's something similar to that among China foreigners like "Because China" or "No why" in response to some arbitrary rule or event.
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Jan 9, 2024 07:42
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I saw a Reddit post just now saying that if you don't have enough cash on hand (10k or 20k baht) a border official could reject your entry into Thailand, but this may just be for land crossings. Does this apply to entering Thailand via plane as well? From the comments it looks like they want to see cash on hand and don't care if you have proof of overseas bank accounts with the equivalent amount (China in my case). https://www.reddit.com/r/ThailandTourism/s/qVs2KJ7vW3
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Jan 11, 2024 03:28
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No, I'm not that concerned. I was planning on bringing 5k baht in cash with me anyway and taking more out later from an ATM when I'm actually in Thailand. I just didn't realize there was a policy of having X amount of cash on hand when you arrive and thought to mention it.
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Jan 11, 2024 05:20
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Is it illegal to bring or use e-cigarettes or vapes in Thailand? From what I've seen online apparently they are indeed illegal and have been since 2014 which is kind of weird to me considering traditional cigarettes are not prohibited.
Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 09:17 on Jan 24, 2024 |
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Jan 24, 2024 09:03
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Is it illegal to play poker in Thailand? What about social games without money involved? Also, I'm finally going to head out tomorrow. Is it better to withdraw money now and exchange money at a currency exchange shop or withdraw from an ATM there?
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Feb 6, 2024 10:25
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I'm just kind of going  since weed is "legal", but e-cigs and even having a deck of a certain size of cards are illegal. I mean, weed should be legal regardless, but it kind of blows my mind given my Amerocentric and even Sinocentric standards.
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Feb 6, 2024 11:50
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Now that I have a motorbike, how can I check online to see what's happening on the island of Koh Lanta and where? E: separate question: Is there a relatively cheap and easy way to access vaporizers in Thailand? I've been ripping bongs and smoking joints, and the latter are especially causing me to go into coughing fits which are rather unpleasant. I need to find ways to decrease my coughing but don't want to break the bank as a tourist. Teriyaki Koinku fucked around with this message at 04:04 on Feb 16, 2024 |
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Feb 13, 2024 12:00
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Atlas Hugged posted:Thailand is such a chill place too. I can't figure out why farang end up being so loving angry here all the time. My guess is that angry assholes come to Thailand because they feel like they can get away with being entitled angry assholes and not be held accountable to their actions. That or the chilled nature of the environment causes them to drop the mask and let out their inner shittyness.
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Mar 12, 2024 09:25
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Qubee posted:Rollercoasters make me feel awful, I see myself as a fat and out of shape person and am uncomfortable to do anything water-related as a result, and I'll be travelling with two Muslim colleagues hence the no drinking or clubbing or general nightlife recommendations. What about finding a nice restaurant to eat at together? As a fellow fat and out of shape person, I'm planning a trip to Japan with fine dining as the primary luxury expenditure and that's exciting enough for me.
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Apr 9, 2024 18:50
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Atlas Hugged posted:The rollercoasters are legit great at that Universal. I just find the concept of a Waterworld show hilarious even if it has some legit cool stunts. The one in Beijing also has a Waterworld water show. Sounds ridiculous, but actually a lot of fun, especially on a sweltering summer day. Transformers coaster is also extremely dope and worth going on five times in a row just as the park is about to close.
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Apr 15, 2024 10:56
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