Southeast Asia: I really enjoyed it despite all the Swedish people

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tourism & Travel > Southeast Asia: I really enjoyed it despite all the Swedish people

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

SonicDefiance posted:

I have a few quick questions about Thailand, Kanchanaburi in particular. There's a few day tours I've been checking out online that look interesting, but all of the tours that involve bamboo rafting also seem to be tied with elephant riding, which I'm not keen on. Is bamboo rafting something that can be organised independently outside of a set tour? Or is it just a matter of going on one of these tours and then saying no to the elephant ride part?

...Is bamboo rafting down the River Kwai even worth it? Opinions welcome.

Also if anyone has stayed at either Blue Star Guest House, Sabai @ Kan or Ploy Guest House in K'buri, your opinions would be welcome also. Right now I've got my eye on a bungalow at Blue Star which sits over the river, but I haven't booked anything yet.

Three weeks until we head off!

Honestly, the best way to do SE Asia and even moreso Thailand is to just show up and then determine what you're going to do. If you book something like that online in advance it's going to be at least 4-5x more than what you'd pay if you just walked in. Walking in also allows you to negotiate the price, because they will try to gouge you big time.

So don't plan. Have a very, very loose list of things/places and that is it.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2010 06:45

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 10:21

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

I'm going to try to find a red shirt rally as well. I'll go to Bangkok Bank on Silom and maybe Victory Monument.

On the otherhand, my girlfriend's nephew is thinking of joining the red-shirt rally because apparently they are paying 500 baht for joining the protest. How they pay out - I have no idea. It's probably a bunch of bullshit.

# ¿ Mar 11, 2010 16:05

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

moflika posted:

Dumb question, but it's annoying me at the moment: How easy is it to find cheap rear end umbrellas around? Should I bother bringing a light rain jacket?

I'll be going all over SE Asia from mid March to early May and I'm assuming I'll hit the occasional shower. I hate umbrellas, but it seems like a jacket would be uncomfortable in hot, humid weather. I've got everything else covered, but since this is the last thing, it's annoying me much more than it should :/

It doesn't rain enough to bring an umbrella. I wouldn't worry much about it if I were you.

# ¿ Mar 12, 2010 09:13

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

brendanwor posted:

If you're in Thailand, just don't go with 1-2-call! Got back into the country a few weeks ago to find that it kept continually sending me messages saying I was out of credit (like, hundreds of messages), which also ate up any new credit that I bought. DTAC <3

Sheep-goats - heard a rumour that bomb(s) were found at Chitlom? Confirm/deny?

Not true. Or at least it hasn't been reported to any news agencies. I work in Chitlom. I still have work. I've had the news on for 3 hours, no reports outside of the Surat bombs.

# ¿ Mar 13, 2010 04:00

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

Dr. Eat posted:

Well, I am planning on staying up all night then coming back to Koh Samui as early as possible. I don't see anything bad happening if I need to take a nap on the beach for a couple hours.

I wouldn't advise it. If it were a primarily Thai-populated area I'd say go for it. However, the Full Moon Party is like a giant frat party filled with obnoxious and sometimes violent young backpackers (read: British/Australian).

# ¿ Aug 12, 2011 17:23

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

Dr. Eat posted:

Staying up all night it is, I shouldn't have too much trouble with it.

Anyway, how much should I worry about cops? I finished a book about Thai prisons last week and really do not want to end up in one over a joint or something.

I lived in Thailand for a long time and never had any problems with cops. As long as you're not doing something horribly illegal or dangerous you have no reason at all to be worried. Even then, you'd probably run little to no chance of getting in trouble. And even then, you can pay your way out of it, unless you're some international arms dealer or something.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2011 18:15

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

Sheep-Goats posted:

I'm almost entirely certain that SE Asia has never seen a kid in military gear traveling through for fun.

Target of hostility? What hostility? Even in Vietnam they're more over it than most people in America are and the other countries in the region have either been staunch allies or in the good graces of Uncle Sam for decades. You'd be more likely to get flack for your haircut and clothes in Portland.

jing jing

You don't have to worry about poo poo in Thailand. Especially if you're tall, blonde, with blue eyes. Handsome, na.

# ¿ Nov 15, 2011 04:04

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

Sheep-Goats posted:

This picture pretty much captures why people love going to Thailand.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2012 20:12

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

rhazes posted:

Don't you see? You're the deviant one!!

Seriously though, I don't know why it's acceptable to even discuss prostitutes with random other westerners in SEA. I'd like to think most westerners aren't into that kind of thing.. but sometimes I wonder.

On the first week of my job in Bangkok my supervisor invited me out for drinks. The topic of prostitutes came up. My supervisor says, "There are two kinds of expats in Thailand. The expats who sleep with prostitutes and the expats who lie about sleeping with prostitutes."

Don't give up hope, though. There are non-scumbag Westerners in Thailand. You just have to avoid the places where the filthy people tend to congregate, although this is almost impossible often times.

# ¿ Feb 20, 2012 05:56

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

Can someone recommend a good online resource for learning Thai?

# ¿ Jun 21, 2012 20:43

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 10:21

i see things: Dec 26, 2008

ReindeerF posted:

I think most of the resident goons other than eviljelly (who is obviously dead at this point) live or lived in Nonthaburi. Modus is currently a refugee somewhere in the FILTHY SLUMS of Bangkok :nose turns up:

Ladprao represent. I realize this is part of the slums of Bangkok, though.

# ¿ Jul 21, 2012 05:25

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Tourism & Travel > Southeast Asia: I really enjoyed it despite all the Swedish people