So it’s your first time visiting the infamous “Land of Smiles”. Thailand is hands down one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. I was lucky enough to live there for a year teaching English. I’d do it all over again if I could. Here are some tips you won’t learn from watching S3 of White Lotus:

1. Have toilet paper on hand at all times (if it’s important to you). Now, a lot of my non-Thai friends in Thailand will swear by the bum gun. For those of us not quite there yet (or still confused on what happens once you are all wet and still paperless) its helpful to keep some travel tissues in your bag. Those traveling lavishly may not run into this issue but most everyone else certainly will.                                                            

• As a follow up to this tip, it came to my attention that many Americans have never seen a bucket of water with a scooper sitting next to the toilet. In this case you scoop the water into the toilet bowl after use to flush it. (My mom thought you might scoop from toilet into bucket and was relieved to hear that wasn’t the case!)

2. Carry Thai Baht on you at all times. It was shocking to return to the States and realize that not only is cash rarely used but in some places its not even accepted. Many street food stalls and markets will only accept cash so it’s important to have some on you. I’ve even been to restaurants that won’t take credit card! ATMs, banks, and currency exchanges are everywhere in Bangkok and relatively easy to find elsewhere. If you are exchanging currency I recommend Superrich (I found they have the best exchange rate and are in every mall).

3. Learn some Thai phrases to have in your back pocket. Is this necessary? Not at all. Is it fun? Absolutely! The locals will love hearing you try and might attempt to help broaden your vocabulary. Just a heads up- Thai is a tonal language meaning that the definition of the word changes depending on the pitch used when you speak it and there are 5 different pitches that can be used. As a result it’s fun to listen to and extremely difficult to learn. Don’t let that discourage you!

Here are some phrases to keep in mind:

• Hello: Sa Wa Dee Ka (female) Sa Wa Dee Krawb (male) (ka and krawb are polite particles said at the end of most sentences according to the gender of the speaker)
• Thank you: Kab Kun Ka/ Krawb
• Delicious: Arroi
• Very delicious: Arroi Mak Mak! *be prepared to use this one a lot*

While a lot of people in Thailand do know English (or at least enough to get the gist across) this should not be expected and it really depends on where you are visiting. Regardless of their knowledge of English, Thai people live up to the friendly stereotype and will usually be happy to help/ communicate even with very limited English. Google Translate is a big help so be sure to have Thai downloaded! However, be warned that Google Translate is extremely flawed when it comes to translating pictures such as a menu. While this makes it tricky to figure out what you’re ordering, it does make for a really fun time!

4. As for transportation, Grab and Bolt are your Uber/ Lyft equivalents. I like having both apps in case one comes faster or there is a price difference but Grab is in more provinces throughout the country. My FAVORITE Grab/ Bolt feature is the motorbike order option. This is the cheapest, fastest, and most fun option. Always pay attention to the distance if you are not prepared to be perched for a long time (in heat/ traffic conditions) and know that in most of Thailand helmets are rarely given to passengers, (in Chiang Mai they are almost always given!) so keep that in mind. That being said, you have to give it a try at least once especially if you are not planning to drive your own bike while in SE Asia. I trust these drivers more than anyone and they can weave through a traffic jam like no other.

• The MRT is Bangkok’s well developed, very clean metro system. Bangkok is massive so this may only take you so far but there are lines running across the city. This can be a great money saver and will definitely save you time during traffic. With a Visa you can tap in and out without even having to purchase a pass. There are metro maps with English in the station as well as MRT workers that might offer to help a lost looking farang (Thai word for foreigner). Google Maps and/ or Moovit are also helpful apps when it comes to navigation.
• Tuk Tuks are a must try but definitely more expensive forms of transportation. When getting a tuk tuk be sure to agree on a price beforehand and don’t be afraid to bargain!
• As for transportation between cities (or even countries in SE Asia) 12Go is the way to go 🙂 You can buy tickets ahead of time and it will show you all of the locations/ times/ prices including overnight buses. Transportation throughout Thailand can be cheap and easy just pay attention to what you buy and don’t be afraid to ask someone for help on where you are supposed to go.

5. Last and final tip is reserved for 7/11. This is your bestie and you can find any basic necessities here. For reference there are more 7/11s in Thailand than there are McDonalds in the U.S. (14,500 vs 13,400 as of 2023) These places are literally EVERYWHERE and you can find cosmetics, medicine, and food here. They will heat up snacks from the fridge or freezer section for you and give you forks and sauces. Make sure to try a heated up ham and cheese toastie!