The Land of Smiles
2. Greetings are important. You will be greeted and warmly welcomed on entering restaurants, hotels and other establishments, with Thais placing their hands in the prayer position and bowing their heads. This is known as the wai and it is a typical Thai greeting, since they do not shake hands by default. It is therefore polite to reciprocate with the wai. A standard Thai greeting used at any time of day or night is Sawasdee (pronounced sah-wah-dee) plus the appropriate ending: men say sah wah dee khrap, while women say sah wah dee khaa.
4. A Thai massage is a must. If you are tired from travelling, shopping or sightseeing, this is a great place to get a traditional Thai massage. Massages are available everywhere, they are cheap and very relaxing.
5. Thai food is fairly cheap also. Good Thai food can be bought from street vendors or in more expensive, fancy establishments. Regardless of where you eat, it tastes delicious.
7. There is a lot of traffic. For this reason, you should become acquainted with the BTS – the Bangkok Mass Transit System, an above-ground or sky train – and, if possible, the subway system. It will save you time and you can avoid the traffic which you must endure if you travel by taxi. Travel by motorcycle is a common means of getting from point A to point B. There are also river cruises and taxis which are enjoyable and a viable means of accessing some tourist sights and destinations.
What is your experience of Thailand? Let us know in the comments below.