Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with thailand

Decent introductions to Laotian history?

jason's_planet — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:55:42 -0800

Can anyone recommend a good book on the history of Laos? I've tried searching on Amazon but most of the titles I see there seem to focus on America's unfortunate colonial misadventure in Southeast Asia and the CIA's secret war in Laos. While I understand the market imperatives that might lead to such a focus, I'd like to get a broader history than that. The book I am looking will : * be written in English

* not be a doorstop i.e. c. 500 pages or less

* have at least some material on the history of Laos before Western colonialism.

* also address contemporary Laos and the Communist regime that ruled after the war.

Extra-special bonus points if the author deals with the Isaan people and their historical relationship with Laos.

Many thanks in advance.

Gift ideas for friends traveling to Africa and Thailand this summer

Seppaku — Sat, 04 May 2013 06:28:49 -0800

I have several good friends who will be traveling abroad this summer to work with elephants in Thailand and wildlife in Zimbabwe. I wanted to get them each something that would be thoughtful, useful or fun, especially in a foreign land. I have never traveled abroad, so I am having a hard time deciding what is needed or wanted when one is in Thailand or Africa. So, I am looking for something small and not terribly expensive. What would you have wanted on your trip to Thailand and/or Africa?

~30

Akeem — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 05:00:44 -0800

Which script / language is this tattoo? What does it mean?

We have lots of questions about choosing a donor egg agency in Thailand!

msali — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 06:35:41 -0800

Asking for friends: We need help finding an IVF/egg donation agency in Thailand, and just looking at agency websites is unhelpful Hello all. I am asking on behalf of some very dear friends of mine who have been unable to conceive after far too many rounds of IVF treatments. After many tears shed, dollars spent and sleepless nights, they have decided to pursue the idea of obtaining a donor egg in Thailand. Why Thailand?, I asked, and was told this: It is less expensive than if they were to try for a donor egg in the US, UK or Japan. Furthermore, the female portion of this couple is Asian, and wants her child to have similar features to her own.

They've reached out to their friends to help them evaluate the Thai donor agencies from afar. I turn to you, Green. Have you used a Thai donor egg? Do you know someone who has? Could you recommend an agency? How would you rate your experience? More broadly, do you have any experience with obtaining a donor egg in somewhere other than your home country, and you had to travel to get it implanted? Is this even a good idea? My personal concern is my friends travel all the way to Thailand, receive a donor egg, implant it and my friend still doesn't get pregnant. It looks like success rates are around 60% with donor eggs. Does that sound reasonable?

I am asking under my user name so I can answer any pressing questions, or people can PM if they aren't comfortable talking openly about the matter. I suppose what would be ideal is links to forums where people discuss traveling to Thailand to obtain donor eggs, and the experiences they have, and hopefully, the names of the good clinics vs. the not so good ones.

Thanks ever so much for any assistance you can provide!

How can I spend time with the elephants?

Wordwoman — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 18:51:23 -0800

The Thai elephant tourism industry advertises itself as pro-conservation, but according to reports, it is more often cruel and exploitative. Are there any legitimate opportunities to spend time among elephants in Thailand or elsewhere in a way that benefits them and fulfills my desire to see them up close? I am looking for information on short term visits, not long term volunteer gigs. Knowledgeable replies would be most appreciated. I've already done my own Internet searches on the matter.

I'm going to thailand. I bought a used ATT iPhone 3GS. Now what?

rileyray3000 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:28:08 -0800

I'm heading to Bangkok in ten days for about two weeks. I looked into using my iPhone 5 overseas and the answers from ATT made me think twice about it. So for 100 bucks I bought a used Iphone 3GS. I figure I'd just buy a sim card there and I'd be all set. But then I thought I should check. Do I need to unlock it? or jailbreak it? Is there anything specific to Thailand and Iphones I need to know? What's the process here?

Myanmar and Southeast Asia Backpacking Questions

piedmont — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 16:54:08 -0800

I leave for an extended trip to Southeast Asia on Wednesday. I have a weekend in Kuala Lumpur, a month in Myanmar, and then two and a half months to work my way from Hanoi to Kuala Lumpur overland. What might I be missing in my planning? I'm flying to and from the US via Kuala Lumpur. I've got my flights and visas covered for Myanmar and Vietnam. I've booked my lodging for my initial stay in Kuala Lumpur and for two days in Yangon.

My plan is to do the Lonely Planet toting backpacker thing in Myanmar, where there seems to be a whole lot less information available, and a whole lot less of a tourist infrastructure. I'm hoping I can call ahead a day or two in advance to book lodging after I arrive. I understand the tourism infrastructure is a bit taxed there at the moment, and I'm going at the tail end of peak season. Will I be alright with this plan?

From Hanoi, I plan on tossing guidebooks aside (for the most part) and winging it a bit more. It seems like traveling through Vietnam to Cambodia to Thailand to Malaysia is such a well-worn trail that I can totally wing it without much issue. True?

I'm thinking the best use of my time once I arrive in Hanoi is to linger a bit in Vietnam and Cambodia, and to more or less rush from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur with a beach stop or two in Southern Thailand. I'd like to spend a week or so in Borneo before I head back to the US. Am I on the right track?

I'm in my late 20s, male, and a US citizen. I've traveled a fair bit in South America, so this isn't totally new, but the little voice in the back of my head keeps nagging me that I'm missing something. What might I be missing?

Help me plan a 3 month trip to Southeast Asia: Thailand,Laos,Vietnam,Cambodia, and Malaysia

Trinergy — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 00:44:19 -0800

I will be backpacking in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia, so any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated. Plan - I plan to travel from around end of Feb or Early March until June-July.
I want this trip to be full of relaxation, sight seeing, self exploration, and most likely not as much technology/partying.

Budget - My budget is going to be 5000$ Canadian dollars. I want to try many things such as cooking classes, yoga, meditation, art classes, beach relaxation, ride elephants, see animals, TREKS; essentially experience as much Asian culture as I can w/ the least amount of exposure to the typical partying and etc.

I will first be going to Taiwan to visit my family for a week or two before I depart.

With that being said, my friend recommended my first stop at Thailand and to make a few backpacker friends and hopefully plan a trip with them that way.

Route - Do you guys think it's necessary? or would it make more sense to arrive at North Vietnam? Based on the geography, I think it might make more sense to start at North Vietnam then make my way down South, then Cambodia, then Laos, then North Thailand, then South Thailand to Malaysia Singapore, then crossover to Brunei.

To me, 3-4 months seem to short and I am afraid of running out of money, so I feel like maybe Malaysia might be a little too much? Thoughts?

Transportation - Since I am backpacking, I don't have a STRICT itinerary, but I do want to experience the culture and live at these places more than spending a majority of my time moving around. So would the scenery from buses and cars be worth it?

Experience - I am aware that mileage may vary, but what are some highlights of your trips and what are some places or sites that you think wasn't worth the commute because of the sights or food etc.

From what I have read so far, Plain of Jars in Laos wasn't really THAT worth it. And Cambodia's Angkor Wat was the best attraction, but anything else could be easily replaced by Thailand.

Aside from that, I hear a lot of great reviews about Laos and Vietnam.

Based on what I've read so far, these are the things I've found interesting:

Vietnam - Halong Bay, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, hoi an, Sapa (rice fields), mui ne (sand dunes for sand boarding and beaches), Phong Na-Ke Bang park (limestone stights), hue (citadel).

Cambodia - Angkor Wat, Phnom PEnh, mondulkiri (elephant trekking), Koh Rong Islands (beach), Kampot, Kratie, Battambang,

Laos - Luang Prabang, Tham Kong Lo Cave, Gibbon Experience, Nam Ha Park, Nam Ou River, Si Phan Don.

Thailand - Bangkok, Ko Tao (diving), Mae Hong Song (experience Myanmar influence),ayutthaya, surin and similan islands, SongKran, Full moon Party, Ko Samui, Chiang Rai, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai, khao sok, phetchaburi, kanchanaburi, phanom rung, Ko samet.

Malaysia - Mt Kinabalu, Taman Negara, Palau Perhentian (snorkelling), beach hopping, food markets!!

Suggestions?
A lot of these are highlighted in Lonely Planet and also quite well reviewed on tripadvisor, I was just wondering what you MeFites think as well as what other suggestions do you have that are off the beaten path?

Bangkok to Ko Mak — Make it happen!

klangklangston — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 21:53:27 -0800

Bangkok to Ko Mak and back again: Help me solve an impending travel conundrum in Thailand (Transit nerds and Thai-speaking timetable readers welcome!) We will arrive in Bangkok at 13:30 at Suvarnabhumi Airport. We're booked that night at a hotel in Koh Mak (alternately Ko Mak, Ko Maak, etc.).

I see that there's a bus out of Suvarnabhumi Airport at 16:10, which seems pretty feasible, but I think it will get us to Trat around 21:10, and then it'll be a half-hour taxi to Laem Ngop pier.

So: Is there a better option for the bus? An hour and a half seems a long time to spend in a Thai airport (though I could be all Dunning-Krueger about my ability to navigate Thai infrastructure). Apparently, there are more frequent busses from another terminal, which would help if we could also go to Laem Ngop more directly, but I don't know if intra-terminal transit would take too long on its own. (Bus schedules here.)

Second, related question: How available are ferries after 21:00 from Laem Ngop to Ko Mak? Will there be dudes waiting around to take us over, or are we going to end up spending the night in Trat?

Recomend me and advise me on how to safely eat exotic and bizarre foods in South East asia

crawltopslow — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 22:34:05 -0800

Recomend me and advise me on how to safely eat exotic and bizarre foods in South East asia I'll be backpacking through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam with my SO later this month, and I'd like to explore some exotic/bizarre foods. I avoid land mammals, and prefer insects, fermented foods (including home made and local alcohol). I also prefer foods that are actually eaten traditionally by the local people, rather than just setup as a tourist event. Finally I would like to know what risks I run, and what foods are actually dangerous, ie: I read that some insects contain insecticide inside them from having eaten plants that were sprayed with it, and some "spoiled" foods are actually full of harmful bacteria.

So can you please give me some recommendations on exotic/bizarre foods in these areas? Where can I find them, and what safety measures should I keep in mind.

I have watched "bizarre foods" Thailand and Cambodia versions.

I am considering eating the snake heart and blood in Vietnam, spiders and of course fried grasshoppers in Thailand.

I enjoy Japanese natto, real Korean kimchi, stink bugs in Mexico, Durian in China, etc. Those are mostly on the normal side of exotic, and I'm looking to expand my horizons.

Finding a last-minute hotel in Phuket/Thailand

meso — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:44:47 -0800

Our hotel reservation for the week of New Year's Eve in Phuket, Thailand just got cancelled... #argh! Where would you look for mid-to-high-end hotels with prices that are still reasonable, one month away from the busiest time of the year in Thailand? Prices are sooaaaring everywhere we've looked: Lastminute.com, Tripadvisor.com and the usual Hotels.com. Is there any lesser-known gem we should know of to find a good deal? Thanks!

Help me Thai one on

Punctual — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 09:56:18 -0800

I'm thinking of spending the Xmas holiday week (roughly, Dec. 22 - 30) in Thailand as a single woman traveler from the US. Recommendations? I'd like beaches, massages, and to meet and enjoy other travelers from all over. I've heard that you can get great lodging and massages/spa treatments on the cheap. Is this still true? I'd also like to ride an elephant in a setting where the animals are treated very well. Does anyone have any specific recommendations? Advice? Things I need to consider? I've traveled much of the world but never Asia. Thanks so much!

Planning a Ramble Around South-East Asia

reren — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:37:29 -0800

Having completed my research in Malaysia early, I find myself with two weeks to travel in South-East Asia. Where should I go? I have many options and not enough time to plan. Please guide me! I will have finished my research in Malaysia two week before my return flight on the 15th of August. It's been a long summer, and a part of me is inclined to re-book my flight and come home early or hunker down in Kuala Lumpur, but I've decided to seize this opportunity to see some the sites. I'm open to going anywhere I can get to relatively cheaply with Air Asia, which leaves me with quite a lot of options.

My preferences: I am fairly adventurous, but I don't want to do do anything extremely exhausting or dangerous. I like relaxation and a nice beach, but I wouldn't want that to be the focus of my trip. Seeing local culture intrigues me more. I love Thai food (or the American and Malaysian versions I've experienced so far). Hong Kong, Cambodia and Myammar pique my interest, too. I rather not spend more time in Malaysia, though I know there are plenty of sites I haven't explored. I will be flying out of KUL and must return to KUL for my flight back to the states.

So, where should I go? What should I see? If you've traveled in the region, what experiences did you treasure most? Tell me how to spend my two weeks, Metafilter.

Trip to SE Asia in winter, but where and for how long! Please help!

picarosado — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:02:35 -0800

The boyfriend and I are trying to plan a trip to SE Asia From Xmas Day to the first week of January. We are looking to fly to Bangkok or Singapore and then taking a train to the other, stopping at Kuala Lumpur and Penang on the way. Suggestions and tips on what to do, whether this is feasible or a good idea in that time of year would be greatly appreciated! We know there won't be enough time to do everything but aren't sure how much time to allocate to each city. We're open to any and all recommendations!

Snorkelling in Thailand tips

snarfois — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:29:07 -0800

Travelling to Thailand in July. Hoping to do some snorkeling, probably at Ko Mak. Need some tips. I'll be holidaying in Thailand in mid-July, and am keen to do some snorkelling. I last snorkeled in my teens, so I probably don't need to be too adventurous -- I'm likely to be easily impressed and (needless to say) out of practice.

I'm looking for tips in two areas: 1) Where should I get my equipment? and 2) Where to go snorkeling and how to arrange it.

At this stage we're pretty sure we're going to Ko Mak, although we might also go to Ko Wai, and Ko Chang is still a small possibility. I'll only have about 3 or 4 days. What are good spots in those places for my skill level and amount of time? Can anyone recommend good operators?

Equipment-wise, I expect I'll need goggles, snorkel and flippers. Should I buy it beforehand (I'm in London, UK), or should I buy/rent it on the island? If I buy it, new or second-hand? I'll probably be reselling it after. I'm leaning towards buying beforehand, so that this does not waste any of my limited time on the island.

Southeast Asia travel suggestions

holyrood — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 13:50:56 -0800

Southeast Asia travel advice desired. Where should two vegetarians who speak English go for a 5 day vacation in mid December? My boyfriend and I (I'm a woman) have to be in Seoul, Korea December 20 through 23, but figured we'd take the chance to see another country from December ~13-20. The boyfriend has been to Thailand, and right now Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and Indonesia top the list. We are Americans leaving from Los Angeles, have limited funds, and enjoy food, historic stuff, art, museums, (you know, nerdy stuff) when traveling. Ifound some questions from 2010, but none addressed vegetarian food! Any suggestions on where to go?

Day trip in or around Bangkok

Elcee — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:00:37 -0800

I'm going on a business trip to Bangkok. What do I do with my two extra nights? Extra details: I have one day after I arrive in Bangkok to bum around by myself before my colleague turns up. After the work part of my trip is done, my colleague goes home and I have one day and two nights by myself. The world (or Thailand at least) is my oyster. What do you recommend that is in or near Bangkok that I can do in one day? Any other tips or things to consider?

If it matters, I am youngish and female, so I probably won't go clubbing or exploring Bangkok's back alleys on my own.

Avoiding anaphylaxis in Thailand

dripdripdrop — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:14:17 -0800

We will be spending 2 weeks in Thailand (Phuket, Chiang Mai and Bangkok). My wife has anaphylaxis to peaches which has been recently discovered. In my research, it seems that peaches aren't prevalent in Thailand at all, but to be safe, I'm looking for some help translating key phrases into Thai and general advice. Has anyone encountered peaches in Thailand? It's our first trip since she was diagnosed, so we're probably erring on the cautious side. We will be bringing twinject epi-pens and have registered with IATA in case medical attention is needed. Currently we know peaches are the main culprit, but it is diagnosed as White Birch Pollen, although no other fruits have triggered a reaction, who knows with fruits we've never tried before.

We'd like to know how to say (or have it written/printed out on a piece of paper):

"I have an allergy to peaches that can cause death. Are there peaches in this?"

Also, should something go wrong *knocking on wood now* and we need to use the epi-pen and then go to the hospital, how would we communicate:

"I am having an anaphylaxis reaction. I have taken an injection of epinephrine."

Can we assume they would know what to do from there? Any other advice on seeking medical care in Thailand would be appreciated.

Help get Stagge Llee kicked in the face, Thai style.

Stagger Lee — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:21:46 -0800

Kickboxing classes in Thailand? I'm looking for really good week long muay thai seminar in Thailand, for a beginner with previous fighting experience in other styles.

In a perfect world it would be resort style with food and accommodations included, and intensive training for the week. Credible, highly qualified trainers are a must of course, otherwise what's the point in going to Thailand for it?

The goal is to learn the basics of kickboxing, do some real sparring, and have fun. Money isn't an issue yet, those details can be sorted out later.

I've googled this, but can't tell the good and credible from the pointless wastes of time and money. I see that there was a previous post on this, but it's old and didn't tell me much.

Where can I buy lightweight, beachy cotton and linen clothes in NYC or online?

Viola — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:24:02 -0800

Where can I buy lightweight, beachy cotton and linen clothes in NYC or online? I'm going to Thailand in February and need protection from mosquitos and the sun. My fair skin is really prone to skin cancer, and mosquitos absolutely love me. As I'd rather not spend my vacation contracting melanoma or dengue fever, I need to be pretty cautious with what I wear. I need long sleeves and pants that won't have me burning up in the tropical heat.

I am specifically looking for a couple pairs of affordable linen pants without a bunchy drawstring waist (they make me look hippy) unless it comes with a wide, flat waistband (like this pair, which I already bought). Light colors are preferable to dark ones, but I am not a big fan of bright white, which seems to be the popular color for linen pants.

Any recommendations for mosquito repellant and really good sunscreen for sensitive skin are also welcome!

chiang mai to Krabi: what flights options?? air asia to phuket? discover with Thai airways? other?

kirikara — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 18:54:06 -0800

Thailand travel planning: trying to get from chiang mai to krabi to Denapasar,Bali as effectively as possible. So far I found these options: use Air Asia to phuket from chiang mai and take a cab for a couple hours to krabi. (to and and back) Use discover thailand fares from thai airways, but they dont have direct flight to krabi, so travel takes like almost the entire day :( Suggestions? travel time would be cnx to krabi 02/22 and krabi to bali 02/25.

Do I fix my broken tooth for $1200 now or can I wait a month and fix it in Thailand?

Viola — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:02:32 -0800

Do get my broken back molar fixed now or 5 weeks later when I'm in Thailand? If now, where can I find an affordable dentist in NYC that is not NYU dental school? I grind my teeth a lot, and last night when I was chewing gum a HUGE HUNK of my back left molar came out with it. It was totally freaky, but there is absolutely no pain in that area. It feels a tiny bit sensitive when I drink cold things, but nothing that qualifies as an emergency. I've been careful to brush it many times a day and to chew on the other side of my mouth.

This is a long shot, but I'm honeymooning in Thailand in early February. Since I'm trying to save all my money for the trip, and since Thailand has a great reputation as a cheap, reliable dental tourism spot, I'm tempted to do minimal treatments here, where it's super expensive and I have no dental insurance, and wait til I get to Bangkok. The process there is at least a thousand dollars cheaper. However, I worry this will take several trips to the dentist, and we're only going to be in Bangkok for 2-3 days in the beginning and maybe 1 more day at the end of the trip.

If I must do it here, I need to find a dentist who offers decent payment plans and reasonable costs. I've been grinding my teeth over money issues recently, as I've bought a new computer for my new grad school life, so money is tight.

The NYU dental school is a serious back up plan because I'd have to make at least 3 trips to the offices. I'm paid hourly, and taking off even an afternoon is really hard to swing, so I wind up losing money in both directions in these circumstances.

Bangkok flooding?

surenoproblem — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:54:26 -0800

Is anyone here from Bangkok? I'm planning on visiting in January for a medical procedure. How bad is the flooding right now? Would you advise me against visiting in January? Also, I can't speak Thai, if that's relevant. Thanks.

Honeymooners, Thailand edition

Viola — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:49:35 -0800

We're honeymooning in Thailand for 2 weeks in February. I have questions about everything from jet lag, budgeting time between the north and the beaches, intra-Thailand travels, and the ethics of elephant rides. We arrive in Bangkok at 1AM after a 21hr flight. I am going to try my hardest to sleep until at least 9AM that morning (I worry I'll be too excited to sleep, but then again I might be bushed. My husband will likely pass out).

(totally flexible) ITINERARY:
Day 1: Bangkok
Day 2-5: Chiang Mai
Day 6-8: Scootering around the northern provinces (but where?!)
Day 7-11: Beaches
Day 12: back to Bangkok
Day 13: Board flight back to US

Specifics:

*It's been a while since I traveled well outside my time zone. What are your best tips to avoid crazy jet lag?

*While we both love cities (we're New Yorkers), Bangkok sounds a bit stressful for a honeymoon. I've been to Beijing, which is was kinda fun but all the crowds and bikes made me a bit anxious. Would we be doing ourselves a disservice by only spending 2 full days there? I'm anxious to spend time in the northern provinces and I predict my husband will love the beaches, so I'm leaning toward those two destinations over Bangkok.

*We want to rent a scooter and motor around outside the Chiang Mai limits, but we're not sure where to go! Advice?

*I am intrigued by the prospect of interacting with elephants, but we'd only enjoy the experience if we know they're treated well. The jungle tour sounds super fun, but I'm not sure if the animals are exploited. Should we stick to volunteering at the conservatory?

*Flights from Bangkok to Chiang Mai are extraordinarily cheap on Kayak ($53/person!) but flights from Chiang Mai to Krabi are 10x as much. Trains take forever. What are our best options to get from the north to the south? Right now I'm considering buying round trip tickets from BKK to CNX, landing back in Bangkok after we see the north, then using round trip tickets from BKK to Krabi, and just waiting at the BKK airport for a few hours in between. Complicated, but cheaper.

*I'm especially intimidated by picking a beach (or beaches) to round out our visit. We're not exactly backpackers but don't need a luxury resort either. We'd love something that involves a bungalow, easy access to the water, few (or fewer) crowds, and good food.

*Any specific recommendations, especially in terms of food, markets, sights, are also appreciated!

Backpacking trip planning advice.

melizabeth — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:37:55 -0800

Help with planning a backpacking trip covering Asia->SE Asia. Details inside. I am currently living in China and have roughly 6 weeks off for the Chinese New Year. My plan is to set out to Tibet/Yunnan Provinces and then from there take off to Nepal, India, Thailand, and possibly Vietnam.

I am a female solo-traveler, planning to bring camping gear along just in case the moment arises or I'm in a pinch. (I know, I know-- traveling as a female solo is dangerous in all sorts of ways, but I've traveled alone before and find that just using common sense and following your instincts works best for keeping you safe)

I will mostly be traveling and staying in cities, using the guide of Lonely Planet and internet resources. Some hostel stays will probably be booked prior while others will be more spontaneous.

I was wondering if mefe's could lend out any advice about how to prepare for the trip, how much time do you think would be needed in each country (I'm thinking about 1 week in each), how to budget accordingly, currency conversion information, etc.

Roughly, my budget is looking like it will be around 16,000 Yuan (~$2,500 USD).

I will be budget traveling-- eating low cost meals, staying in hostels, and taking trains/buses as much as possible. Only considering a flight on the return after finishing the trip. Most of my trip I'd hope to be just touring the cities on my own, hiking a bit, etc (no need for tours so much with the exception of Tibet).

Does this sound feasible? From your past experiences hopefully you can fill me in on what worked/didn't work/wish you planned for, etc during a backpacking trip you embarked on prior.

Many thanks in advance. :)