SAWADEE KA AND WELCOME TO DANCEWATCHER'S NEWBIE TIPS
Koh Phi Phi by dancewatchers.com
Short and Sweet Newbie Tips by Dancewatcher and Others
Money..... Bring new money with no cuts or writing on it and the larger the denomination the more you will get at the currency exchange booth. Do not change a lot of money at the airport as they tend to give you less of an exchange rate. There is an excellent new currency booth right in front of the condo building. If you select travelers checks then bring large denomination checks and your passport will be required to cash them in. You must also provide a perfect signature to have them cashed. Not all places accept these. If you bring an ATM card inform your bank that you are traveling to Thailand so they will not flag your card and refuse you access to your money. Use your ATM at banks to help avoid your card from being copied and cover the key pad as you punch in your ATM code. If you don't have to pay for things using a credit card then don't as even some restaurants have been known to make copies. It does not happen every day but it does happen here. If you are bringing a credit card make sure you inform your bank in advance that you are going to Thailand. Thai money comes in 1,000, 500, 100, 50 and 20 baht notes and all of them are different colors. Learn the colors
Smile..... If you keep a smile on your face you will get a lot more from your holiday. Thai girls love smiles and soft spoken guys. It really does not make much of a difference if your fat or fit as long as you have money in your pocket then you will be called handsome man.
Handsome man.... Your first experience here in Pattaya will be a holiday you will always remember but don't let the constant handsome man, sexy man, good hearted man praises from the beautiful Thai girls cause you to FALL IN LOVE !!!!! It happens more then you might think. Remember that in most cases You can take the girl out of the bar, but not the bar out of the girl.....
Thailand Visas..... You do not need a visa in advance to holiday here in Thailand. They will give you a visa when you go through immigration at the airport which will be good for 30 days and that can be extended at Pattaya immigration or if you plan to visit longer you can get a tourist visa in advance good for 60 days and again it can be extended. Over-staying your visa is not a good thing to do! Visit the website for Pattaya Immigration for more answers to your questions.
Travel Light..... You do not need to bring a lot of things to Thailand as just about anything you might need will be here.
Holiday Plan.... Search the websites and there are thousands of them to choose from but in most cases those newbie plans you have made are thrown out the window once you hit the streets.
Promises..... Don't promise a Thai girl something if you do not intend on making your promise good.
Crossing the road... Motor vehicles here in Pattaya have no obligation to stop for you if you are crossing the street and they will come from both directions even on a one way street and they also come from the side walks. Motor bikes are everywhere so look both ways even on a one way road.
Respect..... Be respectful of Thai culture and traditions which includes standing for the national anthem when its played at the cinema . If you respect local people and customs you will have a better time for it! Make sure that you never insult the king. It is a crime in LOS. Never ever ever go up to a Thai girl and and touch her on the street or in a shopping Mall as you might end up in jail (Monkey House) Dont touch a Thai's head, it is the closest thing to Buddha and is simply not done unless you have permission, dont point the soles of your feet at buddha statues or areas of worship. Never touch any of the food or drink left at a Buddha statue, it is there for Buddha.
Dress Codes... if you wish to take a girl to the temple , put in an effort to wear something nice and don't grope her , use some tact as it is a very big thing to them. Wear a shirt or t-shirt when off of the beach or pool.
Water..... Never drink the water here - avoid swallowing tapwater and use bottled water at all times.
Remove shoes..... Always remove your shoes if invited into a Thai's home.
Electric...... If you bring something you have to plug in from your country check to make sure you have the correct adapter for it.
Be Gentle.... Always act calm & gentle. Aggression and Shouting are held in very low regard.
Trouble... unless you are looking for trouble , you are unlikely to find it!
Farang or falang... is the Thai name for people with white skin, both tourists and people living in Thailand. People with black skin are often called farang dam, which means "black farang". The word farang is a neutral word, so there is no need to feel insulted if someone call you this, or describe you as such one. (although the word of course can be used with a "negative sense") Farang also means Guava (the fruit), and maan farang means potato.
Wai, how and when to..... "One easy determination is age. If someone is older than you, then you should wai them unless they are someone whom you employ, such as a housekeeper. Additionally, you should never wai to anyone who you are paying for service, such as waiters, tailors, vendors, shopkeepers or taxi drivers. You also wouldn't wai your peers and friends. Alternatively, when leaving a party or other such gathering, you should wai everyone, as this is the polite way to excuse yourself from the festivities. There are different kinds of wais! The normal wai is with your hands pressed together at about chest level, presenting a slight bow with your body. The wai to a superior is with the tips of your fingers at nose level, still bowing your body. To convey the most respect and gratitude, you will wai with your fingertips at mouth level and present a deeper and longer bow.
"Baht-Bus..... A Baht Bus is by far the easiest and most convenient way of getting around in Pattaya. They are modified dark blue pick-up trucks with two rows of passenger seats in a covered overhead back cabin that can carry up to ten or more passengers and usually drive around Pattaya in designated circuits unless you hire them as a taxi from point A to B.
The smaller circuit goes all the way around South Pattaya (South Pattaya Beach Road, Pattaya Tai, Second Road/ southern part, Pattaya Klang) whereas the larger circuit includes the northern part of Second Road all the way up to the Dolphin Roundabout.
Alternative routes include Pattaya- Naklua Road, Pattaya Nua, Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai whereas other baht-buses link South Pattaya with Jomtien Beach <http://www.pattaya-funtown.com/jomtien_beach.html>.
The drivers charge a flat rate of 10 Baht for a short distance ride and 20 or 30 baht for longer distances - provided you use the baht-bus as a bus service and don't hire it as a taxi. Unless your destination is not along one of the main baht-bus routes and you actually require a "special tour" you should never ask the driver where he is going or ask him to take you to a certain destination that is on his designated route anyway; he would then interpret this as a "special route"/ being hired as taxi and charge you more than the usual fare. Be aware of empty baht-buses and such parked along the roadside, too.
To get on a Baht Bus just hail them and you should just jump on the back and enjoy the ride. When you want to disembark, just press one of the several buttons attached to the roof. Once the Baht-bus stops, get off and pay the driver his regular 10 Baht. Do NOT ask him "How much?", he would then take advantage of your lack of experience and charge you a price well above the regular fare. Having a 10 Baht coin on you (or the appropriate banknote) minimizes problems and if your destination is not along the designated Baht-bus routes you can hire an empty Baht Bus as a taxi and you should always have to agree on a price before you get on.
Baht-buses to Jomtien regularly depart from the Pattaya Tai/ 2nd Road junction. They line up near the traffic light by the police box and the first bus to depart is the closest one to the traffic light. Just get on and wait until the bus fills up. They charge a flat rate of 10 Baht but you will have to wait until enough passengers have boarded which is only a matter of a minute or two."
Gold in Thailand
Thai Gold... has a deeper meaning to many Thais than just being a precious metal made for the making of coins, rings, necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry. Thai gold objects also functions as a security to many Thais in case of difficult times. The gold can then be pledge until the family's economy gets improved. Many of the Pattaya girls might try to get you to buy them some Thai gold but you might want to think twice before you do. When you leave there is a very good chance it will end up back in the same shop you bought it from and cash in the girls pocket. But if you do here are some facts you might want to know.
Weight
One baht Thai gold is equivalent to 15,244 grams before it is worked up. After the work the weight should be equal with or more than 15,16 grams, to still be termed as one baht gold. (To simplify it, one baht of gold normally is termed as 15,2 grams)
Karat and appearance
Thai gold jewelry often has a purity of 96,5% gold, which is equivalent to 23 karat. The remaining 3,5% consist of alloys such as silver and bronze. Some shops also provide 22, 20 or 18 karat jewelry. Lower karat objects has become a little more common in Thailand nowadays, partly inspired by "western" or so called "farang gold". Generally speaking, the higher karat a gold object has, the softer it is. For that reason, a lower karat can be recommended for rings and thin jewelry.
The Thai gold often has an intense "yellow" color due to the high carat. The stamp on the gold is very important so if you do decide to buy make sure you buy from one of the bigger shops here in Pattaya. The price is displayed on their door and updated to reflect every small change in the price of gold. The price is displayed per one baht of weight.
Money..... Bring new money with no cuts or writing on it and the larger the denomination the more you will get at the currency exchange booth. Do not change a lot of money at the airport as they tend to give you less of an exchange rate. There is an excellent new currency booth right in front of the condo building. If you select travelers checks then bring large denomination checks and your passport will be required to cash them in. You must also provide a perfect signature to have them cashed. Not all places accept these. If you bring an ATM card inform your bank that you are traveling to Thailand so they will not flag your card and refuse you access to your money. Use your ATM at banks to help avoid your card from being copied and cover the key pad as you punch in your ATM code. If you don't have to pay for things using a credit card then don't as even some restaurants have been known to make copies. It does not happen every day but it does happen here. If you are bringing a credit card make sure you inform your bank in advance that you are going to Thailand. Thai money comes in 1,000, 500, 100, 50 and 20 baht notes and all of them are different colors. Learn the colors
Smile..... If you keep a smile on your face you will get a lot more from your holiday. Thai girls love smiles and soft spoken guys. It really does not make much of a difference if your fat or fit as long as you have money in your pocket then you will be called handsome man.
Handsome man.... Your first experience here in Pattaya will be a holiday you will always remember but don't let the constant handsome man, sexy man, good hearted man praises from the beautiful Thai girls cause you to FALL IN LOVE !!!!! It happens more then you might think. Remember that in most cases You can take the girl out of the bar, but not the bar out of the girl.....
Thailand Visas..... You do not need a visa in advance to holiday here in Thailand. They will give you a visa when you go through immigration at the airport which will be good for 30 days and that can be extended at Pattaya immigration or if you plan to visit longer you can get a tourist visa in advance good for 60 days and again it can be extended. Over-staying your visa is not a good thing to do! Visit the website for Pattaya Immigration for more answers to your questions.
Travel Light..... You do not need to bring a lot of things to Thailand as just about anything you might need will be here.
Holiday Plan.... Search the websites and there are thousands of them to choose from but in most cases those newbie plans you have made are thrown out the window once you hit the streets.
Promises..... Don't promise a Thai girl something if you do not intend on making your promise good.
Crossing the road... Motor vehicles here in Pattaya have no obligation to stop for you if you are crossing the street and they will come from both directions even on a one way street and they also come from the side walks. Motor bikes are everywhere so look both ways even on a one way road.
Respect..... Be respectful of Thai culture and traditions which includes standing for the national anthem when its played at the cinema . If you respect local people and customs you will have a better time for it! Make sure that you never insult the king. It is a crime in LOS. Never ever ever go up to a Thai girl and and touch her on the street or in a shopping Mall as you might end up in jail (Monkey House) Dont touch a Thai's head, it is the closest thing to Buddha and is simply not done unless you have permission, dont point the soles of your feet at buddha statues or areas of worship. Never touch any of the food or drink left at a Buddha statue, it is there for Buddha.
Dress Codes... if you wish to take a girl to the temple , put in an effort to wear something nice and don't grope her , use some tact as it is a very big thing to them. Wear a shirt or t-shirt when off of the beach or pool.
Water..... Never drink the water here - avoid swallowing tapwater and use bottled water at all times.
Remove shoes..... Always remove your shoes if invited into a Thai's home.
Electric...... If you bring something you have to plug in from your country check to make sure you have the correct adapter for it.
Be Gentle.... Always act calm & gentle. Aggression and Shouting are held in very low regard.
Trouble... unless you are looking for trouble , you are unlikely to find it!
Farang or falang... is the Thai name for people with white skin, both tourists and people living in Thailand. People with black skin are often called farang dam, which means "black farang". The word farang is a neutral word, so there is no need to feel insulted if someone call you this, or describe you as such one. (although the word of course can be used with a "negative sense") Farang also means Guava (the fruit), and maan farang means potato.
Wai, how and when to..... "One easy determination is age. If someone is older than you, then you should wai them unless they are someone whom you employ, such as a housekeeper. Additionally, you should never wai to anyone who you are paying for service, such as waiters, tailors, vendors, shopkeepers or taxi drivers. You also wouldn't wai your peers and friends. Alternatively, when leaving a party or other such gathering, you should wai everyone, as this is the polite way to excuse yourself from the festivities. There are different kinds of wais! The normal wai is with your hands pressed together at about chest level, presenting a slight bow with your body. The wai to a superior is with the tips of your fingers at nose level, still bowing your body. To convey the most respect and gratitude, you will wai with your fingertips at mouth level and present a deeper and longer bow.
"Baht-Bus..... A Baht Bus is by far the easiest and most convenient way of getting around in Pattaya. They are modified dark blue pick-up trucks with two rows of passenger seats in a covered overhead back cabin that can carry up to ten or more passengers and usually drive around Pattaya in designated circuits unless you hire them as a taxi from point A to B.
The smaller circuit goes all the way around South Pattaya (South Pattaya Beach Road, Pattaya Tai, Second Road/ southern part, Pattaya Klang) whereas the larger circuit includes the northern part of Second Road all the way up to the Dolphin Roundabout.
Alternative routes include Pattaya- Naklua Road, Pattaya Nua, Pattaya Klang and Pattaya Tai whereas other baht-buses link South Pattaya with Jomtien Beach <http://www.pattaya-funtown.com/jomtien_beach.html>.
The drivers charge a flat rate of 10 Baht for a short distance ride and 20 or 30 baht for longer distances - provided you use the baht-bus as a bus service and don't hire it as a taxi. Unless your destination is not along one of the main baht-bus routes and you actually require a "special tour" you should never ask the driver where he is going or ask him to take you to a certain destination that is on his designated route anyway; he would then interpret this as a "special route"/ being hired as taxi and charge you more than the usual fare. Be aware of empty baht-buses and such parked along the roadside, too.
To get on a Baht Bus just hail them and you should just jump on the back and enjoy the ride. When you want to disembark, just press one of the several buttons attached to the roof. Once the Baht-bus stops, get off and pay the driver his regular 10 Baht. Do NOT ask him "How much?", he would then take advantage of your lack of experience and charge you a price well above the regular fare. Having a 10 Baht coin on you (or the appropriate banknote) minimizes problems and if your destination is not along the designated Baht-bus routes you can hire an empty Baht Bus as a taxi and you should always have to agree on a price before you get on.
Baht-buses to Jomtien regularly depart from the Pattaya Tai/ 2nd Road junction. They line up near the traffic light by the police box and the first bus to depart is the closest one to the traffic light. Just get on and wait until the bus fills up. They charge a flat rate of 10 Baht but you will have to wait until enough passengers have boarded which is only a matter of a minute or two."
Gold in Thailand
Thai Gold... has a deeper meaning to many Thais than just being a precious metal made for the making of coins, rings, necklaces, bracelets and other jewelry. Thai gold objects also functions as a security to many Thais in case of difficult times. The gold can then be pledge until the family's economy gets improved. Many of the Pattaya girls might try to get you to buy them some Thai gold but you might want to think twice before you do. When you leave there is a very good chance it will end up back in the same shop you bought it from and cash in the girls pocket. But if you do here are some facts you might want to know.
Weight
One baht Thai gold is equivalent to 15,244 grams before it is worked up. After the work the weight should be equal with or more than 15,16 grams, to still be termed as one baht gold. (To simplify it, one baht of gold normally is termed as 15,2 grams)
Karat and appearance
Thai gold jewelry often has a purity of 96,5% gold, which is equivalent to 23 karat. The remaining 3,5% consist of alloys such as silver and bronze. Some shops also provide 22, 20 or 18 karat jewelry. Lower karat objects has become a little more common in Thailand nowadays, partly inspired by "western" or so called "farang gold". Generally speaking, the higher karat a gold object has, the softer it is. For that reason, a lower karat can be recommended for rings and thin jewelry.
The Thai gold often has an intense "yellow" color due to the high carat. The stamp on the gold is very important so if you do decide to buy make sure you buy from one of the bigger shops here in Pattaya. The price is displayed on their door and updated to reflect every small change in the price of gold. The price is displayed per one baht of weight.
If you are a newbie and need to learn about Thai Money click the photo below