Tailand - Time to Discover Asia

I was kind of resisting to go to Asia under the impression that I will do it first by bicycle.

It turned out…that no.

I made it first time by plane.

Or it does not really count, as I was already in Turkey, right?

The Arrival to Asia

So you’ve made it to the future, and im not talking about the time difference.

You are now 543 years ahead.

Something strange happened on the airplane? Not really.

In thailand they use the Buddhist calendar, in which the calendar’s epochal date (Year zero) was the year in which the Buddha attained parinibbāna.

Just some difference with the Gregorian calendar we are used to.

What’s next?

  1. Local Sim Card - Your internet and scrolling addiction can wait
  2. Jet Lag Tricks

First Impressions of Thailand

I landed in Phuket airport.

It was quite a contrast os standards compared with Doha airport in Qatar.

Still everything worked and there was the possibility to fill your bottle for water.

And you better do it, as you will be thirsty very soon.

For reference, this trip (lets actually call them vacations) are happening in January.

So…totally in the middle of winter for Europe, but in here the temperature is not low, neither oscilate too much day/night like it happened in Morocco.

And thats why I didnt bring any coat with me (and I was right this time not do so).

Temps are about 25-30C and 55-70% humidity.

You can get a taxi from the airport to Phuket town center for 600-700TBH.

Oh, yes, the currency are Thai BAHT, TBH.

And you better bring USD/EUR with you. But dont change them in the airport.

Basic trip tip wherever you go, but those no commisions are making a change ~10% worse than market.

For example: in the airport I saw USD at ratio 1:31, whereas in Phuket city I had 1:34.

The floating market ratio was ~1USD:34.5, so I had a fair 1.5% conversion end to end fee.

The place where I made the exchange was right next to a very cool street art mural, certainly you will come across it.

Interesting fact, BAHT is also a river in Morocco, and the TBH sign, ฿, looks like Bitcoin (?)

If you didnt have the time the research before coming, once you go out of the airport…

…the cars go on the other side.

What other side? the bad one?

Jokes aside: the traffic circulates in the same way than in the UK, Malta or Japan

Most likely you will have your drive in a Japanese car.

Thailand is full of motorbikes (who could guess that, caming to Asia, ah?)

What it might impress you, is that you might see children driving those motorbikes

But what got my attention was the amount of Japanese cars, like Toyota, Honda, Suzuki…

Seems like selling without fights its a better strategy (one more time)

Some models are same ones as en Europe, but there are interesting versions of B segment cars.

Im talking about: mazda 2, toyota Yaris…but in a sedan version kind of.

Very interesting models which I never saw before: Toyota corolla cross, vios, yaris Ativ, Honda city…

You can see as well some electric vehicles, most of them from Chinese manufacturers like MG.

And most of them, seem to go with gasoline (not diesel)

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Next thing that you will notice is the amount of pickup trucks around.

Some of them are used for cargo, in others you will see up to 9 people having a ride, just one more day.

Gasoline price seemed to be ~100฿ - also pretty reasonable compared with EU prices.

And the driving style…is not as wild as in Morocco, or Albania.

And the driving style…is not as wild as in Morocco, or Albania.

What do I mean?

But still I would not go on the road next to cars in Thailand.

And I have gone on the road from Vilnus towards Riga, with almost no place and next to maaany trucks…

How about interactions with the people?

I was very lucky to meet Mim, the owner of the first hotel I stayed at.

She opened her business just 4 months ago and I enjoyed every second of the stay.

They even prepared a delicious breakfast and gave me some cookies as present for visiting them.

Mim also explained few local curiosities, like the rainny season lasts in Phuket from May to October, which is the low season.

But already in October there are good opportunities to find interesting offers.

Wishing once again best of lucks to you, this time from the blog!

Phuket Temples

What about the religion?

Most popular is Budhism, but you will see some muslim people as well.

If you noticed some kind of human with wings in estatues, that will most likely be Garuda.

I found a lot of respect between them, and did not feel any tension in this aspect.

I also found some christian graveyards in the middle of the city.

Could not read who those people were, but there was even a picture on each of them.

Phuket Markets

Be aware that not all markets are opened every day.

I was lucky to see the Indian market during my first day in the island.

During the weekend, you have Naka weekend market - where you can see practically everything: from Tommy Hilfigher tshirts to fried scorpions to eat.

And where are most of the clothes done?

Apparently, in Indonesia and Malasia for what I observed.

That one caught me by surprise

Famous quotes I heard in markets:

You can also feel when someone is an employee, not business owner, as they dont push at all compared to them.

Walking around Phuket

Phuket Town offers a charming blend of Chinese and European influences, making it a delightful place to explore on foot. Here are some of the sights you can see:

ViewPoints in Phuket

Khao To Sae, or as you might hear it - the monkey hill viewpoint.

as you can expect, there are a lot of monkeys.

I think I never saw so many together in all my life, counting more than 100 when climbing the hill.

Just be careful not to have water/food visible, as you risk to be robbed. By monkeys ofc.

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These monkeys are different from the ones I saw recently near Marrakesh.

You can see that they have tails and different eyes.

From Phuket to Rawai

You can go by taxi between this two locations, and pretty much everywhere.

It was a ~30min ride, for about ~10USD and totally worth it.

You also have the bus option, but you would need to go first up north to the airport and then take the other line which goes south.

If you compare Rawai with Phuket town, you will see many more tourists.

Also the place had to be quite rural not so long ago, so be aware that there could be gaps from your hotel to the street life.

There is an interesting fishmen market to have a look, where you can buy fish directly from them and get it cooked right in front of you.

In Rawai I heard one more time: but why are you here? in your country is not cold now

These were nice people, but call me crazy, I want to do things in life based on something more than cold/hot tasty/not tasty.

The islands next to Rawai are worth it (like BON island), also the sunsets

You can also get a motorcycle in this area for ~500TBH a day to explore further and there are also many excursions going on

Some Thai History

While Thailand experienced significant European influence, it was never formally colonized by any European power, including Portugal.

Thailand had significant interactions with European powers, particularly Portugal, but it successfully maintained its independence and avoided formal colonization.

The Nature in Tailand

And the trip continues!

Let’s switch gears towards Phi Phi island.

btw, they call islands Koh

I used the Rassada Harbour to get from Phuket to Phi Phi.

Laem Tong is a beach located on the northern tip of Phi Phi Don, one of the islands in Thailand’s Phi Phi archipelago.

This is already part of the Krabi district.

You can get there on a speed boat for 1100TBH (~25 EUR) and 1.5h of your time.

Those quick boats will go at about ~50km/h, with some peaks of 60 and you can have fun if there are waves.

Once you arrive to the destination pier (most likely, Ton Sai), you will see a lot of long tail boats which a re the taxis of the Phi Phi island.

Pay attention and you will see a regular car engine on each of those boats!

It is known for its beautiful, serene environment, with crystal-clear waters, white sand, and lush surroundings.

Laem Tong Beach is a popular destination for those seeking a quieter, more peaceful experience compared to the busier areas on Phi Phi Island, such as Ton Sai Bay.

You will observe a new kind of nature, in regards of flowers as well.

Like this Clitoria ternatea (blue pea), which can be used for some juices in Thailand.

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And in here I had the chance to see the biggest stick insect ever.

This one just came to say good evening.

Phi Phi Archipielago

Ko Phi Phi Don is the biggest island of all.

It was severely affected by the Tsunami in the end of 2004.

And being there I cant really imagine how much harm would a 10m wall of water do to such place.

This definitely proof how resilient Thai people are.

The sunsets and the views are absolutely breath taking.

And you can make many excursions from it.

For ~1200TBH you can make a day tour (from 8am to 2pm) that will take you to few interesting spots.

Just take into account that the area near the pier is quite touristic.

But still you can find local places to eat and have cool interactions.

It’s also a great place for diving.

You can buy some glasses for ~300TBH (same price to rent them for a full day)

I could rent them for 100TBH from 11am to 5pm.

And I could not be happier, there nature was just stunning around the long beach.

I could see easily 10+ kind of animals and no polution at all.

Please be mindful of that and lets try to keep the nature as intact as possible.

You can get to the long beach by taxi and make those ~2km in ~5min

If you want to do snorkling, you can count that the price will be ~3500tbh for 4h, including the trip To the spot to see reef sharks and turtles.

These tours occur in national parks, so you will need to count with 400tbh for tax.

People in the diving schools are very talkative and nice, and they can let you use paddle surf for free if you book with them on another day.

Else, you can go paddlesurf directly for 500tbh/4h

A waterproof bag might be useful for these adventures.

Probably together with an action cam with diving accesory (up to 60m, you will just go to 12m if its your first time).

You can get those accesories locally and even get VAT return if you are a foreigner.

VAT rate seemed quite low for me (for what Im used to) - in here it seemed 5%!

The nature In Phi Phi islands is just amazing.

I totally recommend you to get at least some snorkling glasses, as I was able to see more than 10 different kind of animals under water, very near the surface.

You can get those for ~100 a day and 300 deposit.

The crivit ones worked pretty well for me!

If you plan to do it few days, just buy ones directly for 300 and if you trip continues away from the sea, like into the jungle…

…why not starting a freecycle with those glasses?

There is an interesting spot near long beach where reef sharks can be seen.

If you want to level up, you can do proper snorkling for 3600 in there (the water is totally cristal clear).

From Ton Sai pier you can get one of the famous taxis for 100 (before 6pm) and 150 after that.

From Phi Phi to Krabi you can go by regular ferry for 450/500 (2h) and quick boat for 800.

I made it with Urip travel, which the hotel booked for me.

If you want to book them in advance, you can try wih bookaway.com, but your hotel might help you to arrange it as well.

This time I decided for the ferry option and it was a longer, but less bumpy ride.

You guessed it, I used the time to keep writing this post for you!

I was lucky to meet to Marcela and Charo from Argentina in Long Beach.

After recognizing their Argentinian accent, I started to talk with them.

And I definitely had to touch upon the current situation in Argentina.

A complicated topic? Might be, but I wanted to know from first hand how they felt all the changes the country is experimenting now.

So far, the macro is fixed to a levels that they are not used to.

Inflation of ~2% monthly seems to be pretty low in there.

They also mentioned that they are looking forward to see the macro data to be translated to the streets in the near future.

Another example the simpler rules are better for all?

That complex rules just benefit current status quo and the ones orchestrating them?

Time will confirm.

What this have to do with the tour? Well, Marcela recommended me to book a one day tour via getyourguide for ~1100tbh.

And those 8h and ~40km tour was totally worth it:

  1. Maya Beach
  2. Monkey beach
  3. Shark point
  4. bamboo island
  5. Viking creative
  6. Pileh lagoon
  7. Loh Samay bay

Last but not least…

  1. The sunset view from the sea

I saw an interesting quote:

Take only memories, leave only footprints

And yet another example of simple rules, yet delicated ecosystem, the one of the sharks:

What could happen if they would not exists?

Well, they dont eat any kind of fish, but actually the fishes that eat fishes that are ‘vegetarian’.

If sharks would dissapear from here…there would be a lack of those vege fishes, a lot of algae would grow in this region (say bye to the clear waters).

Who could imagine that on first glance? Sharks making somehow a balance on how waters looks like.

Pretty amazing, and definitely chaotic.

Krabi

Krabi is a small town located already in the South of mainland Thailand and around 300km distance for Malasya.

But if you walk around the city and pay attention, you might see some eagles.

Eagles around a city?

Well, they live in a forest very close to Krabi, a city forest

More precisely, A mangrove forest.

Also known as a mangrove swamp or mangal, is a unique and vital coastal ecosystem found in tropical and subtropical regions.

These forests are characterized by salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that thrive in intertidal zones, where the land meets the sea.  

In there you can find yet another kind of monkeys (which eat krabs), this time, with dark hair.

And… also this kind of fish ?!

The shore was full of Mudskippers.

You will see lots of them if you visit it during a low tide.

You can also see similar monkeys to the one in Phi Phi, but those are near the Tiger Cave Temple.

The start of the route is at 7km from center, but you can get there easily by motorcycle for less than 100tbh.

And if you are lucky enough, you might even see elephants around the temple!

The views are just amazing and totally worth it for a sunset view, while appreciating the shades of blue on the distant mountains.

If like me, you are curious about temples, you also have around the center Wat Kaev Korawararam.

I am very impressed by the differences in architectural techniques when compared with Europe.

From Krabi, I would think for the future to

  1. Have a starting point with a bikes.

I was exploring the city and found a local shop with bikes, but the owner told me that those were for sale.

The cool one was 29k, the trek 11k and the orange one (with mechanical disks) 9k tbh.

For sure there was margin for bargain, but I ask about rental, which he has thinking about adding it soon.

The cool thing about Thailand, is that people is so much reachable and talkative and the man offered me a 600tbh/day for the cool road bike on the spot.

  1. You can explore further towards Surat Thani area, even getting to Koh Samui with bus + ferry in around 5h and 800tbh from your pocket.

  2. If you want to have a base for further exploring, for what i saw krabi can be a good point.

You can find muay thay classes (even private ones) and roll up into a gym for 150 a day or 1500 (~25$!) a month.

  1. There is even an airport near krabi, from where you can jump to Malasya, Singapur or Bangkok for ~30$.

More about Krabi

What else in krabi?

Well, its a good opportunity to use laundry services, as they are not as expensive as in PhiPhi.

In Krabi you can get for 40+50 (wash and dry) all your 10+ kg of clothes all together.

You can have it ready in ~2h at places like Toki.

They also have an app that pings you when the things are ready. Pretty crazy tech.

I also got in love with the street food in Krabi.

I tried in there for the first time Roti (with eggs and banana), which are some kind of local pancakes.

Also the flavour of Hojicha tea, was very interesting.

Hojicha is a roasted green tea, and it’s a very popular tea variety in Japan for its fragrant, crisp flavor.

While its roasted, its preserve the sweetness, aroma and Umami.

thisroasty flavor makes Hojicha taste quite a bit like freshly roasted coffee.

If you normally take breakfast included, dont do it for Krabi city, there are many things to try!

From Krabi, you can also discover the Railay beach, which can serve you as nexus point to jump towards Ko Yao Noi.

This time by speed boats only (1h and 700tbh).

Next to it, you also have Ko Yao Yai.

While both islands offer a tranquil escape, Koh Yao Yai is generally considered more touristic than Koh Yao Noi.

Koh Yao Yai’s larger size and proximity to Phuket make it more accessible to day-trippers, resulting in a slightly higher number of visitors.

However, the island’s development is still relatively low-key, and it maintains a relaxed atmosphere.

Koh Yao Noi, being smaller and further from Phuket, attracts fewer tourists overall.

This results in a more secluded and intimate experience.

However, if you’re open to encountering more tourists and exploring a larger island with more diverse activities, Koh Yao Yai might be a better fit.

I tested both options for you.

Exploring Ko Yao Islands

From Krabi, I took a quick boat (no ferrys between these locations) from ao nang area (precisely, from the klong Heng pier).

And againm you will be cruising at ~60km/h with views similar to these ones:

Ko Yao Noi

After Krabi, it seems that you get in the middle of nowhere.

Green, silence and quite hot in January.

You can also hear the prayers of the mosks in the island, which is around 11km on its longer axis.

This time, I could not resist and finally rented a mtb for exploring.

In Ko Yao Noi i witnessed the first moto accident on this trip.

It was a french girl, who was very lucky to ‘just’ get a scratch on her left leg.

Ko Yao Yai

The island is just a step a way from the smaller neighbour, Noi.

Im sure someone has done it swimming.

But you can also behave and just take a long tail boat.

Excursions

After tasting the ATV honey during my last trip in Morocco, I had to make it again.

  1. To book at ATV you can do it on local places or via booking directly.

Expect the price to be ~2000TBH/h per person and an extra ~1500 if you have company.

In this matter, I found that in Morocco you can find better value for money.

  1. But, you also have water sport, like jet ski

Prices will vary, and in tourtistic places you might see it for ~1500TBH/30min for a 1100cc (again, most likely a Japanese maker, like yamaha)

Remember the rule, always bargain.

I tried them in Kamala Beach (be careful on how you ride the waves!)

There are also options to have a 6h tour in jetsi (you drive it), but thats ~8000tbh

  1. Man powered stuff? Maybe Kayaking is for you

Id try it in Phi Phi island, where you get get it for 200 1st hour and then 100 every additional one.

You can explore from the Loh Dalum beach to the Monkey beach (one of them which is on the left side from that bay)

And there you will see a different kind of monkey (again).

These ones ahve even longer tails and they are not afraid at all to swim!

You can also try kayaking around Ao Nang area (near Krabi), directly into the manglar forests.

I was lucky to observe this special kind of snake while it was sleeping at its natural habitat, the *Klong Root.

They hunt fishes during the night, so nothing to worry about at this moment.

T0 see the fishes you have to be an early bird, but the water are cristal clear, as they flow from a manantial underground.

For water sports, Id recommend to get some kind of water proof bag (people in Thailand use the ones called Ocean Pack)

Why am I mentioning this?

Well, I came with a powerbank…that died because of the water.

Lets leave it that way.

While being in Thailand

Im not the biggest fan of them. But I had to try.

Im talking about Thai massages and for 1h you can find them for ~300฿

If that seems low, there are other parts of the world where at that price you get 2h

I guess you need to go over this.

Most famous convenience store ever: the 7/11.

But there are few others that can be helpful, like: Tops daily, Mini Gic C, Lotus go fresh…

They are all very ordered and clean.

And you should expect basic prices for water at ~20TBH (28 in 7/11) and 10 eggs for ~2Eur

Experiences in Thailand

My favourite Tai Food

  1. Iced coffee
  2. Market Street food, starting with fried beef with rice (~50฿!)
  3. Fresh mangos/cocos (~40/60฿)
  1. Sweets: Banofi (~100฿)
  1. Tai Tea - I should make a separated section for this. They are delicious.
  1. Khao pod sapparot - ananas, rice and shrimps (very interesting combinations)
  2. mango sticky rice (not sticky walls) - This is another curious dessert

You drink beer? you will see it for ~50/140฿

The sizes in the island are interesting, small are 0.3L, big ones are 0.6L

And as a companion of beer, you can have also baked corn ~60฿ (like in Morocco or TK!)

  1. There are also Thai curry food! Thailand is just 4h flight away from India

Oh and about the fruits, there are many tropical ones, as you could expect:

  1. Passion fruit (maracuja for some)
  2. Dragon fruit
  3. Cantaloupe (when cut, look like mango, but taste more like melon)
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For prices, as always it depends what you get, and where you do it.

In Phuket town, you can get meal for one person for ~50-80-150฿ depending if you do it on the street or more in a bar place.

You can also go crazy and go to a Michelin star restaurant and play the price for it.

Remember the spice rules: yellow < red < green

Conclusions of Thailand

What Ive learnt from this trip in Asia

  1. When already buying the stages of such trip, prepare at the same time the book/s you want to read
  1. Always check that each stage of the journey links with the next one (unless left for creativity on purpose)
  2. To keep a balance on seeing and reflecting, dedicating 3 days for place seems ok for me
  3. To avoid jet lag, plan yout sleep scheduled according to the arrival’s life
  4. That moment when life turns out to be the opposite of what you planned (and it actually works and its beautiful)

In my opinion, there are 3 kind of places/prices in THailand: the local, the touristic one (x2) and the fancy (x4)

As an example with Pad Thai, which can be 65, 150 or 300.

Guess which one was the best I ever had.

A man from Uruguay mentioned to me about Saramago writer and also about the broken car windows in Manhattan.

Open Questions After Thailand

From the book give and take

  1. Uniqueness vs belongingness
  2. Two (engines) opposed forces: Selfishness and caring about others

My Tips for Asia

  1. Boil water for wash yout teeth (normally you will find a kettle in the room!)
  2. Id recommend to keep a balance for exploring and relaxing
  1. Phi Phi is a must on your itinerary

FAQ

Preparing a Trip to Asia

What to expect in terms of public transport in Thailand

You might need to book a bus in between cities.

For trains, the southest part that the route goes to is Surat Thani, which is a city ~100km up north from Krabi.

You can also search for bus/trains combinations within 12go.com

Recommendations from a friend

For a 3 months trip, starting in ~January so that it wont be too hot in the first part of the trip:

My friend, who is an expert about Asian culture, told me:

You stop one night in the picturesque small town of Pak Beng and the next day continue to the most beautiful city in Southeast Asia, Luang Prabang.

Additional places he highlighted:

Preparation Checklist for Thailand

From the list, just make sure to prepare in advance:

Column 1Column 2Column 3 (Toggle)
Item 1Value 1
Item 2Value 2
Item 3Value 3
  1. Passport
  2. Vaccines
  3. Travel Insurance - I was considering Ergo (and I saw it honored in Phi phi medical center), but went yolo and gave it a try to Revolut
  4. Free Photo Storage Space on my phone! A backup solution can be nice too
CategoryItemDetails/Considerations
Travel DocumentsPassportEnsure it is valid for at least 6 months beyond your stay.
Visa (if required)Check if you need a visa based on your nationality.
Driver’s License (for motorbikes)An International Driving Permit (IDP) may be required.
Health & SafetyTravel InsuranceEnsure it covers cycling and motorbike riding.
VaccinationsRecommended: Hepatitis A/B, Typhoid, Tetanus, Rabies.
First Aid KitInclude bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, etc.
Insect RepellentPreferably with DEET, as Thailand has mosquitoes.
Bike GearHelmetEssential for safety; check local laws.
Cycling GlovesFor comfort and protection.
SunglassesProtects eyes from sun and dust.
Water Bottle or Hydration PackStay hydrated in the tropical climate.
Panniers or BackpackTo carry your essentials while riding.
Bike LockSecure your bike, make sure that it will pass the airport regulations.
ClothingLightweight ClothingBreathable, moisture-wicking materials for hot weather.
Rain GearWaterproof jacket and pants; consider a lightweight poncho.
Comfortable FootwearCycling shoes or sturdy sneakers.
Hat or CapFor sun protection when not wearing a helmet.
NavigationSmartphone or GPSWith offline maps or GPS; Google Maps works well.
Power BankFor charging devices on the go.
Local EssentialseSim / Thai SIM Card and VPNFor data and local calls; available at airports and stores. For peace of mind, you can setup an esim before you arrive
Cash (Thai Baht/ USD /EUR)Many places may not accept cards.
Language Phrasebook/AppUseful for basic communication; Why not learning some basic Thai?
MiscellaneousSunscreenHigh SPF to protect from intense sun.
Snacks and Energy BarsFor quick energy during the ride.
Camera / Action CamTo capture your adventure.
Lightweight TowelHandy for unexpected rain or sweat.
Emergency Contact InformationKeep a list of important numbers (embassy, local contacts).
Copy of Travel ItineraryShare it with a trusted person back home.

You might find these Software List handy as well:

Whatsap worked well without VPN though, and many people uses it in Tailand.

YOu will also see that they use line app as well for communications.

Thailand Trip Plan
The Trip Plan
  1. Phuket town
  2. Rawaj
  3. PhiPhi Islands
  4. Krabi
  5. Ko Yao Noi
  6. Ko Yao Yai
  7. Kamala

What about the weather?

Health Stuff for Asia

I was concerned on how to prepare the healthcare parth of this trip to Asia.

It seemed that The only mandatory vaccine for travel to Thailand is the yellow fever vaccine.

This is required for travelers aged 9 months or older who are arriving from or have transited through countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission.

Consult with a healthcare professional for personalized advice based on your specific itinerary, activities, and health history.

They can recommend additional vaccines that may be suitable for you, depending on your destination, such as:

Useful links: https://szczepienia.pzh.gov.pl/

How to Search Flights for Long Distance Trips

Not sure how is this possible, but for a trip of

Where to Sleep in Asia

A lot of people told me to make it via booking (instead of airbnb’s).

I also heard about Agoda, which people also talk that works great for a trip around Asia.

What about prices in Thailand?

Starting from the basics: ~1L of water ~20฿

Then, there are items which price depends on their size, like:

I Could not resist and compare these shrimps with the ones from Cadiz

Remember to bargain where possible, as you might end up paying 30-50% more of the local market value.

All this prices are as of the time of writing - this will definitely change due to inflation (which was not as high as en Europe recently)

As mentioned before: make sure to bring cash with you to exchange.

Most of the times you will have to use cash (id say 80/20).

And in the cases where card is allowed, normally you will find that:

So you might want to withdraw cash and pay the 220TBH fix comission at ATMs

There is an interesting system called prompt pay in Thailand.

It seems to work with some kind of QR, but a local bank account is required.

I guess its some kind of AliPay system, but implemented locally. Interesting though.

As a tourist, i’d say you can make it confortably with 50$/day while you are in Thailand, which is probably not the cheapest country in SEA

And the inflation?

The virgin extra oil price, has a new winner - yes, its Thailand.

I saw the price per liter at 800TBH ~24 EUR/L, passing the latest ‘winner’, Albania.

Have you ever heard about the Mcdonal index?

https://www.statista.com/statistics/274326/big-mac-index-global-prices-for-a-big-mac/

I could have a look to Starbucks in this ocassion.

A lovely coffee 20oz (0.56L) was ~6$

For a cup of 22oz in 7/11 you can get a nice thai tea for 60tbh.

There is also an iphone index - https://www.picodi.com/us/bargain-hunting/iphone-index-2024

What about salaries in SEA?

The average monthly salary in Thailand is 97,300 THB (2,767 USD), with a median of 88,900 THB (2,526 USD) per month. This means that half of the Thai population earns less than 88,900 THB, while the other half earns more.

Here are the average and median salaries for other Southeast Asian countries:

Important Notes:

How to Travel with the essentials

If you are like my frequent reader, I will assume that you wont be travelling with a 20kg suitcaise.

And that you are aware of whats important, and that priority is a singular word by definition.

In that case, you most likely have with you a 40L backpack.

So the math is clear: not much clothes + hot * humidity = I need a place to clean my clothes

And you dont need to worry, in many hotels you will find lavandery services for ~140TBH per 2kg

But if you are not in a rush and want to have it like a local, there are places around the city which will do it for:

  1. 60TBH wash for 10kg
  2. 40TBH dry 15kg

So 100TBH for 10kg, so thats x7 cheaper

How much is 2kg and 10kg of clothes?

For reference, think that 2kg is ~5/7 days for a person.

About 10kg…think in terms of a very full backpack - Mine was ~8kg counting laptop (~1kg+) and all when they weighted it at the airport.

Regarding bringing drons, I could not see any signal in Thailand that they are forbidden and also in the initial airport. There was no scanning in the intermediate plane exchange.

But anyways make sure to understand how it works before taking yours!