Going to Thailand is pretty much a safe bet. You will most certainly arrive in Bangkok which for sure is the most westernized city in Thailand and you can get everything you might have forgotten to bring from home. Still, there are a few things that you should bring or be prepared for.

Bring Toilet Paper

Very important, as most hostels and also hotels won’t have any. Most Thais do not use it, thats why its very uncommon. To maintain a certain degree of western standard, bring yourself two rolls, and organize a new one as soon as the first is used up. That guarantees never running out of it. It also comes handy when eating sticky fruits or spilling stuff in your room.

Bring an Outlet Splitter

Most rooms will usually offer one electrical outlet. Some have more, some less (I was offered a room in a guesthouse that did not have even one, the explanation was that this room is usually given to Thais, and they apparently start to cook in the room if you give them electricity). If you try to charge your laptop as well as your mobile you will quickly run into problems if you do not have a european outlet splitter with you. I doubt that you could easily get one here, definitely not without a time-consuming search. So, bring it!

Look out for Aeon and Citibank ATMs

All ATMs I have tried, in Bangkok and the other smaller towns I have been to, charged me for withdrawing money with my credit card. The fees are pretty high, 150 Baht, and it doesnt matter how much you withdraw. That is a lot of money that you spent for nothing, enough to pay for a double room with fan at the Jolly Frog. But there is a workaround. Aeon and Citibank ATMs do not charge you a dime for withdrawing money. They can be hard to find at times, but there is help. Try the ATM locators of Citibank and Aeon. I usually made it to find them in at least every second city, so with a bit of planning, and by withdrawing a few Baht more, you can make your way from one “No Fee ATM” to the other.

 Bring a few Baht in cash with you

This one kind of relates to the previous tip. The problem is, if you are like me, you travel to a place and then you simply withdraw local currency on the first ATM that you can find. In Bangkok however, you already have to do it at the airport, as you need to pay for the train ride into the city and they only accept cash, no credit card. So without a few Baht in your pockets (or at least some foreign notes that you can exchange), you will have no choice but to use on of the fee charging ATMs at the airport. Be prepared and you won’t get ripped off.

Don’t bring a mosquito net

Honestly, I put a lot of thought into that while preparing for the trip, and after learning everything about circular and cubical nets, mesh sizes and the difference between treated and untreated nets, I decided that I will just get one in Thailand if I happen to need it. And I am glad that I decided that. In none of the six accomodations I stayed in (ranging from neat guesthouses and hotels to a one room hostel) I would have had the opportunity to hang a net. I simply couldnt have used it. Also I did not miss it, as the rooms were equipped with nets on the windows etc. already. So, save your money and your back (these nets are not light) and just go without one. If you really happen to be in a mosquito infested area, the hotel, hostel or whatever will most certainly be prepared. And if not, you can still use the mosquito repellent that you should definitely have with you and look out for a net as quickly as possible.

I hope these tips make your Thailand trip even better. Enjoy!

Yours

Crazy Ivory

Follow my photos, travel route and stories is the Asia Adventure Page.