Thailand - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

How I Accidentally Became a Walking Ethical Dilemma in Northern Thailand So you’re in Northern Thailand, full of pad Thai and vague spiritual energy, and someone tells you, “You should visit a Longneck Karen village!” And because you’re a culturally curious traveler with a camera and a vague guilt complex, you say, “Absolutely, take my money and my soul.” The journey begins with another one of those legendary pickup truck rides that your spine will remember forever. After several hours of bouncing, swerving, and possibly time-traveling, you arrive at what looks like a quiet village tucked into the hills with souvenir stalls. Lots of them. And then you see them: the women with impossibly long necks, stacked with brass rings like they’re wearing golden slinkies of tradition and spinal commitment. You’re stunned. You try not to stare. You stare. The guide says, “They do this from a young age, it's part of their culture,” and you nod like you totally knew that already, even though te...

Kamphaeng Phet: Ruins, Rice, and the Slowest Vibe You’ve Ever Felt You know Ayutthaya? Yeah, this is her introverted cousin who lives up north, doesn’t care about popularity, and still somehow looks amazing in the golden hour. Kamphaeng Phet has UNESCO-level ruins, chill riverfront scenes, and almost zero tourists , which is great for your peace of mind and terrible for your TikTok numbers. How to Get There By Bus From Bangkok’s Mo Chit Terminal. Duration: 5–6 hours Fare: 250–400 THB depending on whether your bus has a working toilet or just hopes and dreams. By Car About 4.5–5 hours from Bangkok if you don’t stop for every noodle shop and gas station snack along the way. Flat highways, decent roads, and occasional buffalo crossings. Classic Thai road trip. By Train Spoiler: there’s no station in Kamphaeng Phet itself. Closest train station: Nakhon Sawan or Phitsanulok, then a bus or van to KP. This route is for people who enjoy puzzles and unnecessary detours. Or those who are on an...

Suphan Buri: Where Time Slows Down and Buffalo Might Outnumber People Tired of beaches? Big cities? Basic itineraries? Then boy, do I have a slow-moving, rice-paddy-filled adventure for you. Suphan Buri is where Bangkokians send their kids for fresh air and life lessons, and where you go to experience “real Thailand”, whether you’re ready for it or not. Suphan Buri is the Thai province that nobody can quite place on a map. It's a land of rice fields, dragons, and absolutely zero sense of urgency. It's one of Thailand’s most gloriously charming rural escapes. How to Get There By Van or Bus From Bangkok’s Northern or Southern Bus Terminal (Mochit or Sai Tai Mai) Vans: around 200 THB Buses: around 120 THB Travel time: 2–2.5 hours, unless there’s a mysterious roadside watermelon sale that delays everything or the van crashes due to speeding or driving like Max Verstappen . By Car Roughly a 2-hour drive if you avoid rush hour, traffic jams, and the occasional parade of ducks cross...

Nong Khai: Lao Vibes, Naga Statues, and That Big-A River Welcome to Nong Khai, the land of riverfront sunsets, unexplained serpent statues, and the kind of weird-cool energy that makes you wonder, “Why don’t more people come here?” Spoiler: it’s because they don’t know what’s up. But now you will. Here’s a down-to-earth guide to Nong Khai, Thailand’s most laid-back border town.  If Chiang Mai is a hipster backpacker, and Bangkok is your overcaffeinated tech bro cousin, then Nong Khai is your mystical aunt who lives by the river, burns incense, and casually talks to snakes. Located along the Mekong River just a stone’s throw (or dramatic bridge walk) from Laos, Nong Khai is part riverside chill-out, part spiritual mystery, and part "Wait, is that a dinosaur statue?" How to Get There By Train Yes, it has a station. Yes, it's glorious, especially after having taken a few hits of Purple Haze . Overnight sleeper train from Bangkok: 700–1,000+ THB depending on class Arrival =...

Udon Thani: Where the Rice Fields Meet the Road Less Traveled (and You’re Glad It Does) Okay, so you’ve been to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the islands. Big deal. But have you been to Udon Thani? Thought not. You won’t find it in many travel guides, but that’s what makes it perfect. Udon Thani is for the traveler who wants authenticity, quiet adventure, and a genuine slice of Thai life. It’s just chilling out, minding its own business, and offering you an authentic slice of Thailand that’s so real, even your grandma would approve. So if you’re ready to ditch the tourist traps, throw on your adventure pants (or elephant pants, no one’s judging), and hit a town that won’t bombard you with “What’s your Instagram handle?” Udon Thani is calling your name. How to Get There (Because You’re Definitely Not Going to 'Accidentally' End Up Here) First, let’s establish one thing: getting to Udon Thani is a choice. You’re not just wandering around and poof, suddenly you're there. Oh no. I...

Lost in Limbo: A First-Timer's Misadventures in Thai Massage PSA : If you're looking for naughty massages, skip straight to the end. Ever thought about getting a traditional Thai massage? Well, prepare yourself for an experience that will leave you questioning your flexibility, pain threshold, and possibly your understanding of the word "relaxation." Thai massage is where tourists go to discover that what they thought was a spa treatment is actually a full-body wrestling match you never agreed to participate in. Different Options Finding a massage in Thailand offers several approaches, each with their own unique flavor of confusion: Option 1: Street-Front Massage Shops Every Thai street features massage parlors approximately every seven steps. For 200-400 baht ($5.50-11) per hour, you'll get a traditional Thai massage from therapists who wave you in with promises of "very good massage, you relax" while you pretend not to notice the previous customer l...

Nan: The Place Where Time Doesn’t Exist, and Your Wi-Fi Isn’t Strong Enough to Fight It If Chiang Mai is the big, flashy cousin who loves yoga retreats, then Nan is the cool, quiet one who doesn’t even need to try. Peace, temples, mountains, and the occasional wild boar; this place is basically the Thailand your soul has been craving but didn’t know it. How to Get There By Bus From Bangkok’s Mo Chit Terminal Duration: 10–12 hours (this is where your soul learns patience) Fare: 350–500 THB depending on your bus’s idea of comfort Pro tip: You’ll get there eventually, but not without a few dreams of meat buns and better legroom. By Car If you want to own the open road and live your best "Thailand is mine" life. Duration: 8–9 hours from Bangkok Can get real scenic, real fast. Or frustratingly slow if you’re stuck behind a bus full of schoolchildren and their pet chickens. By Plane If you're the impatient type and can’t handle the long, slow journey (we get it). Flights from...

Koh Lipe: Thailand’s Southernmost Paradise (With Just the Right Amount of Chaos) Ahhh, Koh Lipe, the tiny island in Thailand’s deep south that whispers “Maldives” but occasionally yells “Backpackers Gone Wild.” It's where turquoise waters meet beach bars, and where people come for three days and somehow stay for three weeks, losing all sense of time, direction, and underwear. It’s often dubbed the "Maldives of Thailand", but with less pretension, cheaper massages, and a slight chance someone’s playing reggaeton at 8 a.m. Beaches: One Island, Three Beaches, Endless Debates About Which Is Best Pattaya Beach – No, not that Pattaya. This one’s way better. It’s where the ferries arrive, where the beach bars live, and where your sandals will be stolen within 15 minutes (not maliciously, someone will just “accidentally borrow them”). Great swimming and sunsets. Very social. Sunrise Beach (Hat Chao Ley) – Long, breezy, and slightly more chill. The “I came to do yoga and drink ...

The Thai Royal Family and the Lèse-Majesté Law: A Black Mirror scenario  Welcome to the Land of Smiles, where the sun shines bright, the beaches are pristine, and the monarchy is, well, let's just say, highly revered. In Thailand, the royal family isn't just a symbol of national unity; they're practically demigods, and woe betide anyone who dares to suggest otherwise. The Lèse-Majesté Law: Because Free Speech is Overrated Thailand's lèse-majesté law, also known as Section 112 of the Criminal Code, is a gem of legislative overreach. It states that anyone who "defames, insults, or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent, or the regent" can face a cozy prison stay of three to fifteen years. Yes, you read that right, up to fifteen years for daring to utter a word against the royal family. It's like the ultimate game of "Who's the Boss?" but with much higher stakes. The law is so broadly interpreted that even the slightest hint of critic...

Bangkok’s Rooftop Bars: Because Drinking on the Ground is for Peasants So, you’ve decided to visit Bangkok, land of spicy food, chaotic traffic, and enough humidity to make you question your life choices. Naturally, you want to escape the sweaty masses and ascend to the heavens, where the air is (slightly) cooler, the drinks are overpriced, and the Instagram opportunities are endless. Welcome to Bangkok’s rooftop bars, where the views are stunning, the cocktails cost as much as your hotel room, and the dress code is "pretend you’re fancy." Here’s your dubious guide to the best sky-high sipping spots in the city.   1. Sky Bar at Lebua (The Hangover Bar) Where: State Tower (you know, that tall one from The Hangover 2 )   Price: Selling a kidney might help. Cocktails start at ฿800 (yes, for one drink).   Drinks: The "Hangovertini" is a thing. It’s expensive, but hey, at least you can re-enact the movie scene where Bradley Cooper looks confused.   F...

Where to Stay in Bangkok: A Guide for the Confused, the Curious & the Chronically Lost Bangkok is big. Bangkok is busy. Bangkok is also a little chaotic, a lot charming, and very sweaty. But choosing where to stay? That’s where things get really spicy. Each neighborhood has its own personality, from “I came to find myself” to “I came to find cocktails.” Here's your guide to the most popular areas and what kind of traveler they’re secretly judging you to be. 1. Khao San Road & Banglamphu For : Backpackers, budget-lovers, party people, and banana pancake philosophers Ah, Khao San Road, land of $5 hostels, tattoo regrets, and 24/7 pad Thai . It's loud, it's fun, it's a little grimy, and it smells like beer and dreams. Pros : Cheap accommodation and street food Bars, live music, and buckets of mystery alcohol Walking distance to the Grand Palace and temples Easy to meet new people and have fun  Cons : Sleep? What sleep? Can feel like a chaotic gap-year festival Qu...

You Got Bitten by a Stray in Thailand, So Now What?   Congratulations! You’ve just been personally selected by a local Thai animal (dog, cat, monkey, or possibly a very ambitious squirrel) to receive a free, unplanned piercing. Maybe you tried to pet a street dog that looked "friendly" (it wasn’t), or perhaps a monkey at a temple decided you looked tastier than the bananas you brought. Either way, you’re now staring at a tiny wound, wondering if you’re about to become the next tragic headline: "Tourist Dies Horribly After Befriending Cute But Rabid Mongoose."   Relax. You'll be fine. Probably. But let’s talk about rabies, because while the odds are low, the stakes are hilariously high.   Rabies: The Disease That Makes Zombies Look Polite    Rabies is a virus that, if left untreated, turns you into a frothing, hydrophobic nightmare before (and this is the key part) killing you almost 100% of the time. The good news? It’s super rare in humans becaus...

Elephant Sanctuaries in Thailand: Ethical Wonderlands or Guilt-Flavored Tourist Traps? Let’s talk about elephants, those majestic, intelligent, sensitive creatures that somehow ended up as the unofficial mascots of Thailand’s tourism industry. You’ve seen the photos: a serene tourist in harem pants lovingly bathing a giant elephant while a tour guide quietly angles for a tip in the background. It looks wholesome. It feels ethical. But is it? Or is this just another case of us hugging animals because we need new content for Instagram? First, the basics. Thailand is home to thousands of elephants, both wild and captive. The wild ones are doing their best to avoid humanity altogether (understandable), while the captive ones are mostly trapped in a weird halfway house of tourism, entertainment, and vague conservation slogans. Enter: the elephant sanctuary. The Ethical Sanctuary™ This is the kind of place every well-meaning traveler thinks they’re going to. No chains, no riding, no circus t...

Farang: The Ultimate Guide to Being a “Foreigner” in Thailand (And Not Losing Your Cool) So, you’ve just landed in Thailand, ready to embrace the Land of Smiles, pad thai, local beer (Chang, Singha, Leo, pick your poison) and inexplicably cheap rice whisky. But within approximately 3.2 seconds of existing here, you’ll hear it, the word that will follow you like a stray soi dog: “Farang.” “Farang!” (Pointing)   “Look, farang!” (Whispering)   “Farang price!” (Laughing maniacally while charging you double)   But what does it mean? Is it offensive? Should you embrace it, ignore it, or start hissing like a territorial cat? Let’s break it down.   What the Heck Does “Farang” Even Mean? The word “farang” (ฝรั่ง) is the Thai term for foreigner, specifically a white Westerner. (If you’re Black, you might hear “farang dam,” if you’re Indian, you’re probably “kaek,” and if you’re East Asian, you’re lucky enough to dodge the label until you open your mouth.)...

The Best Time to Visit Thailand (Spoiler: It's Not When You Think) So, you've decided to visit Thailand, land of golden temples, spicy food that laughs at your pain tolerance, and beaches so Instagram-worthy they make your real life look sad. But when should you actually go? Oh, don't worry, we'll help you navigate this extremely complicated decision. Option 1: The "Cool Season" (November to February) AKA Tourist Armageddon This is when everyone and their grandmother flocks to Thailand because, surprise, it's not a sweaty armpit outside. The weather is warm to hot but not "I'm melting into a puddle of regret" hot. Pros : - Perfect beach weather. - Festivals (Loi Krathong, Yi Peng lanterns, New Year's Eve chaos.) - You can wear actual clothes without immediately regretting your life choices. Cons : - Every tourist attraction looks like a Black Friday sale. - Prices skyrocket because hotels know you'll pay anything to avoid the monsoo...

How Thailand Turned Its Back on Backpackers (And Why It Might Regret It) Ah, Thailand, the Land of Smiles, spicy food, and questionable decisions. For decades, it was the holy grail of backpackers: cheap, chaotic, and full of stories that would either make your mother proud or give her a heart attack. But lately, Thailand seems to have decided that backpackers are so 2010.   The Golden Age of Backpacking (When Things Were Actually Fun) Remember the good old days? When you could survive on ฿30 pad Thais, sleep in ฿200 beach bungalows that were one strong breeze away from collapsing, and get a "full moon party" experience that didn’t involve Instagram influencers doing yoga poses at sunrise?   Backpackers were the lifeblood of Thailand’s tourism. Sure, we were sometimes broke, but we were loyal. We didn’t care if our hostel had more cockroaches than guests or if the "VIP bus" was just a regular bus with a sticker. We embraced the chaos.   Enter: The "Luxury"...

Airbnb in Thailand: A Dance with Dragons (and Lawyers) Ah, Thailand, the Land of Smiles, pad Thai, and legal landmines? If you're planning a trip and considering Airbnb, buckle up! We're diving into the wild world of Thai accommodation laws, where short-term rentals are about as welcome as a durian fruit in a crowded elevator. Short-Term Rentals: The Forbidden Fruit Picture this: you're scrolling through Airbnb, dreaming of a cozy Bangkok condo or a beachfront villa in Phuket. But hold your elephants! According to Thai law, renting a place for less than 30 days is a big no-no unless the property has a hotel license. Yep, you read that right. Your cute little Airbnb could be as illegal as a thirty-baht note. But why the fuss? Well, imagine trying to host a wild party, but your neighbor is the fun police. That's basically Thailand's Hotel Act of 2004, the ultimate buzzkill for short-term rental enthusiasts. The law is clear: no hotel license, no short-term stays. It...

So You Overstayed Your Visa in Thailand? Oops. Congratulations! You've just joined the exclusive club of people who lost track of time in the Land of Smiles until they realized their visa expired approximately three Singha beers ago.   Don't panic! (Okay, maybe panic a little.) Here's your survival guide to navigating the bureaucratic nightmare that is a Thai visa overstay, served with a side of sarcasm and poor life choices.   What Happens When You Overstay? (Spoiler: Nothing Good)   Thailand is chill about many things such as street food hygiene, motorbike safety, the concept of personal space, but overstaying your visa? Oh no, my friend. That's where they draw the line.   Here's the breakdown of your impending doom:   - 1-Day Overstay: "Oops, my bad?" Maybe they'll let it slide. Maybe. (But don't count on it.)   - 2-90 Days Overstay: 500 THB per day, max 20,000 THB. Think of it as a "stupidity tax." Plus a stamp in your pass...

Visiting Koh Samet: Thailand’s Worst-Kept Secret with the Best Sand-to-Tourist Ratio Koh Samet. The island that’s somehow both a beach escape and Bangkok’s unofficial weekend dumping ground. Want to leave the chaos of the city behind? Great! So does everyone else. But hey, at least the water’s blue, the sand is flour-soft, and the hangovers are surprisingly scenic. This place is ideal if you want that tropical island vibe but only have 2.5 brain cells of energy left after surviving Bangkok traffic. It’s close, it’s chaotic, it’s charming, and yes, it’s full of people who forgot sunscreen. Let’s break it down. Beaches: Choose Your Own (Sandy) Adventure Koh Samet isn’t huge, but it’s got a shocking number of beaches for a place that takes 20 minutes to scooter across. Hat Sai Kaew (Diamond Beach) – The main beach. The big one. The party central. Imagine Ibiza, but with more street meat and fewer rules. Jet skis, loud music, fire shows, and tourists burning like lobsters. Fun fo...

What Travel Guides Don’t Tell You About Visiting Thailand in Your 40s Ah, Thailand, the Land of Smiles, where backpackers fresh out of college survive on 30-cent noodles and questionable bucket drinks while you, a dignified adult in your 40s, suddenly realize your knees aren’t what they used to be.   Travel guides make it all sound so magical: pristine beaches, ancient temples, and street food that won’t send you sprinting to the nearest Western-style toilet. But what they don’t tell you is that Thailand in your 40s is less The Beach (Leo DiCaprio edition) and more The Hangover (extended director’s cut with more ibuprofen).   1. Your Backpacking Days Are Over (And So Is Your Dignity) Remember when you could sleep on a 12-hour overnight bus with no AC, sandwiched between a snoring German tourist and a chicken? Yeah, those days are gone. Now, you need at least a three-star hotel with a mattress that doesn’t feel like a yoga mat. And forget about dorm rooms unless you...