Thailand - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Kreng Jai: When Being Polite Becomes a Full-Time Job In Thailand, politeness isn’t just good manners, it’s a philosophy. Known as kreng jai , this cultural code guides how Thais avoid causing inconvenience or offense to others. It creates harmony, warmth, and occasionally, total emotional chaos and destruction. Read on to find out what happens when being “(too?) considerate” runs your life and what we can all learn from it. If you’ve ever been to Thailand, you’ve probably noticed that the people are absurdly nice. The kind of nice that feels almost supernatural. They’ll smile while stuck in traffic, apologize for things that weren’t their fault, and offer you the last mango sticky rice even though they haven’t eaten all day. This isn’t because Thais are saints (though some might be). It’s because of a deeply ingrained cultural concept called kreng jai (เกรงใจ), which loosely translates to “consideration mixed with a touch of self-suppression and mild existential crisis.” What is Kre...

Bangkok’s Blinged-Out Temples (and a Few Hidden Gems): How to Sweat Your Way to Enlightenment Guest Contributor: Fabulous Firefly  If you think “temple-hopping” sounds serene and reflective, you haven’t done it in Bangkok, a city where “spiritual journey” meets “personal sauna.” Still, the temples here are jaw-dropping: gold-tipped, mosaic-covered, incense-scented masterpieces that make you forget (for about 3 seconds) how hot it is. Here’s your guide to the must-see holy hot spots, plus a few lesser-known gems for when you want to escape the selfie-stick crowds and actually hear your own prayers. 👑 1. The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) Mood: “Royal vibes and divine drip.” This is the Beyoncé of Bangkok temples: everyone wants a piece of it. The Grand Palace is so shiny you’ll need sunglasses, and Wat Phra Kaew houses the Emerald Buddha that was stolen from Laos in 1779, a petite yet powerful icon with three seasonal outfits changed personally by...

Thailand vs. Cambodia: The World’s Pettiest Border War Ah yes, the famous Thailand–Cambodia border “conflict.” You’d think it’s about something serious like oil fields, gold, maybe even national security. Nope. It’s about a temple and some wasteland . Not a new temple, not one under construction, but an ancient ruin that’s been sitting there for nearly a thousand years , collecting moss and tourists with selfie sticks. Welcome to Preah Vihear Temple and its immediate surroundings , or as it’s known in diplomatic circles: “That Thing We’re Still Arguing About.” The Temple with a Thousand Years of Drama So here’s the story: the Khmer Empire built this majestic temple long before Thailand was even Thailand. Fast forward to modern times and suddenly both sides want to claim it. The International Court of Justice even said decades ago, “Guys, it’s Cambodia’s.” But Thailand replied with the diplomatic equivalent of, “Yeah, but the stairs are ours.” Because yes, what we have here is es...

The Great Hidden Gem Hunt in Thailand: Spoiler Alert, They’re Not Hidden Every tourist landing in Bangkok has the same dream: “I’m not like the others. I’m here for the real Thailand. The hidden gems. The untouched places.” That’s right. You, fresh off the plane in elephant-print harem pants, believe you are the Indiana Jones of Southeast Asia. You will boldly go where no tourist has ever gone before, along with the other 10,000 backpackers who read the same blog post last night. In fact, if you scroll travel forums, you’ll always find the same question: “Where can I go in Thailand that’s non-touristy?” As if the 70 million locals all live in the shadows while you get to stroll around discovering the “secret Thailand” like it’s a limited-edition treasure chest. Locals usually answer with polite patience, but the truth is: if you’re asking on a forum with 200 replies, the place is already touristy. Let’s start with the mountains of Chiang Mai. Somewhere, someone will whisper about a hid...

🇹🇭 Thailand in One Month: The “You'll Need A Holiday After This” Itinerary Guest Contributor: Fabulous Firefly  Thirty days. Seventeen buses. Four tuk-tuk scams. Two missed trains. One questionable tattoo. You're doing Thailand the hardcore backpacker way, the kind of trip that makes your calves cry, your backpack straps smell, and your Instagram followers jealous. PSA: There's no need to follow the route below blindly. Be creative and flexible. Create your own adventure. Also, be aware that this is an itinerary for travelers who want to see it all in a fairly short time, for those who love a combination of road trip, culture, beaches and temples; and for those who don't want to do the traditional Bangkok-Chiang Mai-Phuket itinerary by air. Let’s go. 📍 Days 1–3: Bangkok – Chaos & Cheap Noodles Arrive. Immediately get hit by heat, humidity, and 11 taxi drivers asking “Where you go?” Visit the Grand Palace, get scolded for wearing shorts. Khao San Road initiation: ...

Khao San Road Survival Guide: How to Lose Your Dignity and Find Cheap Booze Khao San Road isn’t really a road. It’s a rite of passage. Backpackers call it “home,” locals call it “a zoo,” and every tuk-tuk driver within a 5 km radius calls it “profit.” Whether you’re here for one night or get stuck for three months “finding yourself,” here’s how to survive Bangkok’s most infamous street. 1. The Backpacker Welcome Ritual The second you arrive, you’ll see: - Someone with dreadlocks playing guitar badly - Someone else selling scorpion-on-a-stick - A tuk-tuk driver offering a “special price” tour to see ping pong shows  And three people who came for one night 15 years ago and never left. Congratulations. You’re officially in Khao San. 2. The Dress Code: None Shirts? Optional. Flip-flops? Mandatory. Pants? Debatable. The uniform is basically elephant-print harem pants, a Chang Beer singlet, and a sunburn that could guide ships to shore. 3. The Buckets of Doom Beer flows freely and is ava...

Yaowarat Survival Guide: How to Eat Like a Local Without Dying Like a Tourist Bangkok’s Chinatown, better known as Yaowarat, is not just a street but rather a gladiator arena for your stomach and your camera. Here’s how to survive the chaos, eat like a pro, and maybe even see something other than the inside of your noodle bowl. 1. Rule of the Sidewalk: There Is No Sidewalk Forget what you know about sidewalks. In Yaowarat, they are: - Half street-food kitchen, - Half dining room, - Half motorbike racetrack. Yes, that’s three halves. Don’t argue with the math; just try not to spill your noodle soup while dodging a scooter. 2. The Plastic Stool Olympics If you’re lucky, you’ll get a tiny plastic stool and table. If you’re unlucky, you’ll eat standing up, balancing a soup bowl like a contestant on Fear Factor. Either way, crouch low, stay humble, and accept that the stool may collapse under you at any second. 3. Don’t Trust the Queue, Trust the Chaos Some stalls have long lines of tourist...

Trash Talk: Thailand’s Never-Ending Battle with Waste If Thailand’s politics are a soap opera, then waste management is the tragicomedy spin-off. It has all the drama, none of the happy endings, and the main villain is a plastic bag that refuses to die. Season 1: The Plastic Bag Apocalypse For decades, every purchase in Thailand came with not one, but seven plastic bags. Buy a bottle of water? Bag. A single banana? Bag. A pack of chewing gum? Double-bag it, just in case the gum escapes. By the time you walk out of 7-Eleven, you look like you’re preparing for a three-week jungle expedition. Season 2: The Big Ban (Sort Of) Then one day, the plot twisted: some supermarkets and big-name stores finally said, no more free plastic bags! Shoppers looked shocked. Panic erupted. Tote bags, woven baskets, even pillowcases were suddenly pressed into service. People proudly carried their groceries home in style, until they remembered the fresh fish they’d just bought was now dripping juice through ...