Couple visiting Thailand for the first time

[Guest hueydavid]

Hi everyone, we are a couple travelling to Thailand for the first time and was hoping to seek some advice from other seasoned travellers. We've done alot of research with contradicting opinions.

 

Some of our questions are:

- Will it be frowned upon if we walk on the street holding hands?

- What are some good bar/club/shows - we were told DJ station is a must-visit but wondering if there are other local favourites.

- Any good holes in the wall (restaurants, bars etc) thats worth exploring.

 

Thanks for the help guys!

[Guest hueydavid]

Oh forgot to mention that we'll be in Bangkok. Also is there any other Thai customs that we should know about?

We'll be there in May and typically in summer we're in shorts and tank tops quite often but it seems alot of sites suggest we wear long pants?

 

Thanks in advance!

[traveller123]

The Royal Palace and Temples will insist you wear long pants but they will loan you something to wear over your shorts to conform.

 

In the locations of the gay bars it is not unusual to see guys holding hands but you don't see it away from those areas.

My own opinion is that Thais are quite conservative in public displays of affection.

[DivineMadman]

- Tank tops uncommon except on foreign visitors.  Note that the Royal Palace also forbids tank tops (in addition to shorts).   But apart from temples wearing shorts is fine. 

 

- Holding hands is fine.  More overt PDA's are frowned upon, regardless of orientation.

 

- Maggie Choo's is fun, but some people find the staff off-putting.  https://www.facebook.com/maggiechoos

 

- If you want to try a restaurant to splurge on, you might consider La Table de Tee.  1,250 baht (approx $35) per person.   http://www.latabledetee.com/index.php

 

-  Somtum Der is very good for Isaan food.  It's right on Saladaaeng.  They have a few things you might not be able to find on the street and no worries about sanitation.

 

-  A visit to any one of the many sky bars is hokey, and the drinks are expensive, but can be fun I think.  Bangkok also has bunch of "secret" bars if you're into that.  google "bangkok secret bars"

 

-  For the youngs, a visit to one of the Thai clubs would be a lot of fun and very highly recommended.  I think Fake Club is currently the hot one.  https://www.facebook.com/fakeclubthenextgen    You might find this more fun than DJ Station.

 

- You might want to pick a bar or possibly two on Soi Twilight and catch the show.  People seem to flock to Dream Boys.  It's the most expensive.  Personally I don't think the show is that great.  But many seem to like it.  It seems to pack in the crowds.  I like the show at Fresh Boys for energy and a good mix.  The bars change up their shows a bit so it can be hit or miss.  The last time I was at X-Boys I thought the show was a flop.  The time before that it was very good.  Go figure.  A month or two ago there was full on fucking at Hot Male show.  Don't know if they have had to stop that.

 

Have fun

[anddy]

Hi guys,

welcome to Thailand. As a general rule, just be friendly and smile a lot and you will have a great time for sure. 

 

to your questions:

 

- don't worry about holding hands. While traveller123 is right that Thais are quite conservative regarding public displays of affection, this is not much of an issue in Bangkok. In the countryside, even straight couples wouldn't really do it. But in Bangkok I see it all the time, straight couples, lesbian couples (quite often in fact), and to a lesser extent gay couples. In the "gay area" of Silom, nobody cares at all. In other areas, people may find it odd, but this is Bangkok and again, nobody really cares. And even if they do care, they ignore it rather than do or say something, because (a) they want to avoid confrontation (this a a very confrontation-averse culture) and (b) avoid making you lose face for your faux-pas. And on top of all that, foreginers are forgiven many a cultural faux pas simply because they are foreigners and don't know any better.

Maybe just don't do it inside a place like the Grand Palace, but that's about as far as I would go.

 

- Bar/clubs/shows: well depends on what you like. A usual night out routine is go to the Bars of the almost entirely gay SIlom Soi 4 (it is a short dead-end Soi (Soi = Thai for small street) maybe 100m long only) first for drinks (mostly outside seating with great people watching). Then continue on to the 100% gay Silom Soi 2, which is actually not really a Soi/street in the real sense of the word but an opening between to adjacent buidlings. It is less than 50m deep and houses 5 or 6 gay bars as well as the famous DJ Station (in the far corner). When that closes (depending on the day of the week and the current mood of the local police, sometime between 2 and 3 am) everyone moves on to G.O.D. (standing for Guys On Display) in Silom Soi 2/1, which is just a block from Soi 2 in the direction of Soi 4 (i.e. between the two). That is open until around 5 (give or take).

So you see this is all very condensed and makes for super easy bar hopping. 

 

Shows: what kind of shows do you have in mind?

DJ Station has a drag show I think at about 11:30 or midnight.

Then there are the boy shows and boy bars of Soi Twilight (off of Surawong Road, which runs parallel to Silom and is a max 5 minute walk away), which is an entirely different scene from Silom Sois 2 and 4. Here everything is about commercial sex, and the shows are sexy boy shows, depending on the current Police mood including some actual fuck shows. This forum is mostly about that commercial sex trade. There is nothing wrong with that and many western misconceptions about prostitution should be thrown overboard.

 

Then there is a whole other gay area along Ratchada Road (where Fake Club mentioned in the post before is), but that is almost entirely local and hardly any foreigner finds his way there. Tat may be fun, but my feeling is for first timers like you, the Silom area is probably the place to go, lots of fun, and lots of local guys who like an international scene are there as well.

 

- holes in the wall restaurants: there are so many you can't even begin to even think about recommending any. I'd just venture to mention two places:

 

A popular place at night when/after going to DJ Station is a Khao Man Gai (chicken rice) stall right outside Silo Soi 2 (you literally stumble on it as you exit Soi 2). Thais seem to be hungry 24/7, so this is super busy especially around 1-3 am.

 

One of my personal favorites is a street food restaurant in Silom Soi 9, right the first one on the corner as you enter the Soi from the main Road, very easy to find. They have a full menu of many many favorite Thai dishes including Tom Yam Goong, curries, Pad Grapaow (chopped up meat (usually chicken of pork) fried with chili and Thai basil leaves), etc etc. Their HIGHLY recommended specialty though is steamed fish in a spicy lemon sauce (you can specify the degree of spicyness), the best in town. And CHEAP to boot (I think the fish is only 200 Baht, or less than USD 6). The Thai way of dining is to order several dishes and share them among everyone, so that's what you should do to be able to sample various dishes at the same time. The food at Soi 9 is amazing and you will be shocked as to how low the bill will be. They do have a menu in English as well as a picture-menu on a Samsung tablet, though the English menu unfortunately is only a shortened version of the actual, more comprehensive menu in Thai. I take ALL my foreign visitors there an everyone LOVES it.

 

- shorts and tank tops: not an issue, just in temples and such, so maybe bring some light long pants (or buy a pair of the light very loose one on sale at the street market in Silom at night for max 200 Baht hich tourists like to wear). At the Grand Palace appropriate pants can (and must( be borrowed, not sure about shirts, so maybe better bring a regular t-shirt for this one and other temples. 

 

 

Other customs: probably many, but as said above, just being friendly and smiling goes a long way in Thailand. And don't use the "wai" to greet or thank anyone, as you are 99.9% guaranteed to use it in a wrong way and with a wrong person. Simple friendliness is sufficient for the foreigner. 

Wai: pressing the palms of the hands against each other and raising them towards the face. 

 

[anddy]

If you wanna meet up maybe, PM me

[kokopelli]

Shorts are ok but proper shorts not beachwear. Tank tops may be ok in Pattaya but really gauche anywhere else. I suppose if you are young and hot then that might be a plus somewhere?

[williewillie]

Koko on target. Anything goes in Pattaya.

There's never an excuse for old farangs to wear short shorts and have their balls hang out.

[TomNg]

Hi Anddy,

 

Do you remember the name of the street food restaurant you recommended on soi 9? I want to try it when i have a chance. Thanks

 

Btw, the guy with the "wai" is hot :-)

[Guest hueydavid]

Wow this is a lot of great information. Thanks so much guys.

 

We'll try to keep PDA minimal. we don't want to get into any sort of confrontation but sometimes we subconciously hold hands without realizing. Good to know that Thai people are non-confrontational .

 

One more question regarding street food sanitary: my husband doesnt have the strongest of stomach, will he be okay eating street food or we shouldnt risk it?

[ChristianPFC]

The Royal Palace and Temples will insist you wear long pants but they will loan you something to wear over your shorts to conform.

(my underline) An awkward and time consuming process which I had to endure once.

 

The Royal Palace will not let you in in shorts and tank tops. In other temples, there is often a board with a note about polite dress, but I often see Thais in shorts, sometimes basecaps, so that does not seem to be a problem.

 

I get sunburn easily, when I go out in daytime I use an umbrella or cover my body completely, even wear gloves. I look like one of these women in burka.

 

I don't know how sensitive you are to second hand smoke, but I am. In Silom Soi 4 outside seating you will be subjected to a lot. Some gogo bars are non-smoking, others allow smoking. DJ station has smoking room. GOD allows smoking inside, and customers make ample use of it.

 

Regarding street food: I was never able to trace my stomach problems to a particular place or dish I had, but reading on the forums, it seems to be rather the more expensive places that can have a hygiene problem.

One of my personal favorites is a street food restaurant in Silom Soi 9, right the first one on the corner as you enter the Soi from the main Road, very easy to find. They have a full menu of many many favorite Thai dishes including Tom Yam Goong, curries, Pad Grapaow (chopped up meat (usually chicken of pork) fried with chili and Thai basil leaves), etc etc. Their HIGHLY recommended specialty though is steamed fish in a spicy lemon sauce (you can specify the degree of spicyness), the best in town. And CHEAP to boot (I think the fish is only 200 Baht, or less than USD 6). The Thai way of dining is to order several dishes and share them among everyone, so that's what you should do to be able to sample various dishes at the same time. The food at Soi 9 is amazing and you will be shocked as to how low the bill will be. They do have a menu in English as well as a picture-menu on a Samsung tablet, though the English menu unfortunately is only a shortened version of the actual, more comprehensive menu in Thai. I take ALL my foreign visitors there an everyone LOVES it.

Checking on map, I have walked past many times. And as I like fish in lemon sauce (but only little chili), I will try it there some day.

[Moses]

One more question regarding street food sanitary: my husband doesnt have the strongest of stomach, will he be okay eating street food or we shouldnt risk it?

 

About 75-80% of visitors have problem with diarrhea at time of first visit. Even people who don't eat at street stalls meet that problem. Just bring enough Imodium with you. It is "one-time" effect, Imodium will help just in 30-60 minutes.

[kokopelli]

Sorry  Moses, but don't count on Imodium to take care of the "shits". Some of the food poisoning I have had is severe and no amount of Imodium is going to solve the problem.  Best advice is to take, in case of severe poisoning , is  a Z pack (azithromycin (Rx)Zithromax Zmax) and take 1000 mg on first dose. You can google for dosage info.

 

But can get food poisoning from any source not just street food. Actually not ever had a problem with street food.

[williewillie]

Some farangs refuse ice cubes with their drinks and believe one can get sick from ice cubes. Other won't eat salads.

If a restaurant is filthy, don't eat there.

Maybe one gets used to the microbes after being here for a long time. I haven't

had a problem in years and use ice cubes, eat salad greens and lots of Thai food.

[Moses]

Sorry  Moses, but don't count on Imodium to take care of the "shits". Some of the food poisoning I have had is severe and no amount of Imodium is going to solve the problem.  Best advice is to take, in case of severe poisoning , is  a Z pack (azithromycin (Rx)Zithromax Zmax) and take 1000 mg on first dose. You can google for dosage info.

 

But can get food poisoning from any source not just street food. Actually not ever had a problem with street food.

 

I never do advise to take antibiotics. Azithromicin is antibiotic and it isn't safe to take it without doctor prescription. Most of diarrhea cases in Thailand aren't result of poisoning, but mainly they are result of lack of necessary bacterias in our stomach for utilization of domestic food... That why almost everyone has diarrhea at time of first visit but almost nobody has it at second and next visits.

 

It is hard to explain in English for me. We all have bacterias-symbiotic: probiotics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic). People at each territory has own specific set of such bacterias - they are living in our bodies and help us to use food - prepare it for utilization by our body and at the same time feed themself by this food. If we will move to territory with big difference in food most of us will have problem with local food: we haven't necessary set of probiotics for utilization of local food. At time of first visit we will get such local set of micro-flora and next visits to the same area will be OK then.

 

Antibiotics will kill local bacterias but also will kill  your own probiotics and then you can meet disbiosis ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysbiosis ). That why is important first try imodium (it makes no harm to your own probiotics) and only then use antibiotics if in 1 hour imodium doesnt help.

 

Sorry for poor English.

[vinapu]

No reason to be paranoid as food quality and safety in Thailand is good but as wise heads above stated one needs to get adjusted to local bacteria. 

 

First  contact with Thai food should not be on the street  but rather your first and second try should be in one of ubiquitous slightly westernized Thai restaurants, say Maxi's or Dick's in soi Twilight. 

 

Than when moving to street food start with sampling something  vegetarian - fruits, banana pancake , rice with vegetables. 

 

Only then try one of those tasty snacks on the stick and you should be ok, Drink lots of beer and local non-alcoholic drinks, forget about western brands, you can infuse  yourself with them at home I guess. Eat street food on busy streets where it has little chance of spoiling.

 

Don't deprive yourself of all those treats out of fear of poisoning , just take it slowly.

 

The same goes with bars and boys , you don't need to visit all bars in one night, soak in an atmosphere and remember this is your only chance to be there for  a first time.

 

After your first visit you will be expert  dispensing your advice to new cohort of newbies right here on this forum as a way of repaying of what you got from here.

[Guest hueydavid]

That's great advice vinapu thanks we'll try to slowly ease in with the food .

 

Also Im guessing farang is the Thai word for white people? From reading the forum it seems Thai guys are really into white guys yea? My husband is so gonna enjoy all the attention he'll be getting haha.

 

One last question how does it work at a go-go bar? Is it similar to a western strip club where you can get private lap dances? Would my husband and I be able to get a lap dance together?

[Guest abang1961]

The usual advice..Get acclimatized with the weather and crowd first

 

Drink bottled water ..avoid ice and ask for cold beer instead.

Eat in better food shops ... avoid raw food

Eat in roadside stalls only when you can see the hawker preparing the dish right in front of you.

Dont try tom yum soup (seafood in clear broth but has a minimal spicy/lemon-y taste) on your first day...

The safest and most economical meals are found in food courts - Siam Paragon basement food court has one of the better fare.

 

If all fails, remember this phrase "mai phet" (no spicy) or "phet nit noi" (a little spicy).

Enjoy the food and Chang beer.

"Sanuk" (have fun) on your trip... and don't forget to praise the boys "Narak" (cute/adorable)

[vinapu]

 

Drink bottled water ..avoid ice and ask for cold beer instead.

 

only animals are drinking water, beer should be your water of choice

[vinapu]

One last question how does it work at a go-go bar? Is it similar to a western strip club where you can get private lap dances? Would my husband and I be able to get a lap dance together?

forget about lap dance in the bar in a western sense. In some bars may be room upstairs where you can take  a boy  / boy means anybody available in the bar and in some bars "boys" may be well past prime but still will be called boys and they have their takers still /.

 

Normal procedure is to off boy / ie. take him from the bar after paying 'off fee' / and either take him to your hotel or short time room where he can do lap dance or whatever you agree upon. Make sure he understands there are two of you, he will be expecting higher tip or outright refuse to go with both of you.  If you need translation this is what 'mamasans' are for in the bar but if possible try to deal with the boy directly. buy him a drink and tell him what you want.

 

Don't be shy, they heard it all before and much more and if you tell boy that you only need him for  a private lap dance he will be still expecting full tip.

[Guest whall]

Stay away from the ice. I'm pretty sure that's what got me sick. Bring immodium for sure.

 

Don't hold hands in public outside of the gay area. Not worth the risk.

[traveller123]

Sometimes you see bitching etc on this site by some individuals and then you see a thread like this where members take the time to post detailed and helpful advice to fellow members.

It makes you appreciate there are a lot of good guys on this forum.

Happy Songkran everybody.

[ggobkk]

My first trip to Thailand, two generations ago, I was quickly sent to the toilet by something I ate.  The next visit, a generation later, I survived until the last day when I took a river cruise and had some food from the food table.  In the past two years, things have been better.  The link is to an article from the NY Times that I've found helpful in traveling and dealing with local food.  It's by Jane Brody  

 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/22/staying-healthy-while-traveling-the-globe/?ref=topics&_r=0

[kokopelli]

I never do advise to take antibiotics. Azithromicin is antibiotic and it isn't safe to take it without doctor prescription. Most of diarrhea cases in Thailand aren't result of poisoning, but mainly they are result of lack of necessary bacterias in our stomach for utilization of domestic food... That why almost everyone has diarrhea at time of first visit but almost nobody has it at second and next visits.

 

Yes,,I understand. I only use Azrithromicin when I have vomiting along with diarrhea. When you think you are going to die from the symptoms. 

[Guest abang1961]

only animals are drinking water, beer should be your water of choice

Dear dear,

Coffee, tea and alcoholic drinks are diuretic.

These beverages and drinks makes you urinate more.

Beer tends to dehydrate the body as the liver needs to break it down.

 

It's actually thought that if you drink 200 ml of beer, that you don't just urinate 200 ml of water. You actually urinate 320 ml of water, which is a 120 ml of dehydration.  So please remember to drink plenty of bottled water daily - bring a 500ml bottle of water in your bag.

 

Stay hydrated in Thailand and enjoy a good trip.