Every time when you arrive at a new place, beyond the obvious and natural excitement and the fun of discovering something we didn't know, you also need to know where we have arrived and adapt ourselves to the lifestyle and culture there. This does not mean that one should convert to Islam when going down to Sinai or become Catholic in Dublin, but it does mean that we are definitely required to respect the customary rules, certainly the law. It is also more pleasant for everyone, also makes your stay easier and in general gives a good name to the people, and the Israelis in particular.
Thailand It is a great country, and the Thais are generally welcoming, quiet, patient and tolerant. The cases we heard about are rare Vacation in Thailand That it was not fun or ended badly, of course assuming that the rules were followed and no one broke the rules. And yet, like anywhere in the world as mentioned, Thailand also has red lines that should not be crossed, and social rules, whether enshrined in law or not, that it is better to observe in order to enjoy a fun and satisfying vacation.
Get the important recommendations from us, if you keep them, there is no reason in the world that you won't return from Thailand very satisfied and with a taste for more.
First of all - essential information for anyone traveling in Thailand
Important phone numbers:
Police: 191
Tourist police: 115
Fire brigade: 199
Ambulance: 02-255-1133/6
What do we do if we lost our passport?
First of all, don't press 🙂
It happens, even to the best. If this happened to you too, go to the nearest police station to report and get a theft form, and then contact the Israeli embassy in Bangkok for further treatment.
Embassy of Israel in Thailand:
Address: Sukumvit Soi 19, Ocean Tower II, 25th floor
Reception: Monday to Friday, 12:00-10:00
Phone: +662-204-9210
Fax: +662-204-9255
Email: info@bangkok.mfa.gov.il
A Chabad house in Bangkok
Address: 108/1 Ram Butri Banglumpoo
Phone: +662-262-6388
Fax: +662-629-1153
general behavior
The prejudices you have about the Thais should be left in your suitcase, or even in a closet at home. Despite what it sometimes seems, the Thais are neither stupid nor innocent at all. They have eyes and ears like the rest of us, and they sometimes understand better than you think, even if you speak Hebrew above their heads. Most of them will perhaps be too polite to warn you, but the ones who will eat it will be the next Israelis who come into contact with them, whom they will not want to serve or host. In short, be nice, behave politely and respectfully. Just as you would like to be treated.
The Israeli method
Following on from the previous section, we pointed out that the Israeli method does not work in many places in the world outside of Israel, nor in Thailand. Yelling, nerves, knocking on the table and openly expressing anger are not accepted in Thailand with understanding, and it is likely that they will only make things more difficult for you. As every time you go on a trip, probably far from home, there may be breakdowns and problems. But nerves or raising your voice will not advance you one centimeter to their solution, but will only complicate the situation.
Bargaining on prices
We will emphasize at the very beginning that bargaining is for the sake of lowering the price in markets or shops To some extent it is legitimate and accepted, and the locals even expect it. There are places where it is even mandatory to bargain because the prices are high in advance because they expect bargaining. At the same time, always behave with respect and a smile towards the seller, even if you think he really went wild with the price. Rather, a smile and a pleasant conversation will help you much more to get a better price. In general, also think about when and whether you should bargain and for what. Sometimes it's not worth spending half an hour just to get a NIS 4 discount.
attitude towards women
The stigma on Thai women is well known, and it is never pleasant. But it is important to remember that even if it seems to you that all the women on the street are engaged in prostitution, statistics say that 1% of women in Thailand really do it. True, it is a lot, but it still means that 99% of women are not part of this industry. So, don't automatically label every woman a whore. It's disrespectful, disrespecting you, and if you behave inappropriately towards someone you could get into trouble, especially if she has a friend who will suddenly jump out of some side alley.
Speech
There are quite a few places that offer you a Hebrew-Tai conversation that claims to teach you some basic words for a short conversation. Get some friendly advice - don't even try. Haitian is a language based on tones (tonal), that is, the same word, with the same letters, can also be used in five different meanings, if it is said in a different tone. The chance that a local will understand what you want from him by using a colloquialism if you are not fluent in the language is slim, and even worse - he might understand something different from what you intended! Do yourself a favor, learn how to say hello (sawasdee) and thank you (kop khun), and do the rest in English. In the worst case they won't be able to understand you, but it won't be any different if you use an ineffective colloquialism.
Jet-ski rental
The thing about renting a jet ski in the islands It was written separately that the stories about scams and stings on this issue are numerous and affect tourists from all over the world, so much so that foreign embassies have already issued warning notices to their citizens arriving in Thailand. Most of the jet ski places belong to cartels, not to mention organized mafias that occasionally try to collect money from you for damages that you did not commit or deviations from the rental time that you did not exceed. Pay attention to this, photograph and document everything and in the worst case (although it's sad to say) - just pay and walk away. Your life or health is not worth a few hundred shekels.
Relation to religious symbols
After two hours in Thailand, you will immediately realize that the Thais attach a great deal of importance to religion and the symbols of the area - temples, monks and other religious symbols. Be very careful to respect the religious symbols of the locals and observe the customary rules: take off your shoes at the entrance to the temple, dress accordingly, keep the peace, do not touch the statues and that women do not approach the monks directly. This is their culture and tradition, and we are just guests there.
the king
Further to this, the royal family in Thailand is considered sacred and it is better not to mention or talk about it at all, certainly not with locals. Any speech or action that can be interpreted as contempt or disrespect towards the royal family can get you into trouble. is very. Even if you wanted to say something positive, it's enough that you didn't say the word in the right tone (as mentioned) or someone didn't understand your English, and you're in trouble. The king is also shown on the money bills, so even stepping on a bill unintentionally could upset whoever sees you. In short, do you want to talk about the royal family? Wait until you get home, and talk to your friends from the country.
head touch
For the Thais, the head is considered a noble organ, in fact the most noble in the human body. Therefore, it is forbidden to touch him, even if you want to express affection. There may be some who have gotten used to Western tourists and will understandably accept a head pat from a cute boy, but in general it is better to avoid it.
The palms and handshake
The accepted greeting in Thailand is to put the palms together at the level of the face (Wai). It is customary for a young person to advance the blessing to an older person. If you greet the locals like this, they will welcome you back, just don't go overboard and greet every person on the street. As for shaking hands, it is less common in Thailand and if they didn't extend their hand to you, don't be the one to initiate a handshake.
feet
Unlike the head, the lower end of the body, i.e. the feet, is considered the most inferior part of the human body in Thailand, so do not use the foot at all to touch, bring closer, point or move something. Anything. If you sit low, put your feet close to you, and try not to point them towards another person. It expresses disdain and disrespect.
Drugs
We don't know what you were told about Thailand, and what you are used to from other places, but drugs are completely prohibited in Thailand, and there is zero tolerance on the subject. Even a joint may send you to prison for up to 5 years, and for harder drugs the penalties climb accordingly in an engineering column. also At the Full Moon parties, or elsewhere, even though there seems to be a free flow of drugs around, the police keep an eye out and if someone decides they're dressing you up, you're in for trouble. The fact that there are hundreds of other people around you who haven't been caught doesn't mean anything. A little "hey" is not worth the years you will spend in a Thai prison because of it. Have fun, spend time. Stay away from drugs in Thailand.
Observance of the laws in general
Listen, this isn't Singapore here and you won't be arrested for throwing a match or spitting on the sidewalk, but like in any developing country the Thai police make a living from people trying to be smart. No one would mess with high-class locals, but foreigners are easy prey, especially when they don't know the rules. The police know that one night in detention will be enough for the tourist to raise enough money to release him from detention without delay, and many times build on that. The best way to avoid this is to simply know the law and follow it. No need for a close lawyer or piles of money in the bank. Only respect for others and common sense. This will be enough for you to enjoy a wonderful trip!
