Advice for visitors to Chiang Mai Thailand

allthai · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Chiang Mai Thailand

:wink: Many guide books on Thailand only partially cover the subject of health and well-being while traveling in the country, so I would like to give you some advice about transportation, protocol, health, and the law. Hopefully it will help you to enjoy your travels in Northern Thailand.

When you arrive in Chiangmai, it helps to know a bit about transportation within the city. At the airport, train station, or bus station, you will probably be met by the representatives of various guesthouses and hotels and tour operators. If you have a specific place in mind and you don't see the specific signboard, you can always call the place to have someone pick you up from the train station, airport, or bus arcade depot. Taxis are available at the airport, with a price of 150 baht to most destinations.

The common vehicles of public transportation are more varied than public buses. The terms 'dtoog dtoog' and 'sarmlor' are open-air, three-wheel vehicles, and 'zeelor' and 'songthaew' describe vehicles with four wheels. Whenever you get in a 'dtoog dtoog', 'zeelor', or 'samlor', you should make sure that they take you where you want to go. Often the drivers work on commission and may tell you that the place you want to go is dirty, closed, or full if they don't have a previous agreement with the place you have in mind. Always negotiate the price before you get in a dtoog dtoog or samlor. A zeelor ride should cost 15 Baht on a regular route, more if you hire it out to go somewhere out of the way.

The best way to get around Chiangmai is by 'songthaew'. These are covered pick-up trucks with two benches in the back. “Songthaew” means “two benches” in Thai. You will see them everywhere, and it's easy to get them to pick you up. All you need to do is to put your arm out and look at the driver, and they will stop. Then tell the driver which street you want to go to, and if he is going that way, he will shake his head "yes"; if not, he will say "no" and go on. Don’t worry—there will be another one right behind him. When the driver turns down the street you want, start looking for where you want to get off and press the switch located on the roof of the cab. The driver will pull over, let you out, and then you pay him. The fare should be 20 Thai baht or less (around 50 cents). If you tell the driver a hotel or establishment, he will think you want to hire him for a private trip, and the price will be much more. Negotiate any price beforehand if you want to go to an establishment.

The "Songthaew"

Thai culture and their way of thinking
Meeting and making friends with different people is an exciting part of travel anywhere. In Northern Thailand, it helps to know a bit of the language and something about the protocol. To say "hello", say "Sawasdee Krup" for men and "Sawasdee Kha" for women. To learn more Thai before you come, an excellent free teaching website can be found at http://www.learningthai.com/. You will gain loads of respect from the Thai people if you learn just the basics.

The Thais put a lot of emphasis on manners, so it's a good idea to learn to say "Thank you". In Thai, it's "Kob Khun", followed by "Krup" or "Kha" for women. The "wai" made by placing your palms together in front of the upper chest is the traditional Thai gesture of greeting or respect, and the gesture is always appreciated. The custom is that younger people "wai" elders first, so let the children and persons you think are younger than you "wai" before you "wai" them.

The Thai "Wai"

The Thai people have several customs that are important to remember to avoid causing offense. Never touch the head, because it is the most sacred part of the body. The feet are the lowliest part, so don't point them at others or rest them above ground level. Never stop a rolling Thai Baht coin or any type of Thai currency with your foot, as the money here has a picture of the king on it.

Respect for the king and religious customs is another important part of Thai protocol. They have great respect for the royal family, the flag, and anything with an image of the king, including the money. When you visit a Buddhist temple, you should always remove your shoes before entering any buildings. Men should wear long pants, and women should wear knee-length or longer skirts. Women are not allowed to touch monks or make prolonged eye contact with them. Do not sit on the walls surrounding the jedee, which contains the temple's sacred relics of the Buddha.

Don't display your anger, because the Thais will think you uncultured, and ranting will get you nowhere. Smile and think "no problem". Thais do not like confrontation, so getting angry will get you nowhere in Thailand. Here is an example:

Let’s say you arrive at your hotel and want a nice, hot shower or bath. You turn on the tap and find the hot water is not working. What most people would do is call the front desk and complain, and if you are tired, you might raise your voice a little, saying, “The hot water doesn’t work—what’s the problem?” It might take a long time before someone comes to check it out, if at all. What you should do is say, “I don’t know how to get the hot water turned on in my room; would you please have someone show me?” Someone will come to your room within a minute or two to check it out.

Important Do's and Don'ts
Thailand is a country of gourmands. Eating out is one the nation's favorite activities, and knowing a bit of table manners will help you appear more civilized. Waiters and waitresses in Thailand are trained to take your entire order. When they take the order, they will often ask "one", which is their way of asking whether they got it correctly or not. The entire meal is customarily served at the same time, but the empty dishes are removed one by one. Some street-side restaurants will not remove any dishes or bottles until you finish your meal. This is because they do not write down your order. They shout your order to the cook, and after the meal, they will count the plates and bottles and figure out the bill then.

Chiangmai and the north have plenty of night entertainment available. It runs the gamut from restaurants to nightclubs, discos, or video bars. Thai people are often as interested in meeting you as you might be in meeting them, but one should exercise discretion and sometimes a bit of caution, especially in matters of the heart. In romantic situations, Westerners and Thais both occasionally get hurt. The best advice is to think with your head AND your heart. Enjoy yourself, but be very adult about any given situation.

Many visitors to Chiangmai enjoy taking trips outside the city. We recommend these trips highly, but don't forget to bring a few extras in case of emergency. Flashlights and extra batteries, as well as film and camera batteries, are recommended, as are matches or a lighter. Jackets may be needed for the cold evenings, and don't forget a first-aid kit and the ever-important toilet paper for emergencies. Ear plugs are a good idea if staying overnight in a hill tribe village, as the roosters can be very loud at 3am.

Keeping healthy on holiday is essential. If you feel ill, it's probably a good idea to see a doctor in one of Chiangmai's clinics or hospitals. If you are worried that you may have come down with malaria, Chiangmai has an excellent malaria clinic. There you can get a 30-minute test. For more information, call the Regional Center at 222275. Whatever you do, don't take chances with your health while traveling away from home.

While Chiangmai is a great place to visit, just like any other city, crime is never on holiday when you are. Theft seems to be the most common tourist-targeted crime, and this includes credit cards and passports. How about carrying half your cash in a body money belt? If you must leave your passport or credit cards anywhere for safekeeping, we recommend using a safety deposit box in one of the local banks or your hotel. Do not give anyone valuables to put in a safe. Make sure you both have a key to the safety box and a list of items that you put in. When you go trekking, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) suggests that a photocopy of your passport is acceptable identification to carry on the trek.

Every visitor should be well-informed about Thailand's laws on illegal drugs. Drugs that are illegal in your home country are just as illegal in Thailand. There are no "recreational" drugs in Thailand. The list of banned substances includes marijuana and hashish, as well as opium, heroine, and cocaine. Unfortunately, some people come to Northern Thailand with the impression that the use of some drugs is okay. This is a misguided and very wrong impression. There are now undercover police in hill tribe villages, and you will get caught. Naiveté is not an excuse in court. There is extreme danger in buying or using drugs in Northern Thailand, and we hope all visitors will keep this in mind. The laws are very strict, and the punishment is not pleasant.

The advice given on this page is by no means comprehensive, but it presents many of the fundamental cautions that will help you get the most out of your trip to this beautiful country. If you would like more detailed medical or health information, please speak with a doctor or other trained professional. For legal or travel safety information, contact the Chiangmai Tourist Police.[/b]

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Wow, thank you so much for this great article!

allthai · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Chiang Mai Thailand

Do you ever wonder why there are so many Thai restaurants and food stalls in Chiangmai? I did, and my Thai wife explains it like this. Why stay home and cook when you can get ready-to-eat food that is cheaper than cooking at home?

Most Thais do not cook at home unless they have a big family. By the time you go to the market for fresh ingredients, prepare and cook and eat the food, hours have been wasted. Most of the ingredients last only a day or so, so much gets thrown out. The price of cooking gas just to cook for two persons is not worth it. So Thais get their food from vendors to take home or go to a restaurant. If you look into a refrigerator in a Thai home you would probably find only water and drinks.

I would like to explain how to find and choose very good Thai restaurants or food vendor so you don't get sick or ill. Once you have been in Thailand a while, your body will adjust and you will be able to eat almost anything, anywhere. Even my Thai wife gets stomach problems from eating bad food at times and she admits she is not as picky as I when it comes to choosing a food vendor or restaurant but she’s learning.

When choosing a good Thai restaurant, the first thing we think about is taste. During the lunch hour or dinnertime, we look for a restaurant that is full of Thai people. If the restaurant is full of tourists and no Thai people, we know the food is prepared for the foreigner’s taste buds and not real Thai food.

Is the food prepared fresh or is it sitting out like a buffet? Is meat hanging in a glass box or in a covered heated pot? Next I look at the tables and floor - are they clean with no flies? Are paper napkins thrown all over the floor? This is where most people get stomach problems. The food looks great sitting out, but how long has it been there? If the food has been prepared an hour or more ahead of time, you can get very ill. If it is not prepared fresh, stay away from it.

Service at a small Thai restaurant or food stall is much different than what most foreigners are used to. Many places do not have a menu and specialize in a certain type food. Some may just serve noodle dishes and some just rice dishes. Their menu will be written on a poster on the wall.

After you have told your waiter or waitress your order they will probably repeat it back to you and ask the question "One". This means do I have the order correctly not the number one. You will also notice that they do not write your order down but just tell the cook.

As you eat your food and drink your drinks you will notice that they do not remove empty plates or bottles from your table even if you order a second helping or additional dishes.
This does not mean they are lazy. Because they don't write your order down on paper they need to keep all the dishes and drink bottles at your table. When it is time to pay your bill the staff will count the plates and bottles on your table and add the total.

Pay attention as they do this so you don't get over charged. That happens very rarely but it does happen. They will then tell you the total price. Please don't split up the table order and say "I am only paying for my food" not his or hers or theirs. This is very confusing for the Thais and takes up a lot of their time and change for larger bills. In Thailand one person pays for everyone and they figure it out who owes who how much latter.

Another thing is tipping. If you plan to come back to this restaurant it is a good idea to leave a nice tip. My wife and I always leave at least a 20 baht for a simple lunch. Everytime we return we are well taken care of and first.

One important thing to remember is that ice that is round with a hole in it is OK. Stay away from shaved or block ice. I have seen many people sitting drinking hot bottled water or soft drink when they didn't have to because they don't trust the ice.

Here is a short streaming video of my wife and I at our local Monday market.

My wife Ning eating a grasshopper in the market.

Enjoy,
Randy and Ning

allthai · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Chiang Mai Thailand

We just got back from a 6 day noth Thailand Experience. The first couple of days were at Doi Inthanon National Park. We then traveled to an elephant camp and spent the evening in a Lisu hill tribe village. We then visited Chiang Dao Cave Shrine and Wat Thaton Temple and overnight in Thaton. We then traveled on to Chiang Rai stopping at many hill tribe villages along the way.

The highlight of our trip was the night in the Lisu village. There were tens of thousands of Fire Flies as far as you could see with beautiful clear skies. There is no electricity in the village so the stars were fantastic to view. We danced traditional dance with the Lisu people while they played there musical instruments.

Anyway here is the video in two parts except for Doi Inthanon which I will post in this thread later. I only wish I could of shot more video but my batteries ran out of power. Also the Fire Flies didn't give off enough light to film.

North Thailand Experience video Part 1
and
North Thailand Experience video Part 2

Enjoy,
Randy and Ning

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

I was in Chiang Mai 13 years ago and I hear it has changed quite a bit. I stayed at the Top North Guest House (it is still there, and still cheap!) and saw hardly any motorized transport then. I was able to navigate the whole town on foot. The night market and local food stalls were certainly memorable experiences, as were visiting Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, and the cool day trip out to Doi Suthep! Looking forward to going back to Thailand this year!

allthai · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Chiang Mai Thailand

cocodrilo wrote: I was in Chiang Mai 13 years ago and I hear it has changed quite a bit. I stayed at the Top North Guest House (it is still there, and still cheap!) and saw hardly any motorized transport then. I was able to navigate the whole town on foot. The night market and local food stalls were certainly memorable experiences, as were visiting Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, and the cool day trip out to Doi Suthep! Looking forward to going back to Thailand this year!

A lot more traffic now but the old city center is still nice. Top North Guest House is still hear but getting a little worn down. They also own the Top North Hotel. Both are inexpensive but the staff is not that good.

The Night Bazaar is losing out to the Saturday and Sunday walking markets on Wallai Road (the old silver making area) and Rachadamnergn Road (many temples and the Chiang Mai Museum) where they sell real handicrafts. Lots of room to walk as they close the streets at 5 PM.
At the walking markets there are loads of food stalls, mostly located inside the temple grounds.

The night bazaar has little room to walk and now mostly sell the knock off copies and junk from Burma.

Randy and Ning

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

Seems like it's changed plenty, then, since I've been there! The Top North Guest House had a very friendly staff, I remember that explicitly. It is inevitable that things change over the years. I've booked tickets for Bangkok for December and it looks like I'll be flying into the new airport. Toxin sez they hope to have Suvarnabhumi open in September, before October's high tourist season. Also looking forward to trying out the Skytrain & subway, neither of which were there when I last visited, plus some cool shopping spots like MBK. Thanks for your invaluable posts, BTW!

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

Woah, there's a new airport? Where did they put it? What are they doing with the current one?

The Sky Train is fun, and really avoids the amazing (heh) traffic.

cocodrilo · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 494 Location: Western Japan

This http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/en/index.htm will give you some idea. Old airport will probably be concerned with cargo and domestic air traffic.

allthai · Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 12 Location: Chiang Mai Thailand

Laura wrote: Woah, there's a new airport? Where did they put it? What are they doing with the current one?

The Sky Train is fun, and really avoids the amazing (heh) traffic.

Hi Laura,

She is talking about the new airport for Bangkok not Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai airport is building a new terminal and should be finished shortly. They were thinking about building a new airport a few years back but couldn't stop arguing about the location.

Randy and Ning

Laura · Joined: 16 May 2004 Posts: 446 Location: San Francisco

cocodrilo wrote: This http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com/en/index.htm will give you some idea.
Wow, very interesting. I had no idea they were moving out of Don Muang. I was there like five times last year. Based on the number of times I got on and off planes that were out on the tarmac and then was bussed in to the terminal, I definitely agree that Don Muang isn't big enough to handle all the traffic.