2008 July

Is Bangkok a Dangerous City?

I get asked this question a lot from friends and strangers alike, many of whom still think of Bangkok as a seedy, lawless dive filled with prostitutes and shady gem deals going on among every patch of shadows. However, as anyone who has lived here can tell you, the answer to that question is a firm but guarded 'no'. Like any big city, Bangkok has problems, sure, but they're filtered through unique Thai sensibilities and often come out the other end little more than a ripple; something you'd brush off as happening in any place in the world where you throw a few million humans together and say "Okay, now prosper!"

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:56+00:00Bangkok|0 Comments

Underrated Things – Thai 50 Baht Note

It never fails - every time I'm in a taxi, the final fare happens to be either 45 baht, or 65 baht (or something very close to these). You can either fumble with a fistful of 20's - if you have enough - or give the driver 100 baht note, which are plentiful. If you're lucky, you'll get the correct change back (sometimes a fistful of coins), but quite often, you'll get a grinning driver who tells you 'Sorry, no have change.' As you dig in your pocket for more, tuk-tuks and taxis are honking behind you and motorbikes are whizzing by your door - it's just a crap scenario to be in. This is all usually avoidable if you have a 50 baht note (sometimes you need a 20 to bolster the final tally), but they're not as common as you'd think! That's why, in Thailand, the 50 baht note is one of my all-time underrated things.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:57+00:00Thailand, Underrated Things|0 Comments

Bangkok Beggars – The Good, The Bad, and The Fake

Now, before I start this off, let me say that I don't have anything against those less fortunate than us. I've spent more than my fair share of time taking HIV-positive kids on field trips, painting orphanage walls with mentally challenged teenagers and volunteer teaching at schools for underprivileged children. But in Thailand - especially Bangkok - being a just and noble contributor to the plight of the poor is often harder than it seems. Bangkok's streets are full of beggars - women with babies, leper-ridden octogenarians, deformed outcasts and pitiful looking children - all holding up a cup and asking for a spare coin or two. I'm going to sound like a complete ass for saying this, but I never give. Well, I rarely give. You see, it's often hard to spot the real beggars from the fake ones, and even the real ones are often working as part of a syndicate. It's not easy to hear, but the harsh truth is that you may actually be doing them a favour by ignoring them. So how can you spot a person in genuine need vs a person who's just milking his sympathy card for all it's worth? Well, it's not a science, but a bit of education will often go a long way.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:58+00:00Thailand, Tips on Visiting|9 Comments

The Only Law They Enforce in Thailand… Usually

My friend John sums up Thailand's version of law enforcement beautifully: "There are no laws here until there are laws. Then they're completely unbreakable." I remember last year when some City Hall genius decided that Bangkok taxis could only be hailed at designated spots along the streets. Signs were put up, curbs were painted and newspaper stories were printed. That lasted about 45 minutes, and today, the expensive signposts and other accoutrements are gathering dust; there are plenty of similar stories we won't get into. So, when it was declared that from February 11, 2008 all air-conditioned spaces in Bangkok would be smoke-free, I didn't get too giddy. Although, as someone whose lips have never even touched a cigarette (true story, mostly due to a guy who showed us his tracheotomy tube during an anti-smoking demonstration in grade 6, which scared the crap out of the entire class), I was happy to hear they were at least trying to do something.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:58+00:00Current Events, Thailand|0 Comments

Double Pricing: Moral? No. Legal? You Bet!

One of the first things I learned when I was teaching was that many (if not most) Thais automatically think two things about every non-Asian foreigner: 1) We're rich, and 2) We're Christian. As my curious students pounded me with questions, I was always amused to see their confused looks when I told them the truth, shattering the preconceptions that they picked up from their parents, friends, or very, very silly Thai television shows. I proudly told them that I am closer to Buddhism than anything else and am most certainly very, very far away from being rich. However, the stereotype still persists, and is probably a large reason for the existence of double pricing in Thailand, a practice so outrageously illegal in North America that visitors are nearly always shocked/offended/angered/saddened to see it at nearly every tourist destination they visit.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:59+00:00Thailand, Tips on Visiting|0 Comments