Thailand is a hedonis….westerner’s dream. Famous just for being a farang (foreigner in Thai)?, check. Delicious food, cold beer, great accommodation for half the cost of any country that you’re probably from? Check. Bustling cities that never sleep, pristine beaches, tropical islands and picturesque mountains? Check. While all of the above reasons why Thailand should be a must-visit on any traveler’s bucket list, there are some other reasons why I love Thailand and have spent a couple months here in the past year (two trips!).
1. Bathroom Massages
If you like massages, then Thailand is the country for you. If you set foot in this country, you will surely be offered a massage at least 100 times , and you damn will better indulge. But while the traditional massage is definitely something to luxuriate in, there’s nothing I enjoy more than a quick bathroom massage post-piss (often during as well).
Head to any club or big bar and chances are you’ll see some little men waiting with a big smile on their faces. Don’t worry, they mean no harm, they just want to massage your shoulders, crack your back and pull your ear lobes, let them, you won’t regret it. Throw a 20 baht note (~60 cents) in their basket, and get your loose ass back to entertaining the Thai ladies you just met outside.
2. American plugs work in the wall sockets!
There’s nothing I hate more than whipping out my big-ass universal power adapter when traveling so I can juice up my electronics. In Europe, it would often fall off the wall because it was too heavy with my laptop charger. But, that’s not a problem in Thailand my friends! They have basically the same two flat-pronged plug and all of your devices will fit in no problem. The voltage in Thailand is 220 v, while in America it’s only 110 v. But, most of your devices have a power adapter on the plug, so just check to make sure that they have a range of (110 v – 240 v) before inserting them into the socket. Most plugs in Thailand will even accommodate the European round prongs as well!
3. Thailand doesn’t shut down on Sundays!
Coming from the western world, and one that religion is playing a less prominent role in daily life, one would think things would be increasingly open on Sundays. While America isn’t so bad in this department, but Europe sure as hell is. When I lived in Barcelona, I remember dreading waking up on Sunday morning after a big night out because all I wanted to do was go downstairs and have a greasy breakfast within a block of my apartment (there were at least 5 restaurants). Well, that never happened because Spain shuts down on Sunday and I had to death march myself to the very center of the city to find something quality open.
Thailand isn’t based on a western-style Sunday (most people are Buddhist), and that means while some things shut on Sunday, many are still open, and hell, Sunday is even one of the busiest days with a wealth of Sunday markets to enjoy with food, shopping and live music.
4. Tailor-Made clothing for cheap!
I’m not the most stylish of men. While I don’t consider myself a goon, it is still hard for me to find “hip” clothes that fit right being that I’m only 5’8″ and pretty broad. If I wanted custom-made clothes in America, I’d surely be looking at about $75 a shirt minimum, but in Thailand, I can get suited up in fresh digs for a fraction of the cost. Last year when I came, I got two awesome button-down shirts made with premium fabric and custom lining, and this trip I got another short-sleeve one.
There are countless tailors around the country and in every city that will surely be hawking you, but in Bangkok, I can personally recommend Majestic Tailors near Nana BTS station. They took about 10 measurements, were affordable (about $35 a shirt) and did free tweaks after the shirt was made.
Dapper as shitttttttt
5. There are more 7-11s in one place than anywhere on earth!
As an American, I’m used to certain things being open 24/7, most importantly a store or pharmacy that I can pop into to buy whatever I might need i.e. water, chap stick, beer and lunchables at any time. Thailand understands the notion of a “convenience” store and they took it to another level. No matter where you are in Thailand, even in the smallest provincial town, you will surely find a 7-11. If there isn’t a 7-11, there is the Thai version, Family Mart. In Bangkok, there are over 3,500 7-11s alone and you will literally see one every minute you walk in any direction.
