Hey there steamers, thought id write up this post on what to expect when relocating to Thailand, things i wish i had known prior to landing here. Although the things i'm going to talk about may be controversial and people may have their own opinion these are some of the important things id recommend you understand before relocating to Thailand.
Beware of Taxi drivers and tuk-tuks trying to take advantage of you
When i first entered Thailand there where many taxis waiting upon my arrival at the airport. However there was one thing that was common with almost all of them, they were waiting to crook new foreigners which entered the kingdom. Normally all taxi drivers have a meter on all vehicles which indicates the price you as the passenger should pay, never negotiate taxi fare with the drivers or else they'l switch of the meter and make you pay alot. I unfortunately negotiated the price before hand so they took advantage of me making me pay more than double what i was supposed to pay. However with tuk tuks there is no meter therefore one would have to negotiate the price, keep in mind prices on tuk tuks will be quite expensive and never let them take you around town to shops and so on as you will take forever to reach your destination and you'l be forced to buy fake products which the tuk tuk drivers get a commission from.
Never sign for a serviced apartment if you are staying long term
When planning to stay for 6 months or more never sign a contract with a serviced apartment especially in Bangkok. Let me explain why, the cost of electricity and water will be extremely high if staying in a serviced apartment, since the building administration are responsible for paying the bills they can put what they like on your rent bill each month. In the past iv had ridiculous bills for electricity in particular, i was paying around $250 only on electricity which i thought was crazy. After a crazy 6 months in the serviced apartment i decided to move to a condo with government water and electricity bill, and since then i have never experienced high electricity or water bills. There make sure to find a condo with government electricity and water bill, ask before signing a contract. Now i barely pay $100 on electricity in comparison to the $250 i was paying before. This can be a true life saver mark my words!
If your on a low budget Bus transport can work as its very cheap !
Ok in Thailand each bus has a bus number on top of it, this number can determine where the bus is travelling to. Luckily with google maps once you pick your current and end location and put it into transit mode, you will be able to see which bus number to catch and where to drop off its pretty simple. It may take abit of time but its extremely cheap and can be worth the wait . Some buses in Thailand are even free of charge which can save you those extra pennies :-)
The food is extremely spicy !
In Thailand most dishes are made with chili , not just chili but a whole lot of other spices as well . If you not one for the spice you might want to cook your own food at home instead of ordering food from outside. You will see alot of food when entering Thailand on all streets and markets however as a foreigner be aware of what your stomach will agree with and what it wont. Be adventurous but be cautious at the same time!
Be aware that not all girls are actually female
In Thailand you will see countless pretty women through the streets, shops, cafes and all over. Some are so pretty you'd think that their a Barbie doll, however don't be fooled Thailand has some of the highest numbers of transgender girls who look so gorgeous you could easily mistaken them for a real woman. So on your next trip here make sure that you are cautious enough to spot the difference as you wouldn't want to tell your mom that you slept with a guy.
I hope you like my post fell free to up-vote and follow me as well as comment on my post, look forward to hearing from you :-)