Ever considered traveling to Thailand? Below a few good reasons to think about your next vacation spending in one of the hotspots for sailors, backpackers, digital nomads, etc.
The country in Southeast Asia is located in the Gulf of Thailand, part of the Pacific Ocean and is neighbor to Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. It populates around 66 million people on 513 000 sq/km.
Let`s get started with our remarkable Thailand traits!
King of Records
The kingdom of Thailand is ruled by King Bhumibol Adulyadei. King Bhumibol reigns for already 70 years. This makes him the longest serving head of state in the world. It is widely known that Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain is the longest serving monarch, but this is wrong. King Bhumibol became King 1946 and Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952.
Treat the royals with respect
Never on any circumstances step on a baht, Thailand’s official currency. It is against the law. Thais love their monarch leaders and every offense, like crunching a banknote with the counterfeit of the king could end up in a prison sentence. No joke!
INFOBOX
1 Baht = 0,03 Euros
1 Euros= 39,09 Baht
Honored city
Thailand is a country of some strange superlatives. It is considered to be one of the hottest cities in the world. Bangkok, the capital got honored in the Guinness Book of World Records with the longest name. Krung-thep-maha-nakorn-boworn-ratana-kosin-mahintar-ayudhya-amaha-dilok-pop-nopa-ratana-rajthani-burirom-udom-rajniwes-mahasat-arn-amorn-pimarn-avatar-satit-sakattiya-visanukam is the official name. Thai people simply say Krungthep, the „City of Angels“. The name has 163 letters. Bangkok remained the capital’s name for touristic reasons.
Never been colonized
Thailand was once known as Siam. During the 1950s France and Great Britain colonized Southeast Asian Countries. Siam was between French Indochina and British Burma. The former Siam King Rama IV put efforts to modernize his country to avoid european conquests. Some of his political acts were to establish fixed borders and a military system. Through this he managed to set up diplomatic relations and succeeded, that Thailand never got colonized by Europeans.
INFOBOX: Siamese Twins
The term originated from the twin brothers Eng and Chang Bunker,who were born in Bangkok. They lived conjoined on their chest for 63 years.
WIFI everywhere
Thailand became a paradise for digital nomads. These are people working throughout the internet, completely remotely without an office. In order to achieve success, internet-access is vital. 2011 the Thai government established in Bangkok 20.000 wifi hotspots, in order to provide foreigners and tourists a full digital service. Next time in Bangkok look out for the SMART-WiFi@TH sign. Be aware that you need to sign up to get access. All you need to enter is your name and passport number.
Additionally Thailand has an increadible 3G/LTE coverage. Imagine sailing in the middle of warm sea, admiring islands left and right and still being able to stream Youtube videos. Increadible? Possible in Thailand.
This came not without a price. Thailand completely missed the landline revolution, meaning that when in Europe we were surfing on our 56.6K modems which played this wonderful tune while dailing in, Thai people…. sent letters. After some time the King realized it cannot continue like this and ordered to build top notch GSM network. This way, without investment into landlines Thailand jumped into the leader of mobile internet. Video conferencing while walking through a paradise beach? Definitely possible!
INFOBOX:
You are granted two hours per day of free access with a connection of 2mbit/s.
Take a bow
If possible use every time you meet a Thai with the „Wai“. It’s the most polite way to greet people in Thailand. Put your hands together and bow slightly your head. People appreciate it, when foreigners show interest in their tradition and customs. The lower your bow the more you show respect to your counterpart.
INFOBOX:
When you enter and leave your host’s house do the Wai.
Respect the head
In Thailand the head is sacred. Never touch the head of a Thai. It is considered as disrespectful and you present yourself higher ranked as local people.
Be aware of underwear
Another law you should not stress is clothing. It is strictly forbidden to show up without underwear. If so this could lead to a prison stay or a big fine. It sounds a bit strange, but definitely keep in mind to pack a lot of briefs and bras for your next Thailand holidays.
INFOBOX:
Generally in Thailand nakedness is not welcome. This includes naked sunbathes, short skirts in Buddha temples and driving topless.
Freeze Frame
Thai people love their country and their king. Everyday at 8am and 6pm the country stays still. It looks like a movie got freezed. Twice a day the national anthem is played in the entire country. TV stations, radio and public speakers echo the so called „Pheng Chat“. Every Thai is ordered to stop whatever he is doing and pay respect to their national hymn. Foreigners and tourists are advised to do so too.
Travel smart
Public transport is very cheap. The BTS (Subway) and MRT (Railway) are efficient and fast. The trains are tremendously clean. If you want to explore Thailand by train, you shouldn’t reserve a seat in the 3rd class. There you get plastic and wooden seats. After a short time your butt will hate you for that decision.
You can find comprehensive information about travelling with trains in Thailand, on this page: http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm
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The worst time to travel in Thailand is April. In that period humidity rises above 300 percent. The flip side to that coin is, that plane tickets and hotels are much cheaper.
Cook like a thai
The thai cuisine enjoys worldwide popularity. Cooking classes provided by locals are getting more and more popular. People are eager to get acquainted with Pad Thai and Tom Yum soups. There you can learn all the essential skills and techniques for Thai home cooking style. You learn about food, culture and environment.
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Thai people never waste rice. Rice is sacred in Thailand.
Paradise on earth
Thailand has 1400 islands. Almost every one of them is worth a stay.
Below the best islands to visit:
Phuket
This island is the biggest and most popular in Thailand. The hotspot for tourists, who want the thrill of diving with sharks. In depth you can also enjoy colorful fish and corals.
Koh Pi Pi
This was once the set of Leonardo DiCaprio’s „The Beach“. Although full of tourists it is easy accessible and the view is breathtaking. We visited this one last time, we will not miss it next time! We stayed there overnight on a buoy so we had the bay for ourselves and a few other yachts in the night. There is glowing plankton!
Ko Phangan
The island is known for its famous Full Moon Parties. Nearly 5000 to 30000 people are celebrating and partying effortless. It is also likely that you see monkeys picking coconuts from the tree.
Koh Tao
A paradise and hotspot for scuba divers. The infrastructure is mainly set for watersports. Because of the high offer of scuba diving schools, prices for courses are very affordable.
On our last sailing holiday in Thailand, we also did a half-day diving course for total beginners. There were 2 dives, we had a lunch included and naturally a transportation to the dive site. We seen sharks (little), turtles (amazing) and even a stingray (magical). All that for 50€.
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On every island it is also likely that you see monkeys picking coconuts from the three. Thailand has even a college for monkeys. The Thani Monkey College show their unusual students how to collect coconuts and perform street tricks.
Sailing in Thailand
Sailing is the best way to experience the country, apart the touristic hotspots. Thailand offers breathtaking landscapes and beautiful underwater life.
The best time to cruise on a sailing boat is during the dry season, also called the Northeast Monsoon. It starts from November until April. This time the wind speed remains stable between 5 and 20 knots.
Naleia Yachting offers two trips in the Andaman Sea in Thailand from January 25 to February 15 2017. Early Bird tickets are now available.
There is no better way to start 2017 with a sailing trip.
Do you think this post is useful? Do you know some fun facts? Would your next vacation be in Thailand? Please share your thoughts and comments below! We would love to know what makes you a Thailand fan like us!
