A netizen who has worked in Thailand shared: Before going to Thailand, I always thought it was a poor country with low prices and beautiful ladyboys; after going there, I realized that the cost of living in Thailand is not low, the traffic is terribly congested, and it is only suitable for short trips.
Due to work, I now travel to Thailand frequently. Today, I will talk about Thailand from the perspective of non-tourists:
1. The cost of living in Thailand is similar to that of second and third-tier cities in China.
Accommodation: Taking Bangkok as an example, the price of an ordinary apartment is about 15,000 to 20,000 RMB per square meter, mostly for self-occupation; more upscale apartments cost about 35,000 to 55,000 RMB per square meter, both for self-occupation and investment leasing; even better apartments cost upwards of 60,000 RMB per square meter. This group of consumers is entirely chasing property appreciation.
When I am in Bangkok, I usually rent an apartment, mostly small units of 20-40 square meters. The rent is generally between 1,500 and 2,000 RMB per month, which is not cheap!
Food: I rarely cook in Thailand, mostly buying bento boxes or fast food from 7-11. If you're not after quality, a meal can be settled for 20 to 30 yuan.
Local fruits are very cheap, I can buy a large bunch of bananas for 5 yuan, a big watermelon weighing about fifteen or sixteen jin for 6 yuan, and I have bought 8 jin of mangosteen for 23 yuan!
Entertainment: Nightclubs in Thailand are also cheaper than in China. In a nightclub in Bangkok, a bottle of whiskey + a bucket of ice + shisha for four people can be had for 200 RMB for a night of fun!
2. The overall income in Thailand is low, only half that of second and third-tier cities in China.
Thai people work very slowly, but they claim that "work should not pursue speed, but should handle every detail well."
The income of Thai people, compared to their consumption level, is very low.
Manual laborers earn about 1,800 yuan per month;
Security guards and waiters earn about 2,000 yuan per month;
Bank tellers earn about 3,000 yuan per month;
Programmers and engineers earn about 5,000 to 6,500 yuan per month;
Duty-free shop staff earn about 11,000 yuan per month, which is considered very high in Thailand.
The local girls working in our Thai travel agency earn only 3,000 yuan, while the office staff in our Chinese head office (in a second-tier city) all earn over 6,000 yuan.
3. Traffic in Thailand is just congested! Congested! Congested!
Bangkok is famously the world's top gambling city. When I first arrived in Thailand, what I couldn't adapt to was the terribly congested traffic in Bangkok.
The road design in Thailand is very unreasonable, with many cars, people, and motorcycles on the streets. Many old districts have only two two-way lanes, no motorcycle lanes, and no sidewalks. Thus, the traffic is a chaotic mix of vehicles and pedestrians.
The number of motorcycles in Thailand is astonishing, and they often speed past you so fast that it feels like they could knock you over.
Cars in Bangkok are also densely packed on the roads. Thai friends tell me that if Thais have a bit of money, the first priority is not to buy a house, but to buy a car! A car is a must-have for Thais' face-saving projects.
Thailand has very light penalties for drunk driving, basically just confiscating the driver's license or the vehicle. So, it's common to see Thai guys who have had a little drink riding motorcycles, and many of them accompany each other to the netherworld every year.
4. If you want to have fun, definitely don't go on a group tour!
If you want to enjoy Thailand, I recommend choosing independent travel or semi-independent travel (I hope my colleagues don't hit me). Currently, 90% of the tour groups on the market are shopping tours. Although they are cheap and the living conditions are not bad, there are too many shopping stops. A 6-day itinerary usually includes 4 to 6 shops, which greatly affects the mood for fun.
With independent travel, you can ride motorcycles freely, eat seafood, watch ladyboys, etc. I especially recommend the Songkran Festival, where you can experience the sensation of cold water, hot water, and beer coming at you all at once, with all the surprises and excitement!
5. The movie-watching culture in Thailand.
Watching a movie in Thailand can be a special experience for foreigners.
Usually, before a movie starts in China, the cinema plays advertisements; in Thailand, before the movie starts, the cinema plays the life story of the king, and everyone stands up to sing in respect to the king. The first time I watched a movie in Thailand, I was scared by this spectacle, looking at the devout faces in the full cinema, feeling both awkward and amused.
6. A Buddhist nation by day, surprisingly unrestrained by night.
Thailand gives me a feeling similar to Japan, a country of contradictions.
During the day, Thailand is a Buddhist nation with numerous temples. The people appear to be pure-hearted and conservative in behavior. Also, in terms of family and education, they are very traditional, with strict boundaries between men and women. It is not acceptable to hold hands or show intimacy on the streets.
But once night falls, the colors of nightlife begin to play, and Thailand seems to become another country: on the streets, there are five types of people—men, women, ladyboys, homosexuals, and bisexuals. The number of gay and lesbian people on the streets of Thailand is definitely beyond imagination.
There are many aspects of Thailand that we do not know much about, such as Thailand being a gun-permitting country with rampant gun ownership and not very good public safety. When I lived in Thailand, my friends advised me to "be more cautious." Thai people love Japanese people and respect Japanese culture; some ladyboys are very beautiful, while others are burly and clearly look like men.
All in all, Thailand is very suitable for a 6-10 day independent trip. However, it is uncomfortable for long-term residence, as it is a country with strong inclusiveness but exhausting to truly integrate into.
