Thread: Thailand: rookie mistakes

^Never heard either of them before. Some good pictures on Redgum.

While we're on the topic of Aussie war music, here's another classic....

The one I most remember was the "I Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die Rag", by Country Joe and The Fish, which became famous at Woodstock, and which we used to sing on the choppers as we headed in.

Originally Posted by Davis Knowlton

we used to sing on the choppers as we headed in.

So ya's did actually sing on the choppers then?

Originally Posted by 9999

So ya's did actually sing on the choppers then?

^^When you'd see those long streams of green tracers heading up towards the choppers, and go "Oh fuck", it was something to do to keep the fear from taking over. Especially if we had to hang around up there in queue for a while.

So it's like a Welsh thing then. Sing your way out of it!

Originally Posted by benbaaa

Everyone except rookies knows four fingers is 40B.

Dam all this time I been forking over 400

^ Could be worse.

Originally Posted by benbaaa

They quickly established communication using fingers. He held up four fingers once he'd understood the destination, she nodded and hopped in. He dropped her off at the hotel, and she carefully counted out 4 Baht and smiled sweetly, saying thank you. He was so gob-smacked, he didn't even argue.

Excellent.

"The locals are safe enough riding around on mopeds, I think I'll rent one too....."

On a related note to the stamp licking, I got scolded a few times on my first visit for my habit of stuffing banknotes into me pocket and when needing to pay for something pulling out a big scrunched up mess of notes.

Also, not recognising the national anthem starting to play at a train station and continuing to banter and laugh with my friend didn't go down too well. A security guard came up and told us to STFU and it was only then I noticed all the Thai's stood silent and glaring at the disrespectful farang wankers.

Another noob mistake was staying in "cheap" beach bungalows.

Charming and rustic I'm sure, but the cockroaches, scorpions, ants, mossies, spiders, slippery badly tiled bathrooms with sharp edges everywhere and extremely dodgy electrics mean that spending the extra few quid for a proper room is cheap in comparison. Still, doesn't guarantee the electrics will be any better!

Trying out the language is always fun for rookies, but it doesn't always work out how you want to. My brother-in-law asked how to say grapow-moo-sab-khai-dhow, because he fancied his chances of ordering his own lunch in Thai. He memorised the sounds and went off up the soi to the restaurant. He got back with his little lunch parcel about 15 minutes later, pleased as punch. He opened the bag and emptied the contents on a plate. Oh dear. Somehow, during the journey to the restaurant, his order for chopped pork with basil and a fried egg (standard lunchtime fare) had morphed into laab-moo (spicy pork salad). With a fried egg on top. And sticky rice.

God knows what the chef thought...

Originally Posted by khmen

Another noob mistake was staying in "cheap" beach bungalows.

Charming and rustic I'm sure, but the cockroaches, scorpions, ants, mossies, spiders, slippery badly tiled bathrooms with sharp edges everywhere and extremely dodgy electrics mean that spending the extra few quid for a proper room is cheap in comparison. Still, doesn't guarantee the electrics will be any better!

I have fond memories of staying in a hut on the sandbar on Phi Phi island back in the day. It was quite wonderful compared to the tourist shithole it has become now.

just what i was told when i first came here 13 years ago .....

remember the .. 3 F' s

findem
fuckem
forget them ........
and above all never spend more money than you can walk away from ......

ahh i can some saying now .... yer sure but mine's not like that ....... there all cast in the same mould ... stealing , sceaming lying ?unts .....

Brown eggs are from chickens.

White eggs are from ducks.

Originally Posted by hillbilly

Brown eggs are from chickens.

White eggs are from ducks.

Hmmmm.

Originally Posted by john stevens

just what i was told when i first came here 13 years ago .....

remember the .. 3 F' s

findem
fuckem
forget them ........
and above all never spend more money than you can walk away from ......

ahh i can some saying now .... yer sure but mine's not like that ....... there all cast in the same mould ... stealing , sceaming lying ?unts .....

been here 13 yrs and never got out of Nana Plaza by the sound of it

Originally Posted by peterpan

Originally Posted by john stevens

just what i was told when i first came here 13 years ago .....

remember the .. 3 F' s

findem
fuckem
forget them ........
and above all never spend more money than you can walk away from ......

ahh i can some saying now .... yer sure but mine's not like that ....... there all cast in the same mould ... stealing , sceaming lying ?unts .....

been here 13 yrs and never got out of Nana Plaza by the sound of it

Nah, its more like the bitter cynicism of someone who has been burnt and burnt bad.

Originally Posted by Koojo

Came barreling out of an exhibition hall one time to find everyone in the lobby at a standstill, I wondered what the fuck was going on.
I thought is was one of those prank things like where the whole crowd is in on it and all start dancing at once sort of thing.

Were you on your mountain bike at the time?

Taking it for granted your waitress understood what you just ordered. (Usually you point at the menu, look at the waitress, watch the eyes brighten having understood your order)