𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝

If you applied for CMKL, I am pretty sure you knew all too well the euphoric feeling when the letter of congratulations showed up in your notifications. But still, the prospect of studying and living in a different country with a different culture comes with both challenges and excitement. Here are 6 tips and tricks to smooth out your life here in Thailand.

𝟏. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢
It is true that Thailand welcomes millions of tourists each year, thus the perception that English is widely spoken in the country is very prevalent—or at least that’s what I thought. It turned out to be only partially true. If you happen to reside around a touristy area, there’s a high chance that the locals can grasp conversational English; however, the same cannot be said for places like Lat Krabang. You can absolutely survive with just English—but with some struggles. I do recommend learning some basic Thai for daily use before coming here. People will appreciate your effort and often shower you with compliments. I receive a lot when I speak Thai, even though my Thai is terrible!

𝟐. 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬, 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐰
Walking along the streets, you will see yellowish taxis parked beside the road. When I first came here with my family, we often hopped in one of those taxis to commute from place to place. Even though the fee itself wasn’t too expensive, we found a better alternative that charged far less than taxis—Songthaew! Locals don’t usually use taxis unless it’s urgent or they have a group to share the fare. However, taking Songthaew, for me at least, isn’t always a smooth ride. I even hopped on the wrong Songthaew the first time I took one. It took me roughly 10 km away from my apartment. It's worth noting that Songthaew operates on fixed routes, with different colors representing different destinations. It might be tricky for a first-timer, but you’ll learn to recognize them! Just so you know, the fare is only 8 baht.

𝟑. 𝐁𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝
Okay, so here’s the thing: In my country, I’m known as someone who can handle spicy food, only to be humbled by Thai levels of spiciness. Be careful when ordering spicy dishes such as papaya salad or its equivalents because it’s not just spicy—it most likely comes with a fiery kick that burns your tongue and hurts your stomach! Thai food generally tends to be very spicy, so when a food vendor asks for the level of spiciness, I recommend starting with a moderate one. I learned this the hard way!

𝟒. 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞
One thing I find surprising about Thailand is that everyone addresses each other by their nickname, not their real name. On orientation day, I introduced myself with the typical information—my name, my age, and my interests. But then, people asked if I had a nickname, which I didn’t. So, I came up with the name “Peach,” and people have called me that ever since. You might want to think of a cool nickname so that when people ask, you’ll have one ready.

𝟓. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐫𝐮𝐛
When you come to Thailand, you’ll notice that almost every sentence ends with either “ka” or “krub,” depending on the gender of the speaker. It’s a polite form of social etiquette in Thai society. However, the use of these terms isn’t always straightforward. Women end sentences with “ka,” and men with “krub.” The tricky part is that there are social exceptions where men might use “ka” or women might use “krub.” I also have difficulty distinguishing when to use which term, but I guess time will teach me!

𝟔. 𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 “𝐏𝐡𝐢” 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝
You can greet your friends in Thailand by their names or nicknames. However, if you encounter someone who seems older than you, it’s polite to add “Phi” when addressing them. “Phi” is a term used in Thailand to show respect for someone older. You would generally say “Phi” followed by their name. Politeness is an integral part of Thai society, so adding “Phi” before someone’s name shows your respect for elders. In real social settings, though, you’ll have to decide whether or not to use “Phi” based on the person’s age and appearance. I know it’s hard to differentiate at first, but practice makes perfect.

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