Eating habits in Thailand
The food for a Thai is very important and they eat at random times during the day, especially because the food is often easy to digest and the portions are small. Buying food from the many roadside carts is cheap and easy.
Reader submission: Beautiful films in empty halls
The first weekend of the European Union Film Festival in Chiang Mai is over. We have seen a few wonderful films, but unfortunately in barely filled rooms.
Does anyone know anything more about rooftop bar Cloud 47 in Bangkok? I have been visiting this rooftop bar regularly for the past two years. It is near Patpong night market. It is a trendy rooftop bar, with great views and very democratic prices for food and drinks, in stark contrast to other rooftop bars.
I would like some advice regarding the cremation of the deceased king of Thailand. I am planning a month trip around September 26 to October 26, 2017 (Pattaya). Will heavy restrictions be imposed regarding nightlife (drinks, music, etc..) or will everything just be a bit quieter like last November after the death of the king?
Non-alcoholic beer for sale in Pattaya
Following my story about the introduction of Heineken.0.0 non-alcoholic beer and Heineken's decision not to sell this beer in Thailand, questions arose as to which non-alcoholic beers are for sale in Thailand. I did some limited market research in Pattaya and only scored 8 different brands.
Fewer Dutch people smoke, but there is a big difference between the highly educated and the lower educated
Fewer and fewer people smoke, but the differences in smoking behavior between people with different levels of education are increasing. While the share of smokers among the highly educated has almost halved since 1989, this has fallen less sharply among the lower educated. Low-educated people also smoke more often on a daily basis and are more often heavy smokers than highly educated people.
'Walkingstreet safer with the help of drones'
To increase security in the Walking Street, police chief Apichai Krobphet may throw a new weapon into the fight. He wants to use drones to get a better overview of what is happening in this entertainment area.
The Department of Health wants to open more mobile "family clinics" in every province over the next 10 years. In addition to better accessibility, this should reduce the pressure on government hospitals. The current 'community health promotion units' will be transformed into clinics for this purpose.
At the moment I am trying to get a Thai girlfriend (20, just like me) to stay in the Netherlands temporarily under a tourist visa (type C). I have made it completely clear which documents are required for her visa application. However, I run into the subject of 'establishment risk'.
Reader Submission: Quality of Education in Thailand
Quite a few questions and stories have already appeared about the Thai school system on Thailandblog, and I still want to say something about it. I recently read in 'One World Magazine' that international companies in Thailand complain that the school leavers 'think too traditionally', 'don't ask questions' and 'show no initiative'.
We are going on holiday this summer to Rayong and Koh Chang, among others. I don't find much to do about Rayong. We stay there for 2 nights. Anyone info? On Koh Chang we would like to explore the island with scooters. But my question is whether a driver's license is enough? We have a 17 year old daughter and a 15 year old son. Can they also rent a scooter or do they have to ride on the back?
The Thai Immigration has apparently decided to bully the falangs a bit more and squeeze some more money out of their pockets. I don't have to tell you that this money disappears into their pockets, that goes without saying. They are now starting to carry out active checks in connection with the 1979 law on the reporting obligation of foreign nationals. It is therefore about the legislation that the owner of a property where a foreigner is staying must file a report with immigration or the local police station within 24 hours.
Integration
I don't think we're doing bad at all with integration. It is mainly all kinds of small things that we notice that we are slowly but surely becoming a little bit at home in this wonderful country. In the afternoon we regularly go to the market. Lately we have been cooking more often ourselves, because that way we can add much more variety to what we eat, and moreover, shopping at the market is just great fun. The locals sell freshly harvested fruit and vegetables, fresh meat, and freshly prepared curries, desserts, fried insects, fresh fish, too many to mention.
Reader Submission: Participation in Thai traffic
Participating in Thai traffic as a driver is a challenge. I recently heard or read that Thailand is world number 2 of countries where the most traffic accidents occur and where an average of 76 people per day die in traffic. I think most (foreigners) reading this will recognize what I am going to write below. Nothing new under the sun, but why is it that Thai traffic is so dangerous and so many accidents happen?
Farang – a foreigner in Thailand
In Thailand you will often hear the word 'farang' (Thai: ฝรั่ง). Because Thai usually don't pronounce the 'r' (which they can by the way) you usually hear 'falang' around you. The Thai use the word 'farang' to indicate a white Westerner. If you come from the Netherlands, then you are a 'farang'
Our ambassador Karel Hartogh would like to meet the Dutch in Thailand at the residence in Bangkok during a coffee morning (and certainly also non-NVT members).
According to a source, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is working on a proposal to require foreign tourists to provide proof of medical insurance in Thailand. Upon arrival in Thailand, such an insurance statement will be requested, which must be shown at the immigration counters as well as the passport.