What advice would you give Western tourists to Thailand?

Answer 1

They should respect views of Thais.

For example:

Respect religion

Greet people in the appropriate way

Take shoes off before entering a sacred place

Respect the 'Code of Conduct'

Answer 2

• Learn a few phrases in Thai. The Thais are delighted if you make a little effort to speak their language. (There are websites and smart phone apps with audio files of common phrases, like Greetings, Thank you, Where is the..., How much? No thank you etc. See the related question below.)
• Drink bottled water. Thai stomachs can often drink the local water. You probably can't. Ice cubes in drinks are safe, but crushed ice may not be.
• Eat and drink from food stalls in the street. If you see it being cooked, and it almost always is, then enjoy! Barbecued chicken on bamboo sticks, freshly squeezed Orange Juice (they add a little salt, but don't be put off), juice squeezed from sugar cane, dried salted squid, noodle soup ("quit tee ow") etc.
• Bargain a little in the markets, but not too much. Remember that the 20 baht you are haggling over is only about 50 cents.
• Ride the local buses. My mother came to stay with me in Bangkok, in her late sixties. She would head off in the morning by herself, catch any bus with empty seats and ride it to the terminus, map in hand. Then she'd get off, have an iced coffee, and ride the same number back to where she started! She saw more of Bangkok than I ever did.
• In Bangkok, take the public boat service up the river. You get a new perspective on the city, and a bit of cooling spray thrown in perhaps!
• Ride in a tuk tuk (the little motorized three-wheelers), just for the experience. Taxis are good, air-conditioned and very cheap. Make sure the meter is running. You can travel from one side of Bangkok to the other for about $10.
• If you hire a motorbike at the beach, wear a helmet every time! Medical flights back to your home country tend to be extremely expensive!
• Dentists are usually good value. Chemists can sell prescription drugs over the counter usually. Doctors in the little medical clinics can often speak some English.
• Travel on the sky train, elevated railway ('rote figh fah') which goes from the airport into town. It also goes up to Jattujack Park, a huge open air market, well worth a visit.
• Walk around the little streets of the original city, New Road and the Chinese quarter. Plenty of gold shops and little markets.
• Away from the tourist spots you may find children wanting to practice their English. If you hear them shout "You!" "You!", to attract your attention, that's quite polite in Thai. Just smile!
• Travel by train. An overnight sleeping bunk with fan to Chiang Mai is great value. Every train stop you'll be pestered to buy barbecue chicken by the locals.
• Beer is good and there's no shortage of soft drinks. Lactasoy and Vitamilk are both sweet soy drinks. Sponser is an electrolyte drink (is that right?). Look out for market stalls selling breakfast coffee strained through a cloth bag with a serve of long doughnut on the side.
• Turn down anyone who has a friend who will sell you jewels.
• Ditto anyone who wants to take you out on a boat. Sometimes the boat breaks down in the middle of the (very wide) river and needs extra cash to get it going again. So there are always people who are anxious to extract your cash.
• But most of the Thais are generous and helpful. Trust your instincts!
• Have a great time!