gabriella

I'm writing a story set in Thailand and since I've never been there, I need some help from those who have been to Thailand. Or even someplace in Asia for that matter. Though I am relying most of my novel on travel brochures (namely online since I'm utterly broke right now) some first hand experiences would be great.

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

safari invasion

We have a foreign exchange student from Thailand visiting us here in Iowa right now. He's a really quiet fellow, kind of ecentric at times, friendly, just doesn't talk a whole lot. He's really bloody fast too. He finds the most common things to be complete novelty. Stuff I never would have thought about. Anyway, I don't imagine that would help at all, but maybe for a character idea or something. I don't know.

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gabriella

Unfortunately, it doesn't help me that much. I only have three basic characters, save for some passersby. Unless, of course, you have a way I can talk to him, lol But thanks anway.

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

swisstony

I went to Bangkok two or three years ago, it stinks of smog, I had a bad chest while there, there are many food stalls in the streets that serve food I'd never have touched, stews of strange looking and smelling vegetables. Market stalls selling ripoff western gear everywhere. Tuk Tuk drivers would come at me with pictures of dancing girls, even when I was with my wife, in order to drive me there for special rates and discounts. The sex district, Patpong, is really very small, two streets to speak of, and caters to westerners mainly. The eyes and come and get me looks of quite stunning teenage girls was really disconcerting because I was white, and had what they wanted.

There is no chewing gum on the sidewalks, and there are litter fine booths around the streets for instant fine payments.

Chatuchak market is this huge warren of stalls covering more than a square mile, and you can get albino python poison to drink as well as buy white tiger cubs there, if you're not getting heatstroke while visiting the ubelievably surreal grand palace that demands women have a heelstrap on their shoes to be allowed in.

There is a tremendous amount of poverty for a city beginning to embrace western business so much, large hotels loom over riverside wooden huts full of kids and endless lines of washing draped from darkened window to darkened window.

Everyone there is so very petite, my wife is a size 16, and one huge clothes store simply went up to size 12 in everything it did.

badash

I'v been in thailand for over 2 months and got back only a month ago. Bangkok is not that bad at all. I passed it several times, and lived many different places. It's alot different from the rest of the country though, and it takes some getting used to... be polite to the thai guys, and they'll at lest pretend to like you, but don't mess with them. A lot of them train thaiboxing!!! And don't get caught by the police doing any crime at all, it's expensive to pay them off, but youain't really got no choise. Their prisons are awfull, and there's no exchange agreement between thailand and any country. It's like that all over.
But yeah, they are very poor... there are loads of small thrashed huts along the poluted rivers and noisy railroad housing large families. A very sad sight.

The north part is alot of low moantains and big forests, with about 10 different tribes living their own lifes, speaking different languages (no thai at all). The northen "capital" is called Chiang Mai, and it's alot nicer than bang kok. Cleaner, better hotels, cheaper and a huge nightbazar.

The south part is a lot of beaches, tourists and partys, especially full moon partys once a month. The southern capital is called Krabi. Dirty and boring I'd say, but I didn't spend that much time in it.

You should really read "the beach", it gives you quite a good picture of some placesin Thailand, and it's not that long.

gabriella

Thanks a bunch, actually you two have brought up a bunch of things I never would have thought to look up (tribes, prices for crimes.) And I'll be sure to give The Beach a try =)

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badash

Sure thing. About the tribes; they are only a very small part of the nothern population. I don't got any numbers, but don't mistake it for it's the only people in the north!!!!!!!!!
I got some great pictures from all over, also from a tribe. Guess I could email 'em to ya if you want me too?

gabriella

Please Thanks a lot. They seem interesting anyway (the tribes) so even if I might not include them in my novel (thinking about adding them, actually) I still want to see what they are. Thanks soo much!

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.

badash

I sent some pics to you, but the files are to big so I maxed out your email capacity... sorry 'bout that
Don't you got messenger... it would be so much easier that way, if you want any more pics.

gabriella

smurfup@hotmail.com

and thanks again!

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You write by sitting down and writing - Bernard Malamud.