10 Things You Should Never Do in Thailand

Thailand can be a dream place to travel, and it is for the millions of backpackers that pour in every year. However it is important to know things before you travel there. It can save you a lot of trouble and ensure you have a flawless experience. So here are 10 Things You Should NEVER Do in Thailand.

Don’t Ride The Elephants

Many of the elephants are held as slaves and poorly treated, only to be used as a tourist attraction. Riding the elephants supports elephant slavery, so its best not to do it. There is however some elephant conservations where the funds go to helping them. Also avoid other animal cruelty attractions such as petting (drugged up) tigers or watching monkey shows.

Don’t Ride a Scooter Without a Helmet

Scooter accidents are a daily occurrence in Thailand. A helmet can save your life. Don’t not wear one to be cool.

Don’t Get Way Too Drunk

When you are sloppy drunk, it is easy to be taken advantage of. And like any country that has a ton of tourism, they are many sketchy people that come along with it. Don’t put yourself in a position to be robbed or worse.

Don’t Do Drugs

Drugs are not just frowned upon in Thailand, they are literally a harsh criminal offence. Even a joint will put you in prison. Harder drugs could mean years in prison.. this is not an overstatement. If you are going to do it anyway, be as smart and discreet about it as possible.

Don’t buy a Buddha head Statue or Get Tattoo of One

There are many limitations and laws with buddha souvenirs especially when it is just the head. You could actually be breaking the law by buying one and bringing it back home, so its best to just avoid. Tattoos of Buddha heads are also considered wrong and an offence.

Don’t Ignore The Culture and Social Norms

Remember that you are in another country, not your own. So you should act in a way that is on par with the culture. Don’t disrespect the locals or buddhism in general. Also it is important to cover up when going into a temple and not show too much skin. Having a sarong on hand is helpful.

Don’t Walk on the Beach at Night, Even if you are not alone

The beach at night is where many travellers get robbed by people lurking in the night. I’ve heard it happen to many people at several hostels I’ve stayed at. Getting a ride home in Thailand is inexpensive.. so don’t risk getting robbed coming back from the bar.

Don’t Start a Fight, especially not with the locals!

Fighting will only get you in trouble. Its best to walk away. Especially if it is with the locals. They will always stick together, so don’t think that it will be a 1-on-1 confrontation.

Don’t Disrespect the Royal Family

The Thais have a lot of respect for the Royal Family, and if you show any disrespect, you can find yourself in a lot of trouble. Careful, the kings face is on the currency, so even be respectful of the money itself… never ever step on it!

Don’t Over Plan Your Whole Trip

This last one is just a reminder that the true spirit of travelling is to be free, to be completely in the moment and open to whatever you feeling like doing. A tight plan will make things feel rushed, take you away from the places that you aren’t ready to leave, and will leave you more exhausted than anything else. Traveling in Thailand is actually really easy and quite cheap. There are more than enough hostels and guesthouses to accommodate even if you book them at the last minute. If your trip is open-ended, it will blossom more naturally.