The title will probably trigger negative feedback from other people, but don’t get me wrong. All the things that I will share in this article are all based on my personal experience here in Thailand, specifically in Bangkok and Ubon Ratchatani where I am working as an English language teacher.
I firmly believe that there is no perfect country. Even my home country, the Philippines has its own negative attributes, apparently more than what Thailand has. The main purpose of this article is to spread awareness rather than to generate hate. And if you are a foreigner living here in Thailand, you will more likely agree with some of the things that I will include in this article.
So let’s get started!
1. The Climate
I came from the Philippines, a tropical country with a very hot climate. I thought that since we are both near the equator and both are in Southeast Asia, we are more likely to have the same weather. Unfortunately no!
Yes!. When I was in Bangkok, it was very hot. I spent one week in Bangkok, and by all honesty, I didn’t enjoy my stay that much. Places that I was able to visit were malls and my hotel. Yes! I didn’t explore the area so much because of the climate. I would rather stay inside my air-conditioned room than to go out in extremely hot weather.
Same here in Ubon Ratchatani where I am currently staying as an English language teacher at Vichitrapittaya School. Though it is way better than Bangkok because of the trees and other forms of vegetation, it is still really hot especially at noon time. However, you will feel the cold breeze at night because of the rich nature that Ubon Ratchatani has to offer.
2. The Thai Language
I don't want to include this for I might offend other people but I need to. I firmly believe that the Thai language is the portal for you to enjoy and learn Thai culture especially if you don’t have the luxury of having translators or Thai friends to act like one.
I included this one because the Thai language is very difficult to learn. I always get frustrated learning up to the point that I want to surrender. If I ever decide to go back to the Philippines, the Thai language is one of the main reasons. Don’t get me wrong but Thai people are very accustomed to the way they pronounce the words because it might mean a different thing if they mispronounce it.
Just to emphasize, what makes the Thai language so difficult to learn is their tones. The Thai language is a tonal language. It means There are tons of words with the same spelling yet different tones. The English language has three distinct intonation patterns while the Thai language has five. Plus the fact that it is difficult to distinguish high from rising intonation and low from falling intonation.
3. Air Pollution
This is probably true to Bangkok and other nearby cities but here is Ubon Ratchatani, we are enjoying fresh air. I included this one for set the expectation of tourists, especially those who want to stay in Bangkok.
According to iqair.com, “Thailand could be considered as very polluted. In 2019, Thailand was ranked as the 28th most polluted country out of the 98 countries ranked in IQAir’s 2019 World Air Quality Report, with a yearly PM2.5 rating of 24.3 μg/m3, putting it at a rating of moderate risk to health according to the US Air Quality Index.”
Personally, I experienced the foggy atmosphere in the morning when I stayed in Sepan Kawaii, Bangkok for one week. I know it is not that healthy but it didn’t bother me that much because most of the time, I am just inside my room.
4. 90 Days Visa Renewal
I have been here in Thailand for approximately 3 months, but my brother is also working overseas, specifically in Oman. They don't have the same policy. Looking at it. It is very troublesome for the employee to appear in the immigration every three months. Plus the fact that it will be costly.
It is really not an issue for me because the immigration office is just in the Warin District where I am working. But for some who will need to travel far, it will be very troublesome. Since this is the policy we will need to oblige.
5. The Spicy Food
Yes! Around 70 percent of Thai foods are spicy. For a person who doesn’t eat spicy food, it will be difficult for you to eat Thai food because your choices will be limited. May I remind you, when I say spicy it is seriously damn spicy.
Based on my experience, what’s less spicy for them, is very spicy for me. So even though I order less spicy foods, it will still be too spicy for me.
Again, disclaimer, this article is written to set expectations of soon to be expats. It doesn’t mean to generate hate for despite having these five things I hate about Thailand, there are more things I really love about Thailand which will be a topic for my next article.
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