Travel Struggles Thais Can Relate To

Travel Struggles Thais Can Relate To

If you're fortunate enough to travel on a regular basis, you may start to pick up on little quirks that come with it. While I don't consider myself consumed by wanderlust, I would like to think that I've travelled enough to be able to share a few amusing quirks and struggles I discovered along the way. For your entertainment (and in some cases, our common commiseration), here are travel titbits Thai can relate to.

Long-ass Names

If your full name is seven-syllables long and comprises entirely of Thai words derived from Pali and Sanskrit i.e. Pornchai (chai as in victory, not man) Sereemongkonpol, you run a high risk of having your name altered on boarding passes, pick-up signs or place cards. Either your full name simply exceeds the number of letters allowed or someone just gives up on spelling it correctly. On Bangkok Airways's boarding pass, I'm "Sereemongkon/Porncha", "Sereemongkonpol/Por" on Hong Kong Airlines and "Sereemongkonpol/Porn" on Southwest Airlines.

Also, whenever you're given a form to fill, you first check if it has enough blocks or black spaces to fit your full name. Mine needs 23 blocks, after all. Thai name struggles are real, people.

Being mistaken for an East Asian when you're Southeast Asian

If you're of a Thai national of Chinese descent, you run the risk of being mistaken for Chinese, Japanese or Korean. Heck, you may already have been mistaken for a Chinese by a shopkeeper at CentralWorld or a taxi driver. When you're in Pattaya or Chiang Mai, the chance of being mistaken for Chinese triples that you may as well use the Chinese name your parents gave you (yes, the one that you're unsure of pronouncing until this day). That being said, can you really blame them though? Look in the mirror.

Culture Shock -- Good and Bad

Even in a country which shares similar cultures with your own, you'll come across a few familiar things that are also unfamiliar, as well. You may be surprised to see Anello bags on sale at a generic bag store along with other brands in Japan instead of its own dedicated shop or counter. You may feel right at home when a Korean taxi driver rudely refuses you. You may have to run to catch a train in Rome because it's punctual and leaves on time unlike Thai trains, which operate on "Thai time". While you're answering nature's call in the US, you may notice that there's enough space underneath the partition for someone to poke their head in to say hi. The list goes on.

Sidewalk Envy

It's unfortunate that you have to leave the capital of Thailand to experience what a real sidewalk is. In Tokyo or Seoul, a simple walk is such a pleasant experience. First, you have enough space to actually walk abreast with your friends and there are no motorcycles honking at you for being in their way or useless telephone booths and utility poles taking up the already precious space. Have you seen Japanese manhole covers? They're like works of art.

Passport Envy

Being able to travel to different countries comes at a cost, thanks to the Thai passport being the 67th most powerful in the world. While I appreciate the fact that I can spend a weekend in Japan (and about 30 more countries) if I want to with my Thai passport, there are still visas that need to be applied for. Applying for a visa can be a daunting task depending on which country you would like to visit. You have to prepare the necessary documents, fill in online forms, get a letter of employment and bank statement, prepare visa fees, etc to ensure that your application is approved. But it doesn't end there. Getting up especially early to get into a long line at the embassy is a nerve-racking experience especially when two people in front of you get rejected.

That's why sometimes I wish I have a Japanese or Singaporean passport to save on visa fees and always adjust my glasses with the middle finger at every begpacker I see.

Pornchai Sereemongkonpol

Guru section Editor

Guru section Editor

Email : pornchais@bangkokpost.co.th

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (3)