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This is a tonal monosyllabic language. The same word can be said in five different ways - normal or middle tone, low, rising and falling. Like English it is read from left to right. but that 's where the similarities end. Some English sounds like "th" and "z" don 't appear at all, while some Thai sounds are not commonly used in English either.
Basic Words
Food and Drink
Days of the Week
Directions
Time
Month
Weather
Place
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Tom Yum Kung : Spiced Sour Soup with shrimp. Kang Som : Seafood or chicken , vegetable ragout with sour and sweet flavor. Kang Keow Wan Kai : Green and sweet cooked with chicken. Kaeng Mat Sa Man : Rich beef or chicken curry with sweet potato. Kaeng Ka Ri : A mild flavoured Indian type curry made with chicken beef or lamb with potatoes, tomatoes and onions. Kang Liang : Thai style soup with vegetables. Tom Khaa Kai : Chicken with galingale in coconut milk soup. Khai Tom : Hard boiled eggs. Khai Luak : Soft boiled eggs. Khai Dao : Fried eggs. Khao Phad : Fried rice with choice of pork, chicken or seafood. Phad Phak : Fried vegetables with pork, chicken or seafood. Phad Priew Wan : Sweet and sour fried vegetable with pork, chicken or seafood. |
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In Thailand, as in many other Asian countries, the 'squat toilet' is the norm except in hotels and guesthouses geared towards tourists and international business travellers. Instead of trying to approximate a chair or stool like a modern sit-down toilet, a traditional Asian toilet sits more or less flush with the surface of the floor, with two footpads on either side of the porcelain abyss. For travellers who have never used a squat toilet it takes a bit of getting used to. If you find yourself feeling awkward the first couple of times you use one, you can console yourself with the knowledge that, according to those who study such matters, people who use squat toilets are much less likely to develop haemorrhoids than people who use sit toilets. Next to the typical squat toilet is a bucket or cement reservoir filled With water. A plastic bowl usually floats on the water's surface or sits nearby. This water supply has a two-fold function; toilet-goers scoop water from the reservoir with the plastic bowl and use it to clean their nether regions while still squatting over the toilet. Since there is usually no mechanical flushing device attached to a squat toilet, a few extra scoops of water must be poured into the toilet basin to flush waste into the septic system. In larger towns, mechanical flushing systems are becoming more and more common, even with squat toilets. Even more rustic are the toilets in rural areas, which may simply consist of a few planks over a hole in the ground. Even in places where sit-down toilets are installed, the plumbing may not be designed to take toilet paper. In such cases the usual washing bucket will be standing nearby or there will be a waste basket where you're supposed to place used toilet paper. Public toilets are common in cinema houses, department stores, bus and train stations, larger hotel lobbies and airports. while on the road between towns and villages it is perfectly acceptable (for men and women) to go behind a tree or bush or even to use the roadside when nature calls.
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This makes it more difficult for thieves to grab. Wide straps are safer and more comfortable than thin ones. Magellan's is offering a fantastic new Security Purse, with a steel cable sewn right into the strap to protect you from thieve who cut through regular straps and run off with your belongings. Purse and security wallet should each contain your name and who to contact in case of a medical emergency. Also list any allergies you have (such as "allergic to penicillin"). Write this phrase in English and in the languages of the countries in which you will be traveling. Stay alert in busy environments When you are at the airport, train station or other travel hub, you are at your most vulnerable to pickpockets. You will be tired, disoriented and handling cash, tickets and passport. Remind yourself to take extra care and to not rush. When going through passport checks When going through passport, custom, or security checks, be on your best, most serious behavior. Even if you are in a long line and in a hurry, be polite, quiet and follow all instructions carefully. Answer all questions from the agent clearly and briefly. Never make humorous comments. Officials can send you to a holding and questioning area for the slightest reason. It is their job to take all comments and jokes seriously to help ensure your safety. Shoulder Surfers When you are keying in your numbers for your ATM, credit card or telephone card, someone may be looking over your shoulder to get the numbers. Be wary, even if no one is near you as some thieves shoulder-surf with binoculars! Look at the keypad to locate your PIN numbers, then use one hand to shield the keyboard while you press the keys with the other hand. If you have a long series of numbers, do them in batches of 3-4 digits or use a Programmable Tone Dialer for even better security. Tuck your card away as soon as you can, don't leave it on the phone or machine while you talk or put things away. Use your business address Tuck a business card in the pocket of your overcoat and jacket. This will help in case you leave them in a restaurant or on a train. Put you hotel name and telephone number on the cards. Take business cards (with no hotel information) and give these to people you may want to have contact with later. don't give them your home address. Use a business card on your luggage label; never put your home address. Add your hotel name and address on the tag on your trip out; use your business card only on your trip back. If you don't have a business card, use your travel agent's business address for your home address. When wearing evening clothes Safety pin your hotel and/or safe key inside your coat pocket if the key in your security wallet causes an unattractive bulge in your clothes. Protect your luggage Secure the strap to your luggage around the leg of your chair, around your leg, or sit on it while waiting in terminals or stations to prevent your bag from being grabbed. If you are sitting for a length of time, attach your luggage to your chair with a retractable cable lock. Cable Lock Locks that have a long retractable wire cable are fabulous for train and bus travel. You can lock your suitcase to the overhead luggage rack and feel secure when you visit the ladies' room or walk around the train. Multiple destinations Magellan's sells exclusive Retriever Tags that say "Itinerary Inside" in several languages. You write your complete itinerary with dates, hotel addresses and phone numbers and place it the tag. If bags go astray, the tag instructs agents to open the itinerary inside to see where your bags should be delivered. Jewelry Don't take anything of great sentimental or monetary value. Take faux jewels or inexpensive real ones. Take two matching pairs of earrings so that if you lose one, you still have a pair. Depending on the level of misogyny at your destination, you may wish to wear a faux wedding ring. Be ready for a hotel fire In case of fire and quick evacuation during the night, pack your valuables in your purse and keep it near the bed with a flashlight. Keep shoes and overcoat handy also. One night I was staying in the lovely Chateau Frontenac in Quebec when the fire alarm sounded. They evacuated all the hotel guests to the streets. I was in a room near the top of that elegant old wooden hotel and was glad I could quickly pick up my valuables and put on clothing wearable outdoors. It was a false alarm, but the fashion show of goofy men's pajamas made the inconvenience worth the trouble! |
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