Real Life Thailand
You Know You’ve Been in Thailand a Long Time If…

Scuba diving has taken me across the globe, but for the past 10 or so years, I’ve called Thailand home. Over time, Real life Thailand has shocked me, amused me and broke me but I’ve I’ve come to embrace the quirks, craziness, and charm of this amazing country — There are many aspect of living in Thailand you might think are madness, things that now feel completely normal to me. Can you relate real life Thailand? Do you have more to add?

What Can you Expect from Real Life Thailand

You think people back home don’t smile enough.
Thailand’s “Land of Smiles” reputation sticks with you, and now, a lack of cheerful grins elsewhere feels oddly cold.
You call motorcycles “motor-cy.”
Why say the whole word when you can say it Thai-style?
Stray dogs are now “soi dogs.”
You’ve even got a few favorite local soi dogs you recognize in your neighborhood.

You realize it’s cheaper to eat out than cook at home.
Why cook when delicious street food costs less than the ingredients for a single meal?
You dream about bread that doesn’t taste sweet.
You’ve resigned yourself to sugary bread and miss the hearty loaves from back home.
You use Thai tones for English words.
Whether it’s ordering food or giving directions, you instinctively mimic Thai intonations so you’re understood.

You no longer sweat just walking at night.
You’ve fully adjusted to the heat, and nighttime strolls don’t faze you anymore.
You think of taxis as trucks with roofs and call them “baht buses.”
What’s more convenient than hopping onto the back of a baht bus?
You’ve seen dogs riding motorcycles.
And they’re holding onto the handlebars like seasoned riders—with their owners, of course.

You instinctively turn around when someone says “farang.”
Hearing the Thai word for foreigner is like your new name being called out.
You add “mai” to the end of questions—even in English.
“Want to go now, mai?” It just feels right at this point.
Your friends say you talk funny, and you call them “my friend me.”
Your English has picked up a Thai flair that your friends find hilarious.

You think of motorcycle helmets as optional.
It’s not safe, but it happens.
You’re unfazed by cat-calling.
After hearing it so often, it barely registers.
You’ve been startled by a dress mannequin.
Those lifelike mannequins in the markets are genuinely creepy sometimes.

You casually put your beer in a “condom.”
The insulating foam sleeve keeps your beer cold, and yes, that’s what they’re called here.
You have drink a cool beverage from a plastic bag.
It not what you expect when you order a drink and they hand you a plastic bag.
You’ve seen it all on the beach.
Fire shows, blind karaoke singers, and a ladyboy so stunning they turn heads—all in one night.

These are just a few of the things that make life in Thailand so unique and entertaining. My time scuba diving in Thailand was precious and will forever be in my heart and soul.