Living Like a Thai Day 7: I’m Bored
By Talen on Jun 7, 2011 in Living in Thailand, Thai Food, Thai life, Thai markets
Pattaya Lighthouse as seen on my walk today
While I spent yesterday as Thai as possible just hanging out and watching the boob tube I realized that this experiment is boring me to death. I venture out every day for a nice long walk usually accompanied by some picture taking and people watching but it’s not quite the same as going out and visiting some friends at night.
There is nothing stopping me from going out at night but I know myself too well and going out could lead to a budget busting night leaving me 20 baht a day to live on for the rest of the month. Key to the budget is keeping it simple and staying in a lot. On the plus side I am getting a lot done but the one thing that is lacking in the first week of this experiment is social interaction, which if I were Thai I would be having a lot more of.
Even the poorest of Thai’s will have meaningful interactions all day long in groups while eating or just walking to the market, being a falang trying to live like a Thai I am not getting the same social needs met. I think I will try and go out tomorrow night for a few hours with my limited funds and catch up with some friends…should be interesting to see how that turns out.
Living Like a Thai Day 7
Today was another good day for the budget although my one nasty habit, smoking, did get the better of me today. I started off the day with a banana and mangosteen for breakfast leaving me the same for tomorrow which means I’ll need to hit the fruit market for some more. I then went for a nice long walk and enjoyed a wonderful Cha Nom Lawn (Thai hot tea ) for 15 baht ( $.51 ) on beach road as I sat for a bit and people watched.
Unfortunately I was out of smokes and I couldn’t bear to buy another cheap pack of Thai lung busters so I popped into 7/11 and bought a pack of Marlboro lights for 78 baht ( $2.65 )…maybe not the most frugal of purchases but boy did that first smoke taste good with my hot tea 
Besides I did well yesterday on the budget and you can’t always do the right thing.
For lunch I heated up some water and had me a ramen noodle cup, I like the cheap noodles but they are getting boring so for dinner I ventured out to a small Thai restaurant I haven’t been to in at least 2 years that is located on Pattaya Klang. The place looks like a bomb hit it but the food is always impeccable and my plate of Ka Prao Moo (spicy basil pork with rice and vegetables ) hit the spot for only 40 baht ( $1.36 )and that included a coke.
I already know tomorrow I have to make a water run and pick up some more fruit, but I’ll also be looking to buy some veggies and chicken or pork so I can make some meals at home with the rice I bought.
Observations Today: Even when not on a self imposed budget I wasn’t going out every night, more like a few times a week generally around the weekend. Just those few nights a week can add up because drinks for the most part can be just as expensive as they are in the west, unless of course you are a really cheap bastard and drink the cheapest nastiest beer. An even balance has to be struck and while I need to go out and be amongst people maybe I need to find other less expensive ways of doing so.
| Purchase | Amount | Cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cha Nom Lawn | 1 | 15 baht | 15baht |
| Marlboro Lights | 1 pack | 78 baht | 78 baht |
| Ka Prao Moo | 1 dinner | 40 baht | 40 baht |
| Today’s Total | 133 baht ( $4.52 ) | ||
| June Total | 965 baht ( $32.85 ) |
if you have any vices, living on a budget is hell because addictions don’t adhere to budgets.
smoking, drinking, gambling, drugs, girls… any of these addictions will ruin a budget.
Bangkokbuddy | Jun 7, 2011 | Reply
..the more you want, the more you suffer.
-buddha
Bangkokbuddy | Jun 7, 2011 | Reply
Funny, when I decided to go to Thailand (from USA) everyone warned me (including the fliers at the doc’s office) to avoid the ‘street food’ there. I always pretty much ignored this, mostly because the Thais I was with always wanted something from the vendors, and because I thought it would be silly to travel half way around the world just to eat McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and KFC. Despite the warnings I have never gotten sick from the street food. I have gotten ill twice, both from the same Thai buffet, but other similar Thai buffets were no problem. Do I dare go for the third strike next time I am down there?
Rambone | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
Rambone, I have never been sick from street food but at least one restaurant did me in. I hit 2 different Thai bbq, …maybe you should ale the Thai bbq that got you sick in case it’s one I go to…
Talen | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
Bangkok, you said it brother…err or Buddha said it
Talen | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
“smoking, drinking, gambling, drugs, girls… any of these addictions will ruin a budget.” but but they are all the things worth living for….I told my mother I should have been born a millionaire!
Talen | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
“The place looks like a bomb hit it” – That really doesn’t narrow it down much.
ChuckWow | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
I agree – I have never had a bad reaction to “street food” in Thailand.
I have, however, had a few “cheeks don’t fail me now” episodes after eating at the McDonalds in Royal Garden.
ChuckWow | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
Chuck, we have all had a cheeks don’t fail me now moments…thank god no sharts though.
Talen | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
Chuck, yeah, that describes most of the food joints on Pattaya Klang…this one really does look condemned though and I think it did have a kitchen fire …well, that or they have never cleaned it in 30 years.
Talen | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
just saw your article and wanted to welcome to the club. I am 150 baht a day man myself.Its one meal only at night, rice and karmoo, and two barmee soups during the day, and the rest is lots of home made tea..tea keeps the hunger pains away..its not a problem for me as I have lived the last 15yrs this way because I could only afford one meal a day in the western world..I dont have a fridge as there is nothing to put in it. the only power is for the ceiling fan, the lights dont works. The mattrass is so old and infested I sleep on the tile floor..bit hard on the old back, but you adjust, and thats what you will find too..its amazing what you dont need..its all just a matter of will power..just watch yourself when you come back out of it at the end of the month, dont rush your food, ease back into it..and watch your health man..I go for barmee because the water is boiled.its a good experience, after all Buddha himself lived like that for 10yrs..if you start visiting the local temple you might score a feed now and then, and it will get you in touch more with the culture…
anyway, be ups buddy..
Maaka | Jun 8, 2011 | Reply
ahhh, beautiful plate of food ruined by foot in pic
Lani | Jun 10, 2011 | Reply
Lani, I’ll cut foot of so it never happens again…what do you have against feet?
Talen | Jun 10, 2011 | Reply
I have noticed that a lot of the bar girls will remove their flip flops and show their bare feet in an effort to entice customers into their bars.
It appears this is effective as a large portion of the falang that come to visit Thailand have a foot fetish.
The girls think this is humorous as feet are the lowest and thus dirtiest part of the body and not sexually stimulating.
Apparently Lani agrees with the bargirls.
Anonymous | Jun 10, 2011 | Reply
Anon, really? I don’t think I have ever seen more than a few bar girls in flip flops the vast majority I have seen wear heels always.
Talen | Jun 10, 2011 | Reply
The previous comment was actually from me – I forgot to fill in my info before hitting the submit button.
By flip flops I mean shoes, footwear, what have you. I have witnessed this at the larger beer bar complexes. (Siren, Best Friend, etc…)
ChuckWow | Jun 11, 2011 | Reply