Originally Posted by ThePrivateOne
I will be going to BKK in a few weeks and will be staying near the Landmark Hotel. I don't want to appear gluttoness but can anyone answer a few questions for me?
1) Does Chase Bank have ATMs there? I know there are many ATMs in BKK but are any of them with Chase? On the Chase web site, the "ATM locator" function only shows ATMs in the USA. I know JPMorganChase does have a bank in BKK but I don't know about ATMs.
2) I am still unclear about the clothing situation. It is their "cool season" now. Guide books I have read and web sites I have looked at are inconsistent in their clothing recommendations. Some say not to wear shorts, jeans, knit shirts, white socks, sneakers, etc. outdoors but, instead, to dress up and wear "business casual"-type clothing, i.e., dressy pants, shirts and shoes outdoors. Other books and web sites state the opposite. What's the scoop here?
3) The culture there is one of calm, quiet, dignity and it's forbidden to lose one's temper as both parties will lose face. What happens if this does happen? Is there any way to redeem oneself and the other party. Does apologizing do it, a gift or what?
Thank you.
Look, just dress for comfort. It's going to be hot and humid in Bangkok and you are a tourist, so basically anything you wear will be OK. Personally I feel like a jerk wearing shorts in the big city, so I tend to wear long cotton pants, either cargo, chino-style or some of the more dressy ones I had made up by a tailor. Thais wear jeans a lot, but I find them too hot. I wear sandals or flipflops like the Thais do, without socks, except when going out in the evening. It's best to let your feet breathe. Choose sandals which you can kick off easily because there are many places, not just temples but also some shops and private homes, where you're supposed to leave them outside. Some evening places require closed-toe shoes. I would feel like a bigger jerk than wearing shorts if I were to wear a suit. The only time I ever wore a suit in Thailand was an occasion which was attended by a member of the Royal Family, when suits were required. T-shirts, polo shirts, short-sleeved shirts with the tails out are all fine, and daily dress for most Thais. Outside of Bangkok I wear mostly shorts and t-shirts. If you wear a t-shirt in Bangkok, carry something with long sleeves to put over your shoulders on the Skytrain and in other places with aggressive air conditioning. You don't need business-style clothes unless you're doing business.
Bring an empty suitcase and buy your climate-appropriate clothes there at a third of the price you'd pay at home.
Use any ATM anywhere. They're all fine and all connected to the global Cirrus or Plus networks. The bigger issue is how much your home bank is going to charge you for using them. Try to find an account that allows worldwide ATM usage without additional cost. Otherwise, withdraw as much as you are able to carry each time you use a machine to reduce the cost.
"Jai Yen" or cool heart is indeed an important concept in Thai culture but don't overdo it. For one thing, they take into account that you are a farang and therefore more visibly excitable than they are (supposed to be). For another, Thais tend to carry around a lot of bottled up anger and they do let loose from time to time. If it happens, get out of the way. I wouldn't worry about loss of face as long as you treat most people with respect and don't let yourself get into frustrated shouting tirades. Just "go with the flow" and you'll be OK.