Koh Samui Guidebook

NaviGo is an application which allows customers to easily book a taxi where prices are strictly on the meter.

Unbeknown to many travellers, newly-captive and captive-born Asian elephants are traditionally subject to systematic abuse in order to ‘train’ them to accept riders and perform in shows. Having a picture taken of yourself with a gibbon on your shoulder, an eagle on your arm, a python around your neck or a tiger’s head on your lap. This might sound like a strange and even dangerous practice to most of us, but unfortunately for a lot of others it is seen as a nice souvenir of a holiday to Thailand. Not only is the use of animals for entertainment inhumane and unacceptable from an ethical point of view, but also extremely damaging from a conservation perspective. Most of the wild animals exploited for tourists are poached from ever-decreasing wild populations, if this continues then there will be none left. The Facts – Reasons why you should not support the “photo-props” on your holiday Almost all are poached from the wild; a complete family of gibbons will be killed just to obtain one baby gibbon. The animals suffer greatly – they are often drugged, mistreated and passed from one stranger to stranger all day and until late into the night. Most animals can only be used when they are young and therefore are dumped by their owners when they mature and become aggressive – natural behaviour for an wild animal – or too large to handle. Having a photograph taken with a tiger at any venue, even the infamous “Tiger Temple” does not help the conservation of the species. These practices are merely a way to make money and further exploit the poor animals that are regularly drugged and beaten to make them more docile for the visitors. Some people, as well as some gibbons, carry diseases that can be transferred from animals to people and vice versa. You can actually get deadly diseases from these animals such as TBC and Hepatitis-B if you kiss and hug them or don’t handle them professionally. Lorises, those cute bundles of fur photographers use as props, have particularly sharp teeth and toxis saliva; one bite from them could lead to severe blood poisoning.

GREETINGS & ESSENTIALS - Sa Wat Dee (sa-wat–dee) / Hello Greet anyone and everyone who crosses your path. You will most likely butcher the word initially, but Thais will readily assist you with pronunciation, and this simple greeting will certainly help you as you continue your travels. - Kawp Koon (kop-koon) / Thank You The more polite you are, the better your experience will be. If you can, learn to perform the “wai” (deep bow) when using this helpful phrase. - Chai / Mai Chai (chai / my–chai) — Yes / No Learning the basics is always a good idea. Even if you do not understand everything that is being said to you, you’ll be surprised how often you can use a simple “chai” or “mai chai”. - Kor Tot (kor-tot) / Excuse Me Thailand is a crowded place. Whether riding the sky train or island hopping by boat, you are going to step on some toes – both literally and figuratively. Be prepared for these scenarios: learn how to say, “excuse me”. - Mai Khao Jai (my–cow-jai) / I Don’t Understand Do not get frustrated when you do not understand something (or everything). Instead, just repeat this phrase over and over until someone can (hopefully) translate. - Lah Gorn (la-gon) / Goodbye Parting ways and unsure what to say? A simple “lah gorn” and/or a “wai” will suffice. DIRECTIONS - Haawng Naam Yuu Thee Nai? (hong-nam-you–tee–nye) / Where Is The Bathroom? Bathrooms are hard to come by in Thailand, and oftentimes you won’t be able to find one until it might be too late. Spare yourself the desperate search with this simple phrase (and be prepared for the squat toilets and bum guns). Leo Sai / Leo Kwaa (lee-yo-sigh/lee-yo-kwa) — Turn Left / Turn Right When it comes to getting ripped off, taxi drivers are the biggest offenders. Arm yourself with a map and the knowledge of how to give some basic directions in Thai, and you will be less likely to arrive at the wrong destination. - Yut / Bai (yut / bye) — Stop / Go Impress your driver with directional basics to help get around with ease. Being able to direct a taxi, tuk-tuk or Songtaew driver will likely save you time and money. - Hai Chah Long (high–cha-lom) / Slow Down This phrase is particularly handy if your tuk tuk driver is hooning along at top speeds and you would like them to slow down. Alternatively, if you are trying to direct someone this phrase can be very useful. IN THE RESTAURANT - Hiu (hee-yoo) / I’m Hungry Thailand has some of the most delicious dishes in the world. Learn how to communicate that you are hungry in a way that does not involve rubbing your stomach. - Mai Sai Nam Tam (my–sigh-nam-tam) / No Sugar Sugar is to Thailand what salt is to the Western world. Sugar and condensed milk make appearances in everything from noodle soup to black coffee. If you like your coffee stiff or simply do not want the extra calories, know this simple phrase. - Chawp Pet Noi (chop–pet-noy) / I Like It A Little Bit Spicy Thai people love spicy food. Sometimes, a restaurant will intentionally make the dish mildly spicy, knowing that a foreigner cannot handle the heat. To reduce your chances of having your mouth set aflame, learn this simple phrase. - Nam (nam) / Water Likely one of the most important words to learn in the Thai language especially if you’re wandering around in the heat of the day and feeling parched. - Aroi (a-roy) / Delicious Want to show some appreciation for the delicious food you just inhaled? While a gratuity is always appreciated, express to your cook that the food was delicious, and you will be sure to receive a smile in return. AT THE MARKET - A Nee Tao Rai? (a-nee–tow–rye) / How Much Is This? Thais are extremely friendly, but in Thailand as elsewhere, foreigners must be wary of scams. Reduce your chances of paying double what a Thai would pay for the same item by learning to ask “how much” in the native tongue. - Phaeng Mark Pai (feng-mak-pie) / Too Expensive Someone charging you a little too much baht for your souvenirs? Speak your mind with this marketplace soundbite. NUMBERS Sun (sun) / 0 Nung (nung) / 1 Song (song) / 2 Sam (sam) / 3 See (see) / 4 Da (da) / 5 Hok (hawk) / 6 Jed (jed) / 7 Baed (bed) / 8 Gao (gow) / 9 Sib (sib) / 10 MAKING FRIENDS - Gin Khao Lou Mai? (gin-cow–lou–mye) / Have You Eaten Yet? In Thailand, this phrase is used in more ways than it’s literal meaning and can even be used as a form of “hello”. It’s a conversation filler and a way to check in to see how someone is faring. - Suay / Lo Mak (soo–way / low-mak) — Very Beautiful / Handsome The power of a compliment cannot be underestimated, especially when traveling in a foreign country. FOR EVERYTHING ELSE - Ron Mak (ron-mak) / I Am Very Hot Thailand reaches scorching temperatures in the hot season and can be a little confronting at times. Learn this phrase to interact and commiserate with your local hosts or to explain why your red, dripping with sweat and in need of assistance. - Mai Bpen Rai (my-pen-rye) / No Problem Missed a flight? Mai bpen rai. Food poisoning taking its toll on your bowels? Mai bpen rai. Thais hate losing face, so the more you can brush off any unpleasant experience, the better you will fare among locals.