Unusual Things We can Find in Thailand
Departemen Sastra Inggris
Anisatul Ilmiah
6 September 2021
Pembelajaran dan Aktivitas Mahasiswa
SDG 4, SDG 17
“Different places have different charm.” Tourist destinations, local food, and cultural attractions are usually used to be a consideration for travelers visiting a certain country. Thailand has long been known to be one of bucket-list vacations for travelers. Breathtaking tropical scenery, amazing food, many historic temples, and exciting places for shopping. Other than that Thailand is the promised land for affordable travel costs and extreme hospitality of the locals. That is why Thailand is referred to as “the land of smiles.” This country has a truly chaotic charm that draws people from all over the world.
The writer discovers many new things after one month living in the Land of White Elephants. In July to August the writer has done a Teaching Practice Program and Community Service Program held by the Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang in Thailand. This activity aims to practice knowledge in teaching English and learning local customs and cultures. Here are some unusual things that we can find in Thailand, especially in Krabi.
Coin-operated laundry machine
Nowadays, it is a common thing to clean your apparel with a washing machine. In Indonesia there are several service places that have opened coin self-operated laundry. What makes this thing different from Thailand? In Thailand, we can find the self service laundry machine in many street corners. You can wash multiple pieces of your clothes with only 20 or 40 baht coins (around Rp. 10.000-20.000).
Cashless market
Many cafes, restaurants and shopping centers in Indonesia serve the cashless method or simply scan the barcode. When visiting the seasonal traditional market in Krabi, the author was quite surprised because it was the first time saw a market where the transaction process used cashless service. In certain areas in Indonesia, some sellers who are technology literate apply this system.
However, in Thailand regarding the ages everyone is willing to serve cashless. The writer is impressed by the economic system in Indonesia and wishes for all traditional markets to apply this effective method.
Wedding cultures
Wedding receptions in Thailand have a similar vibe with Padang restaurants in Indonesia. The guests just sit and wait for the food to be served by the waiter. Many choices of dishes are offered such as meat and various vegetables.
The unique thing is that rice in Thailand is placed in a large plastic packaging and then people can take some rice in the plastic bag. It was such a unique experience.