Where To Go After Work
(Where To Go, What To Do, Where/What To Eat, Day Life, Night Life)
Those expats living and working in Thailand should make the most of their free time, and make no mistake, there is a host of things to do and see after a day’s work or on those well-deserved days off.
Let’s break these down into sections that will interlink throughout the article.
Where to go and what to do:
This will obviously depend upon which part of the country you are in, but if it is a major city or larger town there are museums, sights of historical interest, regular exhibitions and events as well as a tremendously wide choice of eateries, places to drink, and somewhere that should not be overlooked whichever part of the Kingdom you are in:
Public parks:
These are beautifully tended and offer a calm place to reflect on life as well as catching up on chapters of your latest book.
Early morning sees a pleasant temperature and keep-fit enthusiasts going through their routines. There will often be Tai-Chi or workout sessions that you will be welcome to join in with and make for an excellent way to kick-start your day.
On your return to shower for work you can always pick up some freshly cut fruit and a healthy juice. Both are available in abundance from the street sellers and come at amazingly reasonable prices.
Afternoon temperatures are for those who appreciate heat, but a short-spell under the shade of ancient trees, or on a park bench gets you into the fresh air.
Early evening is a favourite time to visit the park. Once again temperatures are dropping and people take to their work-outs with free aerobic classes regularly available.
An interesting alternative is to spend some time watching an impromptu Sepak takraw game. More commonly called takraw it is a form or foot volleyball with 2 teams of 3 players either side of a net.
A rattan ball is used and the players are only allowed to use their feet, knees, chest or head to touch the ball and return it over the net. Considerable skill and bags of energy are on open display during games.
Where to eat/what to eat:
Where do we start? Thailand is quite rightly famous the world over for its cuisine and there is certainly no shortage of places to eat as well as dishes to devour.
While regular restaurants are readily available it is vitally important that westerners do not shun the street-food stalls and vendors that proliferate. Eating at these venues provides a real-life Thai experience that should not be missed at prices that are more than tasty!
As countless pages have been written on the various dishes available we will limit this section to just 5 that are worthy of consideration and regular consumption :
- Tom Yum Kung – Spicy Shrimp Soup
- Phat Thai – Stir-fried noodles with meat of your choice or simply vegetables
- Som Tam – This is the local’s favourite; spicy papaya salad. Not for the faint hearted, but a glory for those who love fiery tastes
- Curries - A wide choice of curries are available with Massaman and Green Curry up there with the best
- Mu Nam Tok – Another delicious salad but this time laced with spiced minced pork
Activities through the day:
On your rest days, a trip to a shopping mall or discount market will give those who enjoy retail therapy more than enough self-counselling, others who are close to one of the beautiful beaches on offer can while away a relaxing day, while those not so close to salt water can spend time around a swimming pool.
If you are living in a house or condo complex without a swimming pool there is no need for concern. Just visit the nearest condo blocks or hotels that have swimming pools. It is common for these to allow use of the facilities for a very reasonable daily charge.
Night life:
Ten-pin bowling is a popular way to spend a few hours with friends and comfortable, multi-screen cinemas offer the latest movie releases in English, but it is the variety of night-life entertainment that makes Thailand world famous. There is something for everyone and venues to suit all tastes.
From relaxed, open-air beer bars to 5-star rooftop restaurants and everything in between. There are private clubs, night clubs, cabaret, live shows and live music venues. The latter offers an interesting and varied set of local musicians displaying their talents.
And, of course, after hearing your favourite tunes sung by others what better way to finish a pleasant night out with friends than retiring to a Karaoke bar or private Karaoke booth to show of your own vocal talents. These venues offer lubrication aplenty and tasty snacks in between your singing sessions.
True, most of us will never be good enough to leave our day-jobs to pursue a career as an international pop star, but the fun to be had surely more than makes up for this!
Thailand – A land of choice:
From early morning to late evening, for times of quiet reflection or raucous fun, activities that relax to those that get the adrenalin racing, Thailand offers a wide range of choice and those westerners fortunate enough to have an extended stay here should take advantage of everything it has to offer.
