By the time you read this, I’ll be in Thailand. I’m here for two weeks.

            One of the biggest questions I am asked (not including lady-boy-related questions) is: “How much money should I set aside for Thailand?”

            Although Thailand is a cheap country, current exchange rates are horrendous. Two years ago, I was getting 50 baht on the pound, a few weeks ago, the exchange rage was 37 baht on the pound. Surely this is the result of Brexit, populism, Trump, or some such idiocy that has thrown the world into chaos at the moment.

            Although Thailand is a cheap destination in Southeast Asia, it is losing the Cheap Charlie title to nearby Laos and Cambodia where they are trying to attract customers with extremely low prices such as three pints of lager for £1.

            Affordability in Thailand depends on many factors:

• Where you plan to spend most of your time;
• What kind of hotels you choose;
• Are you willing to eat in small “mom and pop” restaurants as opposed to big name places?
• How do you plan to get around Thailand if you are going to more than one location?

            Like anywhere else in the world, Bangkok is the major city and it is more expensive than other touristy, smaller cities. But by world standards, Bangkok is still a bargain.

Hotels: Luxury can be affordable

  You can stay in the five-star Shangri-La Bangkok overlooking the Chao Phraya River for about £150 per night. Compare that to London (£650) and Tokyo (£575) and the Shangri-La is a downright bargain.

            But you can find luxury for less in Bangkok. On this trip, I’m staying at the Dream Hotel which is a medium-sized boutique chain with hotels across the U.S., UK, Belgium, Mexico, Qatar, Belize, India, Philippines, and the Maldives. A night in this five-star hotel is a steal at £50 per night breakfast included. And the best part is that it is right in the thick of things around the Sukhumvit Road which tends to be the major destination in Bangkok.

            Outside of Bangkok, you can get by in a cheaper room once it has air conditioning. Because it is always hot and humid in Thailand, you really want a room with air con. These tend to start at about £30 per night. Anything cheaper and they can be suspect with some interesting roommates like bed bugs and roaches.

            For example, I stayed previously in the three-star R Mar Resort in Patong and it was an excellent hotel with a super-king-sized bed, patio, and great pool views away from the hustle of the nearby streets for about £35 per night. Similar property types in other countries will cost you about two to three times this price.

Food paradise

    The great thing with Asia is you can eat cheaply without having to sacrifice quality or healthy options.

            It is true that they have the big name restaurants from North America and Europe such as Sizzlers, Hooters, Pizza Hut, etc., but they also come with North American and European prices. Besides, did you really travel to other side of the world to eat over-priced European and North American food?

            You can find fantastic little roadside, family-owned restaurants with excellent Thai dishes for incredible prices. For example, a green Thai curry chicken with rice will cost about 50 baht (£1.50). Shopping Centre food courts are also very reasonably priced and unlike the ones here that tend to be mass-produced junk food. Normally, you go to a cashier and pay for a certain amount of tickets, which depends on how hungry you are. Then, you walk around to the different counters and exchange your tickets for what is being cooked. It isn’t unreasonable to pick up three filling dishes for about 100 baht (slightly more than £3). Where in the UK can you have a filling, healthy meal for £3?

            Alcohol varies depending on where and when you drink. In the popular bar districts, you can find cheap alcohol between 5 and 7 p.m. Singha, Chang, and Leo beers are about 60 baht per bottle (£1.75). Later on, there are specials such as buy-one-get-one-half-priced. It is possible to budget less than £20 per day for your food and drink at these prices.

            Another great place for snacks, cold drinks, and even toiletries are the many 7-Eleven and Family Mart shops. These shops will sell pretty much anything you forgot to bring in your amenity kit while you can pick up bottles of water for about £0.20, 500-mL bottles of soft drinks for £0.50, and beers for £1. While they aren’t as good as their Japanese counterparts, Thai 7-Elevens are great for the emergency items. They do have whole meals like the Japanese ones, but not as much variety.

Safety issues in Thailand

            Thailand for the most part is a very safe country. It does have the usual headaches such as pickpockets and petty thieves. The best way to deal with potential pickpockets is to be remain aware of your surroundings and make use of your hotel room safe.

            Taxi and tuk-tuk scams are rampant. Either use public transit in Bangkok, baht buses in Pattaya, or walk in other places where distances are not too significant. You can arrange for prepaid transfers from the airport which save you hassle rather than money. While a taxi should cost you about 400 baht (£10) from the centre of Bangkok to Suvarnabhumi Airport. But some less ethical drivers will try to take advantage of your tiredness by not turning on the meter and charging you at least double. By using a prepaid taxi, you do pay a couple of hundred baht more, but there is no hassle or danger of a scam.

            Under no circumstances should you play Captain Chivalrous and get involved in any kind of fight between Thai people or Thai people and foreigners. While Thai people are the kindest, warmest, and most welcoming people, if they are feel threatened, they come out of the woodwork to fight and they bring weapons. Be warned. If you see anything, just keep walking.

            If you are in a bar, keep a track of your drinks and their cost. It is easy to do because every time you order a drink, the bar staff puts a bill in your little receipt cup so you can keep track. Some bar staff are not averse to creative accounting methods if you are too drunk to realise what they have done.

Red lights of the cities

            I cannot finish a blog on Thailand without talking about it’s more notorious side. It is sin city and has been that way since the Vietnam War when American soldiers used to go to Thailand for R and R during the war.

            While Thailand still has a reputation for gogo bars and prostitution, it is slowly changing. Pattaya, one of the more notorious destinations in Thailand, is starting to gentrify like Amsterdam but at a slower rate.

            You can’t avoid the red light district because it is where the entertainment district exists. But you can make it very clear that you aren’t looking for “business”. Body language plays a big role in that as does the way you interact with staff in the beer bar. If you are friendly, they will attempt to solicit you. But if you buy a drink and sit at the counter facing the streets, then you are left alone.

            The two groups that do not discriminate are the massage parlours and the infamous lady-boys. They will grab your arm, block your path, and generally harass you, but if you are firm then they go away. They tend to work on the law of averages strategy. If you don’t want their services there are many others who do.

            But don’t be phased by the red light district is part of the landscape. If you are easily offended, then you probably shouldn’t go to Thailand in the first place.

            So it is possible to see Thailand and live quite comfortably on a shoestring budget. Thailand is a wonderful country

            A simple internet search today inundates our browser with offers for similar products. For example, a flight search suddenly fills your social media with advertisements for things like Jack’s Flight Club or Cheap Holidays all promising you unheard-of discounts.

            Are they worth it? I decided to have a try at Jack’s Flight Club which I am sceptical about considering how many positive reviews they seem to get.

            Does it work? Yes and no. It all depends on how you book for fares.

            Jack’s scours the internet looking for fares and then passes them on to you when you sign up for a subscription. You then are instructed how to find those fares which usually seem to be going through an aggregator like Google Flights, Skyscanner, or Kayak and booking the cheapest flights.

            The problem for me with this setup is that I only book flights directly with airlines. There are too many horror stories of someone seeing a great deal only to find out that it was fake because suddenly the offering tour company no longer has that price, suddenly claims foreign exchange has added so much that it is no longer a deal, or doesn’t actually put through the sale properly and by the time the issue is resolved it’s no longer the price.

            Booking directly with the airline means you have problems.

            While I am sure the complaints are the exception rather than the norm, I believe those of you who can find real value and have problems booking with online travel agencies may find deals with aggregators.

            There are no sure answers to the question of where to find guaranteed cheap rates for flights. There are only factors that can help you to find cheap flights:

• Time of year: Flying to somewhere during their offseason will save you money.
• Day of the week: The day of the week of your flight influences the cost. The best days of the week to fly are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Thursdays tends to be when people who take long weekends travel; Fridays and Mondays are prime days for business travellers, and; Sundays are when people tend to return from holidays.
• Legacy versus low cost carrier: That’s up to you too. Remember, you get what you pay for so cheapest may not always be best.

            Technology has become an integral part of our lives to the extent that some of us feel extremely inconvenienced if the wifi is out of order or the mobile data system is disconnected for repairs.

            We rely heavily on our gadgets when we go on holiday as aids to help us navigate unfamiliar surroundings, find off-beat places to see, or to find restaurants that come highly recommended.

            In this post, I will explore five must-have items you need for your travel:

1. Gadgets: If nothing else, your mobile phone can act as your multimedia device as a GPS system, internet, and entertainment. Any of the known brands of mobile phones is fine. There aren’t too many advantages of using, for example an iPhone, over a Huawei. An iPad is also a good device to have. If the airplane charges you for entertainment (as is the case on some regional airlines) or there is nothing you really want to see, an iPad is handy because you can download your content and watch anywhere you are.
2. Portable charger: Have you ever noticed that you never have enough battery power? On my first trip to Japan, I did a day trip to Hiroshima. I got back to Shinagawa Station and took the wrong exit and realised I needed to go back to the station and go to the other side of the station. I also noticed I had 1 percent battery left. Now, I pack a Poweradd Pilot X7 20,000 milliamp Hour battery pack. It has two USB ports so I can charge my phone and modem at all times. Word of warning, airlines do not allow external chargers on the plane that are more than 20,000 milliamp Hour power. I found that charging an iPhone X from 50 percent to full takes about an hour if I am not using the device.
3. Travel wifi hotspot: I have written about these on many occasions. If you don’t have an unlocked phone which can accommodate a new sim card, then a modem is for you. All airports I have flown into have kiosks set up to sell you sim and modem data plans for the duration of your trip. These are worth it for European travellers in Asia because most European providers allow for local service in other parts of Europe. For example, O2 users can use their phone as normal in most European countries.
4. Electronic accessories case: Our devices come with chargers and cords. Sometimes we use earphones, we have other devices or external storage units such as USBs or hard drive. A case allows you to put everything into one bag that you can put in your carry-on bag so you aren’t rummaging around your bag for a cord or a USB stick.
5. Headphones: Unless you’re sitting in first or business class, the quality of headphones in economy is substandard at best. A set of noise cancelling headphones can make your journey a little more bearable by creating an oasis for you where you can shut out the world around you. The key manufacturers include: Bose, Dr Dre, Sony, Harmon Kardon, Bang & Olafussen, and Bowers & Wilkins. All of these companies make some excellent noise cancelling headphones. The most important quality you want from a set of headphones is comfort. You don’t want those things hurting your ears halfway through an eight-hour flight. I have a pair of Bowers & Wilkins PX Noise Cancellation headphones. A pro tip is to buy your headphones at the airport.  An app can be downloaded that allows you to use presets for the noise cancelling feature. When I was shopping for mine, the cheapest price I saw was £350. I had the brainwave to check the price at Dixons at Manchester Airport. The price there was £270. Dixons at Manchester Airport allows you to click collect shop. You can choose what you want, have it set aside, and pay for it when you are at the airport.

            Today’s air travel is a pain in the arse. You have to show up two to three hours early, check in, go through an invasive security screening and then sit there airside in the terminal building with nothing to do but sip on overpriced drinks because you still have 2.5 hours to kill before your flight leaves.

            So how could we travel effectively in the modern era to take advantage of the best deals and small hassles? Here are five tips to help you keep your costs down:

• Some carriers and low cost carriers, such as BA and EasyJet, are offering carry-on only deals at lower prices than it would cost you to check in a suitcase. So why not travel with a carry on and a backpack? Shops like H&M, Zara, Mango, and The Gap are global brands. Chances are that there will be at least one branch wherever you visiting. Why not pack lightly and pick up a few things when you get there? At the end of your trip, donate your purchased or even your older clothing a local charity. Wherever you are going will probably have convenience stores and pharmacies where you can pick up shaving gels, deodorants, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. And they are probably much cheaper than your local shop. For example, on a visit to 7-Eleven in Thailand last year, I picked up these amenities for about £7. In Boots in the UK, shaving gel alone can be £3.50. Just carry our toothbrush and razor and pick up everything else.
• Many airlines charge you for seat selection. Never pay for seat selection unless there is a specific seat you need or several of you travelling which means sitting close to each other. The other time I would pay for a seat selection is if I have a short connection time and I need to get off the plane quickly then I will pick one as far forward as possible. Selection becomes free when online check in opens. If you aren’t bothered about where you want to sit in an airplane, then wait and save.
• Invest in a water bottle. The going price of a 600 ml bottle of Coke airside is about £3 which is the cost of 6 cans in most supermarkets. But you aren’t allowed to take liquids through security so they have you. Or do they? Investing in a nice sturdy water bottle means you can fill up for free at water fountains when you are airside. After all, medical experts say that you need to keep hydrated when flying.
• Airlines charge you for food especially on short flights and low cost carriers. Pick up some food from your local supermarket. Food items are permissible at security unlike liquids, so pick up a sandwich and some snacks for the flight. Airside food is much more expensive.
• Invest in a travel wifi hotspot. We love to post photographs of our travels when we are away on social media. While wifi is common in most locations, it tends to be pretty basic and cannot accommodate heavy uploads. Companies like Tep Wireless will rent or sell you a modem. If you travel a lot it is better to buy a modem. For example, if you have a 10-day trip to Thailand, Tep offers a 1GB 3G unlimited service at US$8.95 per day and a 3GB 4G unlimited service for US$10.95 per day. On a 10-day trip, that works out to between $89.50 and $109.50 for your holiday. If you buy a modem, Tep charges $129 for the device and $7.95 for 1GB or $9.95 for 2GB per day on a pay per use deal. If those are still too expensive, local providers can be cheaper. Smile Telecommunications in Thailand has an offer of US$6.50 per day for 4G service which works out on a 10-day trip to $65 including the device rental price. You just go to their website, and fill in your details including which airport you want to pick up your device. Dropping off the device at the end of the trip simply means returning it to where you picked it up. The kiosks are open 24 hours a day so you don’t have to worry about closure.

            One of the biggest turnoffs for travellers is a scam. Locals see unfamiliar tourists as opportunities to make money.

            A few tips can help you to become savvy travellers and make it more difficult for scammers to take your hard-earned money. After all, you worked all year to afford your holiday, why should someone ruin that for you?

Taxi scams

            This one tends to be prevalent in various forms in Europe and Asia. In Europe, it tends to occur at the airport because there are so many government regulations that mean trying to scam passengers in the city becomes difficult.

            Always be wary of someone approaching you in the arrivals lounge asking if you need a taxi. Always say no and go to the official taxi stand. There have been cases of people being left on the side of highways because they refused to pay an extortionate rate to travel.

            While taxi stands tend to be where legitimate taxi drivers wait, it does not guarantee you will not be scammed in some way, especially in Asia.

            India is notorious for taxi drivers to lie to you that your hotel closed/burned down, the sight you want to see is closed, or the restaurant or shop you want to visit is closed. They do this because they get commissions from some hotels, shops, and restaurants to bring in unsuspecting dupes.

            The best way to deal with these people is to insist on going where you want to go or just getting out of the taxi.

            In Thailand, you have to insist that the driver turns on the meter or else they get creative with the cost. Taxis in Thailand are very cheap. A fare from Suvarnabhumi Airport to central Bangkok should cost about no more than 400 baht (£10, CAD$17, US$13, or AUD$19). Drivers will conveniently forget to turn on the meter so they can charge you two to three times this price. If they don’t turn on the meter, get out of the taxi.

            In Patong, never use a tuktuk because they will all scam you because all of the drivers collude and set extortionate prices. According to the government of Thailand, you should never pay more than 40 baht/kilometre (£1) in a tuktuk. Yet, these drivers will quote you at a rate of 100 baht/km. The nice thing about Patong is you are most likely going to stay in a hotel that is close to Patong Beach and the nightlife so you are not more than 10 to 15 minutes from anywhere.

            A good way to avoid transportation scams is to prepay for your transport and use public transit to get around. Yes, you will take longer on the bus or tube but the price is firm. You pay more for prepaid transport but you won’t be asked for more money.

General scams

            The objective of the scammer is to separate you from your money. They do this by offering you too-good-to-be-true opportunities. Single men will often be targeted by the honey scam in which an attractive woman or two will approach the man with suggestions of romance to follow.

            They usually lead the dupe to a bar where drink and have a good time until an extremely expensive bar bill shows up accompanied by equally intimidating security demanding payment which includes being accompanied to a cashpoint where they will wipe out your daily balance.

            Other scams include someone smearing something on your shoe and the partner comes along and cleans it for a ridiculous price.

            Gemstone scams also exist where you are shown beautifully stones and the price is very cheap for the stones. These turn out to be nothing more than beautifully painted rocks. Instead of a nice piece of green jade at 90 percent off the market price, you got yourself a green pebble.

How to avoid scams

            Whether you are a seasoned veteran or a rookie tourist, someone will attempt to scam you. How well they do depends on you. As I said, you’ve worked hard to save for your trip, don’t give it away to anyone.

            In all cases, a scam begins when someone approaches you. My take is, anyone who approaches me is treated with suspicion. The worst is you’ll be wrong, but the best is you’ll be right.

            Children are used to rob people so I must include them in my list. But context needs to be considered. For example, if you visit the Peace Park at Hiroshima where there are hundreds of school children who are friendly and want to try out their burgeoning English language skills with you then they aren’t a risk. But if you’re on the steps of the cathedral in Milan and some children run up to you with a newspaper, speaking a language you don’t understand that is when you should move away as quickly as possible.  

            Sometimes people genuinely want to help you but there are many indicators that will be evident that the person is just being nice and does not pose a threat. My experience shows me that if I’m walking and someone approaches me then it is suspicious. But if I’m walking and I have my phone out trying to track where I am going and looking for landmarks and I am asked where I want to go, chances are that person wants to help. Some scammers will start this way of being helpful before launching into the scam. I just walk away saying no thanks. It will anger them but I believe the law of averages works in your favour. By law of averages, I mean for every nine people who don’t fall victim to a scam, there will be one. So a scammer won’t waste too much time on you if it is evident you aren’t falling for the act because, as the saying goes, there’s a sucker born every minute.

            Another easy way to avoid a scam is to check your bill and change closely. After a few drinks, staff in some places may try to get creative with your tab. The lesson here is don’t drink to the point where you don’t care about the price. Always ensure that the bill reflects your orders and that the change you receive in bars, restaurants, and shops is exactly what you should receive.

            All it takes is one scam to be successful to turn people off holidays, countries, and cultures. The best way to have a successful holiday is to plan and that means planning for scams. If you plan for scams, then you know how to avoid them.