Some of the great things we take for granted in Thailand versus UK

OK so I have been in the UK for the week and this is now the last of my blogs/vlogs that look at the difference between the Western world and Thailand. So far I have covered off the feeling of being an ‘alien’ when you return to your domestic country whilst actually being an actual ‘alien’ in Thailand – the country supposed to be your ‘home’. I also vlogged about the cold weather and dark nights experienced on this trip, really it has been very cold.

But there is one more observation I d like to comment on and this is the basis of this article, and that is in the things we take for granted living in Thailand that does not happen and/or exist in the UK, and I suspect for that matter, other developed countries.

The first one that caught me out, especially given the bitterly cold weather, was having to put your own petrol in your car. I had almost forgotten how to do it – and then you had to walk into the shop to pay. I preferred the Thai way of staying in the car – and even getting my windscreen washed and, on occasions, a free bottle of water.

The next one I won’t spend too much time discussing, but it was a biggie – and actually the word ‘biggie’ is very apt as that’s when I noticed it, after my ‘biggie’. There is no ‘bum gum’ to clean up after doing your job (‘dropping the kids off’). Cleaning with just toilet paper is no laughing matter and feels very unhygienic.

Next up is actually a big thumbs up for the UK. Unlike 7-11 in Thailand whom put your bottle of cola in a plastic bag when at check out, in the UK you are expected to bring your own reusable bags or simply use no bag at all. The sooner 7-11 and other stores in Thailand are told to do the same the better. It’s simply not acceptable.

Small observation, in Thailand we have no heating controls in most of our cars and also the indicators on the steering wheel are the opposite side to the UK – left for UK and right in Thailand – even though both steering wheels are right hand side.

Going to the movies in the UK is about 600 baht versus around 200 baht in Thailand. A can of coke in the UK is about 35 baht versus 14 baht in Thailand.