Packing for Thailand: What to Bring
Honestly, you could get by pretty well in most parts of the country (even the North) with only a couple T-shirts, a couple pairs of shorts, a pair of pants (for visiting templates), and some flip-flops. Sandals are so common in Thailand... everyone wore them... elephant trainers, hiking guides, restaurant owners. Most everything you can buy while there, and it's cheap. Next time I go, I'm seriously considering taking only a day pack with a 3 outfits.
What to Bring
- Flashlight -- I'm a big believer in keychain flashlights. Perfect for walking home on dark trails or getting around when there's a power outage
- Compass -- Those guide books and their maps make a lot more sense if you have a way to orient yourself. Maybe it's just because I was a Boy Scout, but I find a compass invaluable.
What to leave at Home
- Shoes -- most of the time, you'll be wearing sandals. It might be nice to have one pair of shoes for hiking or for formal wear, but you often leave your shoes outside when entering buildings, so don't waste your luggage space with footwear. You can buy cheap sandals once you arrive, but larger foot sizes are harder to find (e.g. US 12 or Europe 45 is large by Thai standards).
- Warm Clothes -- You get by 99% of the time with a T-shirt. I recommend bringing a sweatshirt, mostly for use in air-conditioned places. I used my sweatshirt only twice during 6 weeks of travel (granted, it was getting towards the hot season).
- Socks -- most of the time you'll be wearing sandals, so leave (most of) your socks at home!
- Formal Clothes -- the collared shirts / formal outfits are not necessary for most travel itineraries. If you are really in doubt, take one formal (or semi-formal) outfit, but don't be surprised if it sits unused in your suitcase. You will need to have some long trousers and long-sleeves semi-formal clothes for visiting temples, but that's about as formal as it gets. That's not to say that it's Ok to dress slovenly; it's not. The Thais expect you to put yourself together and look clean and presentable. Don't be a slob.
- Water Bottle -- you will be buying a lot of bottled water, so just re-use a bottle if you need one.
What you can Buy Easily in Thailand
- Bug spray -- even DEET sprays are very common in Thailand and they're probably cheaper there.
- Sunscreen -- of course you can buy sunscreen in Thailand... it may actually be a bit more expensive (oddly), but if you buy it in Thailand, you'll save yourself the hassle of traveling with this "dangerous" substance.
- Common Medications -- they're cheaper in Thailand. Antibiotics, bandages, stomach pills are very common and reasonably priced. In case you haven't realized it, the United States has some of the most expensive health care on the planet, so save some money and buy your medications where they are cheaper.
- Sandals (unless you've got large feet)
- Clothes -- even if you're not a shopper, there are some great prices on nice clothes in Thailand.
- Guidebooks -- You can pick up a Lonely Planet guidebook at nearly any major tourist area. Thailand is not China: you can easily find English novels and best-sellers.
