What to bring to Bangkok? I suggest a pretty empty suitcase!

Video #28 | March 22, 2018

In this video I’m going to look at what to bring to Bangkok.

The video will be broken down into 3 sections:

– Packing anxiety.
– Insider tips on what to bring to Bangkok.
– The ultimate list of what to bring to Bangkok.

Click on the following link to check out more on Important Advice For New Visitors.

#VIDEO TRANSCRIPT#

Welcome to the twenty-eighth video of Bangkok Unmasked! The YouTube channel that helps you get the most out of your visit to Bangkok city! If you’re new here, please consider subscribing! In this video I’m going to look at what to bring to Bangkok.

Let’s get started…

Packing anxiety

So your flight is in a few hours, and your suitcase is empty. Your asking yourself the question; what do I need to bring to Bangkok? The short answer is probably not what you expect; nothing! Bangkok has everything you could possibly need, and a whole lot of stuff you that probably don’t!

As an aside, I have often wondered what backpackers are carrying in their mammoth rucksacks. I’m quite sure that most of what they’re carrying is quite unnecessary!

Whether you want mosquito repellent or a pair of sneakers, Bangkok has you covered. You can also find every type of food from an Italian pizza every bit as good as you’ll find in Rome through to McDonalds if you need a Big Mac meal in familiar surroundings.

Insider tips on what to bring to Bangkok

With this said, some things are easier to find or cheaper to buy at home. Besides the typical packing list i.e. socks, underwear, cell phone, camera and passport, what follows are some insider tips on what to bring to Bangkok that you probably won’t want to purchase here.

#1 Moisturizer/Cream.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that literally all moisturizers, creams, and even soap in Thailand contain some sort of whitening agent. The Thai will go to great lengths to make their skin tone lighter, and if a product promises this it will literally fly off the shelves!

Here’s the thing; I’m guessing that most visitors to Bangkok and Thailand don’t want to make their skin lighter. A few years back a friend’s ex-girlfriend visited Bangkok to start off her round the world trip. She was extremely upset to discover that finding any moisturizer without skin whitening was quite impossible. First off she was concerned about the chemicals in the products, and second she wanted a tan!

Bangkok does have the chains Boots and Watsons. Both stock Western skincare products. I would though advise that you bring your preferred products with you though.

#2 Deodorant and soap.

Most of the deodorants and soaps over here often contain quite different fragrances to what you will find back home. Frankly, I don’t like a lot of the popular Thai fragrances so I always use Western brands which cost at least double what they cost back home.

Thailand is also hot. In April crazy hot. If you don’t want to smell like the back end of a buffalo you’ll need to use lots of deodorant and soap. Thai people are very sensitive to body odor, and you don’t want people treating you like a leaper due to your BO.

#3 Sunscreen.

Sunscreen is absolutely available here. That said, the brands that you trust probably aren’t. Or they’re extremely difficult to find. Like most imported products you’ll pay a lot more for them that you will back at home.

#4 Condoms.

For any single man, you’ll almost certainly need an ample supply of condoms. All convenience stores in Bangkok sell them. However, their quality can be unreliable. If you’re sleeping with commercial sex workers, the last thing you want is broken condoms as a STD will really ruin your holiday! One other note, Thai condoms are way too tight for well endowed men!

#5 Tampons.

As a man, I’m not overly familiar with Tampons. That said, female friends have complained bitterly about how tampons are hard to find, ridiculously expensive, and of the OB self-applicator variety. Trust me, bring your own supply if you can.

#6 XL Sized Clothing

One of the first thing you’ll notice about the Thai is that’re generally pretty small and svelte. This applies to both men and women. You can find large sized clothing in places that cater to tourists like JJ Market and Patpong market. However my guess is that most people will not want to spend their time looking for clothing that will fit them. If you’re a big guy or girl, bring a reasonable supply of clothing.

Note. If you go to the major department stores like Siam Paragon and Central World you will find a good supply of clothing, in Western sizes. Thailand import tariffs are about 60% for most clothing so you probably won’t like the prices one bit! Most clothing I like from back home is generally double the price of what I would pay in retail stores in the UK.

#7 English-language magazines and books.

Like pretty much everything, these are available in Bangkok. The prices are just plain silly though. Due to import tariffs again. Also the selection at most book stores is not great unless you go to one of a very small number of specialist book stores like Kinokuniya or Asia Books. I’d bring a couple of books, and any magazines that you want to read with you.

#8 Electronics.

Bangkok used to be a great place for buying electronics. Not any more! The prices are very high due to import tariffs and the crippling USD/GBP exchange rate. If you can, I’d bring all the key electronic items that you need with you like; camera, laptop, cell phone etc.

The ultimate list of what to bring to Bangkok

For me, I like to travel as light as possible. My packing list would contain the essential items below:

1. Foldable bag. [For shopping].
2. Travel wallet.
3. Camera. [With extra memory cards].
4. Cell phone.
5. Laptop.
6. Plenty of home currency in cash. [To exchange into THB when I arrive in Bangkok].
7. Passport.
8. Power bank.
9. Power plug [travel] adapter.
10. Sunglasses.
11. Hat.
12. Swimming trunks.
13. Comfortable sneakers.
14. A few sets of light and comfortable clothing.
15. Sunscreen.
16. Charcoal tablets.
17. Deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste and shaving kit.
18. Hand sanitizer.
19. A Leatherman Wingman. [This is an amazingly useful tool!]

Anyway…That’s it for this video. I hope that helps answer all your questions about what to bring to Bangkok? Expect a new video shortly. It should be posted in about a week, or so.

For all you techies out there, this video was shot on a Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, and edited using HitFilm Express.

Finally, please don’t forget to subscribe to this channel through the button below! Also, if you think that I have missed anything important on what to bring to Bangkok, please do tell me in the comments section!

Thank you very much for watching. I’ll see you next week. Goodbye.