Things that are different in Thailand

Toilets:
you either squat Asian style and wipe with the water; or if they have toilets, they expect you to wash your bottom, and blot with the toilet paper and dispose the toilet paper in a waste basket, rather than flushing. Many times you give 5 bahts to use a public toilet.

Bathrooms are mostly 100% waterproof (tiled). I love this part.

Public transportation: lots more available taxis and buses in villages, and fewer people have their own cars.

Massages: as many as 8 massage therapists in one of many Massage shops. And much more affordable than any other place I have ever visited. Where else in the world can you get an hour massage for $9 to $27 dollars? Even so, an average farm worker only makes $4 dollars for a day's work, so a massage therapist still makes good money. Thailand: average yearly income $1,838.41 per person or $5 per day. So you can see, most of the massage receivers are tourists. For the average Thai citizen a massage is not considered essential. But massages certainly kept our group well.

If any Mission group ever needs a Thai tour guide, two of the best would be Rusty and Lynette. They have a very good grasp of the Thai language. But please help them with their expenses of hotel and food and transportation costs. We tried to respect their schedule as much as tourists can. Rusty is now teaching English in the public school system most of the week. Lynette is working in a Thai government clinic and teaching English as well.