So there are two things I have found that I don’t like about Thailand.
One is that taxi drivers, tuktuks, and motorcycle taxis will honk at pedestrians to let them know they aren’t carrying passengers. Sure, this is a convenient way to flag down a ride, but whenever I’m walking somewhere and wish to continue walking, each beep I hear sounds like a little voice saying, “Why are you walking? You could be enjoying the AC of a taxi. Or the wind in your hair on a motorcyle. It’s just a few Baht…don’t tire yourself out in this awful heat….” These little voices are very persuasive! But I am a fan of walking in Bangkok, especially when exploring new areas. There is so much to see that any other form of transportation goes too fast to catch the details.
The second thing I don’t like is the clothes washing situation. I don’t have a washer or dryer in my apartment, so I spent a long time the last few days looking for a Laundromat. But there aren’t any! The rows of machines fed by coins and colorful swirls of clothing (as seen in Corduroy) seem to be nonexistent here. The closest thing I’ve found is ONE washing machine ON the sidewalk. Just sitting there.
Dry cleaners here usually do laundry as well as dry cleaning, but they charge per piece. So shirts cost something like 30 Baht, blouses cost 40, socks cost 20, etc. This adds up when you consider the numerous changes of clothes necessary in a hot, dirty city! I have found that the deal at my own apartment is the best: they charge 20 Baht per piece (regardless of type), dry the clothes, and even hang them up for me in my closet. This is still expensive, but it’s a very convenient solution (and it seems like the only solution) to my ever-growing pile of dirty laundry.
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