I’m not so sure it’s possible for someone from the West to land in Thailand and not experience a bit of culture shock. They say this country is one of those places you either love or hate. To be honest, I haven’t met a whole lot of people who would choose the latter word to describe it—everyone I run into loves the hell out of this place.

But there will be a few things that disagree with you when you first make it in country—just realize that it’s all part of the acclimation, and if you stay here long enough they just become part of the scenery.

Here’s a few to help brace you for your stay.

1. The Noise

Ah, the noise. I can’t help but feel a little affection for the Thailand clatter after all this time. The relentless honking horns, the heavy traffic, the shouts of those determined to make a sale with their competitors right at their shoulders, and the blaring of anthems and boxing match announcements at volumes that can’t be described as anything but cruel.

Your eardrums are in for a shock, but the clamor that is Thailand has a life of its own, and over time it will be quite endearing.

2. The Smells

Take a whiff. If you just stepped on Thai soil, or concrete, you’re likely standing in Bangkok right now, and the stench of it in certain spots can really turn your stomach. Hard to put a finger on what it is exactly—a mixture of smog, trash, sewage, polluted water, and exotic foods I would suppose.

Yes, it’s as tasty as it sounds.

It overwhelms you, makes you nauseous, and sometimes all you want to do is get off the street just to get away from it alone. If you’ve got a bad case of Bangkok gut or a particularly heavy hangover, it can be agonizing, but over time, you don’t even notice it anymore.

3. The Stomach-Ache

Yep—the good old Bangkok gut itself. I would say unless you have a cast iron stomach (and everyone always said I did), there’s a 99% chance your first three days will be spent nursing your stomach, wishing you could try more of the food even while spending unusual amounts of time on the toilet. You may even find yourself spending a few days not leaving your room at all.
It happens to everyone, and it’s part of the acclimation process.

Don’t get alarmed—they say that it happens because your stomach is not used to the spices and the bacteria here, so it’s not due to bad food, as many assume. It goes away over time, though it may pop up its head once in a blue moon even once you’re a Thailand vet.

4. The Perversions

The sex trade, which is said to be a part of Thailand itself rather than something the Western tourist brought here, is not to be avoided in Land of Smiles. It’s right there for everyone to see and there’s no denying it. You can get away from it if you beeline out of the tourist centers and head the other direction, but the truth is that it’s still there under the surface. You may not recognize it, but learn some Thai language and get to know the culture, and you’ll find out that it is everywhere.

It’s comes with the territory. I don’t condone it, but over time it just becomes part of the character of this place.

5. The Smile

The Thai smile can be a bit alarming at first—though I’m sure you’ve never heard it described that way. Coming from a Western country, where people are a bit cold, you can go weeks sometimes without a smile from a random stranger. So, when you land here and suddenly everyone is grinning and smiling at you at every chance, or striking up a conversation just to practice their English, it can really throw you for a loop.

Sometimes you feel like you can’t escape it. A moment of privacy when you’re a foreign face in Thailand—good luck. The smiles follow you everywhere. You’re going to love it once it grows on you, and believe me, it will.