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What Americans Get Wrong About Life in Thailand

What Americans Get Wrong About Life in Thailand
Thailand blends cutting-edge technology with everyday convenience, making modern life surprisingly effortless.|©iStock/PlatooStudio

Most expats envision living abroad and taking frequent trips home to see family and friends. Easy if you’re in Panama or Costa Rica. Not so much for Americans living in Southeast Asia. It’s an expensive 20+ hour flight, so back home visits tend to be few and far between.

Consequently, I don’t know what it’s like in the U.S. these days. I haven’t been there since 2019.

On the flip side, most Americans have no idea what it’s like to live here in Thailand. My mom once asked me, “Do they have roads there?”

“No, Mom, I live in a city with a population of 16 million. No roads ... just barefoot people walking around eating mangos and sticky rice.”

I’m not sure why Americans assume a place like Thailand is a Third World country full of people suffering without modern conveniences such as, um… roads.

So, here is a list of contemporary amenities, technological advances, and social progression that I enjoy here in the Land of Smiles. I have no idea if y’all have any of this back in the good old U.S. of A. (Be forewarned, I am an old dude who is easily amazed.)

Communication and Connectivity

I’ve had the same mobile phone number for 25 years. I am a customer of AIS, a communications giant here. They are similar to AT&T in the U.S., only way more organized and affordable. I enjoy unlimited everything, including high-speed internet on my phone (about 200 Mbps) and fiber-optic internet in my condo (up to 1,000 Mbps). Outages are rare, and technicians arrive the same day if you encounter any internet problems.

I get a big discount when I purchase a new phone, free coffee at AIS shops across the country, free parking at most major shopping complexes, and a slew of other privileges just for being a VIP customer and part of their Serenade rewards club.

Even on remote islands like Koh Chang and Koh Phangan, my 5G connection is strong, with no noticeable speed degradation. I stream movies, live television from the U.S., Netflix, HBO, and a world of channels you’ll never see in the U.S.

The GPS satellite connectivity is excellent here. I can use ride-share apps, find nearby restaurants, and count how many steps I took today.

I pay $42 a month for both my phone and internet at home.

AI is Everywhere

Artificial intelligence has taken a foothold in everyday Thai life and continues to grow. This week alone, I interacted with AI customer service three times. I scheduled a team of workers to come clean my condo after the tenants moved out through an app on my phone. The entire interaction was with a chatbot.

I used similar technology when scheduling an appointment at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok for a check-up. The polite bot asked me a series of questions and scheduled visits to all the proper clinics within the massive healthcare complex.

Even my 90-day check-in with Thai Immigration is done online with an AI agent.

Futuristic Healthcare

The wellness visit to the hospital I scheduled with the robot went smoothly. When I arrived at registration, I was identified by facial recognition and given a medical wristband containing my vital information and treatment plan via a QR code. As I moved from one clinic to the next for my check-up, I’d be scanned and directed to the proper physicians and diagnostic centers.

Everything moved like clockwork, with no forms to fill out or excessive wait times. When I was all done, I consulted with one last doctor to review my results. After that, I was presented with a bill, which I paid via my Siam Commercial Bank online banking app. I stopped by the pharmacy on the way out, had my wristband scanned, and picked up some medication.

Pretty much all of my healthcare experiences in Thailand have been like this. CT scans, open MRIs, all kinds of lasers, stem cell treatments, tailored nutrition programs that deliver food to your door every day... if there’s a modern device or service designed to heal or keep you healthy, we have it here.

I’ve had four surgeries in Thailand, and two of them were performed by a robot. I don’t know what it’s like in the U.S. these days, but I feel confident that I’m getting state-of-the-art care that isn’t lagging behind the West in any way.

No Cash, No Problem

For years, we had to fumble around with big wads of Thai baht and handfuls of clumsy coins to pay for everything. Thanks to some very convenient fintech initiatives here, carrying a lot of cash is totally unnecessary.

You would expect easy payment with ATM cards or by scanning a QR code in large retail stores and luxury shopping malls. But Thailand’s ubiquitous PromptPay network, overseen by the Bank of Thailand, ensures that you can pay electronically almost anywhere.

Even in mom-and-pop restaurants or open-air markets, you can pay with a static QR code where you enter the amount or, in larger commercial establishments, with a dynamic QR code that generates a unique bill with the amount already calculated.

I paid my property taxes that way. I paid my condo maintenance fee that way. I took a motorbike taxi from the mall to my house and paid the driver his 80 baht by scanning a QR code on the back of his bright orange taxi vest.

The last time I was in the U.S., I didn’t see anyone enjoying this much financial technology freedom. I did witness that whole “self-checkout” experiment that the retail stores were trying. Don’t worry… none of that silliness in Thailand. You get a smiling clerk who is happy to ring you up and bag your purchases.

Getting Around Has Come a Long Way

From cashless payments to efficient public transport, getting around Thailand has never been easier.
From cashless payments to efficient public transport, getting around Thailand has never been easier.|©iStock/obewon

Perhaps the modern convenience I’ve seen make the largest leap over the past seven years has been transportation options.

The capital city of Bangkok has doubled its population over the past 20 years, from 8 million to 16 million. Somehow, it has become easier to navigate and get around. The Skytrain, Subway, and Airport Link have expanded by more than 1,000% during that time, providing residents with affordable, easy solutions to legendary traffic problems. Starting in January 2027, the maximum fare you can pay for a single trip is 45 baht ($1.35), no matter how many connections you make or modes you switch, and you can pay with the app on your phone.

The answer I’d give to my mother these days would be, “Yes, we have roads, but I really don’t need them in Bangkok; I live near a Skytrain station.”

Even in other cities, ride-share apps offer an easy way to get around without the stress of getting behind the wheel or the expense of owning a car. Grab and Bolt are competing ride-share companies in Thailand. The Grab app actually covers most of Southeast Asia.

I can summon a wide variety of vehicles, including motorbikes, luxury sedans, SUVs, and passenger vans. For women who prefer a female driver, just click on “Ladies Only.” I’ve never waited longer than five minutes to be picked up; the driver always knows exactly where we are going, the price is already calculated, and I pay electronically.

During an average month, I spend less than $100 to go wherever I want using their service. Last month, I tracked what kind of vehicles I rode in. Roughly seven out of 10 cars were either hybrids or fully electric vehicles. Several major Chinese electric car manufacturers operate in Thailand, assembling cars here and selling them on the local market without import tax. The cars are affordable, comfortable, and quiet, and some have very cool designs. I’m pretty sure you won’t see any of these BYD (Build Your Dreams), or GWM (Great Wall Motors) cars cruising down Main Street USA.

Old-School Convenience

We live in a pretty modern world here, but thankfully, Thailand still embraces some old-school conveniences that I’ve noticed have disappeared in the U.S.

When you pull into a PT gas station to fill up, a world of convenience is at your fingertips. There’s a big 7-Eleven next to a Café Amazon, next to a Five Star Chicken kiosk, next to a car wash. A smiling, friendly attendant comes to ask which type of gas you prefer, fills up your tank, and then washes your windshield. You pay with your phone, but it’s always appreciated if you slip the attendant 20 baht for good service.

Shopping in a department store in Thailand is also service-oriented. You don’t need to run around the store trying to find someone to help you. Chances are, when you arrive in a department, an enthusiastic attendant will greet you and follow you around to make sure you get what you came for. They still work on commission here, and you can tell.

And should you find yourself wilting in the midday heat and pop into a local pub or lounge for a cold one, chances are you’ll be offered a cold towel scented with jasmine or lemongrass to cool you down and freshen you up.

Thailand has embraced technology, convenience, and innovation without giving up the human touches that make daily life here so pleasant. Twenty-five years after I arrived, I’m still surprised by how often this country manages to be both more modern and more personal than the folks back home imagine. 

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