Buses, Trains, etc.
1. Always remember to bring an extra change of clothes in your backpack (especially for younger children).
2. Alcohol spray or gel and tissue are always helpful on a long ride.
3. Keep small denominations of currency on hand, as most buses do not have a restroom, and at stations you will often be asked to pay to go to the restroom.
4. It’s helpful to bring small bags of snacks and water along with you on a bus/train ride. Sometimes the buses will stop and you can get cold drinks or snacks, but sometimes they drive straight through (especially night buses).
Note: Most night buses do have a toilet.
5. For small children, it is good to bring an activity that they can do and something that will connect them with their trip (ie. bus bingo, games to play that have to do with the scenery–check out our kids’ activities page for suggestions), not pull them away from it (ie. games on their phones, watching videos, etc.).
Location Specific
1. in Pakse, Laos: beware of dogs if traveling on foot. Traveling by car/tuk-tuk/sidecar is safer.
Language Basics
Thai
Note: In the Thai language, a polite particle is used at the end of every sentence. For women, the word is “kha,” and for men, “krup”
1. Hello : Sa-Wat-Dee : สวัสดี
2. Thank you. : Khob-Khun : ขอบคุณ
3. How much is this? : Nee Rah-Kah Tao-Rai : นี่ราคาเท่าไร
4. Where is the bathroom? : Hong-Nahm Yoo-Nai : ห้องน้ำอยู่ไหน
5. Yes. : Chai : ใช่
6. No. : Mai : ไม่
7. One : Neung : หนึ่ง
Two : Song : สอง
Three : Sahm : สาม
Four : See : สี่
Five : Hah : ห้า
Six : Hok : หก
Seven : Jet : เจ็ด
Eight : Bat : แปด
Nine : Gow : เก้า
Ten : Sip : สิบ
Eleven : Sip-Et : สิบเอ็ด
Twelve through Nineteen Sip + Number
Twenty : Yee-Sip : ยี่สิบ
Note: When one comes at the end of a number (ie. 21, 31, 41, 51, etc.) it is pronouced, “_______ Et” ( 21: Yee Sip Et, 31 : Sam Sip Et, 41: See Sip Et, etc.)
One Hundred : Neung Roy : หนึ่งร้อย
One Thousand : Neung Pahn : หนึ่งพัน
Lao
Note: The Lao language is very similar to Thai, they do not use the polite particle words however, and the tones and many words are slightly different.
1. Hello. : Sa-Bai-Dee : ສະບາຍດີ
2. Thank you. : Khob-Jai : ຂອບໃຈ
3. How much is this? : Nee Lah-Kah Tao-Dai : ນີ້ລາຄາເທົ່າໃດ
4. Where is the bathroom? : Hong-Nahm Yoo-Sai : ຫ້ອງນໍາ້ຢູ່ໃສ
5. Yes. : Man : ແມ່ນ
6. No. : Boh : ບໍ່
7. One : Neung : ຫນຶ່ງ
Two : Song : ສອງ
Three : Sahm : ສາມ
Four : See : ສີ່
Five : Hah : ຫ້າ
Six : Hok : ຫົກ
Seven : Jet : ເຈັດ
Eight : Bat : ແປດ
Nine : Gow : ເກົ້າ
Ten : Sip : ສິບ
Eleven : Sip-Et : ສິບເອັດ
Twelve through Nineteen : “Sip” + Number
Note: Just like in Thai, when one comes at the end of a number (ie. 21, 31, 41, 51, etc.) it is pronouced, “_______ Et” ( 21: Sao Et, 31 : Sam Sip Et, 41: See Sip Et, etc.)
Twenty : Sao : ຊາວ
Khmer
1. Hello. : Jum-reap soo-a : ជំរាបសួរ
2. Thank you. : Ah-koon : អរគុណ
3. How much is this? : T’lay pohnmaan : តើនេះតម្លៃប៉ុន្មាន
4. Where is the bathroom? : Bang-kon noun aina : តើបន្ទប់ទឹកនៅឯណា
5. Yes. : Baat (men)/Chaas (Women) : បាទ /
6. No. : Dteh : ទេ
7. One : Mouy : មួយ។
Two : Pii : ពីរ
Three : Bei : បី
Four : Buon : បួន
Five : Pram : ប្រាំ
Six : Pram muoy : ប្រាំមួយ។
Seven : Pram pii : ប្រាំពីរ
Eight : Pram bei : ប្រាំបី
Nine : Pram buon : ប្រាំបួន
Ten : Dap : ដប់
Eleven : Dap muoy : អែល
Twelve through Nineteen : “Dap” + Number
Twenty : Mpei : ម្ភៃ