Beer on the rocks

In Thailand, beer needs to be refreshed with ice cubes otherwise it goes warm within minutes.

What could be considered as a lack of taste in Europe is widely practiced in most local bars.

Try it out and you will discover a new way to appreciate your brew...

Soaked policemen on Songkran Day

On Songkran Day, Thailand becomes a huge water battleground. Even the police have no choice in the matter and they get soaked.

Can you imagine throwing ice-cold water at a policeman back home?

Read more about Songkran Festival
(Photo Gallery of Songkran in Phuket)

Toilet paper on restaurant tables

Some local restaurants in Thailand don’t bother with the formality of table napkins: a simple roll of toilet paper in a container does the trick quite nicely, thank you…

Read more about Phuket restaurants

Several people on a motorbike

In Thailand, if you are not wealthy enough to afford a car, a motorbike will do for you and your family. Up to five people (two adults and three kids) can fit on it, as well as the dog sometimes.

So it's perhaps no surprise that Thailand ranks among the three highest countries in the world in terms of road accident statistics.

Read more about travel around Phuket

Holding umbrella while riding a bike with one hand

Driving full speed with only one hand on a very rainy day and a very wet road. Note that the helmet is in the basket... and it is the driver who is holding the umbrella! The passenger is busy keeping himslef warm :) Anyway, none of them is looking at the road.

Gasoline in whisky bottles

Gas stations are not always easy to find in some areas. Even in Phuket it is recommended to fill your vehicle up before heading out. So some local people have found a simple way to make a bit of money while helping other drivers; they sell gasoline in whisky bottles.

You can spot these colourful and somewhat misleading displays in front of houses or small shops here and there.

Beach chairs made of plastic blue pipes

Ingeniosity rules! If you are a hotel owner and do not have enough money to invest in proper beach chairs, you will need a budget solution.

And here it is: Collect the spare plastic plumbing left over from your hotel bathroom construction and build your own sun loungers...

Parasailing 'instructor'

On Phuket's beaches, parasailing is a must if you want to see things from above. As most people coming to Phuket are not exactly experts, an ‘instructor’ will accompany you.

The only trouble is that he’s completely unattached – and we don’t mean romantically, either. If he falls, you’ll have to figure out how to land yourself…

Rubber strips on truck wheels

Do you know why Thai truck drivers attach rubber strips above each wheel of their vehicles? To hang their hammock from them when they stop for the night? Nope.

The answer is that it’s an easy way to keep their tyres clean and black. When the truck rolls, the rubber stripes remove the dust and mud. Clever, eh?

Garbage bins made from used tyres

Most garbage bins you see on the side of the road in Phuket are made from used tyres.

Phuket Provincial Prison inmates are in charge of making these ingenious creations. Car or truck tyres are turned inside out and sealed on the bottom.

Weights made from cement

Ingeniosity rules again! How to stay fit if you live in a remote area, far from the ultra-modern fitness clubs available in cities and hotels?

Why, simply build your own weights! Just take some cement, a metal bar and you'll be all set to pump iron, big boy.

Soft drinks served in a plastic bag

It’s a mystery how Thailand got by before the advent of the plastic bag. They’re used for absolutely everything here – even cups.

Just take some iced tea/coffee, add ice cubes and a straw and away you go.