Thailand Holiday. Do's and Dont's.

In my four years of living in Thailand i have caught up with several things that might be of interest to people wanting to visit the Kingdom.
Please note that all these are based upon personal opinion and experience.
Generally speaking this is a hot and humid country. Most foreigners visiting usually complain about the humidity and heat. Thus, if you are planning your trip please consider arriving in the months December and January. This is the cool season whereas the early morning and late evening temperatures are wonderful and day temperatures are moderate. 60% of the population live in rural areas and are generally poor. As the culture is many family members work in the major cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Money earned here is monthly sent to the family in the rural area.
The perception is that foreign visitors have plenty of many. Thus, you will be done in or taken for a ride if not careful.
I always ask myself the question: When visiting why do you want to stay in the most expensive hotel or resort? Hey, discover the country and the culture! It is so different from what we are used to. Bangkok offers extremely affordable and comfortable accommodation for half the price of the main tourist hotels. But most tourists are not aware of this. Don't spend 2/3 days shopping in Bangkok and then depart for one of the resorts like Pattaya/Koh Samui or Phuket. Do yourself a favour and visit the countrside and mingle and stay with these people. At half the price and much more rewarding. An excellent idea right from the beginning of your holiday is to get yourself a Thai guide. Not only to show and guide you in and around Bangkok, but also to do your shopping bargaining for you, which will result in massive savings. Most Thai's in Bangkok can speak a little English but in the countryside very rare. Here communicating and bargaining is a nightmare.
Watch out for taxi/tuk-tuk drivers. They will detour you to your destination and stop at several shops where they get commission to bring foreigners to. In Bangkok rather make use of the public transport which is very cheap and reliable.
Next entry: Where to shop for what!