Traveling to Thailand

[Leica Geek]

Hi fellow RFFers,

I'm going to Thailand in a month or 10 days and definitely want to take my gear. I was thinking my D-Lux 3, M3 and M6 with 15mm, 35, 2/50's, 75mm and 135mm. Any advice about film, gear, places to see, weather conditions and precautions would be greatly appreciated. I'm really excited about this trip. Maybe I should take my GSN or G2, I can't decide.

Thanks.

 

[edodo]

This period is the summer vacation equivalent, very hot weather in perspective. It should be quite humid but its not the rain period, but still, it is Thailand... When you change suddenly from air conditioned place to outside air, you may want to protect your leicas from condensation.

 

[haagen_dazs]

try not to bring too many expensive stuff
thailand (depending on where you go) may not be all that safe
do take care!
try to stay more with wide angle lenses as oppose to mid teles (unless you really want to get that kind of close up shots)
there are alot of architecture and scenery shots to photography

 

[Leica Geek]

What is a good way to protect the cameras from condensation? So I should shoot more wide angle than teles? 15,35,50 is the widest I have. I will be staying with a friend that has been living there for the last year and he considers it prettty safe, but he's not carrying around expensive cameras.

Any other advice?

 

[fourfa]

try not to bring too many expensive stuff
thailand (depending on where you go) may not be all that safe
do take care!
try to stay more with wide angle lenses as oppose to mid teles (unless you really want to get that kind of close up shots)
there are alot of architecture and scenery shots to photography

haha, Thailand is much safer than any US metro area. The worst thing that will happen is that someone tries to tell you about their cousin's guesthouse, or wants to practice English with you. It's a very low-pressure friendly place, have no fear for your or your camera's safety.

There is civil unrest in the very remote south, near the border with Malaysia. not a particularly scenic area anyway, but something to be aware of. police and municipal government, not tourists, are the usual targets.

10 days isn't that long, I wouldn't suggest trying to see the whole country. Personally I would head to the islands in the Gulf of Thailand. My favorite was Ko Tao but there are hundreds to choose from. Pick the balance between cheap/unspoiled/remote vs urban/touristy/high class services that you prefer. Good time to get a dive certification, high quality but extremely cheap. The weather in the islands this time of year will be very pleasant, water will be skin diving with no wetsuit needed.

In Bangkok and in the north it will be quite hot and muggy - I often shot before dawn until noon, took a cold shower to cool off, napped under a fan, and went out again for the late afternoon and dusk. For a 10 day pleasure trip I might skip it, I was there for 3 months and wanted to see everything.

If you're shopping for guidebooks, I much prefer Rough Guide to Lonely Planet. Better suited for photographers - more info about notable architecture, customs, art etc.

 

[Leica Geek]

Thanks Fourfa! I couldn'tafford to take more time than that, so it will have to suffice. I'll check out the book you suggested. I don't think I'll be doing any diving, but would mind spending some time in the water and at the beach. My friend is staying at the Rompu Mansion. Have you heard of it? It looks nice from what I've seen.

Thanks again.

 

[Leica Geek]

Thanks. That's good advice. I need to buy more memory. I don't know if I have anything to back it up with. Any thoughts on film? I have a lead bag for the film. Will they give me trouble or should I buy film when I get there? Either way I have to bring the film back.

Sawadee krap!

A place to get film and find used Leica equipment is Foto File at Mahboonkrong Center (MBK for short) Click here to MBK website.

All you need to do is to take the BTS and get off at the Siam Square station.

Lens-wise I'd definately take a 35 and 50. People and architecture will be the best subjects. Also having a fast lens helps as the night life at Potpong is a must stop....

If you're using digital bring lots of memory card and something to back-up. Although it never happened to me, the heat and humidity might corrupt files.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[Banky]

Hi
Another place that you can get good used leica equipments called "Camera Collection"
It is in charn issara tower I. Get off Silom MRT station, it is really near Pan Pacific hotel.
Talk to Khun'Eddie, He is really nice guy. I hope you Enjoy thailand. Have a nice trip. I'm Thai, so if you have anymore question, you can PM me.

 

[Banky]

Here is some more information
Camera Collection
Ground Floor, Charn Issara Tower, Rama 4 Rd 02 632 8433 Between Silom and Surawong, close to the Jim Thompson shop

 

[edodo]

Image Quality Lab in Bangkok has a pro develloping service in Bangkok, they are first rate, can do anything you need in 35mm and 120 format, and are low priced in a western perspective.

For the condensation tip, try to avoid the air conditionned place or put your expensive camera in a closed plastic bag during the time your camera will cool off, but don't worry too much, what I warned you about condensation is the worst case possible.

And Thailand is very safe! 95% of the people are buddist and very very pacifist, so if you avoid the minority bad boys, you should be very fine!

 

[foolproof]

just back from there myself. beautiful place, beautiful people. people shoot your heart out - very rarely do they mind and you'll often be smiling back at them when you take a shot 🙂 ko lanta soi is a beautifully quiet island with wonderfully empty beaches and old fishing villages-head to the south of the island(charlie bar). kanchanaburi (bridge over river kwai - to laugh at the masses of japanese tourists. like germans would go to a concentration camp on holidays!) - beautiful motorbike d.i.y territory - lovely friendly people. if you go up north to chiang mai or pi chances are you'll lose track of time and space and never come back(temps a bit cooler up north). one thing i regret is not shooting more film, but i know ill be back there soon. enjoy!

 

[LKSC]

Thanks. That's good advice. I need to buy more memory. I don't know if I have anything to back it up with. Any thoughts on film? I have a lead bag for the film. Will they give me trouble or should I buy film when I get there? Either way I have to bring the film back.

FWIW, I have always been granted hand inspection of film in and out of Bangkok when I requested it (albeit in the old airport).

 

[Bryan Lee]

This is my fifth year living in Thailand, Most of which I have been involved with photography and writing. Last year my political warnings here on the forum to casual tourists were not only taken lightly but made a joke of by certain ex-members of the forum. I will tread lightly here but I have and will continue to help any forum members that ask for help concerning photography in Thailand.


I see one member suggested going to Hat Yai but I doubt if he has any idea that a minivan was attacked on its way from Songkla to Hat Yai this morning and 8 people were executed with multiple gunshots to the head and chest at close range. While I still consider this a safe country for the most part I do not suggest for any inexperianced westerner to go to Hat Yai or the south of Thailand until further notice. Most of my friends will no longer even ride the train to Malaysia for that matter but direct flights from Bangkok to Langkawi or Malaysia in general have not had any problems. The Airport in Hat Yai was attacked last year and the trains have been attacked multiple times.

There are currently multiple warnings from every western embassy concerning bombs in Bangkok. It is expected that those fighting for power within the current political structure will again set off bombs in Bangkok for their own political gain. If someone is an experianced news reporter and looking for the big story Thailand may be providing it soon enough. Thailands culture and language can be very difficult for westerners to comprehend. Few carry a sense of danger with them on holiday that they use on a daily basis in their own home towns. None of this should prevent members of this forum from coming here but unless you know Thailand well already its not the best place to be dragging kids around till the politics gets settled back down.


As far as gear in Rangfinders I reccomend 2 bodies with a 50mm standard lens along with a 28mm or 35mm wide angle and some kind of handheld lightmeter. If you have a shiny camera tape it up with electrical tape, If your camera has a red dot on it tape that up to, no need to advertise. The hotest stolen cameras are the DSLR models, most theives will not bother with film cameras unless you dumbly leave them laying around.

I reccomend bringing your own black and white film with you, there is some available here like Neopan but most people that live here import there own films. Fuji and Kodak color films are readily available, If you use color film there are a few great labs around where you can get the film developed and scanned inexspensively. In this way you can copy the discs anbd mail one home while hand carrying the negatives and original discs on your flight. There are also some darkrooms avialble to develop your film or you can carry a developer can with three spools and develop in your hotel bathroom then without cutting the film take it and get it scanned and burned to discs and again mail home one set for safty.


If you need details just send me a PM, There are a few other forum members who live here too that may be a good source of information concerning Thailand.

 

[Leica Geek]

Thanks Brian Lee. My friend is living there right now. He's been there for a year now and I'm sure he's aware of what is going on. I will be with him most of the time, so I should be fine. I never go anywhere without my guard up, so I think I will have a great time there. Thanks for the advice on gear.

 

[Bryan Lee]

Thanks Brian Lee. My friend is living there right now. He's been there for a year now and I'm sure he's aware of what is going on. I will be with him most of the time, so I should be fine. I never go anywhere without my guard up, so I think I will have a great time there. Thanks for the advice on gear.

What area does your friend live in? Are you married or single? Anyone that can survive in California should be fine here, Its just a matter of knowing the local territory, does, and donts. The biggest thing here is no matter what happens dont get excited, stay cool and try to smile even if you have to bite your lip. 99% of the people here are the greatest in the world but the 1% thats bad are pure evil. They are the kind of people who kidnap children and maim them only to make beggers of them in Bangkok, ones that make American criminals seem polite.


In general I would not carry more than 2 film cameras and maybe a point and shoot digital. You want to be careful not only about weight but just having so many cameras and gear you cant move freely or that you have to leave stuff at the hotel and worry about it. Everybody here loves a instant look at a digital image, its a real icebreaker when you have a language barrier. I somtimes carry a small instant printer to give away instant pictures to locals, they really apreciate it. Everybody loves pictures and Thailand is one of the great places to photograph both people and places.

 

[Leica Geek]

What area does your friend live in? Are you married or single? Anyone that can survive in California should be fine here, Its just a matter of knowing the local territory, does, and donts. The biggest thing here is no matter what happens dont get excited, stay cool and try to smile even if you have to bite your lip. 99% of the people here are the greatest in the world but the 1% thats bad are pure evil. They are the kind of people who kidnap children and maim them only to make beggers of them in Bangkok, ones that make American criminals seem polite.


In general I would not carry more than 2 film cameras and maybe a point and shoot digital. You want to be careful not only about weight but just having so many cameras and gear you cant move freely or that you have to leave stuff at the hotel and worry about it. Everybody here loves a instant look at a digital image, its a real icebreaker when you have a language barrier. I somtimes carry a small instant printer to give away instant pictures to locals, they really apreciate it. Everybody loves pictures and Thailand is one of the great places to photograph both people and places.

He's staying at a place called the Rompo Mansion. Here's the link http://www.rompomansion.com/

It's in Klong Toey, Bangkok.

I usually carry around 2 Leica bodies, 3-4 lenses and my D-lux 3. This all fits in a lap top style bag. I'm thinking of only taking a 28,35,50 with me. Do you think that's over kill?

Thanks.

 

[Bryan Lee]

He's staying at a place called the Rompo Mansion. Here's the link http://www.rompomansion.com/

It's in Klong Toey, Bangkok.

I usually carry around 2 Leica bodies, 3-4 lenses and my D-lux 3. This all fits in a lap top style bag. I'm thinking of only taking a 28,35,50 with me. Do you think that's over kill?

Thanks.

The website looked fine but I gauge value by how little English a business speaks or communicates. It seems they are set up for westerners and what they offer for 20,000 baht per month does not seem like much. In all fairness I have never been there and its well off my usual path. I can say you should check on Klong Toey and know the background of it, It is still one of the most hardcore slums in Bangkok if not the most. It is great photographicly but not the kind of place many choose to hang around. You have that one area where the hotel/apartments are around Rhama 4 which has some major stores like Tesco and Carrefour but it can be a bigtime hassle to get taxis there compared to Sukimvit which is relativly easy. If your looking for the darkside of Thailand and are willing to deal with Klong Toey Im sure you can get some great images just as many others have.



As far as gear it gets more into a style issue than a right or wrong thing. Myself I dont bother with changing lenses outside of my office unless its a emergancy like no time to change film so I just switch the 2 lenses and keep going. There is the dirt and humidity factor also of changing lenses but again overall its just a style issue. One camera around your neck and another stashed in some kind of bag but easy to get just out of the way works for me, slinging 2 cameras off your neck can be ok at times but its a little weird have a few thousand dollars worth of gear in plain sight when the people your photographing are trying to get 5 bucks to send there kid to school for a month.

I dont get on guilt trips but I do consider such matters, being poor and wanting good things for your kids is no crime. Neither is having gear to take photographs, arragance does cross a line with me though and there are a few very exploitive type western photographers around. Most of them are just scum with a camera, for the most part they now prefer video over still imagry. Its a monthly ritual to parade some westerner on TV here with his camera gear to be charged with pedophilia or trafficing in child porn. In places like Klong Toey the parants themselvse many times sell the children for exploitation as beggers or for sexual purposes.

 

[Bryan Lee]

Sad about Hat Yai. It was sort of my monthly R'N'R place when I lived and worked in Malaysia. I often took the night train from KL and got there the day.
I guess times have changed in about 6 years... Thank Bryan for the updated info.

The events of the last 24 hours in the south have brought things to a new critical level. I will try and avoid politics here but politics and photography do tend to wake up on the same side of my bed every morning. If you want some detailed evaluation of the current situation just send me a PM.

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

You can pick up a small dry-box with a re-chargable silica gel brick for very little at
Photo File on the 3rd floor of MBK (BTS station National Stadium)
I don't think much will happen to your lenses fungus-wise in 10 days though.
Bring lithium spare batteries for your cameras if you can - not always easy to find them here.

Film can also be got from Photo Hobby 3rd floor Silom Complex straight off the BTS Skytrain station of Sala Deng (3 stops down from the National Stadium). That's where i get all mine. 1 roll of TriX for 150 Thai Baht. You can also get Fuji, TMax etc.

I'd also second the mention of Camera Collection - Eddie Sui runs it and is very knowledgable and has fixed a mate's Mamiya 7 in very short time on his last visit . His Leica collection is very good and i buy/trade most of my equipment with him. He also sells film. 5 mins walk from the Silom Complex i mentioned earlier.
Xrays haven't damaged my films at least my 400 ASA 35mm and some have made 6-8 passes.

I've never had a security problem with cameras and i lived here 6 years now.
2 bodies with fast lenses 1.4/1.0 would be very useful. I would keep kit to a minimum and simple. 28/35/50 is the combo i use - don't see it as an overkill.

I've been doing part of a long term project in Klong Toey - right in the slum area - not easy to access and i needed permission as the subject matter is very sensitive and it's easy to get lost.....there is a good book to get called Bangkok Slaughterhouse (can't remember the author and my books are in boxes as i've just moved apartments)

Deet 50% strength is handy to.

Accommodation is easy to find on Sukhumvit try Soi 11 and Soi 11/1 there is also a short term place called the Nana Thai bottom of Soi 4 (Sois are the side roads running off the main one eg Sukhumvit) prices should start 900-1200 baht a day - but bear in mind it is still the high season now and next month is the water festival Song Kran where everyone and everything gets soaked.

Feel free to email me if you want any other info.

 

[robg]

Wow, sounds like a lot of kit. I generally travel around asia with an M6 and 35/2, 15/4 only, an Elph/Ixus as backup. The rest stays at home. I find telephotos (>50) in a tourist environment work against the concept of interacting with another culture. I've carried red-dotted shiny leicas all around the world including developing world with nary a problem. Lots of ugly hassling to buy 3 t-shirts for 50 cents or a dollar for a motorbike ride, some pickpocketing across western europe, but no interest in outright theft of a handheld camera. Someone mentioned taking fast lenses- can't particularly see why as you'll be drenched in sunshine and can take fast film for night. Thailand is one of the most 'western' SEAsian countries, you will be fine there.
Enjoy...