How the Typical Thai Views the Cheap-Hippy-Backpacker

Yes. I hate to spoil the ego-party, but it’s true, cheap-hippy-backpacker, you are not only highly unappreciated for your superior cultural hypersensitivity/spirit-quest attitude, but are also thought of even less than your archenemy -- the narrow-minded, shopping crazed, beach resort yuppie tourist. Even though the cheap-hippy backpacker may be seeking the deeper cultural experience abroad, mostly the local population could just care less – with the attitude in the homegrown tourist industry being: If you ain’t here to spend, then you might as well not be here at all. And, cheap-hippy-backpacker, let’s face it, you are definitely not in Thailand to spend.

So, by all means, cheap-hippy-backpacker, continue your quest (And don't get me wrong, I'm a cheap-hippy-backpacker, too). But, at the same time, don’t get “blown away” when the local tuk-tuk driver shoots you dirty looks as your strolling down the street, refusing his services, because you’d rather save the extra baht for a crappy banana lassi at your favorite cheap-hippy-backpacker guesthouse.