I got an invitation to a birthday party of a Thai friend (student) which will be hold in a gay disco in Bangkok and wonder what to bring as a present. Any suggestions?
I got an invitation to a birthday party of a Thai friend (student) which will be hold in a gay disco in Bangkok and wonder what to bring as a present. Any suggestions?
If he likes movies, a gift certificate from Major or SF.
If he likes something else you know, another suitable gift certificate.
If everything else fails, a bottle of whiskey. Most discos allow you to bring your own, but in the worst case, he could just take it home and drink it another time.
Yes, grandpa, I know it used to be more fun 30 years ago...
I guess it depends on how much of a friend he is and what sort of guy he is and maybe what age he is.
In the past when it's been bar boys birthday parties I've gone the bottle of whiskey route (at their request usually) and then just stapled 1000 baht onto their money sash thing that they put around their neck to enable everyone around them to do the same ( which always seems to be a nice little earner for them in Sunee anyway when they do the rounds of the farang in the various bars ! ).
Also and again depending on the boy in the past I've forked out for fancy birthday cakes for them etc which always went down well as they took take as me "taking care" of them - as I'd ended up doing it as no one else, nor the bar owner for whatever reason would. But if your friend isn't perhaps a bar guy them something a little more refined might be in order in terms of a proper gift which I guess was your original question but of course no matter a farang will buy would be wrong anyway probably and as the other poster has said you can't really go wrong with perhaps a voucher but I' m guessing rather than pin him down to having to go to one place a few nice crisp clean baht notes of whatever denomination you find suitable, placed inside a nice birthday card and sealed in a red envelope would still go down well....at least you're in Bkk so getting a card should be easier, I'd one HELL of a time finding decent cards in Pattaya - actually in one shop I asked for birthday cards and was handed a box with about 100 cards in it and every single one of them were Valetines day cards ! I pointed this out to the guy behind the counter as best i could and he just kept saying "yes, birthday card" - god love him I've a funny feeling that some wholesaler had just ripped him off selling him what he thought we Birthday cards .....not a bit of wonder they weren't selling in July ! lol - although I did notice on my last trip this had changed a little and even some 7/11s were now starting to sell cards etc.
But no matter what you do if you buy a gift Christian I'm sure you know better than me to make sure it's "genuine" and not a copy as I've often thought the FBI should employ a few thai guys in their counterfeit department as Thai boys can spot a fake product at 100 paces and he really won't thank you for that !
What kind of friend is he?
I have been to several birthday parties, and mostly I have been advised to bring some whiskey or buy it on the premises. But it also depends in what kind of "disco" the party is hold.
If he is a close friend, and the party is in a disco like DJ, I would consider an envelope with some money in and not to bring a "big" gift, he might lose it. Remember it is a party, where people might get drunk.
If you want to impress him invite him to a nice dinner the day before, or ask him to follow you to a real department store of your decision, and ask him if he eg. would like some "genuine" jeans as a gift, he can always flash them in the disco.
So as in any other country, there are no simple answers to your question, but please forget the Eiffel Tower.
Money! Inside a birthday card. Inside an envelope. Of a certain colour (see below)
Amount? "Up to you".
Dinner? Movie? Anything else? ... after the money envelope, not in lieu of.
Just another reason why I love living in Thailand
I found myself in a similar situation last trip. BF's sister paid a visit and I found out she had spent quite a bit of time to hand-make me a knit scarf as a New Year's present. After searching around the bookstore in TukCom in vain, I discovered that 7-11 carries packets of envelopes, suitable for money gifts. Pack of about 20, and I was able to find one with a generic enough message that it worked. Thank God (or Buddha) that they had something other than valentines day. LOLOriginally Posted by Nirish guy
So, once again...7-11 saves the day.
Christian. Some good ideas floated already...but really depends a lot on your relationship with this "friend". I like the idea of some genuine jeans...or other fashion clothes of his choosing. And money is always a safe bet, though the amount can be tricky.
Christian, there is always this, especially if in 22K.
Nice one, francois. My death-warmed-up morning visage creaked into the semblance of a smile at that.
[i]There is a boy across the river with a bottom like a peach,
But alas I cannot swim.
[/i]
- From an early-19th-century Pashtun marching song
Currently hovering around 1,300 baht per gram for 23 carat purity, I should think some gold will make his eyes sparkle!
Well, not that close. We have known each other for less than a month and met three times.
No Eiffel tower (I have one left, gold color, but not gold).
Cake is an idea (I would directly benefit from it), but poses acquisition, storage and transport problem.
I am not into clothes shopping (and it can get out of hands, money-wise).
Money in an envelope (with birthday wishes) is the best idea, I think 1000 Baht is appropriate. Now I just have to get a suitable envelope and card.
These garlands of banknotes for birthday or when collecting money in a wat, what happens to them? I never saw banknotes with holes from stapling.
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