thailand & vietnam travel study

8/6/2019 Thailand & Vietnam Travel Study

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THAILAND & VIETNAMTRAVEL STUDY

June 2007



Tour Leaders

Larry Neuman

Han NgoJoy Yang



THE BASICS THE STUDY TOUR IS 2 WEEKS

LONG

WE WILL VISIT TWO COUNTRIES,THAILAND AND VIETNAM

We will visit Bangkok & Chiang Mai

THAILAND, & Ha Noi, Hue & Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

VIETNAM



SOUTHEAST ASIA

INDONESIA

PHILIPPINES

MALAYSIA

LAOS

CHINA

BURMA

SINGAPORE

THAILANDVIETNAM

CAMBODIA



T

H

A

I

L

AN

D

V

IE

T

N

AM

Chicago



The course introduces students to the history, geography,

politics, economic, religion, education, and culture of

Thailand and Vietnam with a particular emphasis on the

social changes during the past decade in the context of

globalization. Students will examine urbanization,

economic development, inequalities by income, ethnicity,and gender.

Official Course

Description



1. Expose students to cultural, religion, and history

of two major Southeast Asian nations

2. Introduce students to the education and health

care systems of Thailand and Vietnam

3. Develop an understanding of the local businessgrowth and the impact of large-scale globalization

4. Study the educational systems of two major

Southeast Asian nations

5. Contrast the government and economy in

Thailand and Vietnam

6. Recognize forms of social-economic inequality

and their persistence/change.

Course Objectives



What to ExpectTENTATIVE TRIP OUTLINE

Depart from Janesville 7:30 am Tuesday June 5 by bus toO¶Hara. Arrive (9:30 am, 3 hours before departure). Fly to

Bangkok. Typical flight: Leave O¶Hara at 12:30 arrive 4:30 pm next

day in Tokyo (13 hours flying time), change planes & leaveTokyo 6:45 pm arrive Bangkok 11:45 pm (7 hours flyingtime). Allow at least 2 hrs for immigration/luggage and totravel to the hotel.

Sleep time 2 am, about 28-30 hours of traveling sinceJanesville.

Basically, you lose almost 2 days in traveling time.

Get up early the next morning. It will be Thursday.

You probably won¶t sleep right because of a mixture of

excitement, exhaustion and jet lag.



Basic Itinerar y

Thurs-Friday Bangkok

Sat-Monday Chi ang Mai

Tuesday fly to Bangkok then Ha noi,(mostly travel)

Wed H a noi

Thurs Danang

Fri Hue

Sat, Sun, Mon H o Chi M i nh

Monday leave and travel back to Chicago,arrive on Monday



WHAT WILL WE DO ON THE

TRIP?

Visit schools, clinics, factories

Visit museums, temples, historic sites

Visit an elephant camp, a rural village

Ride planes, buses, boats, trains,(maybeeven an elephant)

Hear a few lectures, local music

See cultural activities, dance,

crafts,markets Meet interesting people

Eat great food & experience new things

Relax, laugh, have some fun & learn a lot



THAILAND

We first go to:



Bangkok OR Krung Thep, The City Of

Angels



We·ll visit th e

W ORLD FAMOUS BANGKOK

GRAND PALACE



Bangkok has world famous

traffic congestion



The New Skytrain Has

Helped Somewhat



We plan to visit one of the floating markets near Bangkok. It takes about45 minutes to get there and we will need to get there very early in themorning. You will see hundreds of boats laden with fruits, vegetables,dried fish and other produce paddled by women wearing broad-brimmedlampshade hats.



Thai

Religion

Almost all Thaipeople areBuddhist.

Buddhism iscentral to Thaiculture.



ou can go

Shopping, Bangkok style



Transit We will check out of the hotel in

Bangkok on Saturday morning.

It takes 2 hours to get to the airport.

We wait 1 hour, then fly about 1 hour up to Chiang Mai.

We will arrive about noon then it takes½ hour to get to the hotel



Af ter Bangkok we go to

CHIANG MAI

Chiang Mai is Thailand's major center for qualityhandicrafts. It is also close to villages of the many

³hill-tribes´ or ethnic groups of Thailand. Marketsoffer antiques, silver jewelry, hilltribe opium pipesand embroidery, Thai silks and cottons, basketry,celadon, silverware, furniture, lacquer ware,woodcarving and parasols.



Chiang Mai Visit In Town temple and National Museum Visit Elephant camp/riding school Dinner with Students/Faculty local university

Visit Doi Suthep and Doi Pui Hilltribe Village Visit Cottage Industries at Sankamphaeng District and

Umbrella Village at Bor Sang Traditional Northern Thai Dinner (Khan Toke Dinner) with Thai

Northern dancing and Hill Tribe show Visit Hmong Village

Stay in Hmong Lodge BBQ dinner and Hmong dances Leisure



You·ll Eat Thai FoodThe ideal Thai meal is a harmonious blend of the spicy, the subtle, thesweet and sour. It is meant to be equally satisfying to eye, nose and

palate.

A typical meal includes a clear soup (perhaps bitter melons stuffed

with minced pork), a steamed dish (mussels in curry sauce), a fried

dish (fish with ginger), a hot salad (beef slices on a bed of lettuce,onions, chilies, mint and lemon juice) and a variety of sauces into

which food is dipped. This would be followed by sweet desserts

and/or fresh fruits. With their Buddhist background, Thais shunned the

use of large animals in big chunks.

Generally Thai curries burn intensely, but briefly, whereas other curries, with strong spices, burn for longer periods. Instead of serving

dishes in courses, a Thai meal is served all at once, permitting dinners

to enjoy complementary combinations of different tastes.



VIETNAMVietnam covers an area of 330.363 sq. kmmaking it about as big as Italy. It has 85.6

million people (a little bigger than Germany,the largest European countr y). Vietnam has a3,400 km coastline and mountainous cover 75% of the countr y. There are two huge andfertile river deltas where most of the

population live, the Red River in the Northand the Mekong River in the south.

After Chiang Mai we fly to



Ha Noi

(Capital City) Hanoi is a capital with 1,000 year histor y.

The architecture includes Vietnamese

classic monuments, decaying Frenchcolonial buildings, and a few communistmonuments.

Hanoi was not bombed until late in the war.

The city is pleasant, with lakes, many trees,open boulevards, and much less pollutionand noise than Saigon



Ha noi Hochiminh Mausoleum

One-Pillar Pagoda

Temple of Literature

Museum of Art

Tran Quoc Pagoda Historical Museum

Dinner with Vietnamese Students



We leave Ha Noi

Thursday June 14 7am breakfast

8am check out & to airport

Fly to Danang

10 am-4 pm in Danang

Visit World Heritage Site of Hoi An the

Ancient Town. Visit the famous HaiVan Pass and Lang Co Beach

6:00 pm Arrive in Hue for overnight.



Danang

The beaches aresuperb, long and good

for surfers.

At the beginning of the 14th century

Danang was a part of districts used

as wedding presents by the Cham

King to marry princess Huyen Tran

of Dai Viet (as Vietnam was then

called). At that time Danang was a

wild area with sandy beaches. In 17th

century there was mass migrationfrom the North. By the 19the century

Chinese Japanese French Dutch

Portuguese and Spanish merchants

for business.



Friday June 15

HUE 7 am Breakfast

8 am- 4 pm in Hue

Scenic boat ride along the Perfume River, Visit theThien Mu Pagoda, Minh Mang Tomb, Khai DinhTomb and the Royal Citadel.

4pm-7pm Check out of Hue hotel &

fly to Ho Chi Minh City 7 pm Check in to Hotel

7:30 pm + Free time



HUE Hue was unified Vietnam's capital from 1802 to

1945, during the rule of the emperors of the NguyenDynasty.

It was not only the political but also the cultural andreligious centre. Hue is a quiet, relaxing city, big enough to be

interesting but small enough to bicycle around. The city was severely damaged in the 1968 Tet

offensive during the American war The food is great, the best in Vietnam, and the

women are supposed to be the most beautiful in thecountr y



MekongDelta



Saigon Visit Cu Chi Tunnels Driving to Phan Thiet (Mui Ne)

Leaving Phan Thiet for Vung Tau Tour Vung Tau area, while there

Visit Whale Temple; Sakya Pagoda; JesusStatue; Bao Dai Emperor

Visit Reunification Hall, Former PresidentialPalace and War museum

Lunch with a Vietnamese company Free time



SAIGON

(Ho Chi Minh City)



One way to getaround Saigonis by cyclo. The

first time you arelaunched into abusy intersectionahead of your driver can be a hair raising experience.

Increasingly motor bikes aretaking over the

roads and cyclosare being banned.

OPTIONAL

YOU

CAN

TRY

IT



Vietnam is

undergoingrapid social

and economic

change.

It is becoming

more open tooutside trade and

exchange.



OUR TOUR WILL VISITTHE FAMOUS TUNNELSUSED DURING THE 1960s

WAR WITH THE US.

There were 120 miles of tunnels. They stretch toSaigon and went into some

American bases. They were

used to shelter an under-ground army and e ablethem to make surpriseattacks before disappearingback through camouflaged

trap doors. A trip below into them is ver y interesting but not for theclaustrophobic.

Y ·ll t t t



You·ll g e t to ea t

Vie tn ame se FoodPlatters of fresh, herb-filled salads, steaming bowls of brothy soups,all kinds of fish and shellfish, savory grilled meats, fragrant pots of

rice and noodles served in every imaginable way, subtle but salty fish

sauce, fiery hot chilies, sweet coconut, tart lime and the refreshing

flavors of fresh, raw herbs like mint, coriander, lemongrass and basil.

It is a cuisine of fresh, distinct ingredients, balanced but contrasting,

rather than a blurring of flavors and textures.

Compared to other Asian cuisines, the food is lighter and fresher than

Chinese bolder in flavor than Japanese and less tongue-sparingly spicy

than Thai. There are the cultural fingerprints left by decades of French

influence -- a passion for strong coffee and good baguettes, the use of

Western ingredients such as butter and certain vegetables,



GENERAL

INFORMATION NEXT

Climate, money,requirements, etc.



Weather The weather is tropical, hot and humid, althoughthe northern highlands are a little cooler.

Hanoi and Bangkok temps range from 25-33

degrees C

Chiang Mai temps are 25-32 degrees C

Hue temps are 26-34 degrees C

Ho Chi Minh temps are 24-32 degrees C

This all ranges from 26 = 78F, 34 = 91F



Rain in June Bangkok gets about 152 mm of rain = 6

niches inches, humidity averages 79%. Chiang Mai gets about 122 mm of rain, 5.2

inches, humidity averages about 75% Ha Noi gets about 239 mm = 9.5 inches,

humidity averages 75% Hue gets about 76 mm = 3 inches, humidity

averages ? Ho Chi Minh about 297 mm = 11.7 inches,

humidity averages 78%



WISCONSIN 55-80 degrees F, 4 inches of rain,

60 % humidity

Compared to Wisconsin, expect it tobe hotter, wetter and more humid.



Should you bring an

umbrella? Umbrellas are cheaper and ver y

available there. Do not buy one here

and drag it with you. Rain coats are too hot and heavy.

Just expect to get wet some and relax

about it.



PACK LIGHT

You will ver y quickly find that having a lot of luggage will be a major burden.

On the past trip, we had to add an extra hour of

time to wait for an extra local truck to carr y all theluggage from students. A local tour guide said henever saw so much.

Several students had to pay extra money for overweight luggage.

Few students got angr y with others during the trip,except over a few students who had too muchluggage and held up ever yone else.

Only pack enough clothes for 2-3 days andunderwear for 4-5 days. You can wash. If it is notessential, don¶t bring it.



GOOD

BAD



Currency 1 US dollar equals about

37.4 THB Thailand Baht

If something costs 300 Baht = $8

If you have 10 Baht bill = 27 cents

If you have 100 Baht bill = $2.60

You can change money when you getthere.



THAI CURRENCY

Thai coins are valued at 25 satang, 50 satang, 1 baht, 5

baht and 10 baht. Thai bank notes are valued to the

amounts of 10 baht, 20 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht, 500 baht,

and 1,000 baht.



Vietnamese Currency The currency is the dong

$1US = 16,800 Dong

10,000 dong = 65 cents

100,000 dong = $6.50 US.

One million dong = $65 US



The most common bills available are the 200,500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, and

50,000 notes. There are no coins



MONEY ISSUES Credit Cards ± you will pay a 3-5% fee Traveler¶s Checks ± you will pay a 1% fee Cash ± no fee but you may get robbed so it could

be a 100% fee! Small US bills are welcome in Vietnam more than

Thailand. Few places in Vietnam take credit cardsand there are ver y few ATMs.

There are AMTs in Thailand but banks tack an

additional "conversion fee" onto the Visa or MasterCard currency-exchange commission. Plusthis hidden surcharge is on top of the flattransaction fees that banks often charge for ATMwithdrawals away from home.



WARNING Thai and especially Vietnamese

currency are almost impossible to

exchange once you leave the countr y. You do not want to carr y a lot of

currency outside the countr y, because

you may not be able to get anything for it.



HEALTH AND SAFETY

Food and waterborne diseases are the number one

cause of illness in travelers to SoutheastAsia.

Traveler¶s diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or

parasites that can contaminate food or water.

Make sure your food and drinking water are safe.

Wash your hands often with soap and water.



HEALTH AND SAFETY

Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly)

drinks in cans or bottles.

Eat only thoroughly cooked food or fruits and vegetables

you have peeled yourself.

DO NOT eat food purchased from street vendors or

drink beverages with ice.

Note that motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of

injury among travelers, walk defensively. Always use seat belts.



HEALTH AND SAFETY

No major risks are expected, but to be careful it

is recommended that you visit your doctor 4±6

weeks before the trip to allow time for shots to

take effect.

RECOMMENDATIONSOF THECENTER S FOR

DISEASECONTR OL:

Hepatitis or immune globulin (IG) and Typhoid

vaccination.

As needed, booster doses for tetanus, diphtheria,

and measles, and a one-time dose of polio for

adults.



REQUIRED

PRE-DEPARTUREORIENTATION

SESSIONS

MEETS 8 TIMES

Thursday 4:00 PM ± 6 PM

EVERY OTHER WEEKDURING THE SEMESTER



How much will it

cost?Estimate at about $3,700

$300 deposit due Jan 25

$3,400 MORE due Februar y 3

Budget about $5-10 per day for souvenirs, snacks,personal needs, some meals (est. $4-8)

INCLUDED: RT airfare, twin lodging,all in-countr y transport, all breakfasts, all lunches, about 6 dinners,

all museum/site entr y fees

NOT INCLUDED: Passport fee, Visa fee for Vietnam,Bus fare to Chicago¶s O¶Hara airport, Personal

needs/snacks/souvenirs, about 8 dinners



Costs In general you will find costs lower than the

U.S. Although if you shop in certain places

they will be just as high or even higher. Prices are much lower in Vietnam than in

Thailand.

There will be many fake brand name goods.

Do not trust a ³name brand´ to actually bethat brand.



OUTLINE of the Eig ht

Pre-departure Sessions1. Orientation, Basic geography

2. Histor y, politics (Video clips from ³Pacific Centur y´ series oncolonial Vietnam)

3. Economic development issues (Video: ³Behind the Smile´ onsweatshops in Thailand)

4. Buddhism, cultural values, includes guest lecture on religion.

5. Field Trip: Sample Vietnamese and Thai food, dance, music

6. Dramatic films, discussions of gender/family relations,

etiquette, 1st mini-language lesson7. Rural/ur ban issues, minority peoples (Video clips ³Vietnam´)

8. Student Team Presentations



GRADING3 credits, conventional letter grade

Tests, assignments, and/or Evaluations:

20% Attendance

20% Team Presentation 20% Personal Journal (entries for each class

before leaving, and daily entries whileout of US)

20% Quizzes on Pre-departure Material

20% Individual Project/portfolio, due 1 weekafter end of study tour



OPTIONAL If interested only

Sociology of Pacific

Asia (includes China,Indonesia, Japan, Korea,Malaysia, Laos, PhilippinesSingapore, Thailand, &Vietnam).

Examines Histor y, Social

Conditions, Geography,Culture, Politics, Economies,etc

SOCIOLOGY 290

3 CREDITS

On line course

General Education, SocialSciences

Prereq. either Individual &Society or GlobalPerspectives.



END OF

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