Yes, living in Bangkok is fabulous but it’s not the utopia some people like to imagine it is. The air quality gets truly foul most days, and lately, bad-air-quality season seems to be lasting all year. But yay ‘iconic street food scene’.

Also, so afraid to read certain internet friends’ problematic/straight up idiotic takes on certain issues. Sometimes, you’re better off not knowing.

Re: hosting friends — I don’t recommend it. I don’t want to upend my routine just so people can save on accommodations and spend all their tourist money on Platinum mall.

Taking people out to see the city, visit tourist attractions, eat “authentic street food”, and do corny turista activities cost time and money. I’ve had to do these for certain friends and friends of friends for years, and I’ve had it.

Please never ask me to take a day off work to be your tour guide THAT YOU DON’T EVEN PAY. Go to MF Pratunam on your own. I never ever want to hear the word Pratunam. Or “authentic pad Thai.”

It’s especially annoying when guests ask me to do touristy things with them on a work day. They forget (or don’t care about the fact) that I’m not on vacation like them. I work here.