A month after we started reading about Pokémon Go without being able to play, the game was finally released in Thailand on Saturday. Bangkokians quickly came down with a bad case of Pokémon fever, flocking to Siam Paragon and invading hospitals to catch the digital monsters.
Even the reporters at the Government House were getting in on the game, amusing themselves by catching Pokémons while waiting for a press conferences before being told off by Prayuth.
Five days after installing the game and joining the Thai Pokémon community, we’ve noticed some unique aspects of the game that you will probably only experience in Thailand.
1. Every shrine is a Pokéstop, literally.
Every building has a spirit house, so why not make it a Pokéstop?
2. But once in awhile, it’s the guardian lion statues instead.
Sometimes, it’s both.
3. Sometimes you feel weird when a Pokéstop is at a shady business.
Is it worth it to go into Poseidon massage parlor to wait for a rare Pokémon?
Do you really want to be seen in Soi Cowboy just to get a Krabby?
4. But it’s worse when you live upcountry and have to drive an hour to find any Pokéstops.
Seriously, Nintendo. We waited a month for this?
“How come there are no Pokéstop near my home?” wrote Facebook user Huttawat Nok Maharat.
“Sad,” wrote Joey Mechanic.
“My home is so far away,” wrote Theptat Pop Thongprasom.
Pokéstops in Bangkok versus Pokéstops in Ayutthaya.
5. Because of our slow internet, sometimes a Pokéstop is just a void of disappointment.
If it’s not loaded, you can’t collect goodies from it.
6. Because the developer probably doesn’t speak Thai, you get weird Thai captions like this.
“So white. I like it white,” is this a description of a Pokéstop or the latest racist skincare ad?
“Ivory-searching Elephant: Where is my ivory?!”
Photo: Noomsuphan Fanwhansad
7. You’re so far behind the players who have played the game abroad that there’s no way you can defeat them in battles.
1600CP on the first day? Come on!
8. You’re not sure if you should give up your religion for Pokémon.
You know you shouldn’t catch Pokémon at a temple because it’s sinful but what if you also say a little prayer while you’re there?
“A temple is a sanctuary for living creatures, catching Pokémons is forbidden,” read the sign at a temple in Khao Yai.
9. You think having your friends drive you around to catch Pokémons is ideal but you forgot about Bangkok traffic.
“If only our car moves two more meters, I’ll be able to finally swipe on this Pokéstop.”
10. You enjoyed visiting Government House for the first time ever — then Prayuth announced that he doesn’t want you to catch Pokémons near his office.
Photo: Wassana Nanuam/ Twitter
The government is actually trying to restrict zoning for the game. Hopefully, this won’t result in a Pokémon Go blackout because we can’t go back to Cookie Run now.
