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Hello, welcome! Take a look inside kaa. Here's what I have for you today:
Why you'll never go back to a big suitcase after this.
The exact strategy to pack everything you need.
My secret for staying light, comfortable, and stress-free.
I'm standing at baggage claim in Bangkok. Not waiting for my bag—I don't check bags anymore. Waiting for a friend (the last time I went to Thailand with a friend).
His suitcase takes 47 minutes to appear.
Forty. Seven. Minutes.
Meanwhile, I walked off the plane, breezed through immigration, and could have been at my hotel (thanks to the fast airport rail link). Instead I'm watching the same three suitcases go around the carousel while my friend stress-sweats about whether his bag made the connection.
It did. Eventually.
But here's what kills me:
We were staying in Thailand for two weeks. TWO WEEKS. And he packed like he was relocating permanently. Giant hardshell suitcase. Overstuffed backpack. A "personal item" that was basically a third bag.
I had one backpack. Everything I needed for the entire trip—and honestly, everything I'd need for 60 days if that's how long I was staying.
Same clothes. Same gear. No toiletries. You can buy everything in Thailand (cheap!).
One bag.
You may already know I'm the "one bag" guy. I've been preaching this forever (steal my one-bag packing system). But people always ask: "What bag do you actually use?"
Fair question.
I've tried a lot of them. Too big, too small, weird compartments, uncomfortable straps, doesn't fit under the seat, looks like you're about to summit Everest when you're just going to Pattaya.
My new favorite one I've landed on is the Tomtoc 28L.*
Here's why:
It's exactly the right size. 28 liters is the sweet spot—big enough for 3 days of clothes (Thailand has cheap laundries), small enough to qualify as a personal item on airplanes. Dimensions are 45 x 30 x 20 cm. in inches: around 17,7 x 11,8 x 7,9. Fits under the seat or in the overhead bin.
The laptop compartment opens flat for security. No digging, no unpacking, no holding up the line. Flip it open, slide the laptop out, done.
It's water-resistant. Thailand has rain. Sometimes aggressive rain. Your stuff stays dry.
And it weighs under a kilo empty. Some "travel backpacks" weigh 2-3 kg before you put anything in them. That's insane. You're wasting your weight allowance on the bag itself.
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Moral of the story is:
The bag you choose determines how you travel.
Big suitcase = checked luggage, baggage claim, waiting, stress, fees, lost bag risk, lugging it up stairs at Thai guesthouses with no elevator.
Right-sized backpack = walk off plane, walk through airport, walk into taxi, walk into hotel. Freedom.
One decision. Completely different trip.
🍻 Night Out With Tim (No Fee/Separate Bills)
Apply for Bangkok: https://tally.so/r/A7veLo
Apply for Pattaya: https://tally.so/r/44rVNY
Now, how does this apply to you?
If you're planning a Thailand trip and still thinking about what to pack IN, maybe start with what to pack IT IN.
Here's what I use:
28 liters. TSA-friendly laptop compartment. Water-resistant. Under 1kg empty. About $86.
This is the bag. Two weeks, two months—doesn't matter.
If you want to travel like someone who's done this before instead of the guy sweating at baggage claim, this is where you start.
Chokdee!
–Tim
*P.S. Disclaimer: affiliate links. If you purchase something via these links, I will earn a small commission. No additional cost.