Food
The food in Thailand is AMAZING and is very affordable. If your on a budget you can definitely get by with spending just 10USD per day. If you order something please inform the cook you'd like it not spicy, even if you ask for not spicy, the food may be a little spicy. NEVER get Thai Spicy unless you're ready to handle the aftermath. There are so many foods to try, just try everything. One thing you have to be aware of is the type of water they use. Since you're probably not a native to the country, your stomach won't be able to handle the water. So please always drink from bottled water, never drink a drink if the ice is finely crushed, and be sure you've got some medication for Travelers Diarrhea. Traveling abroad and getting sick is no joke.
~BKK~
So this was my first time to Bangkok but it will definitely NOT be my last. I love the city life in Bangkok. Its a lot different than Hawaii's City life; The streets are a lot busy, the art surrounds the entire city, and there are SO MANY TEMPLES. (Here a tip: if you don't really like a lot of crowded places, try to stay away from the Temples, Just pick one temple you really want to see and soak it all in. Although each temple is unique, it is not worth running into the rude tourist.) The night life in Thailand can be different from most cities, this does mean that BKK doesn't have a city life, it just means, you have to know where to look! I love the area near Sinsamut Village. This is a very trendy and "slow life" style. In Bangkok, the term slow life is the same as "hipster." So in this location you'll find A LOT of cafes, boutiques, and unique modern day stores. Another one of my favorite places I enjoyed was Chaktuchak Weekend Market. If you're on a budget, shopping here will be a blast. Be ready to bring you bargaining game on and play with your best Poker Face. When you get to Chaktuchak you'll notice that its broken down into lanes, TRUST ME, YOU CANNOT FINISH EXPLORING THE WHOLE MARKET IN ONE DAY! Also, if you notice NO PHOTOGRAPHY signs, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE follow the rules.
Transportation
As far as transportation goes, don't just hop into the cab, or tuktuk without bargaining or asking the price. You'll be sorry if you do. If you travel by skytrain or MBT, make sure you get a Rabbit Card, its the same concept as the Suica/ PASMO card I mention in my Tokyo section. This saves you time when traveling on and off the trains.
Shopping
I already mentioned Chatuchak but besides that, take a look at Siam Paragon THIS IS MY FAVORITE MALL. It is beyond beautiful. within the mall it can connect you to three various subsection malls each containing a unique vibe. Art on display, a Wax Museum, an Aquarium, a Gym, a Movie theater. You name it, Siam probably has it. MBK is another type of mall just across of Siam but don't be fooled, it may look like a mall, but you may be able to bargain. MBK is about 9 floors of vendors just ready to sell you anything and EVERYTHING. so don't be fooled, take your time, look around and ask the price of EVERYTHING. It may seem like a pain in the ass but its totally worth it.