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| Thailand Travel Tips |
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INTRODUCTION Thailand is a large South East Asian country with Bangkok as the capital. Thailand has a population of in excess of 60 million people of whom over 10 million live in the capital. The second largest city is Chiang Mai with a population of 200,000. The Thai name for Bankok is Krungthep which means city of the angels. With many canals the city earnt the name of the Venice of the East. VISAS The vast majority of visitors to Thailand can obtain a 30 day visa on arrival at the airport. If you are planning to stay longer you should obtain a 60 days tourist visa from your nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate, this type of visa can be extended by another 30 days whilst you are in Thailand. MONEY The unit of currency is the Baht. It comes in denominations of 1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 Baht notes and coins of 10, 5, 1 Baht. The Baht is sub-divided into 100 Satang but these are generally disregarded. Most hard currencies can be exchanged freely in Thailand and there are many banks and authorised money exchangers throughout the city. When travelling to Thailand it is advisable to bring your money as travellers cheques. Not only are they obviously safer but also you receive a higher rate by cashing travellers cheques instead of notes which is an advantage. Credit cards, particularly Visa and Mastercard, are accepted in most places but if you buy anything on a credit card expect to have to pay an extra 3 to 5% for the privilege. WEATHER There are basically two seasons. Dry from October to May and wet from June to September. It is very hot in April and May with temperatures around 35 to 40C during the day and dropping to 30C at night in Bangkok. During the rainy season you are likely to experience mild flooding. ENGLISH LANGUAGE English is a compulsory subject in Thai schools so the majority of Thais can read and write basic English. However speaking and listening are skills very few people have. Outside of the main tourist destinations and shopping centres you will probably find difficulty in finding someone who can understand you. Within Bangkok English is pretty widely understood. Most hotels have English language TV and there are two excellent quality local daily newspapers covering world events in English. Many imported books, magazines and newspapers are available. SHOPPING Bangkok is a shoppers paradise with absolutely anything available and mostly at real bargain prices. If you are prepared to haggle with market traders, a normal Thai custom, you can expect to get 30-50% off the original asking price. FOOD Food of every description is available in Bangkok. This city has a restaurant of some sort every few metres!! Thai food tends to be rather hot and spicy but the cook will tone it down if asked. Otherwise choose from the huge selection of international diets available or go to the well known people like Pizza Hut, KFC and McDonalds. DRINK Although clean it is best to avoid drinking tap water. Bottles of pure water are very cheap and available everywhere. Alcohol is easily available and bars stay open until the early hours. Crushed ice should be avoided but ice lumps served by an establishment are fine. DRUGS Apart from prescribed drugs it is absolutely forbidden to have any drugs in your posession even for your own use. Drug trafficking carries the death sentence. CLOTHING Thais usually dress smartly and politely. A jacket and tie are only worn on formal occasions. Ties are worn in air-conditioned offices but rarely outside. Light cotton clothing is best and the general tip is to bring very little and buy locally as it is very cheap for most visitors. Shoes are removed at all temples, some offices and most homes. DRIVING If you wish to drive in Thailand a valid international driving licence is required. Thais drive on the left side of the road and throughout the country internationally recognised signs are used and all signs are written in Thai and English. Insurance is compulsory and if you hire from the major firms, Hertz, Budget or Avis you should have no problems. Some smaller operators only insure for third party and as the driver you would be held responsible for any damage to your car or its occupants in the event of an accident so do check the insurance carefully. SAFETY Bangkok is a very safe city with little crime against tourists. However you should take the usual safety precautions and a money belt is a good idea. Pickpockets abound in crowded areas. Carry as little cash as possible. As accidents and illness are a possibility you should take out a Travel Insurance Policy to cover you for your stay as medical costs can be very expensive as is repatriation in an emergency. Supermarkets, such as Tesco, sell excellent low cost policies. HEALTH It is advisable to take out travel health care insurance as there are no free treatments available. Medical standards in Bangkok are well in line with international standards and so are the prices. There are no compulsory inoculations to enter Thailand unless you have been in a Yellow Fever area within the previous 7 days. As Tuberculosis is rampant in Thailand it is advisable to ensure that your BCG vaccination is up to date. To be safe you may wish to contact a doctor or travel centre about six weeks prior to travel to get inoculated against the current reccommended diseases. Malaria is extremely rare in Bangkok but up country there are several varieties. Most medications can be purchased at a pharmacy over the counter with no need for a prescription at very low cost. A high factor sun lotion should be used if you want to sunbathe as the sun is always strong. TROPICAL TRAUMAS It is not unknown to have short breaks in services such as water or electricity although this is more common out of the city as village life is rather simple and basic. Do not expect to find Western standards of safety and hygiene. Traffic in Bangkok can be chaotic and very slow, Thais are often late for appointments and the traffic is always blamed. Never send money or anything important by ordinary post. Like nationals of many hot climates Thais appear to have no real sense of timing or logic. HAVE A GREAT TIME IN SURIN For news and information or for great value food and drinks do not miss the Farang Connection in Surin city centre. Do visit their website or even better visit in person. http://www.farangconnection.com/index.html FINAL NOTE We are sure you will thoroughly enjoy the experience if this is your first visit to the Land of Smiles. Westerners are welcomed and Thai people are the friendliest on earth. The majority of visitors so enjoy the experience they return to Thailand as often as possible. We will brief you on any culture points that arise during your visit if we are accompanying you, but basically act politely as you would at home and you will be fine. Map of Thailand   Orchid of Siam are authorised to provide immigration advice and services by the Immigration Services Commissioner Ref. No. F200500016. Members of the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association. |
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