•
GEOGRAPHY: Thailand
comprises a land area of 513,115sqare km bordered by
| |
South |
: |
Malaysia |
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West & North |
: |
Myanmar |
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North & East |
: |
Laos |
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Southeast |
: |
Cambodia |
•
CLIMATE: We enjoy a tropical climate with
3 distinct seasons:
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Hot Season |
: |
March to May |
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Rainy Season |
: |
June to September |
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Cool Season |
: |
October to February |
The temperature
varies from 38°C (101°F) in April to 19°C
(66°F) in December. The average temperature is about
29°C (84°F); humidity ranges from 66% to 82.8
%
•
LANGUAGE: Thai is
the national language. English is understood in most hotels,
popular tourist spots, and to a certain extent in the
cities.
•
LOCAL TIME: GMT
+ 7 hours.
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•
AIRPORT TAX |
: |
Baht 500. - Per outgoing international
passenger |
| |
|
: |
Baht 400. - Per passenger on
domestic departure flight by PG at Samui Airport |
| |
|
: |
Baht 200. - Per passenger on
domestic departure flight by PG at Sukhothai Airport |
•
BUSINESS HOURS:
Most
offices open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, except
on public holidays. General banking hours are Monday to
Friday 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. Many stores open 12 hours a
day, seven days a week.
•
VISA:
Visitors
to Thailand who hold valid passports or travel documents
issued by any country included in an officially issued
list of eligible countries are permitted one-month
visa-free visits. If planning a longer stay, a Tourist
Visa valid for 60 days must be obtained from a Royal Thai
Embassy or Consulate abroad. Visa extensions can be applied
for at the Immigration Department in Bangkok.
Nationals
from 37 countries can now stay in Thailand for up to 30
days without an entry visa. For visitors from 15 other
countries, transit visas valid for 15 days may be obtained
at the cost of 300 baht on arrival at any of the 12 designated
immigration checkpoints including the four airports at
Don Muang (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai.
Categories
of visas in Thailand are: Transit, Visitor Transit, Tourist,
Non-Immigrant, Immigrant and Non-Quota Immigrant.
Holders
of Transit, Visitor Transit and Tourist visas are not
allowed to wok in Thailand.
A tourist
who wants to have his visa extended must apply to the
Immigration Bureau with the following passport with a
Xerox copy, one photo, a 1,900-baht extension fee and
a medical certificate (in the case of being sick).
If you overstay your visa, the penalty is a fine of 200
baht for each extra day, with a limit of 20,000 baht.
•
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS:
No actual
vaccinations are presently required, whereas persons suffering
from leprosy, trachoma, tuberculosis, AIDS, and plague
are forbidden entry into Thailand.
•
CUSTOMS:
Thailand
is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are held sacred.
Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even
if committed by foreign visitors.
Thai
people have a deep, traditional reverence for the Royal
Family. Foreigners should be careful, don’t talk about
them with disrespect.
Generally Thai women are conservative. So please do not
touch them without their consent.
Dress
properly when entering a Buddhist temple. Mini-skirts
and shorts are not allowed.
It is
acceptable to wear shoes when walking around the compound
of a Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where
the principal Buddha image is kept.
Ladies
must not on any account touch a Buddhist monk, give anything
directly to him, or receive things directly from him.
Any Buddha
image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as a
sacred object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph
or do anything that might indicate a lack of respect.
Intimacies
between a man and a woman should not be displayed in public.
Sunbathing in the nude is prohibited.
Normally
Thais do not shake hands when they greet one another.they
use to this day the traditional greeting pressing the
palms together in a prayer-like gesture, which is known
as a ‘wai’. Generally a younger person wais an elder,
who returns it.
Refer
to Thai people by their first name; using the title ‘Khun’
for adults and ‘Nong’ for young children.
Thai
people smile to express gladness and happiness, to thank
for small services, to return the wai (a way of greeting)
of children and inferior persons, and even to excuse small
inconveniences.
Do not
touch a person’s head, nor ruffle their hair. The head
is the noblest part of the body. A sincere apology should
be offered immediately if you touch someone’s head unintentionally.
Avoid
placing your feet on the table while sitting. Never use
your foot to point things out or to touch any part of
the body of anyone, which is considered rude. This is
the height of impoliteness in Thailand
When
entering a Thai house, you are expected to remove your
shoes.
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CURRENCY / MONEY EXCHANGE:
Foreign
visitors may freely bring in foreign currencies or other
types of foreign exchange. Traveller’s cheques or bank
drafts may be brought in, but if the owner wishes to sell,
they must be sold to a bank. Upon leaving Thailand, they
may freely take out all foreign exchange they have brought
in. For residents, unlimited amounts of foreign notes
and coins maybe taken out for travelling expenses. The
amount of the draft or cheque is subject to the approval
of the issuing bank.
Foreign
visitors may bring in an unlimited amount of Thai currency.
For travelers leaving Thailand, both Thais and foreigners,
the maximum amount permitted to take out without prior
authorization is 50,000 bath per person.
The basic monetary unit in Thailand is the Bath.
1 Baht
= 100 Satang
The following
coins and notes are currently in use
| |
Coins |
: |
25 and 50 satang; 1, 5 and 10
Baht. |
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Bank notes |
: |
10 Baht (brown), 20 Baht (green),
50 Baht (blue), 100 Baht (red), 500 Baht (purple)
and 1,000 Baht (brown) |
Major
foreign currencies can be exchanged for Thai baht with
banks and authorised moneychangers. Major credit cards
are also widely accepted in tourist centres.
Most
foreign currencies and traveller’s checques are easily
changed at banks, hotels, or moneychangers. All major
credit cards are widely accepted throughout the Kingdom.
•
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS:
Exports
of Buddha images (except small ones carried on your person),
antiques and genuine works of art all require export licenses
from the Fine Arts Department. The shop you deal with
can provide such a service for you.
Foreign tourists are allowed to take out gold ornaments
free. But import and export of gold other than jewellery
are subject to licensing by the Ministry of Finance.
The law
prohibits bringing any of the following into Thailand.
The penalties are severe, and for drugs the death sentence
is the final option:
Narcotics (e.g.; marijuana, hemp, opium, cocaine, morphine,
heroin, amphetamines, etc.)
Obscene
literature, pictures, videos, VCD’s, DVD’s, etc..
Firearms or ammunition – unless a permit has been obtained
from the Police Department or a local Registration Office
One still
camera with five rolls of still film or one movie/video
camera with three rolls of movie film, one digital camera,
and one used item each of electronic goods may be brought
in free of duty.
•
SHOPPING:
Bargaining
is an art long practiced in Asian countries, including
Thailand. So feel free to ask for a proper discount when
shopping in places where prices are not marked.
Be careful
in dealing with sidewalk venders who may not offer genuine
goods at fair prices.
Receipts
should be obtained for the goods you buy. For jewellery
you must get a certificate of guarantee as well.
Some
shops can offer a money-back guarantee but you should
clearly determine all conditions with the shopkeeper beforehand.
Make
sure you obtain the correct documentation from a department
store or duty-free shop in order to receive your tax back
when leaving the country at the airport.
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Public Holiday 2004:
Date |
Holiday |
| Thu.1 January |
New Year’ Day |
| Fri.5 March |
Makh Bucha Day |
Tue.6 April
|
Chakri Memorial Day |
| Tue.13 April |
Songkran Festival Days |
| Wed.14 April |
Songkran Festival Days |
| Thu.15 April |
Songkran Festival Days |
| Wed.5 May |
Coronation Day |
| Fri.7 May |
Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day |
| Wed. 2 June |
Wisakha Bucha Day |
| Sat.31 July |
Asarnha Bucha Day |
| Sun.1 August |
Buddhist Lent Day |
| Thu12. August |
H.M. The Queen’s Birthday |
| Sat.23 October |
Chulalongkorn Memorial Day |
| Sun.5 December |
H.M. The King’s Birthday |
| Fri.10 December |
Constitution Day |
| Fri.31 December |
New Year’s Eve |
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