Thailand
Information
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When arriving
in Thailand ask for free copies of Thaiways magazine and Thaiways
maps from the information counter at airports or hotels.
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Thailand is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are
held sacred. Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even
if committed by foreign visitors. |
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Thai people hold their King and Queen and the Royal
Family in great reverence, and so won't tolerate foreigners showing
disrespect to them. |
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Generally Thai women are conservative. So don't touch
them without their consent. |
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Dress properly when entering a Buddhist temple. Miniskirts
and shorts are not allowed. Take your shoes off before going inside
the hall of worship. Ladies must not on any account touch a Buddhist
monk, give things direct to him or receive things direct from him.
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Intimacies between man and woman should not be shown
in public. Sunbathing in the nude is prohibited. |
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Call Thais their first names; use the title "Khun"
for adults. |
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Normally, Thai people address others by their first
names and with the title 'khun'. So don't be surprised if you are
addressed as 'Khun Mary' or 'Khun John' instead of by your surname.
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Traditionally, Thais greet each other with a wai
(by pressing the palms together at the chest). If someone wais
you, you should wai back (except wai-ed by a child).
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Thai people smile to express gladness and happiness,
to thank for small services, to return the wai of children
and inferior persons, and even to excuse small inconveniences. |
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Don't touch a person's head, nor ruffle his hair. The
head is the noblest part of the body. A sincere apology should be
offered immediately if you touch someone's head unintentionally. |
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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. |
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Entering a Thai house, you're expected to remove your
shoes. |
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The following information about Thailand's visa information
is obtained from the Office of the Immigration Bureau, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
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| Tourist Visa Exemption |
The Thai government allows nationals from 39 countries
to stay in Thailand for tourism purpose for up to 30 days without
an entry visa.
List of 39 countries are as follows:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam,
Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar,
Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam. |
| Temporary Tourist Visa : Visa on
Arrival |
Passport holders from 14 countries may
apply for visas at the immigration checkpoints for the purpose of
tourism for the period of not exceeding 15 days.
Documents
required: Valid passport, visa application form completely filled
in, confirmed air ticket paid in full, one recent photograph
( 2 1/2 inches), and application fee of 1,000 baht.
Validity of stay: 15 days
The visa is granted by Immigration officers at Thailand's international
airports -- Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hatyai, and at other points
of entry into the country.
List of 14 countries are as
follows:
Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Czech, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan,
Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Poland, Russian Federation,
Saudi Arabia, Ukraine |
| Transit Visa |
Documents required:
1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
2. Visa application form completely filled out
3. One recent photograph ( 4 x 6 cm)
4. Confirmed air ticket paid in full
5. Evidence of adequate finance
(20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
6. Visa of a third country in a passport or travel document
Visa fee : 800 baht per entry
(The fee may be changed without prior notice.)
Validity of stay: 30 days |
| Tourist Visa |
| Documents required:
1. Passport or travel document with validity not less than 6 months
2. Visa application form completely filled out
3. One recent photograph ( 4 x 6 cm)
4. Confirmed air ticket paid in full
5. Evidence of adequate finance
(20,000 Baht per person and 40,000 Baht per family)
Visa fee: 1,000 baht per entry
(The fee may be changed without prior notice.)
Validity of stay: 60 days |
| Extension of Stay |
| Those who wish to stay longer or may wish to change
their status of visa must file an application form at the Office
of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathon
Road, Bangkok. The extension of stay as well as the change of certain
type of visa is solely at the discretion of the Immigration officer.
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| The above information is
subject to change. For more details, contact the Immigration Bureau,
South Sathon Road, Bangkok,
tel. 0 2287 3101 to 10 |
| For your convenience, you may
contact Visa
& Immigration Law Consulting Service, a professional company
offering a variety of services with many years experience in Bangkok. |
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| In Thailand, as in most countries, vaccination
certificates are not required for foreign visitors except those from
or passing through a designated contaminated area. Anyway, there is
a risk of malaria in some forested and hilly areas. If you plan to
travel in endemic areas, it is highly recommended to take tablets
to prevent the onset of this desease. |
| Currency
& Money Exchange |
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Foreign visitors may freely bring in foreign currencies
or other types of foreign exchange. Cheques or drafts brought in,
if the owner desires to sell, 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 may be taken out for travelling expenses. The amount of draft
or cheque is subject to the approval of the issuing bank. |
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Foreign visitors may bring in an unlimited amount of
Thai currency. For travellers leaving Thailand, both Thais and foreigners,
the maximum amount permitted to take out without prior authorization
is 50,000 baht per person or, if they are going to one of Thailand's
neighbouring countries, 500,000 baht per person. |
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The basic monetary unit in Thailand is the Baht. A baht
is divided into 100 satang. The following coins and notes are currently
in use: |
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Coins : 25 and 50 satang; 1, 5 and 10 baht
Banknotes : 10 (brown), 20 (green), 50 (blue), 100 (red), 500
(purple) and 1,000 (grey or brown) baht
see pictures of Thai Banknotes
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Major foreign currencies can be exchanged for Thai baht
with banks and authorized money changers. For buying baht, US dollars
are the most readily acceptable , though travellers' cheques get a
better rate than cash. |
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Major credit cards are also widely accepted in tourist
centres. The most commonly accepted cards are Visa and Master Card,
followed by Amex, Diners and JCB. |
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Bangking hours: Monday to Friday, 08.30 - 15.30 hrs.
(except public and bank holidays) |
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Major banks such as Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmers Bank
and Siam Commercial Bank operate currency exchange centres in most
tourist areas from 07.00 - 21.00 hrs., seven days a week, including
holidays. |
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20
Currency Exchange Rates |
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| Customs
Clearance for Passengers |
Passengers arriving in the Kingdom of Thailand have
to fill in the "Passenger Declaration Form" (Form
No.211) and submit it to the Customs officer while bringing their
luggage or belongings through the red or green channel. In case there
are no dutiable, prohibited or restricted goods, please mark "nothing
to declare" on the Passenger Declaration Form and submit it to
the Customs officer at the green channel.
In case there are dutiable, prohibited or restricted goods or the
passenger is unsure whether or not goods are subject to any of the
three aforesaid categories, the passenger should mark "goods
to declare" on the Passenger Declaration Form and submit it to
the Customs officer at the red channel.
1.1 Duties for goods brought into Thailand will be assessed according
to Customs Acts, Customs Tariff Decree, and other associated laws.
The following are subject to duty charges (30% of the goods' value):
• Goods which are brought into the country
in a limited quantity as personal effects and are not for a commercial
purpose.
• Goods not exceeding 80,000
baht in value.
• Duties shall be paid
in cash on the date of arrival.
In case goods do not comply with the above conditions, they will be
sent to Goods Accompanying Passenger Section of the Import Formalities
Sub-Division at Customs Warehouse 1, Import Customs Warehouse Building,
Bangkok International Airport Customs Bureau or any local respective
Customs House to comply with normal Customs procedures. The passenger
will receive a delivery order form (Form No.466) as evidence.
1.2 Personal effects for personal or professional use which accompany
passengers in an amount not exceeding their needs with the total value
not exceeding 10,000 baht, will be exempted from customs duties.
Personal effects such as clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes, glasses,
perfume, etc., purchased abroad must have a receipt to show before
the Customs; if there is no such receipt, the Customs officer will
consider other available evidence.
The following accompanied goods can be brought into Thailand in amounts
not exceeding as stated below;
• 200 cigarettes or 500 grams of cigars
and tobacco
• 10 liters of alcoholic liquor
1.3 A certain amount of used household effects accompanying a passenger
due to change domicile will be exempted from Customs duties.
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Used household effects such as television, radio, video, etc., will
be exempted from Customs duties; however, passengers are required
to declare the mentioned items to the Customs officer at the red channel
by submitting a passenger declaration form (Form No.211)
For further information, contact the Customs Bureau,
Tel. 0 2535 1269, 0 2535 1569 or 0 2535 1153 |
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| Customs
Formality (Outbound Passengers) |
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Cameras, video cameras and portable computers must be
declared to the Customs officer in order to confirm outbound accompaniment
upon re-entry to Thailand. |
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Jewelry and ornaments are required to go through the
Customs formalities at the Outbound Section, Passenger Control Division,
Bangkok International Airport Customs Bureau (3rd floor, International
Terminal 1). |
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Prohibited Goods and
Restricted Goods: |
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Prohibited goods are goods for which either
the import into or export out of the kingdom is prohibited, e.g.
drugs, pornographic materials, protected wild animals or related
products, etc. Violators of laws related to illicit drugs, e.g.
having and holding, holding for use, or being a producer, seller
or transporter are subject to the death sentence. |
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Restricted goods are goods the import and
export of which are restricted by law and therefore require a permit
from the related government agencies. The following items require
a permit from the government agency concerned in order to go through
the Customs formalities. |
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• Firearms, ammunitions,
explosive objects (Office of National Police)
• Buddha images, artefacts and antiques
(Fine Arts Department)
• Radio transceivers and telecommunications
equipment (Post & Telegraph Department)
• Plants and planting materials (Department
of Agriculture)
• Live animals and animal products (Department
of Live Stock Development)
• Medicines and chemical products (Office
of Food and Drugs Administration) |
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Drink only bottled or boiled water.
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You can find places to eat 24 hours a day, but better
avoid sidewalk stalls where, though food is cheap and palatable, hygienic
conditions may not be up to standard. |
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Most Thai food is already cut into small pieces before
serving or made soft enough to be cut with a spoon or fork; thus,
a knife is unnecessary. |
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Saltshakers are rarely found on Thai dining tables,
so add a little caramel-colour fish-sauce (called nam-pla in Thai)
instead, if you find your food not salty enough. |
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English is spoken in large restaurants in tourist provinces
and most establishments have menus in Thai and English. |
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Beckon waiters with a wave of a hand. Don't clap, snap
fingers or hiss. |
| Tipping |
| Normally most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to
the bills but a tip for waiters is appreciated. For porters, a tip
of 20-40 baht is acceptable. |
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Be careful with your bag and valuables while shopping
in a crowded area. |
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After buying and before leaving the shop, check that
the goods are the same that you bought. Some shops do not exchange
or give refunds, and make sure you keep the receipts. |
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In the case that you have the shop send the goods by
mail, ask for a receipt for sending the goods, so that you can be
certain that there is an actual mailing service. |
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Bargaining is an art long practised in Asian countries
including Thailand. So feel free to ask for a proper discount when
shopping in places where prices are not marked. |
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Be careful in dealing with sidewalk vendors who may
not offer genuine goods at fair prices. |
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Souvenir stores in hotel arcades and department stores
may ask for higher prices than general souvenir stores and street
shops for they have to pay high rents. Yet these shops mostly offer
high quality goods. |
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To shop gems, make sure that you shop from a specialist
in that field instead of buying from a simple souvenir store. |
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Before making your decision to buy, especially precious
objects, compare prices at several shops. |
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Receipts should be obtained for the goods you buy. For
jewellery you must get a certificate of guarantee as well. |
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Some shops can offer a money-back guarantee but you should clearly
determine all conditions with the shopkeeper beforehand. |
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Ask for a written agreement to full refund on any goods returned
within 90 days. |
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Do not let a new acquaintance take you to shopping, for he or she
is very likely to get a commission from the store. And the commission
will be added to your payment. |
Related Link : VAT
Refund for Tourists |
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Don't get involved with any kind of narcotic drugs,
gambling, child prostitution or other illegal activities that violate
the law. |
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Don't walk in isolated places. |
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Strictly observe the warning signs at tourist attractions.
Don't violate the law, as this may result in severe consequences.
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Be careful with your bags and valuables when travelling.
Don't leave them unattended. |
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Don't accept any complimentary tour offered by a stranger.
Reliable tourist information and safe tours are only provided by a
tour agency with a license. |
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Before using any service, check the information before
making a final decision and keep all the important related documents
in case a problem should arise after using the service. |
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Don't take any foods, drinks, or candies offered by
a stranger. |
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Don't spit saliva or phlegm, discard cigarette stubs,
or throw away any garbage in public areas, on the streets, or on the
ground. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of 2,000 baht. |
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Consult Thaiways web or Thaiways magazine,
the most comprehensive guide to Thailand , or obtain information about
the tourist destination from the Tourism Authority of Thailand before
travelling. Check the weather conditions, especially when going to
the sea, and your health, so that your trip will go smoothly. |
| If you have any problems while travelling, please
contact the Tourist Service Centre, tel. 1672 (24 hours) or Tourist
Assistance Centre, tel. 0 2505 5686 (Mon - Fri, 08.30 - 16.30 hrs.)
Related Links : For
a Safe Road Trip |
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| About
Wildlife & Environment |
| As the environment has become more polluted
and many wildlife species have become extinct, or are in danger of
extinction, partly due to the development of tourism, visitors are
requested to help keep the environment clean and protect wild animals
for the benefit of the later generations. |
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Styrofoam and other types of plastics thrown into the
sea or discarded in the forest are harmful or even deadly to animals. |
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Never buy and keep wild animals as pets in which condition
they are never meant to be. Never purchase any product or souvenir
made from wild animals or their organs. |
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Avoid patronizing restaurants that serve food consisting
of any wild animals. It is against the law to slaughter wildlife for
food in Thailand. |
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Related Links : |
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Tips for Tourists
: Regarding Coral Reefs |
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Some Hints
for Swimmers & Boat Passengers |
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Jungle
Trekking Regulations |
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Prepare
for Jungle Trekking |
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Guidelines
On Visiting Waterfalls |
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