General Information
Climate
What to wear
Light,
loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters are needed
during the cool season evenings or if visiting mountainous areas or national
parks. Jackets and ties are required in a few restaurants and nightclubs. Neat
clothing is required for entering temples or palaces.
Visiting temples
Always
take your shoes off before entering a temple building and leave them outside. Dress
respectfully - do not, for example, wear shorts, open shirts or revealing
clothes. On entry it is polite to show respect to the Buddha and monks by
placing palms of hands together, as if praying and bowing. Sitting is usually
on the floor so sit in a way so your feet point away from the Buddha and the monks.
Ideally sit with your legs tucked under you to one side. You should never try
to shake hands with or touch a monk. If you offer food or a gift to a monk, he
will offer you a cloth on which to place the offering. Never touch a Buddha
image in a temple. Always ask permission before taking photographs.
Local time
GMT
+ 7 hours (BST + 6 hours)
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.
Currency
There
are 100 satangs in 1 baht. (B=baht) Notes are issued in denominations of B1000
(grey), B500 (purple), B100 (red), B50 (blue), B20 (green), and B10 (brown).
There are 10, 5 and 1 baht coins, and 50 and 25 satang coins. Most foreign
currencies and traveller cheques are easily changed at banks, hotels or money-changers.
All major credit cards are widely accepted throughout the Kingdom.
Electricity
The
electric system is 220 Volt AC (50 cycles). There are many plugs and sockets in
use. Travellers with shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry
a plug-adapter kit.
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Travel Tips
Visas
Official
visa information is available on website www.thaiconsul-uk.com
Tipping
Tipping
is not a usual practice in Thailand
Bargaining
Fixed
prices are the norm in department stores, but at most other places bargaining
is to be expected. Generally, you can obtain a final figure of between 10-40%
lower than the original asking price. Much depends on your skills and the
shopkeeper's mood. But remember, Thais appreciate good manners and a sense of
humour. With patience and a broad smile, you will not only get a better price,
you will also enjoy shopping as an art.
Language
Thai
is a tonal language belonging to the group of Ka-Tai languages. The five tones
are monotone, low, falling, high, and rising. This can be a rather complicated
language for the visitor; however, English is quite widely understood,
particularly in Bangkok
Do's and Don'ts
The Monarchy
Thai
people have a deep, traditional reverence for their Royal Family, and a visitor
should be careful to show respect for the King, the Queen and other members of
the Royal Family.
Religion
Visitors
should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They should never go topless, or
in shorts, hot pants or other unsuitable attire. 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. Each 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 which might indicate a lack of respect.
Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept
anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give anything to a monk, she
first hands it to a man, who then presents it.
Social norms
Thais
don't normally shake hands when they greet one another, but instead press the
palms together in a prayer-like gesture called a wai. Generally a younger
person wais an elder, who returns it. Thais regard the head as the highest part
of the body, literally and figuratively. Therefore, avoid touching people on
the head and try not to point your feet at people or an object. It is
considered very rude. Shoes should be removed when entering a private Thai
home. Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon
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Advice to Visitors
If you intend staying in Thailand Bangkok
through the internet – www.britishembassy.gov.uk/thailand
.
You are advised to use only authorised transportation services for
transfer from airport to other areas.
If, on arrival in Thailand
Beware of unauthorised persons who offer to show you around.
Visitors are advised to use hotel taxi services wherever possible.
Observe all normal precautions as regards personal safety and the
safety of your belongings.
Avoid walking alone in quiet or deserted areas.
Ensure that all valuables including passport and airline tickets
are properly protected from loss.
Do not get involved with drugs - the penalty for drug offences is
very severe in Thailand
If you plan to visit a bar or night club make sure you are aware
of the rules otherwise you could find the experience very expensive.
Frequently Asked Questions
When
is the best time to visit Thailand
During
the cool season between November and March
What
vaccinations do I need before coming to Thailand
There
are no required vaccinations, unless you are coming from a Yellow Fever area in
which case a certificate may
be
required. Please check the latest regulations with your local health office.
Do
I need a visa ?
You
are advised to check with the Royal Thai Consulate on website www.thaiconsul.co.uk or telephone 01482
581668.
What
are the Thai Customs regulations ?
Prohibited items: All kinds of narcotics,
obscene literature, obscene pictures or obscene articles.
Firearms: Firearms and ammunition
can be imported only with a permit obtainable from the Police Department of the
local Thai Registration
Office.
Personal effects: A reasonable amount of
clothing and toiletries for personal use may be brought in free of duty.
Cameras: One still-camera or one
movie camera can be brought in without duty. Five rolls of still-camera film or
three
rolls of 8 or 16 mm movie-camera film may
be brought in free of duty.
Tobacco: Cigarettes must not exceed
200 in quantity or cigars/smoking
tobacco must not exceed 250 gms in weight.
Alcoholic beverages: One litre each of wine or
spirits may be brought in free of duty.
Household effects: A reasonable amount of
used household effects, accompanied by the owner on change of
domicile are
also free of duty.
Plants: Certain species of fruits,
vegetables and plants are prohibited. Please contact the Agricultural
Regulatory
Division, Bangkhen, Bangkok
Animals: Permission for entry of
animals coming in by air or sea can be obtained on application to the
Department
of Livestock Development, Bangkok
required.
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Buyer Beware
The
Tourism Authority of Thailand receives over 1,000 complaints a year about fake
jewellry purchases. To avoid being a statistic, you must stay alert to the
warning signs of a swindler at work. Heeding our warning could help you stave
off unpleasant surprises and make your vacation what it should be - full of
sparkle.
The following are valuable
pointers for your protection :
Be wary of any
encounter that ends up requiring your presence in a gem shop. Most probably it
is a scam.
Buying gems or jewelry to resell at
double or triple the purchase price is an impossible proposition under any
circumstances. Buy jewelry only for
personal satisfaction for your own use or for loved ones.
Make price comparisons in various
shops before deciding to buy. Never be in a hurry.
Never mail sapphires or other precious
stones. Carry valuable items with you.
Do not believe special (jewelry) sales
of any kind. Reputable dealers hardly ever offer sales and never send
touts to lure tourists to their
stores.
There are no promotions, shows or special
sales on jewelry authorised by the Thai government or any official
agencies at any time of the year.
The Thai government does not own,
operate, subsidise or authorise any jewelry stores.
As far as you can, take time to verify
all claims. Words, promises, personal guarantees, unchecked documents,
unauthorised verbal or written
statements, casual references, encounters and the like do not constitute
verification. Remember, you are your
own best protection. All Thai embassies, consulates or any delegations
abroad are neither bound nor
responsible for refunding goods that are bought in Thailand
about a gem shop, check it with: -
Tourist Assistance Centre
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Le Concorde Building
Tel: +66 2694 1222 extensions
1090 to 1094
