Thailand - FAQs

Airlines and arrival information
ATMs
Business Hours
Clothing
Credit Card
Electricity
Entertainment
Food
Health
Internet
Language
Money
Photography
Postal Mail
Public Holidays 2010
Religion
Safety
Shopping
Telephone
Time
Tipping
Transportation
Visas
Weather
Water

AIRLINES AND ARRIVAL INFORMATION

International: Major airlines flying to Thailand include Thai Airways, Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Luftansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines and many more.

Domestic: Six domestic airlines are currently operating in Thailand: Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air, One-Two-Go, Orient Thai, PB Air, Phuket Air and Thai Airways.

AIRPORT TAX

Airport taxes are included in all international and domestic flight tickets.  Any additional airport fees are also included so there is no additional payment needed at the airport.

ARRIVAL IN THAILAND

BY AIR

Bangkok is one of Asia’s largest air hubs, so it is very well-connected to the rest of the world. Besides Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, the airports in Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Koh Samui, Phuket and Pattaya are served by international flights directly. Consult your local travel agent for routings, fares and availability on flights to Thailand. Discount websites and flight search engines may offer some good deals.

BY LAND

Thailand shares borders with Myanmar to the north-west, Laos in the north-east, Cambodia to the east and Malaysia to the south.

From Laos:

The Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River between Vientiane and Nong Khai is the busiest crossing. The Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge now links Savannakhet with Mukdahan. It is also possible to cross the borders at Houey Xai / Chiang Khong, Nakaxeng / Kaenthao, Pakxan / Bungkan, Thakhaek / Nakorn Phanom.

From Myanmar:

Visitors can cross into Thailand from Tachileik to Mae Sai (Chiangrai) and from Kawthoung into Ranong. For the border checkpoints at Mae Sot / Myawaddy and Three Pagoda Pass at Sangkhlaburi / Payathonzu, foreigners can only access them from the Thai side, so it will be impossible to cross into Thailand from Myanmar at these points.

From Cambodia:

There are six border crossings linking Thailand and Cambodia. The highway linking Siem Reap and the Angkor temples leads to Aranyaprathet via Poipet and it is a popular crossing.

From Malaysia:

There are four crossings linking Thailand with Malaysia, namely Padang Besar and Sadao in Songkhla province, Betong in Yala province and Sungai Kolok in Narathiwat province.

ARRIVAL FORMALITIES

Upon arrival in Thailand, all visitors must complete an entry/exit form including a customs declaration. It is important that your copy of this form is kept safe with your passport while in Thailand and is presented to the customs and immigration officials on departure. In case you are obtaining your pre-arranged visa on arrival please proceed to the Visa counter and read the visa section below. (Note: overland entry procedures change from time to time according to the immigration office) If you have booked a transfer from Exotissimo we will provide you with information on where to meet your guide/driver as well as a 24-hour phone number to be used in case of difficulties.

ARRIVAL TRANSFERS FROM EXOTISSIMO

Clients that have booked a transfer will be met by an Exotissimo representative holding an EXOTISSIMO or YOUR COMPANY signboard with the client's group or name clearly displayed.

Please note that Suvarnabhumi is a single terminal airport with THREE entrances from the secure area into the public arrivals hall. Domestic arrivals will enter through Gate A. International arrivals will enter through Gate B or C.

After clearing immigration, retrieving baggage and passing through Customs, please continue to the arrivals hall where your guide will be waiting with a sign with your name. Please take the exit which is nearest your luggage belt and turn left. If you do not see your guide in the arrivals hall, please proceed to either ATTA Exit 6 (Association of Thai Travel Agents) or ATTA Exit 10, depending on which is closest. You may ask an ATTA officer to call your guide at their mobile number.

ATMs

ATMs for withdrawing Thai Baht are widely available in major airports, shopping malls, hotels and almost all provincial banks in Thailand. For most banks there is a maximum withdrawal of 20,000 THB per transaction; however several withdrawals may be made in a single day. Ask your tour guide for help when you need to locate an ATM.

BUSINESS HOURS

Most businesses are open from Monday to Friday. Government offices are open from 08:30 to 16:30 with some closing for lunch from noon to 13:00. Many retailers and travel agencies are also open on Saturday and most shops are open on Sundays.

CLOTHING

Comfortable lightweight clothing in natural fabrics such as cotton is most suitable for traveling in Thailand. The dress code is fairly casual as in most parts of the tropics but it is advisable to cover arms and legs in the evenings against biting insects. A lightweight raincoat is a good idea in the rainy season. During the winter months from November to February, warm clothing is needed for visiting northern Thailand. Visitors should not wear shorts, short skirts or other skimpy clothing when visiting religious buildings and shoes should be removed before entering a private home.

CREDIT CARDS

VISA and MASTERCARD are the most widely accepted, but most other major credit cards are also accepted in Thailand. Not all shops and restaurants will accept credit cards, so do check with the cashier before making any purchases. Bear in mind that some places may pass onto you the fee imposed on them by the credit card company (approximately 2.25% to 3.5%, depending on card type), so you may want to pay by cash instead of credit card in some instances.

ELECTRICITY

Thailand uses 220V (50 cycles per second) but the plugs are not standardized. It is recommended to bring a universal plug adaptor.

ENTERTAINMENT

There are plenty of entertainment options in Thailand and restaurants/bars and nightclubs open until late at night/early in the morning. A wide variety of restaurants are on offer with everything from Thai, Chinese, Italian, French cuisine, etc. to fast food.

FOOD

The basis of a Thai meal is rice, usually steamed although it can be made into noodles, while glutinous or sticky rice is preferred with some specialties. Accompanying the rice are main dishes featuring vegetables, meat, seafood, egg, fish and soup. Although Thais generally prefer hot, spicy food, not all dishes are so intense and there are grades of hotness as Thai food can be modulated to suit most tastes. Thailand is also the perfect place for a large choice of tropical fruits such as mangoes, pineapple, bananas, longan, mangosteen, jack fruit, as well as the famous durian, dubbed 'the fruit of the gods' for its very special smell and taste.  We have a 'Restaurant & Shopping Guide' which showcases our preferred restaurants and bars in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket.  Feel free to request a copy!

HEALTH

No vaccinations are required except for yellow fever if you are coming from an area where the disease is present. However visitors should be inoculated against typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A & B, tetanus and polio. Malaria is present in most of the region and it is advisable to take precautions especially if traveling off the beaten track. The standard of medical facilities is generally good and Thailand has a growing medical tourism industry. It is advisable to take out a good medical insurance policy before traveling in case evacuation is needed.

INTERNET

Internet cafes are widely available everywhere and are easily found in major towns and cities. Prices are reasonable but may vary from 10 - 60 baht an hour. In many Internet cafés, you can buy pre-paid international phone cards to dial from a computer to a landline or mobile phone worldwide. Most Internet cafés are equipped with webcams, headsets and microphones. Wi-Fi hotspots are becoming increasingly available in hotels and public spaces in Bangkok. Many hotels also have Business Centers with PCs connected to the Internet or in-room broadband access- please note that this service is not always free and the rates are usually cheaper at internet cafes.

LANGUAGE

The most widely spoken language in Thailand is Thai, a complicated language with a unique alphabet. Beside the numerous hill tribe dialects, other languages spoken include Lao, Khmer and Chinese. Most Thai people, especially in the major cities, speak English and tourists should have no troubles with communication in these areas.