Thailand for YOU Travel Planning, Preparations and Tips

Don’t Let Poor Travel Planning Ruin Your Vacation!

Travel Documents and Tourist Visa

Actually, travel planning and preparations are quite simple and straightforward. Start with your passport, it must be valid for at least six months on a date of arrival in Thailand. It should also have a few empty pages for visa stamps. If you intend to travel with your children, their names must be registered in your passport, unless they have their own passports.

Thailand tourist visa requirements are solely depend on the country of residence!
The same country that issued your passport, the only travel document, which the
immigration authorities inspect on departure and arrival. Not your spouse country
or a country where one even permanently residing in, working in, or coming from.
Hopefully, this comment will limit the visa questions emailed to us.

Click on the following link to check for the Visa Requirements upon your country.
By the way, the most accurate and valid visa information should be obtained at any
Royal Thai Embassy Worldwide.

Still, it would be wise to bring along a couple of yours 2" photos for visa purposes.
One can not be too-careful – Medical and Travel Insurance shall be an integral
part of adequate travel preparations. Insurance policies by the World Travel Center
have several plans and provide worldwide coverage for residents of all countries.

Travel Planning and Arrangements

Prepare yourself for just about every travel need including dress and manners

Finallly, one need to purchase Airline ticket(s). If you have already made the right decision to visit Thailand now and need assistance with discount airfares, click on the title Airfares to Thailand.

Bangkok Immigration Office has been relocated.
The new address is:
Government Center Bldg B, No.120 Moo 3, Chaeng Wattana Road Soi 7, Laksi, Bangkok 10210. Phone: 02 141 9889, Call Center: 1178.
Open Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 16:30 (12:00-13:00 lunch break).
Closed Saturdays, Sundays and on Public Holidays.

A listing of Thailand National and Public Holidays will certainly come in handy in your travel planning and itinerary preparations. For instance, during the holidays many Bangkokians travel to national parks, beach resorts and similar places around Bangkok. So that the traffic in Bangkok is lessened, but outwards it is built further up. And speaking of traffic, keep in mind, the rule of the road – a drive direction in Thailand is onward in the left lane. Refer to the Driving in Thailand title for further info on Thai driving habits.

Electricity in Thailand is powered at 220V, 50Hz. Adapters and voltage converters are normally available at the hotels, and also can be purchased at most hardware shops and department stores. Most popular electric sockets/plugs are the two-pin type with flat or round pins.

For detailed weather conditions in major Thai cities and regions, refer to the page entitled Thailand Weather Forecast. And for information on Thailand's clime and its effects on travelers, take a look at the title Overview - General Information.

As a visitor, you should always be courteous and polite, even if you encounter a native who is not. For your clothing needs whether in cities or beach resorts, refer to the titles Bangkok and Pattaya (the links are further down the page).

That's all what is needed, except the money of course. And it is probably a well-known fact that the currency in the kingdom of Thailand is called Thai Baht ฿.

On The Money

Normally, one would get a better exchange rate when purchasing Thai Baht in Thailand. It would be wise to bring to Thailand US dollars, British pounds, Euros or other world's major currencies, which provide more secure and stable rates while exchanging to the Thai Baht at any bank or readily accessible currency exchange booth. Actually, the best rates are offered by private currency exchange traders in Bangkok (phone: 02 655 2488) and major Thai resorts. A foreign exchange service is also available at the most hotels, but be prepared to pay a premium as high as 10% or more. International credit cards issued by established banks are generally recognized as well. ATM machines are commonly available in Thailand. Thai ATMs use 4-digit PIN numbers. Traveler's checks are widely accepted, but to cash them in, one should carry a passport along.

Banknotes of Thai Baht ฿

10 Baht			20 Baht

50 Baht			100 Baht

500 Baht			1000 Baht

Apropos Thailand money, click on banknote's thumbnail to see its original size. Not so long ago, newly designed banknotes enrolled into the market, and in effect, both new and old are in circulation. Try out this Currency Calculator, to check the exchange rates from various currencies to the Thai Baht ฿. And for actual rates offered in Thailand click on Bangkok Bank or Thai Baht Current Exchange Rates.

Thai Baht Exchange Rates

For Attention of Budget Travelers!

Thailand is definitely an inexpensive country for visitors the world over. As an evidence, just take a look at our bargain-priced Vacation Package to Bangkok and Pattaya. Going into the real bargain, the cheapest guesthouses in Bangkok are less than US$20.00 per room per night, refer to the Khao San Road title. Among other things, keep one's eyes skinned to some bizarre characters found in that backpacker’s paradise, and at the same time, don't overlook the unrivaled dining and shopping opportunities. Khao San Road probably played a vital role in selecting Bangkok Thailand as the most traveller-friendly city in Southeast Asia for deluxe style visitors on the high hills as well as for backpackers on a shoestring.

However, no matter how cheapo it is, bear in mind that Thailand offers lots of marvels and tempting enchantments to strive for with surprises and delights around every corner, and ultimately, everything has its cost. Not once I'd heard complains from the first-time visitors:

"...we've been told that everything in Thailand is so cheap, but...
nobody told us how many of these things there actually are! "

It shows how uncomfortable one would feel, when forced to impose unwished limits on spending and thus on pleasure, especially while on vacation, just due to the lousy planning and preparations.

As a rough indication, it should be fairly easy for a couple to get by eating in the restaurants and traveling by taxies at US$25-35 or so a day. And it would be even less outside of Bangkok and other major tourist destinations, like Pattaya or Phuket.

Of course, all bets are off, if you plan to engage yourself in the night entertainment activities. The nightclubs and other nighttime diversion venues visited by throngs of tourists ain't exactly reconcilable with the budgetary considerations. Simply put, the nightlife throughout Thailand is legendary due to the beauty and cheerful attitude of Thai girls.

Country Facts, Do and Don't Tips – are you prepared for:

The normal temperatures are around 30-33ºC (88-92ºF), doesn't matter a season – hot!
Don't drink tap water! Drink alot, but only special drinking water served in restaurants, hotels and similar places, as well as bottled or canned drinks
A drive from the Airport to downtown Bangkok is one hour or so, due to a terrible traffic
Thailand is the left-hand traffic country, as England and Japan
Thai Baht ฿ is essential for every payment, be it taxis, dining, shopping, whatsoever
Tips are gladly accepted and appreciated (service charges are mostly nonexistent in Thailand with the exception of luxurious establishments)
Use hotel's safety boxes to safe keep your passport(s), airticket(s) and other valuables
Don't leave your hotel without hotel's name card
Be wary of strangers trying to push various products or services, they are usually wicked
Beware of scams, you may end up as a subject of extortion by renting jet skis or alike gear
In case of trouble, contact Tourist Police, Bangkok phone: 02 652 1721 or 02 652 1699.
For matters related to safety, unethical practices and similar cases, contact Tourist Assistance Center, Bangkok phone: 02 281 5051 or 02 282 8129
Bargaining, haggling ain't only customary in Thailand, it is quite wise in most circumstances