Custom

• Thailand is the Buddhist Country where Buddha images are held sacred.  Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even if committed by foreign visitors
• Thai people hold their King and Queen and the Royal Family in great reverence, and so won't tolerate foreigners showing disrespect to them.
• Generally Thai women are conservative.  So don't touch them without their consent.
• Dress properly when entering a Buddhist temple.  Mini skirts 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.
• Intimacies between man and woman should not be shown in public.  Sunbathing in the nude is prohibited.
• 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).
• Call Thais by their first names, use the title "Khun" for adults.
• 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 person, and even to excuse small inconveniences.
• 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.
• 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.
• Entering a Thai house, you're expected to remove your shoes.

Currency & Money Exchange

• 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.
• 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 50,000.00 baht per person or, if they are going to one of Thailand's neighbouring countries, 500.000.00 baht per person.
• The basic monetary unit in Thailand is the Baht.  A baht divided into 100 satang.  The following coins and notes are currently in use

Coins: .25 and  .50 satang, 1.00, 5.00 and 10.00 baht.
Bank notes: 10.00 (brown) 20.00 (green) 50.00 (blue) 100.00 (red) 500.00 (purple) and 1,000.00 (brown) baht

• Major foreign currencies can be exchanged for Thai baht with banks and authorized money changers. Major credit cards are also widely accepted in tourist centres.

Customs Regulations

• Cameras, video cameras and portable computers must be declared to the Customs officer in order to confirm outbound accompaniment upong re-entry to Thailand.
• Jewellery and ornaments are requred to go throughj the Customs formalities at the Outbound Section Passenger Control Divsion, Bangkok Internaion Airport Customs Bureau (3rd floor, Internaional Terminal 1)
• Prohibited goods and restricted goods

Prohibited goods are goods for which either the import into or export ouf of the Kingdom is prohibited.  eg drugs, pornographic materials, protected wild animals, related products, etc.   Violators of laws related to illicit drugs, eg having and holding, holding for use, or being a producer, seller, or transporter are subject to the death sentence.
Restricted goods are goods the import and export of which are restricted by law and thereform requre a permit from the related government agency concerned in order to go through the Customs formalities.

- Firearms, ammunitions, explosive objects (Office of National Police)
- Buddha images, artifacts and antiques (Fine Arts Department)
- Radio transceivers and telecommunications equipment (Post & Telegraph Dept.)
- Plants and planting materials (Department of Agriculture)
- Live animals, animal products (Department of Livestock Development)
- Medicines and chemical products (Office of Food and Drug Administration)

Visa

• Nationals from 30 countries * can now stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without an entry visa.  For visitors from 14 countries, * temporary tourist visa valid for 15 days may be obtained at any of the 23 designated immigration check points including the four international airports at Don Muang (Bangkok) Chiang Maik Phuket and Hat Yai. (* For more details, please contact the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country)
• Documents required for visa's applications are: valid passport, visa application form completely filled in, confirmed air ticket, one recent photo (4 X 6 cm) and application fee of 800 baht for transit visa valid for 30 days, or 1,000 baht for tourist visa valid for 60 days.
• A tourist who wants to have his visa extended must apply to Office of the Immigration Bureau with the following:  Passport with a photocopy, one photo, and the medical certificate (in case of being sick).  The office is located on Soi Suan Phlu, off South Sathon Road, Bangkok, Tel. 02 287 3101-10.  For more information, please visit www.police.go.th

The amounts of money specified above are subject to change.  Please check with the Thai Embassy in your country for confirmation.

Miscellany

 

• Clothing - Thin cotton is the best.  A jacket or pullover may be necessary in the cool season, especially when you are in moutainous areas in the North or Northeast.
• Electricity - 220 v 50 cycles throughout the country.
• Measurement of area - Thailand has its own system of area measurement.  The basic units are square wa (=4 sq in) and rai (=400 sq wa or 1,600 sq. m or 0.16 hectare).

Climate

• Temperature varies from 38C to 19C.  Average temperature are about 29C, humidity from 66% to 82.8%.

Language

• Thai is the national language.  English is widely understood in cities

Water

• Drink only botteld or boiled water.
  

Local Time

• GMT + 7 hours

Business Hours

• Most offices  open from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday.  General banking hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM,

Web site developed by Kanduitt Creations .
This page was updated on:  13 December 2006