FACTS
ABOUT THAILAND
Geography: Thailand
has a land area of around 512square km bordered by Malaysia
(South), Myanmar (West and North), Laos (North and Easy) and
Cambodia (Southeast).
Climate:
Average temperature is about 29 C; humidity ranges from 66% to 82%.
Seasons:
Hot (March to May), Rainy (June to October) and Cool (November to
February).
Population:
Around 63 million, of which 9% live in Bangkok.
Language:
Thai is the national language. English is widely spoken in the
cities.
Religion:
Buddhists 94.2%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.8%, other 0.4%.
Government:
A constitutional monarchy with 76 provinces.
National flag:
The red, white and blue bands symbolize the nation, Buddhism and
the monarchy respectively.
Clothing: Thin
cotton is the best. Jackets or sweater may be necessary in a cool
season, especially in the mountainous areas on the North or
Northeast.
Electricity: 220
volts 50 cycles throughout the country.
Water:
Drink only bottled 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.
Major agricultural exports:
Rice, tapioca, rubber, maize, pineapples, durians, longings, palm
oil and herbs.
Major manufactured exports:
Computer and computer accessories, integrated circuit, textiles,
electronics, cars and spare parts, gems and jewelry, television
and television accessories.
TRAVEL TIPS
Custom
- Thailand
is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are held sacred. Any
sacrilegious act is punishable by imprisonment even if
committed by foreigner.
- Thai
people hold their King and Queen and the Royal family in great
reverence and won’t tolerate foreigners showing disrespect
for them.
- Dress
properly when entering a Buddhist temple. Mini skirts and
shorts are not allowed. Take your shoes off before going
inside of hall.
- Thai
people smile to express their gladness and happiness, to thank
for small services and even to excuse small inconveniences.
- Don’t
touch person’s head, nor ruffle his hair.
Currency and Money Exchange
- You
may bring in foreign currencies or any other types of foreign
exchange.
- Thai
currency is bath.
- Major
foreign currencies can be exchanged for Thai bath with banks
and authorized moneychangers.
- 1
USD equals approximately 41 baht; 1 Euro buys around 50 baht
- Cheques
and drafts brought in, if the owner wants to sell them must be
sold in a bank
- Major
credit cards are also widely accepted in Thailand
Dinning
- Most
Thai food is already cut into small pieces before serving or
made soft enough to be cut by spoon or fork; thus knife is not
necessary
- Salt-
shakers are rarely found on Thai dinner tables, so add a
little caramel- color fish- sauce (called nam- pla in
Thai) instead, if you find your food not salty enough
- English
is spoken in large restaurants in tourist provinces and most
establishments have menus in Thai and English except street-
side food stalls and some small restaurants
- Beckon
waiters with a wave of a hand. Don’t clap, snap fingers or
hiss
- Normally,
a tip of 10- 20 baht or 5-10 % of the bill should be left when
dinning in a middle or high- class restaurants
Shopping
- Bargaining
is an art long practiced in Asian countries including
Thailand. So feel free to ask for a proper discount when
shopping in places where prices are not marked
- Be
careful in dealing with sidewalk vendors who may not offer
genuine goods ar fair prices
- Receipts
should be obtained for the goods you buy. For jewelry you must
get a certificate of guarantee as well
- Some
shops can offer a money- back guarantee but you should
determine all the conditions with the shopkeeper beforehand
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
Airport
Tax: International
departures: 500 BAHT Domestic flights: 30 BAHT Flights to Koh
Samui: 400 BAHT (collected at Samui)
Bangkok:
Thailand's
capital was established in 1782 by the first king of the Chakri
Dynasty, Rama I. The city, with a population of about 10 million,
sits on the of the Chao Phraya River some 20 km. North of the Gulf
of Thailand. Bangkok is the home of the Thai Royal family, and the
centre of government, commerce, banking and transportation
Clothing:
Thin
cotton is the best. Jackets or sweater may be necessary in a cool
season, especially in the mountainous areas on the North or
Northeast.
Light
and loose cotton clothing is recommended, as are hats for sun
protection. Sports shirts, sandals and shorts are usually fine,
but more formal attire is required for temple visits and business
meetings.
Credit
Cards: Major
credit cards (American Express, Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club)
are accepted at most hotels, restaurants, shops, malls and travel
agencies. ATMs are also abundant.
Internet:
Many
hotels provide Internet services, and cyber cafes are plentiful
throughout the country.
Postal
Service: Post
offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - noon on
Saturday. EMS one-day service in Thailand is available, and major
international express mail services have offices throughout the
kingdom
Restaurants:
Thailand
has a large number of restaurants throughout the kingdom providing
Thai as well as international cuisine. Thai restaurants feature
extensive menus of simple and spicy dishes, from fried rice to
exotic curries. Though Thais enjoy meals laden with chillies, most
restaurants tone down fiery dishes for foreigners. For those with
a craving for fast food, internationally known franchises abound
in Bangkok, with burgers, fried chicken, pizza and ice cream
readily available.
Taxis:
Metered
taxis are plentiful in Bangkok, with official ones recognizable by
their yellow license plates. The meter starts at 35 BAHT, and the
fare is 2 BAHT for the first 2 kilometers. Three-wheel tuk-tuks
are not metered, and passengers must bargain with the driver.
Outside Bangkok, taxis are scarce or non-existent, but most hotels
provide some form of transportation service
Telephones:
Cell
phones are everywhere in Thailand. Handsets may be rented at the
airport. For those bringing their own, SIM cards may be purchased
to allow users to call within Thailand at local rates. Public
phone booths are also plentiful
Useful
links:
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