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Currency & Money Exchange
· Customs Regulations ·
Visa · Dining ·
Travelling ·
Shopping |
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Thailand is a Buddhist country where
Buddha images are held sacred. Sacrilegious acts are
punishable by imprisonment even if committed by foreign
visitors. |
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Thai people hold their King and
Queen and the Royal Family in great reverence, and so
won't tolerate foreigners talking about them in
disrespect. |
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Generally Thai women are
conservative. So don't touch them without their consent.
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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. |
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Intimacies between man and woman
should not be shown in public. Sunbathing in the nude is
prohibited. |
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Call Thais their first names; use
the title "Khun" for adults. |
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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). |
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Thai people smile to express
gladness and happiness, to thank for small services, to
return the wai of children and inferior persons,
and even to excuse small inconveniences. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Entering a Thai house, you're
expected to remove your shoes. |
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Foreign visitors may freely bring in
foreign currencies or other types of foreign exchange.
Cheques or drafts brought in, if the owners desire to
sell, must be sold to a bank. Upon leaving Thailand, they
may freely take out all foreign exchange they have brought
in. For residents, unlimited amounts of foreign notes and
coins may be taken out for travelling expenses. The amount
of draft or cheque is subject to the approval of the
issuing bank. |
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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 baht per person or, if they are going to one of
Thailand's neighbouring countries, 500,000 baht per
person. |
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The basic
monetary unit in Thailand is the Baht. A baht is divided
into 100 satang. The following coins and notes are
currently in use: |
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Coins : 25 and 50 satang; 1, 5
and 10 baht
Bank notes : 10 (brown), 20 (green), 50 (blue), 100
(red), 500 (purple) and 1,000 (grey or brown) baht
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Major foreign
currencies can be exchanged for Thai baht with banks and
authorized money changers. For buying baht, US dollars are
the most readily acceptable , though travellers' cheques
get a better rate than cash. |
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Major credit
cards are also widely accepted in tourist centres. The
most commonly accepted cards are Visa and Master Card,
followed by Amex, Diners and JCB. |
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Exchange rate : 1 US$ = ~ 40-45 baht |
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Exports of Buddha images (except
small ones carried on person), antiques and genuine works
of art require export licenses from the Fine Arts
Department. The shop you deal with can provide such
service for you. |
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Foreign tourists are allowed to take
out gold ornaments free. But import and export of gold
other than jewellery are subject to licensing by the
Ministry of Finance. |
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It is prohibited by law to bring any
of the following items into Thailand: |
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1. Narcotics (e.g.
marijuana, hemp, opium, cocaine, morphine, heroin)
2. Obscene literature or pictures
3.Firearms or ammunition -- unless a permit has been
obtained from the National Police Office or a local
Registration Office |
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One still camera with five rolls of
still film or one movie/ video camera with three rolls of
movie film and one used item each of electronic goods may
be brought in free of duty. |
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The Thai
government allows nationals from 37 countries to stay in
Thailand for up to 30 days without an entry visa. For
visitors from 15 other countries, transit visas valid for
15 days can be obtained at the cost of 300 baht on arrival
at any of the 12 designated immigration checkpoints
including the four airports at Don Muang (Bangkok), Chiang
Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai.
Temporary visitors who are exempted from applying for an
entry visa must be of the nationality of and holding a
valid passport or travelling documents issued by:
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America |
Brazil, Canada, Peru, U.S.A.
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Asia |
Brunei, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic
of Korea, Singapore, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
Vietnam |
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Pacific |
Australia, New Zealand |
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Africa |
South Africa |
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Europe |
Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, U.K. |
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Visitors from 15 countries who are
able to apply for 15-day transit visas upon arrival are as
follows: Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Czech, Hungary,
India, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Poland,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine.
Note : Please check the period of stay stamped in your
passport upon entry into the Kingdom. |
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Categories of visas in Thailand are:
Transit, Visitor Transit, Tourist, Non-Immigrant,
Immigrant and Non-Quota Immigrant. |
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Holders of Transit, Visitor Transit
and Tourist visas are not allowed to work in Thailand.
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A tourist who wants to have his visa
extended must apply to the Immigration Bureau with the
following: passport with a xerox copy, one photo, a
500-baht extension fee and the medical certificate (in the
case of being sick). If you overstay your visa, the
penalty is a fine of 200 baht for each extra day, with a
limit of 20,000 baht. |
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For more information contact:
The Immigration Bureau, Sathon
Tai Road, Bangkok,
Tel. 0-2287-3101 / 10 |
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Drink only bottled or boiled water.
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You can find places to eat 24 hours
a day, but better avoid sidewalk stalls where, though food
is cheap and palatable, hygienic conditions may not be up
to standard. |
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Most Thai food is already cut into
small pieces before serving or made soft enough to be cut
with a spoon or fork; thus, a knife is unnecessary.
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Salt-shakers are rarely found on
Thai dining tables, so add a little caramel-colour
fish-sauce (called nam-pla in Thai) instead, if you find
your food not salty enough. |
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English is spoken in large
restaurants in tourist provinces and most establishments
have menus in Thai and English. |
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Beckon waiters with a wave of a
hand. Don't clap, snap fingers or hiss. |
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Normally, a tip of 10-20 baht or
5-10% of the bill should be left when dining in a middle
or high-class restaurant. |
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Don't get involved with any kind of
narcotic drugs, gambling, child prostitution or other
illegal activities that violate the law. |
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Don't walk in isolated places.
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Strictly observe the warning signs
at tourist attractions. Don't violate the law, as this may
result in severe consequences. |
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Be careful with your bags and
valuables when travelling. Don't leave them unattended.
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Don't accept any complimentary tour
offered by a stranger. Reliable tourist information and
safe tours are only provided by a tour agency with a
license. |
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Before using any service, check the
information before making a final decision and keep all
the important related documents in case a problem should
arise after using the service. |
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Don't take any foods, drinks, or
candies offered by a stranger. |
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Don't spit saliva or phlegm, discard
cigarette stubs, or throw away any garbage in public
areas, on the streets, or on the ground. Offenders are
subject to a maximum fine of 2,000 baht. |
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Consult Thaiways web or
Thaiways magazine, the most comprehensive guide to
Thailand , or obtain information about the tourist
destination from the Tourism Authority of Thailand before
travelling. Check the weather conditions, especially when
going to the sea, and your health, so that your trip will
go smoothly.
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If you have any problems while
travelling.
Please contact the Tourist
Service Centre, Tel. 1155 (24 hours)
or Tourist Assistance Centre,
Tel. 0-2694-1460 (Mon - Fri, 08.30-16.30) |
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Be careful with your bag and
valuables while shopping in a crowded area. |
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After buying and before leaving the
shop, check that the goods are the same that you bought.
Some shops do not exchange or give refunds, and make sure
you keep the receipts. |
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In the case that you have the shop
send the goods by mail, ask for a receipt for sending the
goods, so that you can be certain that there is an actual
mailing service. |
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Bargaining is an art long practised
in Asian countries including Thailand. So feel free to ask
for a proper discount when shopping in places where prices
are not marked. |
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Be careful in dealing with sidewalks
vendors who may not offer genuine goods at fair prices.
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Souvenir stores in hotel arcades and
department stores may ask for higher prices than general
souvenir stores and street shops for they have to pay high
rents. Yet these shops mostly offer high quality goods.
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To shop gems, make sure that you
shop from a specialist in that field instead of buying
from a simple souvenir store. |
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Before making your decision to buy,
especially precious objects, compare prices at several
shops. |
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Receipts should be obtained for the
goods you buy. For jewellery you must get a certificate of
guarantee as well. |
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Some shops can offer a money-back
guarantee but you should clearly determine all conditions
with the shopkeeper beforehand. |
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Ask for a written agreement to full
refund on any goods returned within 90 days. |
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Do not let a new acquaintance take
you to shopping, for he or she is very likely to get a
commission from the store. And the commission will be
added to your payment. |
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Do not let yourself be pressured to
a purchase. |
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Top
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Your
Logo
or
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Here |
Why not advertise your
Company
or
Website
here
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