General travel information on Thailand; pasport, money and health tips!

Passport and visa

If you travel to Thailand for a holiday then you’ll need a visa. If you are less than 30 days on a journey you get this visa for free at the airport. Check your visa immediately upon arrival at the airport in Bangkok. During the flight you will receive the visa forms, it is useful to fill it in completely upon arrival. This saves a lot of time at the desk of the customs. If you travel to Thailand by land, then you’ll only get a Thai visa of 14 days. For all travelers, the passport must be valid at least 6 months upon departure from Thailand. A great tip is to leave a copy of your passport with family or friends in your country of origin.

Travelers who want to stay longer than 30 days, should get an additional visa upon arrival. This visa can be arranged at the Thai in your country of origin. Thai visa arrangements can be difficult and time consuming and often take 14 to 16 days. Quick requests are not always possible. Applying for visas is also possible at the Thai consulate.

Money

In Thailand you pay with the Thai baht. It is convenient to look up the currency rate just before your arrival, because the exchange rate can fluctuate. The best way to get Thai money is out of an ATM in Thailand. You can find almost everywhere ATMs where you take out money easily with your bank card or credit card. Upon arrival at the airport you can cash in your euros/dollars for bath at the currency. It is also wise to take some Thai bath with you from your country of origin. Most ATMs are located in the cities. However if you go into the jungle or to an Island there might not be always an ATM around, keep this in mind. Credit cards are accepted in many places, especially Visa and Mastercard.

Thailand is generally safe to travel to. It is wise not to take a lot of valuable items with you on your holiday. Money, passports and valuables are best in the safe of your hotel until your departure. Almost all the hotels in Thailand that are able to be booked online have a safe in the room, or else at the reception. Never leave valuables unattended in your room behind. There is always cleaning staff present with a key to the room.

Health

Vaccinations for Thailand are not required, but generally are vaccinations against Hepatitis A and DTP recommended. For the latest information on the required vaccinations, we recommend you to contact (at least 6 weeks before departure) agencies as your GP or other Health institutions.

For Asian concepts Thailand has a pretty good hygiene. However, you do have to pay attention. For example you cannot drink water from the tap unlike some European countries. Drink water from a bottle. Food should be well cooked, so that any bacteria are slain. For fruit is that it is better to wash them before eating, just like in any other country. Do this with clean water. Hospitals are generally very good. If you get ill it is not a problem for a foreigner to go to a Thai hospital since their service is great, they have great doctors and Thai hospitals are internationally reputable.

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What to bring on holiday to Thailand?

What to bring on holiday to Thailand

Thailand caters for a huge numbers of Western tourists and most things you forget to take can be acquired when you arrive in Bangkok. There are however a few things you should bring on your holiday. Some tend to be obvious, for example the passport and plane tickets, but there are really other things which are neccesary to Thailand to bring on your holiday to Thailand which you have not on your list.

Bring as little as possible

Do not bring to much with you. If you have forgotten something, you can find it in Bangkok for sure. Bangkok is the most Western oriented city of Thailand, so on your arrival you can buy the things you have forgotten. On almost every corner of the street is a Seven Eleven, where you can buy some simple things like a toothbrush your deodorant.

Clothing

Most people forget to take ‘normal clothes’ on their holiday to Thailand. Most Western tourists walk in their shorts with sandals or flip flops. However, in Thai culture it is polite to wear casual clothes. It is better to wear a nice pair of jeans from a well-known brand than wearing swimshorts. However, this depends on your travel destinations. If you stay in the tourist areas it is not necessary to wear jeans and buttoned shirts.

Adapter/Convertor

Thailand's energy supply is 220 volts at just 50 hertz. If or when your electric equipment can't accept this then you will need a voltage convertor. The vast majority of, yet not all, channels will accept simultaneously pin formats. Plug adaptors for many countries are very easy to come by in the main tourist towns and also are very cheap. So you only need to bring one, because you can buy them in Thailand too for a much cheaper price.

Earplugs

You should buy earplugs for when you’re stuck in a loud place or desire to sleep during the bus ride. Sometimes, budget-accommodations do not have mirrors. So it might come in handy to bring one of your own. A large string is also smart to bring with yourself because you could hang your clothes or swim short to dry. Washing is not that expensive in Thailand. You will pay about 20 Bath (3$) a kilo. Not all laundry services accept underwear.

Contact lenses and glasses

A spare pair of contact lenses or perhaps another pair of glasses is a must. Your contact lenses will get dirty fast in the big cities, due to smog of vehicles. Insect spray and toiletries Bring insect spray. Mosquitos are very annoying if you are trying to get a good sleep. Also bring sunblock. Mosquito spray and sunblock are available in most Seven Elevens in the touristic areas as well.

Language guides

The best guidebook out there is the Lonely Planet Thailand . “Friendly and fun-loving, exotic and tropical, cultured and historic, Thailand beams with a lustrous hue from its gaudy temples and golden beaches to the ever-comforting Thai smile.” – China Williams, Lonely Planet Travel Writer. This book really helped me the first time I went to Thailand. It covers a lot of fun places to check out!

A pen

A pen is needed at the airport. Before you land, the stewardesses will hand out immigration forms. On these forms a few basic questions are asked about your purpose of visit, your yearly income and the length of your stay. It is not a big deal, however you should take it seriously, because you don’t want any trouble with the custom authorities.

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