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A country with a tourist vocation, Thailand has managed, despite the large flow of visitors, to maintain its own identity.
Thanks to its splendid villages, crystal clear waters, and fascinating and evocative events of international appeal, it is the most visited country in all of Southeast Asia!
A sometimes disarming beauty that often finds its maximum expression in nature and, above all, in its extraordinary history and tradition, with wonderful temples and statues scattered practically everywhere.
However, there are also flaws and contradictions. Especially in Bangkok. But, despite everything, Thailand keeps the charm and magic of these lands intact.
HOW TO GET
Considering the distances, the only way to reach the country is by plane. Bangkok is the reference point for international connections, thanks to the presence of Suvarnabhumi airport, one of the most important and largest in all of Asia. Its Terminal is the fourth largest in the world!
There are daily direct connections to numerous European destinations.
An excellent hypothesis to consider is to make a stopover in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, and then continue to one of the smaller Thai airports, such as Don Mueang.
Thai Airways is the flag carrier.
HOW TO MOVE IN THAILAND
The plane is always the best solution for getting around the country’s main destinations. Chiang Mai or Sukhotai, just to give an example, can be reached thanks to the numerous local flights, most of which are operated by Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways.
Don Mueang, near Bangkok, is one of the reference airports for national connections.
Train and bus are cheaper but take much longer than the plane. For Sukhotai, for example, it takes an hour by plane and almost 8 by bus!
DOCUMENTS AND ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
A PASSPORT is mandatory for all citizens from Europe, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States.
The passport must be valid for at least 6 months from arrival in the country.
Upon arrival at the airport, a 30-day residence permit is obtained.
CURRENCY AND LANGUAGE
Photo ©, Axel Drainville
The THB baht (฿) is the official currency of Thailand. Leaving aside the coins of very low value, in circulation you will find mainly 4 coins (1, 2, 5 and 10 baht) and 5 banknotes: 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 baht. Particular attention should be paid to 1000 baht banknotes (gray-brown color) as there are many counterfeits in circulation.
In July 2022, 1 baht is trading at 0.02€ and, conversely, 1€ is worth around 36 baht.
Many merchants accept credit cards. In the main cities and at the airport there is no shortage of ATMs where you can withdraw at the best available exchange rate (a surcharge of approximately €5 is always applied for each withdrawal).
It is always wise to have a cash reserve with you while on vacation.
Thai is spoken in the country, a language that is practically incomprehensible to us. In the accommodation facilities it is possible to communicate in English, a language that young people and students have managed to learn at school (at least the basics to strike up a conversation).
You will often have difficulty communicating, especially in less touristy places.
If you need to reach some destination, you should contact the facility or, in some cases, have the address written on a sheet of paper in the local language: it could be really useful!
PRACTICAL INFO
TIME ZONE
Indochina Time (ICT), UTC +7
The hands are 7 hours ahead of the Greenwich meridian.
Thailand is 14 hours ahead of Los Angeles, 6 hours ahead of London, 5 hours ahead of Rome and Paris.
ELECTRIC CURRENT
There is no single standard in the country, which is why you can find flat pins (type A and B sockets), or round pins (type C, F and O). In the photo below, one of the most common presses in the country.
The voltage is 220V and 50Hz which will allow you to safely use your common appliances.
As always, it is highly recommended that you purchase a universal travel adapter before embarking on your journey.
Photo ©, Paul_012
HEALTH
In the most important accommodation facilities and in the most touristic places, health standards are quite high.
Among the hospitals, the Bangkok Hospital group has offices located in numerous areas of the country.
Malaria is not a danger in the more touristy areas. More attention, however, in rural areas.
In case of urgency, private hospitals have excellent standards and fairly low prices. Obviously, it is always preferable to take out insurance before embarking on the trip.
In all major villages there is a pharmacy. They generally have no difficulty selling medicines even without a prescription.
TELEPHONE AND INTERNET
Before leaving, it is useful to activate a VOICE AND DATA offer with your telephone operator. In this way you will have no problems calling and surfing in Thailand, as in the whole world.
Each telephone company provides a special bundle to be used abroad.
TrueMove, dTac and AIS are the three national companies offering telephone services.
Remember that to call, the prefix to be dialed is +66