Sightseeing Palaces, temples, exotic islands, tropical jungles, mountains, tribal villages and floating markets.
Accommodation
Luxury beach resorts, city centre hotels, romantic hideaways, mountain retreats, golf resorts and island getaways.
Family activities
Theme and amusement parks, zoos and cultural venues.
Shopping
What you can buy – There is an enormous range of beautifully hand- crafted items reflecting traditional artisan skills dating back hundreds of years usually at extraordinarily competitive prices, clothes, textiles, silk, cotton and leather products.
Where you can buy – Modern department stores, shopping malls, boutiques, night and street markets.
Entertainment
Thailand’s nightlife is legendary – classical Thai dancing and drama, often modelled on epic tales from Hindu mythology, discothèques, restaurants, nightclubs and bars.
Sports and leisure
Water sports – Parasailing, diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and deep sea fishing, Thai Kick-boxing, golf, hiking, wellness centres and spas.
Honeymoon
Dream honeymoons can be enjoyed almost anywhere in Thailand, with Phuket, Krabi, Phang Nga Bay, Koh Samui and Koh Chang being particularly recommended.
Songkran Festival, Thai New Year (April); Thailand Grand Sale (June – July); Loi Krathong – Festival of Lights (November).
Visas:
Visas for the purpose of tourism are not required for nationalities and passport holders of the following countries for up to 30 days:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam.
Visas for the purpose of tourism are given on arrival for nationalities and passport holders of the following countries for up to 15 days: Bhutan, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Maldives, Mauritius, Poland, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovania and Ukraine.
A visa application must be accompanied by a confirmed ticket for the return or onward destination, passport-size photograph, as well as the necessary fee. Please note that visas are issued only for a period of 15 days.
Health requirements:
No innoculations or vaccinations are required unless one transits or travels from infected areas. Yellow fever certificates are required for those coming from the following countries: Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Columbia, Gambia, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Peru, Sudan and Zaire.
Travel insurance:
Adequate holiday and travel insurance is vital. Emirates Holidays offers a comprehensive insurance package to enable you and your family to travel with peace of mind. Please contact your nearest Emirates Holidays office or your travel agent for details of our HolidayGuard Travel Insurance cover.
We also recommend that water sports enthusiasts cover themselves, in case of an accident while scuba diving, water-skiing or participating in any other water sport. An extra premium is required for these covers.
Currency:
The Thai Baht (THB) divided into 100 satangs.
Notes are in denominations of THB1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10.
Coins are in denominations of THB10, 5, 1 and 50 and 25 satangs.
Approximate exchange rate:
AED1 = THB9.51
EUR1 = THB46.50
USD1 = THB35.35
Please check the rate of exchange prior to travel.
There is no restriction on the import of local and foreign currency. Export of local currency up to THB50,000 and export of foreign currency up to a maximum equivalent of USD10,000 is permitted.
Most banks, restaurants, hotels and shops accept major international credit cards. Travellers holding an automated teller machine (ATM) Plus card or any major credit card must look for ATMs with the PLUS logo or the respective credit card logo to avail of the cash withdrawal facility.
US Dollar travellers cheques can be cashed at all provincial banks and authorised money changers. Travellers cheques may be encashed at the following recognised banks in Thailand - Bangkok Bank Limited, Thai Farmer Bank, Thai Military Bank, Krung Thai Bank and Siam Commercial Bank which have branches in all major cities and towns in Thailand.
Clothing:
Loose cotton clothing is recommended, although sweaters are required during the cool season, in the evenings or when visiting the northern areas. Jackets and ties are required at certain restaurants and nightclubs and lightweight suits should be worn for business meetings. Appropriate dress must be worn when visiting temples and the Grand Palace.
Airport information:
Bangkok - Suvarnabhumi International Airport is approximately 30 to 40 minutes (30 kilometres) by car from the city centre. Taxi fare is approximately THB300 from the city centre. The airport information telephone number is 02 132 1888. Domestic routing only: Don Munang Airport - Departure hall telephone number is 02 535 1192/ 535 1277. Arrival hall telephone number is 02 535 1253/535 1305.
Phuket - The Phuket International Airport is approximately 30 minutes (32 kilometres) by car from downtown Phuket. The airport information telephone number is 076 327 230/7.
Chiang Mai - Chiang Mai International Airport is approximately 10 minutes (15 kilometres) by car from the city centre. The airport information telephone number is 053 270 222/33, 203 300/19.
Koh Samui - The Samui International Airport is approximately 20 minutes by car from the main beach of Chaweng. The airport information telephone number is 077 425 012/428 500.
Customs:
Duty free allowance: 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco or equal weight of cigars, one litre of spirits and one litre of wine and goods up to the value of THB3,000. One still camera or one movie camera can be brought in without duty, along with either five rolls of still camera film or three rolls of 8 or 16 mm movie camera film.
The following goods are prohibited/restricted:
• All types of firearms and ammunitions.
• All kinds of dangerous narcotics and obscene literature. Import or export of prohibited narcotics may result in life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Value Added Tax (VAT) Refund Scheme:
All foreign visitors who enter and exit Thailand at the international airports may claim VAT refunds on departure, except when purchasing precious stones and weapons. Conditions for refunds are as follows:
• Only foreign visitors are eligible for a VAT refund.
• Only purchases exceeding THB5,000 (minimum purchase at one shop on one day must be THB2,000) qualify for a VAT refund.
How to claim your VAT refund:
To claim a refund, visitors must buy goods from shops displaying the “VAT refund for tourists” logo and must indicate their intention to apply for a refund at the time of purchase. To gain an authorisation, goods to be approved for refund must first be shown to a customs official. After clearing immigration, VAT refunds are processed at the Revenue Department’s counter. Refunds of less than THB10,000 are paid in cash and a credit note is given for amounts exceeding THB10,000.
Departure tax:
Departure tax of THB700 for international departures is applicable for persons over the age of two. This tax in most cases is already included in the air ticket, if not, the client will have to pay at the time of check-in. Domestic departure tax of THB100 is included and pre-paid with the airline ticket, expect at Koh Samui Airport where a tax of THB500 for connecting to international flights and THB300 for domestic departures is applicable and payable locally. Departure tax coupons can be purchased at dedicated counters in the departure hall.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Police - 191/123
Fire department - 199
Ambulance (Bangkok) - 252 2171-5
Hours of work:
Government: 0830 to 1200 hours and 1300 to 1630 hours, Monday - Friday.
Banks: 0930 to 1530 hours, Monday - Friday.
Private: 0800 to 1700 hours, Monday - Friday.
Shopping: 1000 to 2100 hours, Monday - Sunday.
Public holidays (fixed):
1st January - New Year’s Day
6th April - Chakri Day
13th - 17th April - Songkran Festival
1st May - Labour Day
5th May - Coronation Day
12th August - H.M. The Queen’s Birthday
23rd October - Chulalongkorn Day
5th December - H.M. The King’s Birthday
10th December - Constitution Day
31st December - New Year’s Eve
Public holidays (moveable):
February - Chinese New Year
February/March - Makha Puja Day
May - Visakha Puja Day
- Ploughing Ceremony
June/July - Khao Phansa Day (Buddhist Lent)
July - Asalha Puja Day
Time zone:
GMT + 7 hours.
Language:
Thai is the official language. English is also understood and spoken in the major cities.
Tipping:
Most hotels and restaurants include a 10 per cent service charge, making additional tipping optional.
Dress code:
Visitors are advised to dress modestly. Conservative dressing is required for entering temples or palaces. If attending a business meeting, formal attire, a cotton dress or a lightweight suit with a tie is highly recommended.
Electricity:
220 volts, 50 cycles AC.
Safety tips:
Tourist Service Line - Tel: 1155
Special Tourist Police Units
Bangkok - Tel: 02 939 1111 Fax: 02 308 0919
Phuket - Tel: 076 354 360 Fax: 076 254 693
Chiang Mai - Tel: 053 247 318, 053 247 317 Fax: 053 248 974
Pattaya - Tel: 038 429 371, 038 425 937 Fax: 038 410 044