Climate
Wholly within the tropics, Thailand
enjoys a year-round warm climate marked by a cool season from October
to February, a hot season from March to May and a rainy season that
can vary in length and intensity from June to September.
The average annual temperature is 28 degree Celsius. Thailand’s climate
is ruled by monsoons and the rains ‘officially begin in July. Most
of Thailand, with mountains in the north and the Khorat Plateau of the North-east
notable exceptions, is very humid with an overall average humidity of 66% to
82% depending on the season and time of day.
Currency
The local currency is the baht (B), which comes in denominations of B10 (brown),
B20 (green), B50 (blue), B100 (red), B500
(purple), and B1000 (beige). The larger the note, the larger the denomination.
Numerals are printed in Arabic as well as
Thai, so the notes are quite easy to get accustomed to. Coins include denominations
in B10 (silver outside with gold center),
B5(fully silver octagon), and B1(gold tint) as well as .25 and .50 satang (cents),
but due to inflation, satangs are of little use. All
denominations bear the image of King Bhumibol and are supposed to be handled
with the utmost respect. B500, and especially B1000 bills, can be hard to change
unless done so in a bank.
Passports and Visas
With its long experience in the tourism industry, Thailand knows how to make
things easy for visitors. There are after all very few
countries in the world that would purposely make provision for overstaying a
visa limit. Although it costs only B100 a day, be
warned that overstaying by one month or more will land you in serious trouble.
The Thai government allows citizens of 57 different
nations to stay for up to 30 days for no charge without having to apply for a
visa. This is granted upon entry at no cost but one is
supposed to show proof of onward travel arrangements.
The 30-days-no-visa stay
can be extended for a maximum of seven to 10
days at a cost of B500. If you desire a longer stay, you should apply for a
60-day tourist visa from a Thai embassy or consulate.
Being a reginonal hub, Bangkok is a convenient place to get visas for onward
travel to numerous countries. There are altogether 33 foreign diplomatic missions
in Bangkok, generally listed on all tourist maps. The visa sections of most embassies
are open from 8:30 am to 11:30am, Monday through Friday.
Communications
All modern forms of communications (telephones, mobiles, faxes, and broadband
internet) are available all across Thailand.
Postcards, the good old fashion snail-mail way, are B15 to anywhere in the world.
By itself, the 1927 Thai art deco building housing
Bangkok’s main post office is worth a visit. Located on Thanon Charoen
Krung (New Road) it is open from 8:00am until 8:00pm
weekdays, and from 8:00am until 1:00pm weekends and holidays. A 24-hour international
telecommunications service is located in
a separate building to the right and slightly in front of the main post office
building. The service is very efficient particularly for
parcels and it includes packaging facilities. World-wide courier services are
also available.
ATM's and Exchanges
Banks or legal moneychangers offer the best exchange rate within the country.
When buying baht, US dollars are the more readily
acceptable currency and travelers cheques get better rates than cash. Visa
and MasterCard credit-card holders can get cash
advances of up to the purchase limit that is authorized on their card (in
Baht only) per day through some branches of the Thai
Farmers Bank, Bangkok Bank, and Siam Commercial Bank. An alternative to carrying
around large amounts of cash or travelers
cheques is to use one of the many ATMs located all over Thailand.
Most major shopping centers, department stores, convenience stores, banks, and
business offices will have an available ATM . Debit cards issued by a bank in
your own country can also be used at several Thai banks to withdraw cash (in
Baht only) directly from your personal checking or savings account, thus avoiding
all commissions and finance charges.
Some Do's and Don'ts for Travellers
The Thais are very tolerant people but there are a few things so universally
sacred to them that any sign of disrespect will cause a
grave Offense.
- Above all, never express any disrespect for the King and the
royal family.
To most Thais, the King and his family are the
living embodiment of their nationhood. Be prepared to stand up whenever they
are in the vicinity or the national anthems are played.
- Religion is almost equally sensitive a subject. Whatever their
form or value, Buddha images and monks are sacred. Shorts and sleeveless shirts
are regarded as improper when visiting a temple. Shoes should always be left
at the entrance.
- The majority of the population is actually fairly conservative when it
comes to body consciousness. A modest way of
dressing will gain you more friends than baring your flesh.
- The head, being the most sacred part of the body, should
never be touched. The feet, being the lowest, should never be
pointed at other people, much less to a Buddha image.
- Lastly, avoid showing any sign of anger or confrontation.
Thailand isn’t
called the “Land of Smiles” for nothing. Keeping
your cool is paramount. The Thais have a special expression for that: jai yin
yin. This translates to “cool heart.” Also the
phrase mai pen rai, which means “no problem”, which could lead you
to a better understanding of sanuk, the Quintessential
Thai word for fun.
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Thailand Information
