Thailand

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Time

Thailand Standard time is GMT +7. Thailand does not observe daylight savings.

Flying time

12 hours direct and from 15hours if you have a stop.

Visas

Visitors must hold a full 10-year passport, with at least 6 months validity remaining at the point of return, for entry into Thailand. 

A 30 days visa on arrival is given to tourist from countries such as the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain. You can find the full list of countries for which this rule applies or not on the following website Visit Thai embassy

Visitors wishing to stay on longer than 30 days need to apply for a longer visa at their local Thai embassy before departure.

Country

Thailand, the only Southeast Asian nation never to have been colonized by European powers, is a constitutional monarchy whose current head of state is HM Bhumibol Adulyadej. A unified Thai kingdom has existed since the mid-14th century, and Thailand was known as Siam until 1939 when it officially became the Kingdom of Thailand.

Government

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, not dissimilar to England’s, whereby an elected Prime Minister is authorized to be the head of government and a hereditary Thai King is head of state. The constitution of Thailand allows for the people of Thailand to democratically elect their leaders in the form of a parliament, with a bicameral legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives, and executive authority in the hands of the Prime Minister. A Judiciary, overseen by the Supreme Court, was designed to act independently of the executive and the legislature.

Population

There are approximately 65 million people living in Thailand population, the majority of whom are ethnically Thai but there are also large Chinese, Indian, Malay, Mon, Khmer, Burmese, and Lao communities present in varying degrees in parts of the country. There are about 7 million people living in the capital city of Bangkok but this number tends to vary. A large number of expratriates from all over the world have also settled in Thailand. Buddhism is the main religion but there is also a large Muslim community living in the South by the Malaysian border.

Language

More than 92% of the population speaks Thai or one of its regional dialects. While the Thai language is the official language in Thailand, as a result of its cosmopolitan capital city and established tourism infrastructure, English is spoken and understood throughout most of Thailand.

Economics

The economy of Thailand is reliant on exports, which account for 60% of Thailand’s approximately US$ 200 billion GDP. The economy of Thailand is the 2nd largest in Southeast Asia. Thailand’s exports consist primarily of agricultural products including fish and rice, of which it is the largest exporter in the world, as well as textiles, rubber, automobiles, computers and other electronic appliances, and jewellery. While one of the premier tourist destinations in the world, Thailand relies on tourism to provide only 7 % of its GDP.

Geography

Thailand is the 51st largest country in the world; most nearly equal in size to Spain. Located just 15 degrees north of the equator, Thailand has a tropical climate and temperatures typically range from 19 to 38 degrees C (66-100 F). Thailand’s largest peak, Doi Inthanon, is 2,565 meters (8,415 ft) tall. Thailand covers 510,890 sq km of land and 2,230 sq km of water. The coastline of Thailand is 3,219 km long. Thailand’s longest shared border is with Myanmar (Burma), stretching 1,800 km.

Weather

The climate in Thailand depends on the monsoon there are three seasons in the North, North East and the Centre where changes in temperatures can be fairly high. There are only two seasons in the South, the dry and the wet seasons with an average temperature of 29°C/84,2°F all year round.

The dry season is between November and March with cooler temperatures than during the wet season.

The monsoon in Thailand is not the constant downpour you may expect it is more an unpredictable weather with rain falling mainly at night time, during the day rain falls will usually last 20 to 30 minutes before the sun comes back.

Bank holidays

1 Jan: New Year’s Day

Feb-Mar: Makha Bucha Day: Buddhist holiday on full moon of fourth lunar month. 

6 Apr: Chakri Memorial Day: Honoring the dynasty of the reigning royal family. 

13-15 April: Songran, Thai new years celebration. 

May: Royal Ploughing Ceremony: To honor farming season; date determined by royal astrologer 

May: Visakha Bucha: Buddhist holiday on full moon of the 6th lunar month. 

1 May: Labor Day 

5 May: Coronation Day: Commemorating the coronation of present King of Thailand. 

July: Asanha Bucha Day: Buddhist Holiday on full moon of 8th lunar month Vassa: beginning of Buddhist lent on first waning moon of 8th lunar month 

12 Aug: Queen’s Birthday-Mothers Day 

23 Oct: Chulalongkorn Day: Honoring a former King of Thailand. 

Nov: Loy Kratong

5 Dec: King’s Birthday-Father’s Day 

10 Dec: Constitution Day: celebrating the kingdom’s first constitution. 

31 Dec: New Year’s Eve Other important holidays: 

Jan: Chinese New Year

Money

The currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht, it comes in both coins and banknotes. The coins and bills size increases with value and varies in color. Thai banks are generally open Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm but certain banks open on Saturday morning. 

Bureau de change are open considerably longer hours in Bangkok and other tourist destinations and ATMs are widely available except in more remote places such as small islands.

You can check  the actual exchange rate with your bank or on websites such as www.xe.com

Traveller cheques / Credit card

Traveller cheques in US dollars or in euros can easily be exchanged in all the local banks and in bureau de change. Hotels will charge you extra to change money and will not always accept traveller cheques.

International credit and debit cards (Visa, American Express, Diners, Mastercard) can be used in most banks and commercial outlets (shops, hotels, restaurants) but banks charges might be quite high when paying small amounts so it is often preferable to withdraw some cash to pay for daily expenses. Please check with your bank for more details.

Shopping

There are countless shopping malls and markets in Thailand it is a shopper’s paradise. Prices are cheap but haggling is part of the game however bear in mind that what is only 1£/$ for you represents a lot for a Thai person so be fair when you negotiate. You can find everything here from the comfortable Asian style lose clothes that will keep mosquitos away to the more fashionable items in places like Bangkok. Do not pack too much before coming as you will need space later!

Health

Medical services

There are very good public and private health services in the provincial capitals and in the touristic places. In case of emergency, patients or injured people will be taken to relevant hospital.

Vaccinations and health regulations

There are no required vaccines to enter Thailand except for people travelling from epidemic areas.

A Yellow fever vaccine is compulsory for people travelling from the following countries: Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria, Soudan, Zaïre.

We recommend that you check before departure if any new health regulation comes in place. We also strongly advised that you check with your DOCTOR if you require any vaccine before leaving.

Medicines

You will find everything you need in Thailand and at a cheaper price. If you like you can however bring some essentials with you such as bio sun screen, anti-diarrhea medication, aspirin, ect…

Water

Do not drink tap water while travelling in South East Asia, bottled water is readily available everywhere. Keep in mind that you are in a tropical climate and that you should thus drink about 2 to 3 litres more than usual.

Turista

Most travellers will experience it during their holiday, a change of climate, of food and water is enough to catch it however most of the time it will just go after a few trips to the toilet. You can take some anti-diarrheic tablets. Don’t forget to drink a lot if this happens to prevent dehydration.

Mosquitos 

There are unfortunately part of any holiday in a hot country. To best protect yourself, it is advised to wear lose and covering clothes or to use mosquito sprays. You can buy mosquito repellents back home but there are some very good natural ones available in Thailand. Eating the local food rich in garlic and chillies will also help.

At night sleep under a mosquito net if the place where you stay is not protected enough, a fan over your bed will also keep them at bay.

Malaria pills are not compulsory when travelling in Thailand most of all in the South, talk with your doctor before leaving. The Dengue fever is also present in the country, it is mainly carried by daytime mosquitoes, most of the time people will have a high fever for a few days before it is gone. Strong complications are rare. People who had dengue fever are considered to be immune after but this might change.

Other useful information

Telephone and Internet

The Thai phone system is both modern and widespread, with comprehensive coverage for cell phones and reliable pay phones found throughout the kingdom. Purchasing a second-hand Thai phone is inexpensive and convenient, and calling from Thailand on a public phone is easy with a phone card available at most convenience stores. Emergency numbers are often three or four digit numbers, including Tourist Police, which is 1155. Wifi is now available in most places except from remote less developed areas.

Post Office

The Thailand postal service is efficient and reliable with branches in most major towns throughout the Kingdom. Thailand post offices are open M-F 8am-4:30pm and Sa-Su 9am-1pm. However, The Central GPO in Bangkok, located on New Road, is open until 6pm M-F and Sa-Su 9am-1pm. All Thai post offices are closed on public holidays, though most major hotels can arrange to mail letters and parcels on your behalf. In addition to domestic and international mail services, both land and air, standard and registered, the Thailand postal service also provides a telegram service.

Weights and Measures

Thailand uses the metric system for all weights and measurements, with the exception for area, which Thais divide into wa and rai.

Electricity

Electrical outlets in Thailand are charged to 220v at 50 cycles per second, which is compatible with appliances from the U.K. but not those from the US and many other nations. While most computer cables have adaptors for voltage, visitors from the U.S. and those not on the 220/50 v. will have to bring adapters to run most other appliances. Outlets in Thailand generally feature flat, two pronged plugs, though some feature holes for round plug ends. Few outlets feature three holes (grounded outlets) so it is often necessary to have a three to two prong adapter for using notebook computers in Thailand.

Opening times

Most shops are open 12 hours, 6 to 7 days a week 

Official services are open Monday to Friday from 8h30 to 16h30, Banks usually close at 15.30.

General information

We will ask for your diving certificate upon arrival in the diving centres. Please don’t forget it! For the PADI certified divers, It should be possible to check your certification online with your name and date of birth.

Diving and Health

Diving requires to be in good health so please consult your GP before leaving. If needed, numerous decompression chambers are available in Thailand.

Insurance

You need an insurance to practice diving, we recommend that you take a diving insurance before your departure such as Divers Alert Network or Dive Master Insurance.

Equipment

For obvious baggage weight issues, we recommend that you do not travel with your own weights or bottles. The equipment we provide is of good quality and is regularly checked. We use Scubapro, Aqualungs, Apex. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any further information.

Due to the comfortable water temperature, it is not necessary for you to take a wetsuit thicker than 3mm unless you practice TEC diving.

Most international airlines give you a 20 to 23 kilos baggage allowance + 8 kilos in cabin and will charge for overweight and sport equipment.