Thailand Travel Tips and Guidelines

Passports & Visas

All visitors who intend to enter Thailand must possess the basic knowledge of Thailand travel visa information. All visitors who enter Thailand must possess valid passports.

Temporary visitors from the below listed countries who visit Thailand for the purpose of vacation and pleasure and carry valid passports and travelling documents are exempted from applying for entry visas and can stay for a maximum period of 30 days in Thailand.

These visitors must enter the Thailand kingdom by any means of public transport such as aircrafts or through sea-going vessels of 500 registered Tons and more or through immigration check points or border check points on the Malaysian boundary or enter by means of passenger aircraft, sea-going vessels, railway, bus, taxi, touring coach or hired motor-cycle and having: -

1. Fully paid ticket or any other document belonging to the vehicle owner or to the operator of the vehicle which is to be used for leaving the kingdom within the period specified therein, or
2. Documentary evidence of the owner or operator of the vehicle showing fully paid reservation for the departure from the kingdom within the period specified therein.

Malaysian nationals are exempted from entering the Thailand kingdom by means of bus, hired car, touring coach or hired motor- cycle through immigration check- points or border check-points bordering on Malaysian territory, who need not have travelling ticket or documents mentioned under Items 1 & 2.

Visitors may obtain visas on entering Thailand at the following airports:
1. The Bangkok International Airport
2. The Phuket International Airport
3. The Chiang Mai International Airport
4. The Hat Yai International Airport
The visitors must possess fully paid tickets that enable them to travel out of Thailand within the specified time limit.

Health Regulations

No inoculations or vaccinations are required unless you are coming from or passing through contaminated areas, Yellow fever certificates are required for those who are coming from 14 following countries; Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Angola, Barkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan and Zaire.

Thailand Currency and Exchange Services

Baht is the Thai unit of currency. 1 baht is divided into 100 satang. “Copper” coins are valued at 25 and 50 satang. “Silver” coins are in denominations of 1, 2 and 5 bahts. A 10 baht coin is composed of both “silver” and “copper”. Banknotes are valued at 10 baht (brown), 20 baht (green), 50 baht (blue), 100 baht (red), 500 baht (purple) and 1,000 baht (khaki).

Thailand’s Weather and Climate

Thailand has normally got tropical climate and its weather remains hot and humid throughout the year with temperatures in the range of 28-35°C (82-95°F). However, the mountain regions on the far north of Thailand remain cool round the year. There are three major seasons that is observed round the year:

Winters: From November to the end of February, it doesn’t rain much and temperatures remain at the lowest. At this time the temperatures at northern mountains sometimes can fall as low as 5°C. This is the best time to visit the Thailand region. However, around Christmas, New Year and around Chinese New Year finding flights and accommodation can be a bit difficult and expensive. So, if you are planning to visit Thailand around this time then please make your reservations sufficiently in advance.

Summers: From March to June it is hot summers in Thailand. The temperature remains as high as 40°C (104°F). Sitting in the beach on the afternoons may be a bit pleasant with a drink in hand. However, it is not the best time to for temple-tramping in Bangkok.

Rainy Season: From July to October is the rainy season. It is only in September that tropical monsoons hit the mainland of Thailand. It doesn’t rains non-stop, but when heavens break loose flooding is not uncommon.