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Official Name: Kingdom of Thailand
Population: 67 million
Capital City: Bangkok, population 9.1 million
People: Thais (75%), Chinese (14%), Indians (11%) and
Language: Thai
Currency: Baht (THB)
Time Zone: GMT +7 Hours
International Dialing Code: +66
General Information
One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and rightly so, Thailand has something for everyone. It is rich with culture, and whether you visit to relax on a beach, go trekking through the jungle, or quite simply indulge in the divine cuisine then the ‘Land of Smiles’ can cater to all desires.
Pre Departure Check List
- Travel Insurance
- Valid Passport (at least six months remaining)
- Immunizations/Vaccinations
- Foreign currency (US$) or ATM card
- Flights tickets
- Photocopy of passport either scanned into email account or separate from the original
Travel Insurance (Compulsory)
Buffalo Tours will do everything possible to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip. However, certain risks are involved and should be recognized by participants. Thus, we require all guests to purchase travel insurance prior to their trip. Travel insurance is a cost effective way of protecting yourself and your equipment in the event of problems due to cancelled trips, delays, medical emergencies, baggage loss or damage. It also gives you peace of mind for your trip.
Visa/Passports
A passport with at least six months validity is necessary. Visitors from most countries who arrive in Thailand without a visa will be granted a 30 day stay if they have proof of an onward ticket and adequate funds. For longer stays a visa should be applied for before departure. A tourist visa allows you to stay for 60 days, a non immigrant visa for 90 days. You need to enter Thailand within 90 days of the visa being issued otherwise it will be invalid. Some countries have special agreements with Thailand regarding the issue of visas. Buffalo Tours will be able to inform you if you need to arrange a visa before departure.
Arriving in Thailand
We will arrange your transfer to and from the airport unless otherwise specified.
Health & Well-being
Health care in Thailand is generally some of the best in SE Asia, hospitals there are generally at a Western level of service. However please take note that the health care can be expensive.
Each traveler is responsible for his or her health. First and foremost make sure that you have travel insurance for your trip. Also, consult your doctor or local travel clinic before departure for the latest information on travelling to Thailand.
Immunizations/Vaccinations
Before travelling to Thailand, it is important to ensure that you have adequate protection about disease. About two months before your holiday you should consult you doctor who will advise as to the whether you need vaccinations before you travel. These will vary depending on where you are planning on visiting. Bear in mind that there is a malaria risk in rural parts of Thailand. In general, most visitors to Thailand will require the following vaccinations:
- Hepatitis A and B
- Tetanus
- Typhoid
- Polio
- Diphtheria
If you have any special conditions or allergies that may require attention overseas, have your GP write a letter describing the nature of the condition and the treatment. Always carry the letter on your person. It is also a good idea to bring your own basic medicine kit with you containing some basics like paracetamol and diarrhoea relief.
Money
The official currency is Baht (THB). ATM’s are widely available throughout the country.
Allow $10 to $15 per meal for additional lunches or dinners not included in the trip price. You may also want to have some money put aside to try some local foods at the markets.
Tipping is a personal matter, and passengers are encouraged to tip an amount they find appropriate. For your convenience we have included a tipping guide below; please however note that these amounts are suggestions. We encourage our passengers to reward guides based on their performance:
- Meals (restaurants): average amount is $1
- Bellboy: average amount is $1
- Chambermaid: average amount is $1 per day
- Tips for guides are completely at your discretion, but here are some guidelines: $1.50 to $3 per day per person for guides (depending on group size), $1 per day per person for drivers
Post and Telecommunications
- Telephone connections to the rest of the world are widely available, however they aren’t cheap
- Internet access is widely available throughout the country
Clothing and Suggested Packing List
- Personal clothing items, toiletries, medication
- Sunscreen
- Insect Repellent
- Light weight clothing (Summer months)
- Long sleeved shirts and pants (for visiting Temples and Wats)
- Light jacket when visiting the North in the evenings
- Camera
- Adaptor – 220V, 50Hz; 2 pin plugs
- Water bottle and helmet (for cycling trips only)
The Thai’s tolerant population and may choose not to point improper behaviour to its foreign guests, but you should dress and act with the utmost respect when visiting Wats (pagodas) or other religious sites (including the temples of Angkor). Proper etiquette in pagodas is mostly a matter of common sense.
A few other Temple visiting tips:
- Do not wear shorts or tank tops, have your shoulders covered
- Remove your hat when entering the ground of the Wats
- Remove your shoes before going into the vihara (Sanctuary)
- If you sit down in front of the dais (the platform on which the Buddhas are placed), sit with your feet to the side rather than in the lotus position
- Never point your finger or the sole of your feet towards a person or a figure of the Buddha
Climate
Thailand’s climate is tropical, both high in temperature and humidity, dominated by monsoons.
June – October: Rainy season (Southwest Monsoon)
November – February: Cooler with reduced humidity
April – May: Hottest months
Cuisine, Special Dietary Requests and Drinking Water
Thailand’s cuisine is regarded by many people as some of the best in the world. And, if variety is the spice of life, you can literally have a different meal every day of the year! Rich with lime juice, lemon juice, coriander and liberal helpings of fresh chilies the food has a characteristic tang that many fall in love with. Like all other Buddhist countries, vegetarian food is readily available in most restaurants.
If you are a vegetarian, vegan, allergic to any foods or adhere to a special diet, please advise us prior to your trip so we can comply with your dietary requirements.
It is not advisable to drink tap water in any South East Asian countries. Bottled water is recommended but do check the expiry date before opening it. Ice is widely used in Thailand and it is produced with treated water.
Cultural Differences
Experiencing cultural differences is one of the joys of travelling, and it is important that these differences are encouraged and respected. Things in Asia are done differently to the rest of the world and we ask you to please accept the differences and respect the cultural rules of the areas we travel to.
Saving Face and Manners
- Getting angry and showing it by shouting or becoming abusive is extremely impolite and a poor reflection on you. In addition, it is unlikely to achieve much.
General Points of Etiquette
- Thais consider the head as the highest part of the body, both literally and figuratively. As a result they don’t approve of touching anyone on the head, even as a friendly gesture.
- Public displays of affection are considered to be quite offensive in Thailand – definitely no kissing! You may see some young Westernized Thai couples holding hands but that’s as far as it goes, they are a polite nation.
- It is polite to remove your shoes before entering a house – look for shoes at the front door as a clue.
- Topless bathing may be considered acceptable in your own country, but is inappropriate in Thailand.
- Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman wants to give anything to a monk or novice, she firsts hands it to a man, who then presents it. In case the woman wants to present it with her hand, the monk or novice will spread out a piece of saffron robe, and the woman will lay down the gift on the material.
- The Thai people have a deep traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and the visitor should also show respect for the King and the Queen, and the Royal Children. When attending a public event where a member of the Royal Family is present, the best guide on how to behave is to watch the crowd and do as it does.
Donations and Gift-Giving
Please read the following points about donations and gift-giving.
- Do not give to begging children as it reinforces for these children that begging is an acceptable to make a living. However in many places, it is considered acceptable to give to the elderly or disabled as there is no social security or other way these people can earn money.
- Giving money and goods away to random individuals can result in the local communities acting like beggars. It accentuates an unequal relationship between locals and visitors, with tourists being seen as purely ‘money givers’. We do not want to encourage the development of a society that equates every human action as potential money making scheme – for example paying to take photographs.
- Do not give sweets to children in villages that we visit. Local people do not have access to dentists, nor can they afford them and again there is the issue of turning children into beggars. Pens, toothbrushes, clothing or other ‘worthwhile’ items are best distributed via a local charity, school teacher or community leader.
- Avoid feeling that you necessarily have to give ‘material’ things. The best giving can be sometimes be shared interactions: a smile, a joke, a sing-song, dance or playing a game. Giving something of your friendship, time and interest to interact with locals can be the best gift of all.
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