Traveling in Thailand
10 Things To Know Before You
Travel To Thailand
1. Visa
First of all you’ll need a passport that’s valid for at least 6 months, it ‘s recommended to have at least a year left on your passport. Also make sure your passport is in descent condition, for example no tape or big cut’s on your passport because they can denie your visa if your unlucky.
When you arrive on the airport in Thailand by plane, you will get a 30 day visa stamp, this applies for most western countries. No need to apply for a tourist visa at your own embassy back home.
When arriving in Thailand by land (crossing the border from another country). You will get a 30 day visa, but you have to remember that you can only do that 2 times a year. So when you whant to do a visa run, cross the border and come back. Keep in mind that you can only do that 2 times a year.
Visa extension, is also possible when your in Thailand and you go to the thai immigration. You can extend your visa 2 times. This will cost you 2000 bath and depending on how busy it is, a couple of hours. If you whant to do it this way it’s recommended to take someone who speaks Thai with you.
So how long can you stay in Thailand in total with these methods?
- 1 month visa when entering Thailand by plane.
- 2 months extra when doing a visa run 2x and crossing the border.
- 2 months when applying for visa extension 2x at the Thai immigration office
So you can stay 5 months without having to much trouble getting a visa.
There is one way you can stay as long as you whant. Every time you enter Thailand by plane you get a 30 day tourist visa without paying extra, this is unlimited. So before your visa ends you can go to another country and fly back and get your tourist visa again and again.
2. Thai currency
The currency in Thailand is Thai Bath, 1 euro is about 35 Thai Bath. This ofcourse changes over time but in our experience it stay’s around 35.
Should you take cash money with you and then exchange it in Thailand? Personally we cannot recommend doing that. For one you will be carrying alot of cash money with you, wich is never ideal. And if you whant to exchange your money to Thai Bath you always pay a fine for exchanging and you will still end up with a alot of cash money.
We recommend to bring 2 bank cards and a creditcard. Thailand has atm’s on almost every corner of the street. There are somethings you need to take into consideration. Every time you withdraw money form the Atm, you pay 220 bath (around 7 euro) exchange rate, no matter how high the amount. And there is a chance that if you withdraw alot of money let’s say more then 50.000 bath, that the machine does not have enough cash bills to pay you out. But in our experience that only happend 1 time in 2 years of traveling in Thailand.
So What is ideal? Bring some cash money with you wich you can exchange at the airport so you have some money to go around. And from then on, plan ahead with your money. Everytime you need Thai bath go to the atm early in the morning and withdraw a descent amount so the 220 bath exchange rate you pay isn’t in vain. But do not withdraw to much so you can avoid taking big risks.
In our experience it’s best to take around atleast 10.000 to 20.000 bath everytime you withdraw from the atm.
3. Weather in Thailand
Due to its location, most parts of Thailand experience long periods of warm weather.
Temperatures can go up to 40 °C (104 °F) depending on the time of the year.
Thailand is divided into three seasons and the weather in thailand will vary accordingly.
The highest temperatures occur in April and May, followed by a rainy season from mid-May till October.
Many regions in Thailand experience rain during this time, however the rain passes quickly and the days are overal sunny and warm.
November to February consists of reasonable warm and sunny weather with humidity declining and conciderably less rain.
4. Best time to travel to Thailand
Your experience in Thailand greatly depends on the time of year you go as the different seasons have a conciderable impact on the environment.
The most recommended and best time to travel to Thailand would be between November and February, especially if you are not used to very high temperatures which occur in April and May.
During the recommended season temperatures can cool down to around 20°C during the evening time in places like Bangkok and Chiangmai, while still offering a nice tropical climate.
Some attractions are seasonal and some great festivals and events occur during this period. If you want to know wich festivals and events occur in Thailand and when just follow this link.
The high season wich the local Thai people describe as november till april, is obviously the busiest with tourists from all over the globe. The prices are also highest in that period of time, not only for flights in and out of the country but also the rooms and excursions you book.
If you whant to travel to Thailand in the low season from May till Oktober you have to take into considiration that it’s either extremly hot, wich can get up to 40+ degrees daily at the end of april till June/July. Or you find yourself in the middle of the raining season wich can take from the end of May Till oktober.
5. Scams in Thailand
No matter your destination, the same rule applies; where there is tourism there are scams.
Alas, thailand is no exception.
Unfortunately scammers in thailand can leave a bad reputation for the real nice locals.
Dont let them scare you away or ruin your experience though, as there are ways to avoid most scams using simple common knowledge.
The following tips can prevent you from falling victim to scams in thailand.
First and foremost, always watch your personal belongings, especially your passport. It might be best to leave it in a hotel safe if possible.
Theft can always happen if you are not careful with your personal belongings.
As for the scams, there are many creative scams in thailand.
Trust your instincts, when things seem too good to be true or if something seems sketchy, it probably is.
Dont take things given to you for free. Sure, it might just be a local trying to be nice but chances are there are unexpected consequences. Respectfully decline the offer.
When you want to visit something, dont trust anyone telling you it is closed or unavailable for today.
Many scammers will try to get tourists to visit certain places that have fake or overpriced products or services and get commission for it.
This also goes for many tuc tucs in thailand.
Just stick to the plan and question any information given to you that might send you into another direction.
A phone with internet can get you a long way, and can be very handy in many situations.
If you believe to be in a scam you can always google it to try and see if more people have been scammed in similar fashion.
Also, the following emergency numbers can help you when in a bad situation;
Tourist Police: 1155
Tourist Service Center: 672
6. What to pack for Thailand
Forget about every vacation you ever packed for. Thailand asks for a couple of very specific items and clothing. We put everything togheter for you so you can enjoy your Thailand experience even more.
in our experience if you want to travel in Thailand or around southeast Asia, you’ll probably experience it best when you travel light, because you’ll need to carry your lugage around alot. But if your just on a holiday or traveling for a short periode of time, we have a list of tips and video’s for more indept information about what to pack for Thailand and how to best pack your gear.
Don’t pack to much! Alot of things you can easily buy in Thailand. From clothing to medicine, gadgets, MUSQUITO REPELLENT! and much more. It’s gonne save alot of money and weight in your backpack or other luggage. Check out our indept topic about what to pack and how to pack it in Thailand.
7. Vaccinations you need for Thailand
The first time i traveled to Thailand i took all the vaccinations they told me to take and bought expensive malaria tablets (wich i never used) and paid around €350. Through experience i learned that you really don’t need those expensive vaccinations wich you can also buy in Thailand.
For instance the risk of getting malaria is so low even off the beaten track, there are some area’s with a higher risk of getting malaria but they are mapped out and can be easily found in google, and you’ll probably never cross them anyway. And should you get malaria, those pills won’t help you any more then the thai medicine will.
Nowadays i just have the standard childhood vaccinations for tetanus, Diphtheria and Measles and never had a problem. If it makes you feel safer you should definatly take whatever your hospital reccomends you. But back in the Netherlands it can cost you up to € 500
8. Travel insurance in Thailand
When you go traveling in foreign countries like Thailand, you should at least take into consideration of having a good travel insurance. A lot of travellers do not have travel insurance, because they rather spend their money on a few extra beers. But an experienced traveller will tell you the opposite because the chance of something happening to you: getting scammed, getting sick or injured is around 30-35%.
We do not want to scare you but there are many travellers who have experience with for instance: getting sick, scooter accidents, lost luggage, cancelled trips, diving accidents, lost passports and getting scammed.
When you’re in one of those situations, you wish you had a good travel insurance wich you can call and ask for information about what to do in such situations. Thats why we try to give you good advice to enjoy your Thailand experience to the fullest.
We created an in dept article about travel insurance for you wich explains how travel insurance works and why it’s so important. You can find the link here
9. Religion in Thailand
When you go traveling in foreign countries like Thailand, you should at least take into consideration of having a good travel insurance. A lot of travellers do not have travel insurance, because they rather spend their money on a few extra beers. But an experienced traveller will tell you the opposite because the chance of something happening to you: getting scammed, getting sick or injured is around 30-35%.
We do not want to scare you but there are many travellers who have experience with for instance: getting sick, scooter accidents, lost luggage, cancelled trips, diving accidents, lost passports and getting scammed.
When you’re in one of those situations, you wish you had a good travel insurance wich you can call and ask for information about what to do in such situations. Thats why we try to give you good advice to enjoy your Thailand experience to the fullest.
We created an in dept article about travel insurance for you wich explains how travel insurance works and why it’s so important. You can find the link here
10. Thai food culture
When traveling in Thailand a highlight for many people is the Thai food culture. On almost every corner of the street you can find these vibrant delights. The Thai food culture gives true meaning to the words street food, on almost every corner of the streets you can get a bite to eat. When in the tourist area’s especially in Bangkok, you can enjoy things like fried spiders, cockroaches, grasshoppers, snake, crocodile you name it they have it.
Thai food culture has become a cuisine that’s known all over the world, with different curry’s, fresh seafood, fried rice, noodles, spicy soup and amazing exotic flavours combined. Often also very spicy and a lot of koriander, but for those who can’t handle the heat just ask “no spicy” and most Thai people will understand.
If you fall in love with Thai food and would like to cook some yourself, there are many courses to participate. In almost every city you can follow course or get cheap cooking lessons, it’s a great activity to do in Thailand. Go to one of the many tourist offices and ask for a cooking course.
A lot of people believe the in Thailand you eat with chopsticks, this is only partially true. Thai people eat mostly with a fork and a spoon or their hands, still you can get chopsticks at most foot stands if you like to use them while eating.
Food in Thailand can vary a lot depending on region, while the food in the south is very good in it’s own way and uses a lot of fresh seafood and fish in their dishes, they say the north has the better food. Chiang Mai is called the culinary city of Thailand with great pastry and own dishes wich you cannot get in the south like sticky rice cooked in bamboo and much more. Make sure to give the north a visit when going on a culinaire journey.
Do's and Don'ts When Visiting Thailand
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Local Transportation in Thailand
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10 Places You Must See in Thailand
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Nightlife in Thailand
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Tips for traveling in Thailand
There are many tips we can give you when traveling in Thailand or that you can easily find on the internet . But here are some tips we think are most important.
- Don’t bring to much clothes with you, the fabric is probably to hot even the normal t-shirts. You can buy almost anything here in Thailand, they have much lighter fabric and the prices range from 3 to 7 $ same go’s for shorts or pant’s.
- Don’t bring your expensive sunglasses you’ll probably lose break or forget. You can buy good sunglasses on every corner of the street around $5
- DO NOT bring the lonely planet book with you. This is to heavy and will only get in your way, nowadays you can find any information you need on the internet on websites like this one 😀
- Safe money by taking the taxi and NOT the tuk tuk’s (unless you like to have the experience) taxi’s start at $1 and will get you on your destination faster cheaper and more safely