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 Thailand
lies in South East Asia, bordered by Laos to the North; Burma and
Cambodia, to the West and East respectively; and Malaysia to the
South. Thailand is approximately three-quaters of the
size of Texas. The climate is tropical: May through November
is rain season; December through March it is mild and clear;
and April is typically unbearably hot.
Ninety-eight
percent of the population is Buddhist. The remainder being
Muslims and Christians. Numerous Buddhist wats(temples) are
seen in every city and village throughout the country,
evidencing beautiful art and craftsmenship.
General
Information
PASSPORTS
- All
visitors entering Thailand, except residents from Hong Kong and
Taiwan, must hold a passport that is valid for at least 6 months
beyond their scheduled stay. We recommend that you photocopy the
page of your passport that contains your photograph and
identifying information. Your passport number is especially
important. This precaution will greatly expedite replacement of
a lost or stolen passport in Thailand.
VISAS
- There are
three types of visa that are usually appropriate for foreign
visitors to Thailand. Transit, Tourist, and Non-Immigrant visas
that last up to 30, 60, and 90 days respectively. Costs for
visas will vary depending on your home country. Please check
with your local Thai embassy/consulate.
TRANSIT
VISA-
For the majority of visitors the transit visa is adequate and
permits up to 30 days of travel within the Kingdom. With proof
of an onward ticket nationals from 56 different countries may
obtain a transit visa upon arrival in Thailand. New Zealand and
South Korean citizens holding valid passports may enter Thailand
as temporary visitors for three months without obtaining a visa.
Malaysian
nationals entering the Kingdom overland from Malaysia by bus,
rented car or motorcycle are not required to have a return or
onward ticket. Malaysians may also enter without a passport and
can obtain a border pass instead. The border pass which is valid
for 6 months permits a Malaysian national to travel up to 50 km
(31 miles) into Southern Thailand for a maximum period of 30
days. Similar regulations apply to Burmese, Laotians and
Cambodians who may cross the borders into Thailand with border
passes but are restricted to a one day stay within a limited
area along the border.
Citizens
of Hong Kong and Taiwan are exempt from requiring a valid
passport. Taiwanese only need an entry permit issued from a Thai
Airways office in Taipei or a Thai embassy in a third country.
Hong Kong Chinese may travel to Thailand with their Certificates
of Identity. Holders of diplomatic or official passports from
Holland, Belgium, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Philippines,
Malaysia, Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Germany may stay
longer than 30 days without a visa.
TOURIST
VISA–
Visitors wishing to stay in the Kingdom for more than 30 days
must apply for a tourist visa from a Thai embassy or consulate
in their home country, or a neighbouring country if none are
located in their home country. A tourist visa must be used
within a period of 90 days from the date of issue and unless an
extension is obtained it will become void. The tourist visa
permits a stay of up to 60 days and it can also be extended once
in Thailand for an additional 30 days.
NON-IMMIGRANT
VISA–
This visa permits a stay of up to 90 days but no extensions are
allowed. It is typically obtained for business or employment
purposes and certain supporting documents are required with your
application. Please consult your local Thai embassy/consulate
for details.
EXTENSION
OF VISA–
Tourist Visas may be extended by 30 days at all Thai immigration
offices. The head immigration office is in Bangkok on Soi Suan
Phlu off Sathorn Thai Rd. Extending a visa is straightforward
and involves filling out a form, attaching a passport photo and
paying a fee of 500 baht. These formalities usually take about 1
hour.
RE-ENTRY
VISA–
In a situation where a foreigner holding a Thai visa wishes to
travel abroad before his/her visa expires, that person can apply
for a re-entry permit. A re-entry permit allows one to re-enter
the Kingdom and use the time remaining on the visa. If a
re-entry permit is not obtained the visa will automatically be
cancelled on departure from the Kingdom even though it has not
expired.
To
obtain a re-entry permit requires the following:
....1. Passport or substitute travel document
....2. One 4 x 6 cm photo
....3. Application form T.M. 8
....4. 500 baht fee per application. (Mulitiple re-entry permits
are allowed)
CUSTOMS
(Entering Thailand)
– Firearms, narcotics, and pornographic material are
forbidden. On entering Thailand one may bring in 227g of
tobacco, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars and one litre of spirits
duty-free. A camera with 5 rolls of unused film, a video-camera
with 3 rolls of unused film, and personal belongings may also be
brought in. If you bring in several new-looking electronic goods
of the same type you could face a tax bill, but otherwise minor
infractions are seldom enforced.
CUSTOMS
(Leaving Thailand)
– While any amount of foreign currency can be brought in for
personal use, the total amount taken out (maximum 50,000 baht or
$10,000 in foreign currency) should not exceed the amount
brought in. Permission to take out Buddha’s and other deity
images (which includes reproduced ones, but does not include
small figurines worn as part of a necklace) must be obtained
from the Bangkok National Museum and the Ministry of Commerce.
You must be able to prove that you are a practicing Buddhist or
are using the image for cultural exchanges or academic purposes.
Finally, dont forget to have at least 500 baht spare for the
airport tax which must be paid on departure.
Please
note that with effect 1st October 1998 any foreigner who has
overstayed their time allowance in Thailand will be fined Baht
200 per day of overstay.
Thailand
is made up of four major regions: The North, which is
mountainous; the Northeast( the Khorat Plateau), a low barren
area bordered by the Mekong River; The Central Plain,
surrounding Bangkok; and the Southern peninsula bordered by
the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thaialnd.
Chiang
Mai, an ancient city, is the center of the North. The
hilltribes reside in the surrounding areas, offering tourists
trekking opportunities. Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest peak,
is just a short trip from Chiang Mai.
The
Northeast(Issan) , is the least touristed region.
Sticky rice is eaten here on a daily basis. Beautiful Khmer
ruins are preserved in the Khorat Plateau, from the same time period
as Angor Wat in Cambodia. The muddy Mekong River marks
the border between the two countries.
Central
Thailand,
the most fertile region, includes Bangkok. The Chao Phraya
River creates a boat highway through the city, Asia's Venice.
Much of the country's rice is grown in this region. The
ancient capital of Ayuthaya is an interesting stop over, just
north of Bangkok.
In
the South, Phuket , a famous international resort
island, lies in the Andaman Sea. You will find three island
gems,in the Gulf of Thailand: Koh Samui, Koh Phang Ngan, and
Koh Tao. Koh Tao is the smallest with excellent diving.
Koh Phang Ngan is the scene for the famous Full Moon Party.
Samui is just a couple hours flight from Bangkok, so it is the most
developed of the three.
Jungles
and swamps are scattered through the coastal areas, with extensive
stands of tropical trees, like rattan. A wide variety of
tropical plants are found, including orchids, twenty types of
bananas, mangos, coconuts, and many exotic fruits.
Elephants, rhinoceros, tiger, leopards, gaur, water buffalo, gibbon,
and hornbills are indigineous to Thailand. Crocodiles and
fifty species of snake, including several poisonous ones, are some
of the more fearsome animals
in Thailand today.
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