Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Thailand from South to North'

Useful addresses

New York

Royal Thai Consulate General
351 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10022
Tel.: 212-754 1770
Tel.: 212-754 1896
Fax: 212-754 1907
Web site: Consulate General of Thailand in New York

London

Embassy of Thailand
29-30 Queen's Gate
London SW7 5JB
Tel.: 020-7589 2944
Consular section: 020-7589 2944 / ext. 117
Fax: 020-7823 9695
Web site: Embassy of Thailand in London

Paris

Ambassade de Thailande
8, Rue Greuze
75116 Paris
Tel.: 01-4704 3222
Fax: 01-4524 3948
Bureau de Tourisme
90, Avenue Champs Elysées
75008 Paris
Tel.: 01-4562 8656

Transportation

Most taxi cabs are good; they come in many colors and have meters. Always see to it that they turn it on; if they don't, get out and take another one. There are so many that it never will be a problem. Just wave your hand. Avoid taxis that are parked in front of hotels. They offer a (way too high) fixed price and don't use their meters. Walk for 50 meters and hail one. That being said, "expensive" is a relative notion: a half-hour ride costs only around three dollars.

Take into account that traffic in Bangkok is very busy and that you'll be stuck often, so take some extra time to get somewhere. It is also important to find out if the driver knows where your destination is. They consider it loss of face to admit that they don't know and just start driving and ask for directions on the way.

Alsways make sure you carry a business card of your hotel or other accomodation. It's also a good idea to take a look at routes in advance, on the internet. I printed a route from Google Earth and this turned out to be very helpful. The driver couldn't believe his eyes when I showed him the complete route.

If you take a tuk tuk, tell the driver "No factories, no shops!" Otherwise they'll take you to a "cousin of my brother-in-law" who happens to have a special offer, just for today...

Population

People are incredibly hospitable, nice, polite, considerate, submissive and helpful. Always relaxed, with a big smile. The pace of life isn't fast, but it's Asia and you're on a vacation. It's really not done to lose your patience or raise your voice.

Crime exists everywhere, also in Thailand. But less and different than in the West. The streets are safe for tourists (also for women who travel by themselves). We never felt unsafe. Only in tacky tourist places, like Pattaya, you should beware of pickpockets; be careful when you are withdrawing cash from a street ATM.

Money

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There is an ATM on almost every street corner. Sometimes more than one. ATMs are bilingual: Thai and English, even in smaller towns.

Coins are rarely used. The smallest bills are 20 Bath. Prices are lower than in most western countries. Take into account that there are things that you are not allowed to import into your own country, like more than a small amount of fake-brand items and in some countries the bottles of whiskey with snakes and scorpions in them.

If you know which places you are going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's that you can use with MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa

Health

For up-to-date information about health risks go to the site of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Thailand. Always consult your family doctor as well.

Safety and security

Traveling in some countries or regions can bring risks with it. That shouldn't always be a reason not to go there, but part of a thorough preparation is to find out about possible risks.

A good place to find information is the site of the CIA World Factbook Thailand. Always seek advice from your own country's foreign department as well.

Plan your trip to Thailand online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.

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