Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the world. This is for a variety of reasons which range from the amazing beaches, temples, friendly people, and more. There are a few things first-time visitors need to know before traveling to Thailand.
First-time visitors to Thailand need to be aware that it can get very humid and hot during the day, this is more for people from colder countries. You also need to check if you have any vaccinations for Thailand. Still away from drugs in Thailand as there are strict laws on drugs in Thailand.
In this post, we will go through what you need to know before going traveling to Thailand. So let’s get started!
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What You Need To Know Before Traveling To Thailand?
Thailand like any other country has its only set of laws and little quirks that are nice to know. To make your visit to Thailand more enjoyable and to avoid any misunderstanding we have a few Thailand travel tips that will help.
There are tips when traveling to Thailand, that I wish I had known before visiting Thailand. These are as follows.
Let’s Start With The Basics
Getting The Visa
Firstly, ensure that your passport that is valid for at least another 6 months before going to Thailand.
Thailand stamps people’s passports upon arrival which permits them to stay in the country for up to 30 days. Here is more information on the visa requirements and more information from the Thai embassy.
Remember, if you arrive over land or sea, you can only do it this way twice in a calendar year when entering over land or via a sea border but there is no limitation when entering by air.
The rules change regularly around visas, check with the Thai embassy online for the latest information.
Thailand Currency
In Thailand, they use the Thai Baht. Always use and have some local currency on you. There are ATMs everywhere and foreign exchanges.
Remember, your bank may charge you a fee for ATM withdrawals but there is also a foreign card ATM fee in Thailand that is currently 200 baht. Also, shops and hotels have a 3% surcharge on payments made with foreign cards.
Read out posts on how to avoid ATM fees in Thailand here. Remember, Thailand has properly the most expensive ATM withdrawals in the world.
Vaccinations For Thailand
I got shots against Hepatitis A+B, Tetanus, and Diphtheria for Thailand which I had to do 6 weeks before going. Check with your local doctor about vaccinations before going to Thailand.
Travel Adapters for Thailand
Thailand has four associated plug types, types A, B, and C. As the diagram below shows Plug type A is the plug that has two flat parallel pins, and plug type B has two flat parallel pins.
A grounding pin and plug type C have two round pins.
Nice To Know
Only Drink Bottled Water
The drinking quality of the water from taps in Thailand is poor at best. And if you are anyway health-conscious you should know better not to drink water from the taps in Thailand.
Only drink bottled water. This includes ice cubes. And with food is okay because it’s cooked. It is not worth ruining your holiday to get sick and spend a week recovering.
Do Not Be Afraid To Try Thai Food
Thai food is delicious. Thailand is well known for its food very and I can’t remember ever having a bad meal. Street vendors’ food is unbelievably cheap and is generally safe to eat, it’s worth trying. Again, I never had a bad meal there.
7 Elevens Everywhere
7-Elevens seem to be everywhere and are open 24 hours.
Using Taxi’s
Always make sure they use the meter. A lot of taxis will not use the meter to charge more. A short taxi ride should not be more than 100 to 150 baht.
Do not even get into the taxi unless you agree to a metered trip. If he says no, just shut the door and wave down another one. You will be better off this way.
Local Markets
Wherever place you visit in Thailand, there will always be a local market to visit. You will find vegetables, fruits, animals, and fish as well fake sunglasses and fake clothes at the markets.
In crowded markets, keep a good eye on your wallet. I kept mine in my front pockets that were buttoned most of the time or just carried a small amount of cash.
Be Wary Of Friendly People Who Approach You On The Street
Unless it’s someone you know, they are trying to sell you something or scam you somehow. It’s best to just say no and ignore them. They’ll leave.
Avoid Drugs
Always avoid drugs in Thailand. The penalties are fairly harsh and can include the death penalty. Remember, you could be set up when buying drugs.
Do Not Offend the King!
The King of Thailand is idolized and revered by everyone in Thailand, almost as a god-like symbol.
Thailand has some of the strictest lese majeste laws in the world. Defaming or insulting the king is a criminal offense and you risk several years of imprisonment under Thai law. This applies to foreigners as well.
You risk being arrested and up to 15 years in prison if you deface or even step on the currency, which has The King’s image on it.
Do NOT Touch A Person’s Head
In Thailand, you cannot touch a person’s head. Thais consider the head as a very sacred part of the body. You can only touch the head of a person who is within your immediate and extended family.
Otherwise, touching the heads of others would only bring you trouble.
Dress Conservatively When Visiting Temples
When visiting temples, dress conservatively particularly should wear long shorts or trousers and have your shoulders covered. Many temples state as you enter that photography is not allowed.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, first-time travelers to Thailand need to be aware that they can get very humid and hot during the day, this is more for people from colder countries. You also need to check if you have any vaccinations for Thailand. Still away from drugs in Thailand as there are strict laws on drugs in Thailand.
And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on what you need to know before going traveling to Thailand was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is any more to add.
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