1. Clothing and Climate

Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with generally warm days and nights throughout the year.  February to May is hot and dry with average temperature of 34 degrees Celsius and 75% humidity.  June to October is wet with plenty of sunshine with average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius and 87% humidity.  November to January is cool with average temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius.

Light and cool fabrics are suitable for the tropical weather.  Beach attire, such as shorts, mini-skirts,
sleeveless shirts, tank tops and other beach-style attire are considered inappropriate dress.
Visitors should be appropriately attired in all religious shrines.  Long pants, and a shirt is advisable. 

Visitors should remove their shoes before entering a Buddhist shrine and home.

2. Culture

Monarchy:
Thais have a deep reverence and respect for the Royal Family and expect the same of the tourists.  

Greetings:
Thais usually greet one another with a wai, in a prayer-like gesture with their palms pressed together.  When someone wai at you, you should always return a wai.  Thais don't normally shake hands when they greet one another.

Buddhist monks are not allowed to touch or be touched by a woman.  If a woman has something to give to a monk, she should also pass it through a man.

The body:
Thais consider the head to be the more sacred part of the body, so you should avoid touching their head.  Feet are considered to be unclean, so do not point your feet at a Thai or a religious object.  You should also not put your feet on a table or chair.

Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon.  It is however common for the same gender to hold hands or hug one another.

3. Electricity

The electric current is 220 volt AC.  Bring a travel adaptor as different types of sockets are in use in Thailand

4. Health

There are no compulsory vaccinations though it’s advisable to check with your doctor on the recommended jabs.  See your doctor at least 4 weeks before your scheduled departure.

5. Language

Simple English is understood in Bangkok and main tourist areas.  If you are going off the beaten track, it’s useful to learn some basic Thai phrases or bring a Thai phrase book.  

6. Money

Foreign Exchange
There is no restriction on the amount of foreign currency that can be brought into Thailand. Visitors may take foreign currency out of Thailand, but not more than that declared in the customs declaration form upon arrival.  Departing visitors may bring up to 50,000 baht per person out of the country.

The Thai unit of currency is the baht.  1 baht is divided into 100 satang. Coins consist of 25 satang, 50 satang, 1 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht.   At the time of writing, 1 USD is equivalent to 31 Baht.

Payment Facilities
Credit cards are widely accepted in hotels and main shopping areas.  

Travellers cheques in USD and pounds are widely accepted in Banks.  Banking hours are Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 3.30pm.  Foreign Exchange Kiosks generally stay open for longer hours, sometimes up to 10pm in the tourist areas.

7. Religion

95% of Thais are Buddhists.

8. Transportation

Subways in Bangkok
There are 2 subways, BTS Skytrains and Bangkok Subway.  The subways are great ways to beat the traffic, though the routes are somewhat limited.  BTS skytrain has stations in major commercial areas with trains departing every 5 minutes from 6 am to midnight.  At the time of writing, fare ranges from 10-40 Baht per person. Bangkok Subway runs from the city's main railway station, Hua Lamphong, under two major thoroughfares, Rama 4 Road and Ratchadaphisek Road.

Train
Bangkok is linked to the rest of Thailand via express, fast and ordinary trains from Hualamphong Station.  Trains to Kanchanaburi province & Chumporn province in southern Thailand departs from Thon Buri Station.

Taxi
Taxis are widely available in Bangkok.  Passengers need to pay for the tolls when using the expressway.  Do ensure that the driver resets the meter when you board the taxi.  Always ensure you have small change as the taxi drivers usually don't.

Buses
Air-conditioned buses ply between Bangkok and many provincial areas.  Bookings for both regular and tour coaches can be made through major hotels or at the following bus terminals: 

Northern Bus Terminal : Kampaengphet 2 Rd, Bangkok Tel: 0-2936-2852-66 ext. 614 0-2936-3670

Eastern Bus Terminal : Sukhumvit Rd, Bangkok. Tel: 0-2391-6846, 0-2391-2504

Northeastern Bus Terminal : Kampaengphet 2 Rd, Bangkok Tel: 0-2936-2852-66 ext.605 0-2936-0657

Southern Bus Terminal : Boromratchchonnani Rd, Bangkok Tel: 0-2435-1200, 0-2435-1199

Central Bus Terminal : Kampaengphet 2 Rd, Bangkok Tel: 0-2936-2841-8 ext.311 0-2537-8055

9. Entry Visa

Visa requirement changes from time to time so you should always check with the nearest Thai embassy before your departure.  At the time of writing, the tourists of the following nationalities, including US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, European countries including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland may visit Thailand for up to 30 days without having to apply for a visa.  

10. Peak Tourist Seasons

The peak seasons are August, November, December, February and March, with secondary peak months in January and July.

11. Telecommunications

Visitors from US may need to bring a dual- or tri-band phone.  GSM900Hz and 1800Hz phones systems are available in Thailand.  You may want to buy a Thai SIM card with a local phone number if you plan to use your mobile phone regularly in Thailand.  

12. Internet

Cyber-Cafes are available in major tourist destinations.  

13. Bangkok Tourist Attractions:

Jim Thompson House

Jim Thompson House belonged to the late James H.W. Thomson, a US architect who settled in Thailand after World War II.

Thompson became interested in traditional Thai textiles, and used his talent to create new designs and colour schemes.  The name Jim Thompson became synonymous with Thai silk, after he introduced the Thai fabric to the international market.  The Jim Thompson house was dismantled from ancient teak houses in the Thai provinces and reassembled along the bank of Sansap Canal in Bangkok.  

ROYAL GRAND PALACE

The Royal Grand Palace is constructed by King Rama I around 1781 and was the centre of the city then.  

Inside the Royal Grand Palace are the Maha Monthien group of buildings, the Throne Halls, and other palaces and buildings. These have been renovated, refurbished, repaired, extended and added to continually as appropriate to every reign since then.
    
Wat Po

This temple is next to the Grand Palace on Thai Wang Road.  It houses a gigantic gold plated reclining Buddha which is some 46 metres long and 15 metres high.


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