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| Thailand Practical Info |
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 Climate : We enjoy a tropical climate with 3 distinct seasons - hot from March through May, wet from June to September, and cool from October through February. The average annual temperature is 28o C (83o F), ranging from in Bangkok, for example, from 30 C in April to 25 C in December.
What To Wear : Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters are needed during the cool season evenings or if visiting mountainous areas or national parks. Jackets and ties are required in a few restaurants and nightclubs. Neat clothes are required for entering temples or palaces.
Visas : Visitors to Thailand who hold valid passports or travelling documents issued by any country included in an officially issued list of eligible countries are permitted one-month visa-free visits. If planning a longer stay, a Tourist Visa valid for 60 days must be obtained from a Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate abroad. Visa extensions can be applied for at the Immigration Department in Bangkok. General
Tipping : Tipping is not a usual practice in Thailand although it is becoming more common. Most hotels and restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. Taxi drivers do not require a tip, but the gesture is appreciated.
Bargaining : Fixed prices are the norm in department stores, but at most other places bargaining is to be expected. Generally, you can obtain a final figure of between 10-40% lower than the original asking price. Much depends on your skills and the shopkeeper's mood. But remember, Thais appreciate good manners and a sense of humor. With patience and a broad smile, you will not only get a better price, you will also enjoy shopping as an art.
Do's and Don'ts
The Monarchy : Thai people have a deep, traditional reverence for the Royal Family, and a visitor should be careful to show respect for the King, the Queen and the Royal Children.
Religion : Visitors should dress neatly in all religious shrines. They should never go topless, or in shorts, hot pants or other unsuitable attire.
It is acceptable to wear shoes when walking around the compound of a Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where the principal Buddha image is kept.
Each Buddha image, large or small, ruined or not, is regarded as a sacred object. Never climb onto one to take a photograph or do anything which might indicate a lack of respect.
Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, or to accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give anything to a monk, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it.
Social Norms : Thais don't normally shake hands when they greet one another, but instead press the palms together in a prayer-like gesture called a wai. Generally a younger person wais an elder, who returns it.
Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and figuratively. Therefore, avoid touching people on the head and try not to point your feet at people or an object. It is considered very rude.
Shoes should be removed when entering a private Thai home.
Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon.
Local Time : GMT + 7 hours.
Business Hours : Most offices open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday, except on public holidays. General banking hours are Monday to Friday 9.30 am to 3.30 pm. Many stores open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Currency : There are 100 satangs in 1 baht. (B=baht) Notes are issued in denominations of B1000 (gray), B500 (purple), B100 (red), B50 (blue), B20 (green), and B10 (brown). There are 10, 5 and 1 baht coin, and 50 and 25 satang. Most foreign currencies and traveller cheques are easily changed at banks, hotels or moneychangers. All major credit cards are widely accepted throughout the kingdom.
Electricity : The electric system is 220 Volt AC
(50 cycles). There are many plugs and sockets in use. Travelers with shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug-adapter kit.
TAT Supports Fight Against Child Prostitution
Welcome to the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Website. We appreciate your interest in Thailand and in our efforts to eradicate the prostitution of children.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement against the worldwide evil of child prostitution and the sexual abuse of minors. Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as End Prostitution in Asian Tourism (ECPAT), UNICEF and enlightened governments, this scourge is now being actively addressed, with pressure being brought to bear on governments and societies around the world to eradicate it, as one would deal with a cancer.
General Information
Thai Public Holidays
Travel Tips
Language
Dos & Don'ts
Frequently Asked Questions
Buyer Beware
Policy on Prostitution
- The Prostitution Prevention Suppression Act
- Penalty for the Offender
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) unequivocally supports the fight against child prostitution and is doing everything in its power to prevent it.
TAT, together with the Royal Thai Government and people of Thailand, abhor and condemn child prostitution and abuse. It is contrary to the laws of Thailand and the precepts of our Buddhist religion. However, there is no denying that it exists in Thailand as it does in other countries. Thailand, unfortunately, has perhaps received the most publicity as being a major center of child prostitution. This is due to the fact that Thailand, with its long history of democracy, has what is possibly the developing world's greatest freedom of speech and of the press, allowing both local and foreign journalists and writers unhindered access and freedom to publish accounts of the Kingdom's social problems.
This freedom has resulted in Thailand being branded as the world's leading child prostitution centre. This is simply not true. According to the US State Department's Human Rights Report, other countries rank ahead of Thailand both in terms of size of sex industry and percentage of underage prostitutes. In referring to this, we do not mean to shy from admitting Thailand's problem by pointing fingers at others, it is only to put the real situation in a proper perspective.
So what is being done in Thailand to eradicate child prostitution? TAT has taken a firm stance on preventing and discouraging sex-related tourism, and has, over the past years, cooperated with the Tourist Police on seeking out and prosecuting sex tourism operators. TAT's policies on preventing sex tourism, and particularly child prostitution are as follows:
TAT emphatically does not promote Thailand as a sex tourism destination, and it works strenuously against independent tour operators that do so. TAT overseas offices have been instructed to monitor the activities of foreign countries' tour operators and report any that offer sex tours of any kind, so that action can be taken to halt these activities.
TAT works in conjunction with the Tourist Police to strictly enforce Thailand's anti-prostitution laws, and has taken legal action against operators in Thailand that contravene the laws.
In April 1996, the Royal Thai Government of Thailand passed stringent anti-prostitution laws with the most severe penalties reserved for those involved in child prostitution. Now customers, procurers, brothel owners, those who force children into prostitution and even parents, face long prison sentences as well as large fines.
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
Data code: TH
Government type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Bangkok
Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Legal system: based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador NIT Phibunsongkhram (due to leave March 2000)
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Richard HECKLINGER
embassy: 120 Wireless Road, Bangkok
mailing address: APO AP 96546
telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai
Economy
Economy - overview: After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by nearly 10% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999; preliminary estimates are that the economy expanded by about 4% - most forecasters expect similar growth in 2000. Beginning in 1999 the baht stabilized and inflation and interest rates began coming down. The CHUAN government has cooperated closely with the IMF and adhered to its mandated recovery program, including passage of new bankruptcy and foreclosure laws. The regional recovery boosted exports, while fiscal stimulus buoyed domestic demand. While slow progress has been made in recapitalizing the financial sector, tough measures - such as implementing a privatization plan and forcing the private sector to restructure - remain undone.
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1999 est.)
Industries: tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer
Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans
Currency: 1 baht (B) = 100 satang
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 5.4 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.3 million (1998)
Telephone system: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)
Radios: 13.96 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 15.19 million (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (1999)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,940 km
narrow gauge: 3,940 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km double track)
Highways:
total: 64,600 km
paved: 62,985 km
unpaved: 1,615 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,999 km principal waterways; 3,701 km with navigable depths of 0.9 m or more throughout the year; numerous minor waterways navigable by shallow-draft native craft
Pipelines: petroleum products 67 km; natural gas 350 km
Ports and harbors: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla
Merchant marine:
total: 299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,834,809 GRT/2,949,558 DWT
ships by type: bulk 39, cargo 135, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 13, liquified gas 19, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 63, refrigerated cargo 13, roll-on/roll-off 2, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 5 (1999 est.)
Airports: 106 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 56
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 50
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 33 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1999 est.) |
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