Reminder for tourists going on holiday to Thailand. Reminder for tourists in Thailand Customs rules of Thailand

Resort selection

The most popular beach resorts in Thailand are Pattaya and the islands of Koh Samui and Phuket. Among the cities with interesting sights, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Krabi stand out. And the capital Bangkok remains the center of nightlife, although tourists usually stay here only for a few days for sightseeing.

Buddha, Thailand

Brief information about the country

Thailand is located in southeast Asia on the Indochina Peninsula, washed by the Gulf of Thailand and the Andamant Sea.

Time in Thailand is three hours ahead of Moscow.

The capital of the country is Bangkok. Other large cities are Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Phuket and a number of other cities that are not very popular with tourists.

The official language in the country is Thai, although most residents speak English comfortably.

The main religion of Thailand is Buddhism. Muslims, Christians and Hindus can be found.

From October to February there is a cool season in Thailand with air temperatures up to +26 °C. From March to May is the hot season. The rest of the time it rains in Thailand.

Holiday seasons

· November – early May – high season. At this time it is not too hot here, and it is no longer possible to relax in European resorts. There is also almost no rain during this period;

· From May to October – low season. Prices for tours are falling, but at this time it rains here;

· The beach season in Thailand lasts all year round;

· December to March is the best time for excursions due to cool and dry weather.

Preparing for the trip

Thailand is a comfortable country for tourists, so if you bought a package tour, you don’t have to find out anything additional before the trip. It is not necessary to know English, but it is better to purchase a phrasebook and learn simple words such as “hotel”, “food”, etc.

There is no need for special vaccinations to enter the country - there are no serious viruses spreading around the country. However, you should still not drink tap water or eat unwashed fruit. It is better to take medicine with you for stomach pain - the body may react poorly to exotic food. Also be sure to take sunscreen with you.

You shouldn’t take a lot of clothes with you, especially if you are traveling during the warmest time of the year. But it is recommended to take a regular fountain pen with you - this will help you fill out all the necessary documents faster.

Road

The only way to get from Russia to Thailand is by plane. Most of the planes land in Bangkok, from where tourists themselves get to the resort they need. Direct flights to Bangkok are available from Moscow; there are also flights from Novosibirsk and a number of other large cities. There are several flights to popular tourist destination Phuket.

Getting to Thailand is sometimes much more convenient and cheaper with transfers in Europe. In addition, some European airports can be reached outside of Moscow, so you don’t have to spend money on a flight to the capital.

In flight

The flight time to Thailand on a direct flight from Moscow takes 10 hours. When flying with a transfer, this time, of course, increases. Most often, flights depart in the evenings, so most of the journey will be spent sleeping. For a comfortable stay, you should take earplugs and a blindfold with you; it’s even better to get an inflatable pillow.

Since the flight is long, try to keep yourself occupied with something - take a book with you or, if your seat is equipped with a TV, watch movies or TV series. Typically, airplane film libraries contain many films in different languages ​​and with subtitles.

Thailand airport

Customs and visa

A visa is not required to travel to Thailand - you only need a foreign passport, which will have a special stamp stamped at the entrance with the date of mandatory departure from the country. The validity period of such a seal is 30 days. If you want to extend your visa, you can leave the country on an excursion to Cambodia or Laos - then upon your return you will be stamped again. Tourists can stay in Thailand for no more than 90 days every six months.

You can freely import personal items, up to a liter of strong alcoholic beverages, up to 200 cigarettes, 1 camera or video camera, and household items into Thailand without duty. It is prohibited to import rare plants, some types of vegetables and fruits, pornographic videos and books, weapons and ammunition, as well as American Staffordshire Terrier dogs into Thailand.

It is strictly forbidden to transport drugs and psychotropic substances into Thailand; the country carries the death penalty for this. That is why, under no circumstances should you agree to carry someone’s luggage; it is better not to even stay to guard someone’s bags - it will be impossible to prove your non-involvement in the crime.

Stay in Thailand

Accommodation

In Thailand, at any resort there are decent hotels of different star levels. In general, hotel rooms are usually not expensive, but for a room in a hotel on the coast you will have to pay an order of magnitude more. You can also rent a room or apartment in Thailand - it’s much cheaper, and doing this with the help of special Internet resources is not at all difficult.

The most luxurious hotels are located in Bangkok. Among them are Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa 5* and Marriott Royal Garden Riverside 5*. There are also good hotels in Phuket and Pattaya. In small towns it is difficult to find five-star hotels, but even in less prestigious hotels the level of service will be high.

Safety

In terms of crime, Thailand is a safe country, but there are incidents that most often affect foreign tourists.

Theft in Thailand is quite common. You should not leave jewelry and valuables unattended, especially on the beach. It is always better to carry a minimum amount of money with you, leaving the rest at the hotel. You should not walk with strangers on the beach late at night, this especially applies to women. There is no need to wear too expensive jewelry or show valuable equipment and objects on the streets. In hotels, valuables must be stored in safes - cases of theft there are becoming more and more frequent. When walking, it is better to keep your bag away from the road - often people on motorbikes tear their bags off their shoulders, and it is not possible to find them later.

Tourists often suffer from accidents on the roads, since Thailand is an unsafe country in terms of road accidents. Here it is better not to rent a car at all, much less a motorbike - the traffic is too chaotic, the traffic rules are unusual, and unscrupulous lessors often rent out faulty vehicles to tourists. Tourists on motorbikes are often attacked at night by gangs of Thai teenagers.

Guests to Thailand often suffer from food poisoning. For this, it is enough to overeat unfamiliar food, suddenly develop an allergy to an unfamiliar fruit, or simply lack of hygiene. All fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly, water should only be drunk from bottles, and unfamiliar foods should be tried very carefully.

Nutrition

Restaurants in Thailand are divided into Thai and tourist. Most often, tourists end up in a tourist restaurant - there are no regular customers here, and the quality of food often leaves much to be desired. The food they serve there may not be very fresh, which is why tourists suffer more from poisoning. Typically these restaurants serve more European cuisine, although there are a few Thai dishes as well.

By the way, in Pattaya there are wonderful restaurants with Russian cuisine - they are also tourist, but the above does not apply to them. In addition, at this resort you can often find waiters who understand Russian in other restaurants.

If you want to eat cheaper and safer, then you should look for restaurants away from tourist areas. On city streets far from hotels you can find good places where you can taste authentic Thai cuisine at very low prices.

It is worth remembering that the cuisine in Thailand is exotic, so you need to eat more carefully. Very spicy food is often served in Thailand, although telling the waiter “mai phet”, which means “not spicy”, can avoid this. There is no need to worry that Thai restaurants do not have menus in Russian - having learned a few words for food, you can easily place an order, since the Thais are already accustomed to tourists.

Street food in Thailand

Leisure

Thailand has truly a lot of entertainment for tourists. In large cities and popular beach resorts there are always a lot of nightclubs and other night entertainment. Pattaya, popular with tourists, is especially famous for this with its famous Walking Street.

Sports fans will love the stadiums and sports facilities, and for cultural recreation in Thailand there are concert halls, galleries and cinemas.

In Thailand, English-language newspapers are published, where you can see a list of theater events, films and exhibitions - such newspapers are sold at bookstores.

One of the main types of entertainment in Thailand is diving, which can be practiced at almost any beach resort. Other extreme sports are also widespread here.

Excursions

The capital of Thailand is richest in attractions. Excursions to various architectural attractions are organized here, with the Royal Palace and city temples being the most popular.

A popular resort like Pattaya offers trips to the Crocodile Farm, various tropical gardens and other interesting attractions.

Also interesting in terms of architecture are the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

Shopping

Thailand is an inexpensive country, so you can give yourself free reign when it comes to shopping. Most of the shops and shopping centers are located in the capital. Of these, it is worth highlighting the largest market in the country, Chatuchak, where absolutely everything is sold. For more “elite” shopping, it is worth visiting the Siam Paragon shopping center. Also worth noting is the MVK Center, the largest shopping center in Thailand.

In Pattaya, it is best to buy souvenirs and locally produced goods. Here and in Phuket you can buy good fabrics and silks, as well as batik.

You should definitely bring jewelry from Thailand, but you need to buy it with some caution. You can buy some exotic fruits, but not all of them can withstand a long journey. Thai leather goods are also always relevant.

Sales in Thailand usually happen before the New Year, and you can always bargain.

Things to do in Thailand

· Visit a transvestite show - you won’t see this anywhere else in the world;

· Feed a crocodile from a fishing rod or even take a photo with a reptile;

· Try the “king of fruits” duridan;

· Enjoy a Thai massage;

· Sports fans should watch real Muay Thai;

· You definitely need to live in a bungalow by the sea.

Transvestite show

Health

Medicine in Thailand is at a decent level; special vaccinations are not required to enter the country. Hospitals and clinics are well equipped. The likelihood of getting sick with something serious is minimal; the maximum you can suffer from is a food poisoning. Medical services are inexpensive, and free medical care is provided under an international policy. Most medications are sold without prescriptions.

There is also traditional medicine in Thailand, but it should be treated with caution.

What to do in case of emergency

If you have been robbed or become a victim of a crime, you should immediately contact the tourist police - they will definitely help you, if necessary, redirecting your request to the appropriate authorities. In case of an emergency, you can consult with the hotel staff.

How to call

If you want to save on communications, you can buy a SIM card in Thailand.

To call Russia from Thailand you need to dial 009-7-(operator or city code) - (telephone number). The operator code is the first three digits after the seven in the mobile number.

To call Thailand from Russia on a mobile phone, you need to dial 66 and the Thai phone number without zero, since they all start with it. For example, to call from a cell phone to the number 0123 456 789 you need to dial 66 123 456 789. To call a landline phone you need to dial 8-10-66-(area code)-(telephone number).

Official contacts

· Tourist police – 1155;

· Police – 191;

· Fire department – ​​199;

· Consular Section – (66 2) 234 20 12.

Currency

The official currency of Thailand is the baht. 1 baht = 100 satang. The baht is approximately equal to the ruble.

Transport

In Thailand, especially in small towns, there are often simply no buses, trolleybuses or trams. For example, in Chiang Mai the main public transport means is a taxi. There are several rather exotic types of public transport, such as a three-wheeled steerable bicycle with a basket for passengers. It is worth remembering that in Phuket it is better not to take a taxi - the prices there are incredibly inflated. Rail transport in Thailand is not very common, but by bus you can get to anywhere in the country.

In Thailand, it is better not to rent a car. Left-hand traffic, strange traffic regulations and their non-compliance by local residents - all this causes frequent accidents. If you wish, to rent a car you only need an international license, and gasoline is quite cheap. Motorbikes should be rented with caution; a license is also required to drive them.

Tips

Taxi drivers usually do not expect tips from tourists, although they will not refuse money. In hotels you can leave 20 baht with the concierge or bellman. In restaurants, tips are usually included in the bill, although it is customary to leave 10% of the order price.

You can greatly offend Thais by leaving them a tip of 1-5 baht - by local standards this is just pennies.

Cloth

In Thailand, you can easily walk around everywhere in shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops. Only to visit temples you need long and closed clothes. Thais have no prejudices about the colors of their clothes.

Some restaurants may not allow you to wear shorts and T-shirts; more formal clothing is required.

Code of Conduct

Thailand is a country of very friendly and welcoming people, but you can anger them too. In Thailand, it is not customary to discuss the government or condemn the monarchy, since the royal family is sacred to Thais.

Thais do not understand aggressive behavior, anger, or open expression of hostility. You should be polite both to the Thais themselves and to their shrines. In temples you must behave respectfully, you cannot touch Buddha statues with your hands, you cannot shout or make noise either.

Otherwise, Thais are calm about any behavior of tourists.

Return

Customs

It is strictly forbidden to export unprocessed corals, any items made from the bones and skin of protected animals and elephants, and images of Buddha from the country. The export of drugs is also strictly prohibited - a person caught with drugs is sentenced to death. You cannot export components of Thai medicinal products from Thailand - you could end up in jail for doing so.

To take out jewelry, you need to get a certificate from the store. An export license is required to export antiques. The same goes for some native plants.

customs regime

A tourist can import duty free:

• 250 gr. tobacco or 200 cigarettes;
• 1 liter of alcoholic drinks;
• 1 camera and 5 films, 1 video camera + 3 cassettes;

The import of drugs, pornographic materials, certain types of fruits, vegetables and plants is prohibited. The export of images of Buddha and Bodhisattvas, antiques and art objects, and ivory products from Thailand without special permission from the Department of Fine Arts is also prohibited.

Opening hours of shops, banks, museums

Store opening hours: from 8.30 to 20.30, excluding weekends and holidays. Banks are open on weekdays from 8.30 to 15.30.

Useful phone numbers

Police - 191, fire service - 199, tourist police - 1155

Money, currency exchange

Currency exchange can be done at banks or exchange offices. The most favorable exchange rate in Bangkok. Exchange offices are open from 8.30 - 20.00. It is more profitable to exchange foreign currency for tourist checks rather than cash baht.

Mail and telephone

The call can be made from a hotel or from telephone booths, which can be seen on the streets, in the halls of large buildings, and also in shops. To call to Russia, dial 0 (international access when calling a landline number) / 1 (international access when calling a mobile number) + 7 (country code) + city code + number of the called subscriber.

Transport

It is often worth thinking about the problems of getting to Thailand even before purchasing a plane ticket, at the stage of planning your vacation or traveling around Thailand.

Problems when leaving Russia

The problem may arise when purchasing an air ticket or when checking in for a flight. For example, some airlines require you to show a return ticket or an amount of money of approximately $1000. If you are flying on vacation on an organized tour, then this does not concern you. But if you are flying to Thailand for a long time or are planning a tour of Asia, then it is better to take care of the visibility of your return ticket in advance. You can book your return air ticket and show your printed e-ticket. All of the above especially applies to young, single girls who are prejudiced against.

Departure of one parent with a child

You can often hear the opinion that a notarized permission from the second parent is required to take a child abroad. In order not to multiply versions, we will provide a scan of the official explanation of the FSB on this matter.

Reminder for tourists in Thailand

Read a separate article about what you should not do in Thailand.

• Thailand is a safe country when compared with Russia, but some peculiarities are still present. The first thing you should do upon arrival, or better yet at home, is Make a copy of your passport and health insurance and always carry it with you. Leave your passport in the hotel safe. The need for a passport or health insurance always arises suddenly, and not necessarily as a result of an accident. If you suddenly liked a hat in a shopping center and decided to buy it, then you can get 7% of the cost back, subject to VAT Refound for Tourist.
• Remember the scorching sun! Even in cloudy weather on the islands, you will DEFINITELY get burned if you spend several hours on the beach without protective equipment. The consequences of this rash act range from peeling skin to hospitalization. Cases of sunburn are not an insured event and you will pay for your treatment yourself.
• Never carry all your money with you. Unfortunately, cases of bags being torn off on a motorbike are not a rare occurrence, so you should only put in a lady’s handbag what you won’t mind parting with.
• Never, under any circumstances, leave your passport as collateral. Very often, a passport may be required when renting a motorbike. This is the most stupid thing you can do! Read about what this leads to in the material "Renting a motorbike in Thailand"
• Don't even think about buying drugs. For example, the harmless weed offered on Beach Street can cost you a $2,000 bribe for your freedom. Very often they offer to “smoke” on the beaches, in the Walking Street area. After purchasing the “product”, people in uniform will approach you and they will know exactly what, where and how much to look for from you.
• Men who visit go-go bars, you should be wary of offers and friendly advice like: - “That girl over there went to work for the first time today. I recommend...” Behind this is a simple scam for money, very big money. You and this underage girl will definitely be caught by the police, and you will also have to pay very decent money for your freedom, having previously gone on a multi-day excursion to a Thai prison.
• Copies of mobile phones and watches. I thought for a long time whether it was worth adding this to tourists’ instructions, but apparently it’s worth it, since tourists often get burned by buying copies of famous brands. It is very tempting to buy a copy of a mobile phone 5 times cheaper than the same copy costs in Russia. For example, a high-quality copy of a Tag Heuer Grand Carrera Caliber 36 watch in Russia costs about 22,000, while in Thailand such a copy costs 5,000. But... A copy is always a copy and quality control is your responsibility. Imagine that you bought a phone and at the hotel you discovered that the battery is not charging, you bring it back, and a smiling salesman says to you: “No problem! We’ll fix it for free! Come back tomorrow!” You come tomorrow, the same thing for you - “It’s not ready, come tomorrow!” and so on all the time. The seller knows that sooner or later you will fly to Russia...
• For calls to Russia, use a local SIM card. Read more - How to call Russia?
• The king and royal family in Thailand are inviolable and revered persons. Therefore, insulting members of the Royal Family is usually punishable by imprisonment. There is no need to experiment on this topic. For example, an insult to the King would be considered an insult to the local currency, on each banknote there is a portrait of the King of Thailand.

Important contacts in Thailand:

• Your hotel guide's phone number
• Police: 191, 193, 195
• Tour. police: 1699, (+662) 282 11 43 – Bangkok, 1155, (+6638) 425 937 – Pattaya.
• Ambulance: 252 21 715
• Fire department: 199

Russian Representative Office in Thailand

• Bangkok The Consular Section:
  
  Tel: +66 2 234-2012
  
• Pattaya

  Address: 353, Pra Tamnuak, Pattaya, Chonburi 20150, The consulate is located in the Royal Cliff Beach Resort hotel, Grand building on the ground floor.
  Tel: +66 3 825-0421, (ext. 2888)

• Phuket