Thailand has a rich and colorful culture, and many exotic monuments and stunning beaches, which draw millions of visitors each year, ranging from budget-conscious backpackers to those seeking luxurious pampering in a spa.

The Kingdom of Thailand IPA is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar. By the maritime boundary, the country is bordered to the southeast by Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, to the southwest by Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea.

The capital and largest city of Thailand is Bangkok. It is also the country’s center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. Bangkok is known in Thai as “Krung Thep Mahanakorn,” or, more colloquially, “Krung Thep”, meaning “City of Angels”.

Where else but Thailand can visitors cruise on a converted rice barge, roar upriver in a long-tail boat and take a white-knuckle ride on a bamboo raft, then stay in jungle tree houses as guests in the homes of hilltribe villagers, or on rafthouses floating on a river? Equally memorable are the trails leading deep into the rainforest past cooling waterfalls, and the simple beauty of the translucent sea lapping onto endless white, soft sand. Not to be missed is dynamic Bangkok, a city that is larger than life, with its futuristic high-rise buildings juxtaposed against the glittering Grand Palace.

Early morning is when the saffron-robed monks leave the sanctuary of their wats (temples) to receive alms from the people, be it in a dusty village or on crowded city streets. Buddhism is a way of life here and with the reverence the people have for the monarchy, a dynasty that has maintained the independence of the country for centuries, the result for the Thais is a blend of tradition with contemporary living.

His Majesty King Bhumibol is the longest reigning monarch in the world, having come to power in 1946. Following the end of absolute monarchy, Thailand moved towards democracy, but this was thwarted by the military, which has often staged coups in protest at government policies. The most recent was in September 2006 when a bloodless coup overthrew Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and replaced him with an interim prime minister until elections could take place, probably in October 2007.

For all this, Thailand has risen above economic collapse in 1997, SARS, avian influenza and the devastating tsunami in December 2004 to become a hugely popular destination on the long-haul tourist trail, possessed as it is of great natural beauty and a very rich cultural heritage.

Thailand can be an extremely hot and soggy place. Its tropical climate is divided into three seasons:cool in November to February, hot in March to May, and rainy in June to October. The seasons are more extreme in the northern regions, where the dry heat can grow quite intense in late spring and the cool can become cold in the mountains. The rainy season is no detriment to travel in Thailand, as the rains can be cool and refreshing.

Nightlife

Bangkok offers a wide range of entertainment venues, from nightclubs, pubs, bars, cinemas and restaurants (many of which are open air), to massage parlours, pool halls and cocktail lounges. The nightlife is concentrated in two districts of Bangkok – Patpong (between Silom and Surawong roads) and Soi Cowboy (Sukhumvit Road) and every night both areas are thronged with people. Bangkok’s sex industry is as blatant and booming as ever.

Many venues are open all day and late into the night, although bars and clubs are supposed to close at 0200. Sometimes there is an admission fee but this usually includes one or two drinks. The dress code is very relaxed, although a few of the nightclubs do enforce smarter dress. There are no casinos in Thailand as gambling is illegal.

Performances of traditional religious and court dances can be seen at the Thailand Cultural Center and Patravadi Theater in Bangkok. Elsewhere on the mainland, nightlife takes the form of traditional dances. The islands are renowned for their nightlife, and attendance is almost exclusively by foreigners. The full moon parties are notorious and continue well into the following morning.
Performances of the infamous katoeys (lady boys) are worth a visit, with the most famous at the Calypso Cabaret in the Asia Hotel in Bangkok.

Shopping

Thailand is one of the best places in Asia for bargain hunting and visitors will be spoilt for choice with the huge, glitzy shopping malls, department stores, small shops and bustling street markets.
Both Bangkok and Chiang Mai have excellent night markets. Good buys include Thai silks and cottons, leather goods, batiks, silver and gold, pottery with celadon green glaze, precious and semiprecious stones (in particular rubies and sapphires are indigenous to Thailand), pearls, dolls, masks, painted umbrellas, lacquerware, pewterware, bamboo and wood artefacts and bronzeware. The weekend market at Chatuchuk in Bangkok is a regular cornucopia with hundreds of stalls stocking items ranging from genuine antiques to fighting fish. Tailor-made clothes are also good value and can be made in a matter of days, yet the standard is very high.

Duty-free shops are located throughout the country and items can be purchased there and delivered to the airport in time for the departure flight. Value Added Tax (7%) can be refunded on goods bought in shops labelled ’VAT Refund for Tourists’, where there is a minimum transaction of ????2,000 including VAT.
VAT Refund Application for Tourists forms are completed at the time of purchase and it is necessary to show one’s passport.
Cash refunds (minimum ???5,000) can be obtained in the airport departure hall and often the goods purchased must also be shown. Shopping hours:
Mon-Sun 10.00-21.00/22.00.

Getting There by Air

The national airline is Thai Airways (website: www.thaiairways.com).

Departure Tax

??500 for all international departures. Transit passengers and children under two years of age are exempt.

Main Airports

Bangkok International (BKK) (Suvarnabhumi) (website: www.airportthai.co.th) 30km (19 miles) east of the city (journey time – 1 hour). To/from the airport: There are airport express bus routes to the city. There are also regular public bus routes to the city and to the provinces, including Pattaya.
An overhead city rail link is being built and is expected to open by December 2007. Taxis are also available at all hours. Facilities: Left luggage, first aid, chemist, duty-free shop, banks/bureaux de change, restaurants, bars and snack bars, post office, international and local car hire, accommodation reservations, and Internet cafe.

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) (website: www.airportthai.co.th) is 4km (2.5 miles) southwest of the city (journey time – 20 minutes). To/from the airport: Taxi services are available to the city centre. Facilities: International and local car hire companies, banks/bureaux de change, restaurant,
shops and bar.

Phuket International Airport (HKT) (website: www.airportthai.co.th) is 32km (20 miles) northwest of Phuket (journey time – 45 minutes). To/from the airport: Taxis and limousines are available to the city centre. Facilities: Left luggage, duty-free shops, first aid, bureau de change, post office, restaurant and snack bars, international and local car hire companies and tourist information.

Getting There by Water

Main port: Bangkok (website: www.bkp.port.co.th), but there are very limited passenger services available. There are passenger crossings between Thailand and Laos at several points along the Mekong River.
Cruise lines call at Thailand.

Getting There by Rail

State Railways of Thailand operate through trains
(tel: (02) 222 0175; website: www.thailandrailway.com) between Butterworth in Malaysia, with daily connections between elsewhere in Malaysia and Singapore and the borders with Cambodia (at Aranyaprathet) and Laos (at Nong Khai).

The opulent Eastern and Oriental Express
(tel: 0845 077 2222, within the UK; website: www.orient-express.com) runs directly from Bangkok to Singapore, but is expensive.

Getting There by Road

There are international roads from Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos. Roads into Myanmar are not officially open to tourist traffic. Long distance air-conditioned buses travel to border crossing towns and can be arranged at the bus stations or through travel companies.

Money

Currency

Baht (THB; symbol ??) = 100 satang. Notes are in denominations of ?1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of ??10, 5 and 1, and 50 and 25 satang.

Currency Exchange

Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks (which have the best rates), hotels
(which charge high commissions) and, in larger towns, bureaux de change (generally open 08.00-20.00). Outside large towns and tourist areas, notes higher than ??500 may be difficult to exchange, so visitors are advised to carry small change.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted. ATMs are found in all major cities and almost all provincial banks.

Traveller’s Cheques

Accepted by all banks and large hotels and shops. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling.

Banking Hours

Mon-Fri 08.30-15.30.