Population and Language
Estimated population of 60 million with some 80% belonging to a general Thai group,
others include Chinese, Malay, Khymer and a small number of expatriates. Over 92% of the
population speaks Thai or one of it’s regional variations.
Geography
511,770 km2 of total land area Thailand is about the size of France or
Texas. Shares border with (Myanmar) Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.
Climate
Generally there are three seasons in Thailand with temperatures in the north being the
coolest during winter while the South has more monsoon rain.
Cool / Dry: Nov - Feb
Hot: Feb - April
Rainy: April - Oct
See the separate climate section for
 further details.
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Entry Formalities
Visitors must hold an international passport with at least six months validity.
Most
visitors from ASEAN or Western countries are entitled to stay 30 days before a visa is
required. Please check with your nearest Thai Embassy for the latest information.
Alternatively you may try your nearest Tourist Authority of Thailand
office.
Customs Allowance
200 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits.
Departure Tax
700 Baht (US$20) for international flights. Vending machines at
airports or a booth will issue the voucher. This tax must be paid
before you check in. Domestic flight departure tax
is generally included in the ticket.
Currency
Thai Baht which freely floats against major currencies and is usually between 35 - 50
to the US$.
Latest rates
Tipping
Hotels and large restaurants charge 10%, otherwise it is not compulsory. 5 - 10 %
gratuity is expected.
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Electricity and Water
220 V's which is compatible with the U.K. system. Visitors from the U.S. will have to
bring in adapters to run their appliances. Thailand uses two or three
pronged plugs. Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled water
is easily found. Ice is best avoided in small stalls or road-side cafe's.
Telephone
Public phones cost 1 Baht per minute for a local call and up to 18 Baht per minute for
internal long distance. Phone cards are widely available. Call back services and long
distance calls are available at different locations as are credit card
phones. You may buy a mobile phone and number at
many shops across the country and top up cards are easily available.
Phone codes
Office and Banking Hours
Most offices open between 08:30 - 17:00 with a lunch hour between 12:00 - 13:00. Public
offices and banks close at everyday at 15:30 and at weekends Post offices are open until
12:00 on Saturdays.
Visitors Information
Can be sought directly from Gem Travel concerning different specialist trips or,
simply, general information.
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