Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Government offices
8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday; some close for lunch (noon to 1pm) while others are open
Saturday (9am to 3pm).
Live-music venues
6pm to 1am; closing times vary due to local enforcement of curfew laws; clubs close during elec-
tions and certain religious public holidays.
Restaurants
8am to 10pm; some local restaurants or those that specialise in morning meals close by 3 pm or 4pm.
Stores
local stores 10am or 11am to 6pm; department stores 10am to 8pm. In some small towns, local stores close on
Sunday.
Photography
Memory cards for digital cameras are widely available in the electronic sections of most shopping malls.
Be considerate when taking photographs of the locals. Learn how to ask politely in Thai and wait for an embarrassed
nod. In some of the regularly visited hill-tribe areas be prepared for the photographed subject to ask for money in ex-
change for a picture. Other hill tribes will not allow you to point a camera at them.
Post
Thailand has a very efficient postal service and local postage is inexpensive. Typical provincial post offices keep the fol-
lowing hours: 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays and 9am to noon on Saturdays. Larger main post offices in provincial capit-
als may also be open for a half-day on Sundays.
Most provincial post offices will sell do-it-yourself packing boxes. Don't send cash or other valuables through the
mail.
Thailand's poste restante service is generally very reliable, though these days few tourists use it. When you receive
mail, you must show your passport and fill out some paperwork.
PRACTICALITIES
»
Bangkok Post
and the
Nation
publish English-language news daily.
»
There are more than 400 AM and FM radio stations; short-wave radios can pick up BBC, VOA, Radio Aus-
tralia, Deutsche Welle and Radio France International.
»
Six VHF TV networks carry Thai programming, plus TrueVision cable with international programming.
»
Thailand follows the international metric system. Gold and silver are weighed in
bàat
(15g).
Public Holidays
Government offices and banks close on public holidays.
1 January
New Year's Day
