Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TIME
Thailand's time zone is seven hours ahead of GMT/UTC (London).
TOILETS
Increasingly the Asian-style squat toilet is less of the norm in Thailand. There are still
specimens in rural places, but the Western-style toilet is becoming more prevalent and ap-
pears wherever foreign tourists can be found.
Even in places where sit-down toilets are installed, the septic system may not be de-
signed to take toilet paper. In such cases there will be a waste basket where you're sup-
posed to place used toilet paper and feminine hygiene products. Some modern toilets also
come with a small spray hose - Thailand's version of the bidet.
TOURIST INFORMATION
throughout the country. Most staff speak English. Check TAT's website for a list of over-
seas offices, plus plenty of tourism information.
VISAS
In the past five years there have been new rules nearly every year regarding visa exten-
Citizens of 41 countries (including most European countries, Australia, New Zealand
and the USA) can enter Thailand at no charge. These citizens are issued a 30-day visa if
they arrive by air or 15 days by land.
If you need more time in the country, apply for a 60-day tourist visa prior to arrival at a
Thai embassy or consulate abroad. Rules enacted in 2011 state that hotel reservation and
documentation of return flight are required for this, but the consensus at writing time is
that these rules weren't being enforced across the board.
If you overstay your visa, the penalty is 500B per day, with a 20,000B limit; fines can
be paid at any official exit point or at the Bangkok immigration office.
You can extend your stay, for the normal fee of 1900B, at an immigration office. Those
issued with a standard stay of 15 or 30 days can extend their stay for seven to 10 days (de-
pending on the immigration office), if the extension is handled before the visa expires.
The 60-day tourist visa can be extended by up to 30 days at the discretion of Thai immig-
ration authorities.
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