Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Time
Thailand's time zone is seven hours ahead of GMT/UTC (London). At government offices and local cinemas, times are
often expressed according to the 24-hour clock, eg 11pm is written '23.00'.
Toilets
Increasingly, the Asian-style squat toilet is less of the norm in Thailand. There are still specimens in rural places, pro-
vincial bus stations, older homes and modest restaurants, but the Western-style toilet is becoming more prevalent and
appears wherever foreign tourists can be found.
If you encounter a squat, here's what you should know. You should straddle the two footpads and face the door. To
flush use the plastic bowl to scoop water out of the adjacent basin and pour into the toilet bowl. Some places supply a
small pack of toilet paper at the entrance (5B); otherwise bring your own stash or wipe the old- fashioned way with wa-
ter.
Even in places where sit-down toilets are installed, the septic system may not be designed to take toilet paper. In
such cases there will be a waste basket where you're supposed 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
The government-operated tourist information and promotion service,
Tourism Authority of Thailand
(TAT;
www.tourismthailand.org
)
, produces excellent pamphlets on sightseeing, accommodation and transport. TAT's head of-
fice is in Bangkok and there are 22 regional offices throughout the country.
TAT also has a number of overseas information offices; check TAT's website for contact information.
Travellers with Disabilities
Thailand presents one large, ongoing obstacle course for the mobility impaired. With its high curbs, uneven footpaths
and nonstop traffic, Bangkok can be particularly difficult. Many streets must be crossed via pedestrian bridges flanked
with steep stairways, while buses and boats don't stop long enough even for the fully abled. Rarely are there any ramps
or other access points for wheelchairs.
A number of more expensive top-end hotels make consistent design efforts to provide disabled access to their prop-
erties. Other deluxe hotels with high employee-to-guest ratios are usually good about accommodating the mobility-im-
paired by providing staff help where building design fails. For the rest, you're pretty much left to your own resources.
Counter to the prevailing trends,
Worldwide Dive & Sail
(
www.sirenfleet.com
) offers live-aboard diving programs
for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Some organisations and publications that offer tips on international travel include the following.
Accessible Journeys
(
www.disabilitytravel.com
)
Mobility International USA
(
www.miusa.org
)
