Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
31 December
New Year's Eve
Safe Travel
Bangkok is a safe city and incidents of violence against tourists are rare. That said, there is a repertoire of well-polished
scams. But don't be spooked; commit the following to memory and you'll most likely enjoy a scam-free visit:
Gem scam
We're begging you, if you aren't a gem trader, then don't buy unset stones in Thailand - period.
Closed today
Ignore any 'friendly' local who tells you that an attraction is closed for a Buddhist holiday or for cleaning.
These are set-ups for trips to a bogus gem sale.
Túk-túk rides for 10B
Say goodbye to your day's itinerary if you climb aboard this ubiquitous scam. These alleged
'tours' bypass all the sights and instead cruise to all the fly-by-night gem and tailor shops that pay commissions.
Flat-fare taxi ride
Flatly refuse any driver who quotes a flat fare (usually between 100B and 150B for in-town destina-
tions), which will usually be three times more expensive than the reasonable meter rate. Walking beyond the tourist area
will usually help in finding an honest driver. If the driver has 'forgotten' to put the meter on, just say, 'Meter, kha/khap'.
Friendly strangers
Be wary of smartly dressed men who approach you asking where you're from and where you're go-
ing. Their opening gambit is usually followed with: 'Ah, my son/daughter is studying at university in (your city)' - they
seem to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of major universities. As the tourist authorities here pointed out, this sort of
behaviour is out of character for Thais and should be treated with suspicion.
Taxes & Refunds
»
Thailand has a 7% value-added tax (VAT) on many goods and services. Midrange and top-end hotels and restaur-
ants might also add a 10% service tax. When the two are combined this becomes the 17% king hit known as 'plus plus',
or '++'.
»
You can get a refund on VAT paid on shopping, though not on food or hotels, as you leave the country (
Click
here
).
Telephone
Domestic & International Calling
»
Inside Thailand you must dial the area code no matter where you are. In effect, that means all numbers are nine di-
gits; in Bangkok they begin with 02, then a seven-digit number. The only time you drop the initial 0 is when
you're calling from outside Thailand. Calling the provinces will usually involve a three-digit code beginning with
0,
then a six-digit number.
