Tourist Information
Thailand & Phuket
About Thailand
The kingdom of Thailand attracts more
tourists than any other nation in South East Asia. Some say it's the
outstanding natural beauty, warm seas and fine beaches that are its
main attractions. Others would argue that the main attractions are
its fascinating culture and religion, inspirational temples, and
ancient ruined civilisations. Still others come for more basic
pleasures that Thailand satisfies - spicy and tasty food, low cost
living, friendly people, lively nightlife and plentiful smiles.
Whatever type of person you are there is something for you in
Thailand

The main land mass of
central, north and east Thailand is landlocked and surrounded by
Cambodia, Burma (Myanmar) and Laos. However, it's the narrow
southern peninsula running down to Malaysia that provides some
spectacular adventure opportunities. Both the Andaman Sea to the
west and the Gulf of Thailand to the east are liberally sprinkled
with picturesque island tourist destinations and marine parks, but
it's the Andaman Sea, and in particular the Similan Islands, that's
the jewel in the crown when you want the best liveaboard charter
diving.
Thailand's territory
stretches from the eastern border with Cambodia, to the western
border with Burma, and then south to Malaysia. The riches that these
oceans behold are a delight to those of us that have had the
pleasure to dive here. Furthermore, the Kingdom is blessed with a
remarkable history and culture, friendly natives who offer friendly
service, beautiful national parks, a wide range of accommodation
possibilities at every price level and some of the most delicious
and extraordinary food and exotic tropical fruits in the world.
Often referred to as the "Land of a
Thousand Smiles," Thailand is a joyous country in which to travel or
work. One of the first Thai phrases travellers learn is “Mai pen rai”
which literally translates to "it is nothing." It also is used in
the same ways that "never mind" or "that's OK" are used in English.
However, Mai pen rai is more than that, it is almost a philosophy
that teaches one to hide problems and keep one's "public face"
smiling and happy. For the visitor this attitude creates of feeling
of burdens lifted. It makes you feel satisfied, content and
cheerful. While exploring the country you'll feel carefree,
light-hearted and safe-you'll feel Mai pen rai. Is it any wonder so
many of us expatriates have decided to stay, or any wonder that
people visit Thailand time and time again?
The People of
Thailand 62 million people live here,
with approximately a quarter of those living in the greater Bangkok
area. There are several small minority ethnic groups such as Mon,
Karen and Khmer, mainly in the north but 75% of the population are
Thai descent, with the rest made up of predominantly Chinese then
Malay.
96% of the people are
Buddhist with the remaining 4% being mainly southern Muslims. The
national language and script is Thai, but there are several regional
dialects.
Climate
Thailand has a hot and humid,
tropical climate throughout the year, though it can get chilly in
the mountainous north. The dry and cool season runs from November to
February. March to May is also dry but very hot, except in the
south. The wettest month in rainy season tends to be October
throughout the country.
You can dive in
Thailand all year round, though the best diving is between November
and early May. Some dive sites in the Andaman Sea are not available
in the rainy season due to strong winds. At that time there are also
only a limited number of diving cruise charters in Thailand. Check
our dive site descriptions for detailed diving seasons.
Health
Thailand is a malarial area, but most
urban areas and Phuket, Similan Islands, Krabi and Phi Phi are
mainly malaria-free. Dengue Fever, however, is prevalent, as is
Rabies.
Common but avoidable
health concerns are contaminated food, water and ice that can lead
to diarrhoea, dehydration and hepatitis A or E. Make sure you drink
only bottled drinking water. Fungal infections are also very common.
Wear loose clothes, wash frequently, and dry yourself
carefully.Self-diagnosis and treatment of any medical problem can be
risky, so you should always seek medical help.
Tourist Visas
Visitors from most Western Countries
including Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and South
Africa are granted a 30 day stay on arrival. Some other nationals
are required to produce a tourist visa before arrival and you should
contact a local Thai embassy or consulate for details. We recommend
obtaining a tourist visa from your local Thai Embassy or consulate
before arriving as this give you better options should you decide to
stay after the initial period as on-arrival visa holders can only
stay for 90 days in a 6 month period.
Time Zones
There is only one time zone in
Thailand: +6 / +7 hrs GMT depending on BST
Business Hours
Banking hours are 08:30 until 15:30,
Monday to Friday. Many shop stores are open 12 hours a day, every
day.
Electricity
Thai electricity is 220 volts AC at
50 cycles. Several different plugs and sockets are in use, so
travellers will need to be aware of this when using shavers, CD
players or other appliances that require power mains. Plug adapter
kits are available. There are occasional blackouts and power
variations, especially during rainy season.
Internet
Available in Internet Cafes / shops in all the main tourist areas
and for the Laptop owners with WiFi cards you can normally pickup a
free or cheaply priced connection
Photographic
Facilities and Food Most popular
brands and types of film are widely available in Thailand. It is
advisable to bring any special photographic equipment or film from
home as supplies may be limited here. Film processing is widely
available in all tourist areas.
Postal Services
Post offices are open from 09:00
until 15:30 hrs. Thai postal services are be unreliable. Important
items can be sent by express mail service (EMS) from the mainland.
This is faster and safer but the cost is higher. Private air
couriers like DHL and UPS also have representatives on Phuket.
Telephone Services
International calls can be made from most major hotels and some
travel agents. For International Direct Dialling dial 001 + country
code + area code + phone number.
E-mail Services
There are many internet cafes in the
tourist locations, but connection speeds are still slow in this
easy-livin' backwater village paradise of Thailand.
Codes of Behaviour
Thai's are flexible in nature and
understand very well, that foreigners do not know their code of
behaviour. Mostly they are too polite to complain about ignorance.
But if you'd like to be respected, it is important to show proper
behaviour, most importantly to show respect for the monarchy. Thai
people are very fond of and loyal to their king and queen and the
whole royal family.
Their religion should
be respected as well. Temples, Buddha, statues, and monks (it is not
allowed for a woman to touch a monk, for example) are to be revered.
Buddhist and Chinese shrines are open to foreigners but you should
dress appropriately when visiting. Shorts and sleeveless shirts are
discouraged. A non-Muslim can enter a mosque during prayer time.
Hilltop houses have
special spirit houses, which are closed to outsiders; entering them
will violate their sanctity.Thai's are amenable to being
photographed but, if in doubt, ask first. Monks can be photographed
and Buddhist ceremonies too. Thais regard the feet of lower stature
so do not point them at others or step over those seated or lying.
Remove your shoes before entering a Thai temple or house. Likewise,
the head is of high stature and is not supposed to be touched or
slapped.
Tipping and
bargaining
Although tipping is not expected or required, its common practise
to leave the coin change from your bill, when you receive good
service, particularly as salaries are low. Most restaurants, bars,
supermarkets, department stores, pharmacies, public transport
(except taxis and tuk-tuks), and larger hotels do not offer
discounts. On the other hand, nearly any independent small
businesses, from jewellery stores to street vendors, are open to
bargaining
If you decide to
bargain, understand that you should, above all, do it in a
light-hearted non-confrontational manner, preferably with a big
smile. When bargaining, Thais will normally drop their original
asking price to a lower price very quickly but will then become
irritable after more than a few minutes of further haggling! If you
really feel that you are not getting value-for-money, then better to
show that you are willing to walk away and maybe return later!
Clothing
Thailand is a
country in the tropical region, so light, loose cotton clothing is
recommended. When exploring the night-life, tight dresses, short
shorts, and miniskirts are no problem. On the other hand, naked
sunbathing or topless appearance in public places is considered
offensive, more especially when you are outside of the tourist
resort areas.
Criminality
Thailand is one of
the friendliest and safest travel destinations in the world Your
personal safety is well taken care of in Phuket and the tourist
police demonstrate a polite and competent attitude all round. By
travelling with confidence, being aware and showing the proper
caution, you will surely enjoy your stay. Travellers should be aware,
as in the rest of the world, pickpockets and con artists are more
likely to be found in crowded areas such as tourist spots, buses,
trains and train stations, festivals, and marine harbours — so keep
a watchful eye on your valuables in these places.
Officials
If you are involved
in an incident then respect for the police is a must. Insults, loud
or aggressive speech, or, indeed any expression of anger, will
invoke much embarrassment and even less cooperation, so you must
avoid this at all times, guilty or not.
Thai police officers
have much greater powers of action than their European counterparts
and will not accept disrespectful behaviour. Common offences such as
not wearing a helmet will get you a 300 B fine. Parking on the wrong
side of the road will get your bike or car chained up and another
fine. The trick is to know which side of the road to park on. Just
look to see where everyone else has parked and park on that side of
the road. Police corruption is widespread throughout the country,
and buying off offences is common. Don't expect justice to take
place naturally. If you feel that you're been being treated unfairly
then stand your ground, remain cool at all times, make a show of
recording the officer's registration number, and insist on seeing a
superior officer
Kata & Karon Beaches
Located immediately south of Karon is Kata Beach and Kata Noi, which
are both beautiful and quiet beaches. Crystal clear waters and a
wide choice of recreation together with lots of elbow room are the
highlights of the Kata area. There is a reef on the North of Kata
beach which is great for relaxing, convenient
beach dives Koh Po, (Turtle Island) the small island off the north end
has a lively coral reef that offers excellent sights of the local
marine life.
Only 3 minutes by
drive from Kata Beach lies Karon Beach, a very similar beach to Kata
and another world away from Phuket's party town Patong. This
beautiful, four kilometre stretch of white sand is seldom crowded
even in high season. This makes Karon Beach a good choice for a more
peaceful style of vacation, with fine resorts near the beach with
magnificent views on the hills overlooking the bay.
On both beaches from
May to October there can be rip currents so look out for warning
flags. The waves at this time of year on Kata and Karon Beaches can
become big enough for surfing, Kata has been the home of the Phuket
Surfing Competitions for the last few years. The southern end of
Kata Beach has the most surf activity and there are surfboards for
hire.
Other beaches of note
are Kamala, Surin and Laem Sing to the north of Patong, and Nai harn
and Yanui further to the south. These beaches are great destinations
for those heading away from the main resort areas of Phuket. We have
a special beach that we take our best
Patong Beach
Not too many years ago, Patong Beach was a remote island village.
Today it's Phuket's most famous tourist beach and one of the most
developed beach resort areas in South East Asia. Located 15 kilometres
west of Phuket Town and almost 3 kilometres long, Patong has a white
sand beach and is set in a deep oval bay, ringed by lush green
hills. Behind the beach
promenade, the coast line is almost solidly lined with hotels,
ranging from simple guesthouses to luxury international resorts
together with other services such as restaurants, shops, banks and
tour operators.
At night, this is the
centre of all nightlife activity on Phuket. It centres around the
main east-west street of Soi Bangla, and here you'll find
restaurants, discos, go-go bars and beer bars. This contrast with
the daytime where there's a real cosmopolitan atmosphere as you
stroll down the beachfront seeing and hearing people from all over
the world. Patong Beach is a
public beach and there are no closed or reserved areas for any of
the resorts. The beach chairs and umbrellas, however, are rented
from private vendors for a small fee. Many other services are
available on the beach such as traditional Thai massage, hair
braiding, soft drinks, ice cream, and fruit salad.
Patong Beach is the
centre of all nightlife and the sex tourism industry in Phuket.
Located around Soi Bangla are over 200 bars, pubs and go-go bars,
with hundreds of 'bar girls' or prostitutes in attendance. They give
the town its unique flavour of a raucous, lively and fun place until
long after the sun goes down. If it's your first visit to Thailand,
you may be wondering why every bar has 10 or 20 beautiful ladies
serving you drinks. Surely, they are just a little over-staffed?!
Families and couples might prefer one of the quieter beaches...
At the south end of
the beach, you can hire a long-tail boat for transportation to the
neighbour beaches like Freedom Beach or just to have a great view of
the town. A full range of water sports are available here, like jet
skiing and parasailing. If you seek an adrenaline rush, this is the
right place for sure.
Climate
Phuket's climate is
tropical and warm throughout the year. The northeast monsoon
from November into March is wonderful, with breezy clear days and
fragrant cool nights. From November to April, Phuket has an average
26 sunny days per month.
Tourist High
Season is from November to April. However, it's best to avoid
December and January if possible, as this is Peak Season, when
accommodation can be hard to find and is expensive, and Phuket's
dive sites are very crowded, particularly the Similan Islands and
Richelieu Rock. Diving charters are often fully booked.
There are two very
hot periods of weather on the island, the first between April and
May when the average temperatures range from 30 to 36°C and only the
occasional tropical thunderstorm brings relief from the heat. It is
also very hot between September and October but the frequent
rainfall has a wonderful cooling effect.
The southwest
monsoon, from May to October, brings rain and winds to the west
coast of southern Thailand, but there are still 20 sunny days per
month. Most often it's only a cool, late afternoon shower, but there
can be rainy days.
Seas can be quite
rough during this season and diving day trip rides from Phuket will
be a little rougher. Swimmers should be careful, whilst these waves
are sought out by a growing number of surfers and other water sports
enthusiasts on the windward Andaman coast.
Pattaya:
Thailand's fun city along frequently referred
to as "Southeast Asia's Fun Resort", Pattaya is located just a short
two hour drive from Bangkok. Pattaya, a weekend escape for those
living a chaotic life in the capital, her dive sites stretch from
Pattaya Bay to the border of Cambodia. Although mainly a popular
place in Thailand for diving instruction, the waters around Pattaya
can offer the experienced diver the opportunity to dive on
shipwrecks, an activity sadly lacking in other locations around the
country. From pleasant diving during the day, to the exotic and
frantic bar and entertainment scene at night, Pattaya is the most
comprehensive resort in Thailand and attracts a wide variety of
visitors from all over the world.
Safety
Thailand is a safe place for tourists to travel, with an an
established touri`st industry and infrastructure and a reputation
for safe travel, even for single females, hence its popularity with
young travellers. Bangkok Airport correctly boasts of being the
gateway to Asia and since millions pass through the country each
year, the authorities value tourism as central to the nation's
prosperity. It is little wonder, in the current climate, that the
authorities do all they can to maintain the reputation that Thailand
has gained as a safe and rewarding destination (including covering
up potentially damaging events such as chicken flu!).
The Thai government
is seen as one of the most pro-active in the prevention of terrorism
and most visitors encounter no problems whatsoever. Furthermore,
their intelligence network has ensnared operatives from illegal
organisations who had wrongly considered the country to be a safe
place from which to conduct their affairs.
There is a national
network of tourist police whose job it is to prevent any potential
problems by ridding areas of known troublemakers as well as being
your first port of call should anything go wrong. This and the
heightened level of security in recent times means that it has never
been safer to travel here.
Its rare to hear
about tourists that have experienced threats of any kind One
note of caution concerns the drugs industry. 1000s of suspected drug
dealers have been killed by the authorities over recent years. The
current policy seems to be 'shoot first, ask questions later', as
none of these state-sponsored murders have been presented to court.
Involve yourself in drugs at your peril!
The usual travel
advice should be heeded however, but as long as you avoid entering
into any bogus jewellery deals or falling in love with a local who
suddenly has a family emergency remediable only with hard cash, you
should be fine. The general sense that tourists get from visiting
the country is one of warmth, hospitality and cultural richness.
Blindly following all warnings issued by authorities these days, we
sometimes wonder how people ever leave their homes!
For
up-to-the-minute information on latest news, views and travel tips,
try
Thailand Travel Forum
- We are featured on this discussion / bulletin board and
information resource site, or
Guide To Thailand.
For information specific to Phuket, you can try
Phuket Info
or
Phuket Delight.
Phuket, how to get
here The
island is located in the south west of Thailand, on the Andaman Sea
coast of the Thai - Myanmar - Malay peninsula. Phuket International
Airport has direct flights to and from Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia,
Singapore, Hong Kong, and Bangkok - Thailand. Flights from Bangkok
with Air Asia (www.AirAsia.com), Thai Airways (www.ThaiAir.com) and
Bangkok Airways (www.BangkokAir.com) are daily, almost hourly, and
take just over one hour. Return flights cost around $130 USD
The airport is about
40 kilometres from Patong Beach, and a 45 minute taxi journey. We
can arrange airport transfers for you from US$ 20 one way, You can
get to Phuket via bus from Samui and Bangkok but be warned its slow
!
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