Thailand Travel Guide
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
The national airline is called Thai Airways International (TG) (Internet: www.thaiair.com). Thai Airways flies twice a day between Frankfurt and Bangkok and daily between Munich and Bangkok. Thai Airways also connects Frankfurt non-stop with Phuket.
There are non-stop connections from Frankfurt with Lufthansa (LH), Condor (DE) and Thai Airways (TG).
Air Berlin (AB) flies from Berlin / Tegel to Abu Dhabi. There are connecting flights from Abu Dhabi to Phuket in codeshare with Etihad Airways (EY). Austrian Airlines (OS)
flies from Viennadirect, from Zurich from Swiss (LX) (direct) and Austrian Airlines (OS) (via Vienna).
Edelweiss Air / Swiss flies directly from Zurich to Phuket.
Emirates flies from Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf via Dubai to Phuket.
Finnair (AY) flies daily from Vienna via Helsinki to Bangkok.
Mahan Air (W5) (Internet: http://www.mahan.aero/) flies from Düsseldorf via Tehran to Bangkok.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flies from Kiev to Bangkok. There are good connections from Geneva and Zurich.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Bangkok: 10 hours 10; Vienna – Bangkok: 10 hours; Zurich – Bangkok: 10 hours 25.
Arrival by car
From Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos it is possible to enter Thailand by land. The Asian Highway connects Thailand with neighboring countries. Four Thai-Laos friendship bridges across the Mekong link Thailand with Laos. The roads to Myanmar are officially not open for tourist travel.
Air-conditioned coaches drive into border cities and can be booked at bus stations or in travel agencies.
Arriving by train
State Railways of Thailand direct trains (Internet: http://www.railway.co.th/) drive from Bangkok to Butterworth in Malaysia, with connections to other cities in Malaysia and Singapore, as well as from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet on the border with Cambodia and to Nong Khai in Laos.
The luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express (Internet: www.orient-express.com) runs from Bangkok to Singapore.
Arrival by ship
Bangkok is the largest international port in Thailand. Small-scale passenger traffic is operated by cargo and passenger shipping companies. Ferry crossings for passengers between Thailand and Laos are possible at several points along the Mekong. Cruise lines that serve
Bangkok and Phuket, among others, include
Princess Cruises (Internet: www.princess.com),
Seabourn (Internet: www.seabourn.com),
Silversea (Internet: www.silversea.com) and
Star Clippers (Internet: www.starclippers.com).
On the way by ship
Depending on the season, there are around 1,600 km of navigable waterways. There is a ferry connection between Thahnon Tok and Nonthaburi, and there are also numerous water taxis. A ferry connects Pattaya with Hua Hin in 1 hour 40 minutes. Ferry connections are limited during the monsoon season, especially from May to October along the east coast and Andaman coast, and November to January on the Gulf Coast.
The best way to explore the sights along the Chao Phraya River, which also flows through Bangkok, is with the Chao Phraya tourist boat (Internet: www.chaophrayaboat.co.th).
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
As a country located in Asia according to extrareference, Thailand has some of the best hotels in Asia; Over 12,000 of the hotel rooms meet international standards. All luxury hotels have a swimming pool and air conditioning, and room service is available around the clock. There are rooms of every price range. Accommodation is cheaper in the Bang’lampoo area. The hotels outside the capital are less luxurious, but extremely cheap. Service and hospitality are very important everywhere. The Thai Hotel Association has a hotel reservation desk at almost all airports and can be reached at the following address: Thai Hotels Association (THA), 203-209 / 3 Rachadamnoen Klang Avenue, Bawonnivet, Bangkok 10200. Tel: (02) 281 94 96. (Internet: www.thaihotels.org).
Camping
Most of the campsites are located in the national parks under the administration of the Ministry of Forestry, otherwise there are also campsites in some holiday areas. In general, camping is not very common as cheap rooms are available everywhere.
Other accommodation options
YMCA / YWCA (YMCA) hostels and small, cheap hotels are available nationwide. Further information from Thai Youth Hostels Association, 25/14 Phitsanulok Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300. Tel: (02) 628 74 13. (Internet: www.tyha.org)
DUTY-FREE SHOPPING
Overview
The following items can be imported into Thailand duty-free (people of all ages with their own passport):
200 cigarettes or 250 g of cigars or tobacco products;
1 liter of alcoholic beverages.
Note: If the goods to be imported exceed a total value of 10,000 BHT per person, they must be declared in writing. A written declaration of gold jewelry is strongly advised to avoid problems when leaving the country. The purchase of counterfeit goods is prohibited.
Export restrictions
An export permit from the Thai Department of Fine Arts is required to export antiques. The export of a small Buddha statue from a new production (wearable around the neck) is allowed without an export permit. The export of Buddha statues and images is otherwise only permitted for religious, cultural and study purposes; approval from the Thai Department of Fine Arts is required.
Prohibited imports
The import of weapons, ammunition, fireworks, counterfeit money, pirated copies, counterfeit branded goods, pirated copies of copyrighted products, as well as the import of products bearing the Thai flag, drugs, narcotics and pornographic products is prohibited.
The importation of vaporizers such as e-cigarettes and refill liquid is prohibited.
Drug possession is punishable by long prison terms or the death penalty.
Export regulations
The export of certain leather products (e.g. elephants, crocodiles, snakes) and ivory are subject to the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species. It is highly recommended that you do your research before purchasing.
