Thais are a convivial race. After work or during weekends or on public holidays, They love going to places for re-creation or participating in leisure activities. The capital has a wealth of entertainment places: boxing stadiums, race and golf courses, tennis and squash courts, billiard halls, nightclubs, gourmet restaurants, discotheques, concert halls, teahouses, cocktail lounges, amusement parks, bars, museums, theatres, art galleries, traditional Thai massage centres, zoological gardens and cinemas lure pleasure seekers throughout the year.

THAI DANCE
Thai classical dance is considered one of the most graceful forms of artistic expression. Dancers wear beautiful, brightly-coloured costumes fully decorated with jewels. They do not speak but use eye contact and body movements, particularly hands and fingers, to convey messages, and to indicate subtle changes of mood and feeling. Themes of the dance drama are based on the ancient Hindu Ramayana epic (widely known as Ramakien in Thailand) which depicts the fight between King Rama (a reincarnation of Vishnu) and Demon King Ravana.

The dance is accompanied by percussion instruments and Pi Phat, a type of woodwind. Two of the most popular classical dances are the Khon, performed by men wearing ferocious masks, and the Lakhon, performed by women who play both male and female roles. Originally, dance performances could last for days. In modern times, only a few selected scenes are presented at dinner shows (Khan Toke). There are also other styles of Thai dance, ranging from simple, regional folk dances to elegant palace dances. These are usually performed in revue during Khan Toke dinners with several small pieces from each style. Many hotels and restaurants in Bangkok offer a classical dance show with dinner. The traditional dance performances are also regularly held at the National Theatre (near Sanam Luang ) on weekends.

THEATRE
Theatrical events in Bangkok include Thai dance, concerts, music performance and puppet performances, English and Thai-language dramas, concerts by visiting international artists, musical performances and, occasionally, imported mimes and plays. Visitors are advised to consult the English-language newspapers, particularly the weekly of daily calendar of events, to ascertain the times and dates of current performances.

Major theatrical venues include:
Thailand’s National Theatre, adjacent to the National Museum at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang. The theatre is the venue for concerts and Thai classical drama performances. Weekend performances of Thai dance dramas are periodically staged.

Other venues that stage theatrical and musical performances include the Thailand cultural Centre on Ratchadaphisek Road, The Alliance Francaise Auditorium on south Sathon Road, the AUA Language Centre Auditorium on Ratchadamri Road, the British council Centre in Siam Square and the Goethe Institute on Soi Attakarnprasit, off south Sathon Road.

The Siam Intercontinental Hotel periodically stages British plays, mostly comedies, from London’s West end, featuring accomplished British actors.

TRADITIONAL THAI MASSAGE
Courses are taught principally at Bangkok’s Wat Pho, home of traditional Thai massage and where most of the city’s masseurs are trained, Thai massage is also offered in Wat Mahathat and Wat parinayok, both in Bangkok. There are many tradition Thai massage centres in and around Bangkok that offer various forms of traditional massage, including oil, foot and scalp massage.

SPAS AND BEAUTY TREATMENTS
Some of the finest spas in the world are found in Thailand. Thailand’s spas offer visitors exquisite surroundings, magnificent gardens and holistic philosophy. Treatments range from ancient eastern healing and relaxation techniques to European rejuvenation therapies. Several leading hotels in Thailand offer such services. City spas offer basic treatments while spas in Hua Hin, on Ko Samui, Phuket and other southern islands offer full programmes. Beauty treatments including facials and skin treatments are becoming more and more popular, and there are many places in Bangkok where visitors can have a facial treatment at a very affordable rate.

PARKS AND GARDENS
Bangkok’s parks and gardens offer a welcome respite from the heat and noise of the city. They include:
Lumphini Park at the northern end of Silom Road, and bordered by Wireless and Ratchadamri Roads. Lumphini Park is popular with offers, keep-fit enthusiasts, families and sports people, particularly during the early morning and late afternoon. It is also a nice place for an afternoon picnic in the cool season when concerts are performed in the park.

Chatuchak Park near the Phahonyothin and Viphavadi Rangsit Highway junction at lad Phroa, on the way to Bangkok International Airport, is also the site of a famous weekend market that sells almost everything made and grown in Thailand.

Khao din Zoological Garden is an artfully landscaped enclave with an artificial lake. The zoo neighbours Ratchadamnoen Avenue’s Poyal Plaza and the National Assembly Building, and contains a fine collection of African and Asian mammals, reptiles and birds.

King Rama IX Park (Suan Luang Garden) is an extensive park with botanical gardens and located deep inside Sukhumvit Soi 103 in Bangkok’s eastern public donations in 1987 to celebrate H.M. King Bhumibol ‘s auspicious 60th birthday.

Sanam Luang
This huge public ground is in front of font of the Grand Palace. Special activities or events such as the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in May, King’s Birthday celebration in December and the New Year Festival ordinarily take place here.

At he northern end of Sanam Luang, Opposite the Royal Hotel is a small statue of house of the Goddess of the Earth, built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) to provide public drinking water.

Pasteur Institute (Snake Farm)
This interesting spot is located on the corner of Henri Dunant Road and Rama IV road west of Chulalongkorn Hospital. It is a section of the Thai Red Cross Society, where one can have an inoculation against cholera, small pox, typhoid as well as rabies. The institute has become a popular tourist attraction because of its large collection of live poisonous snakes.

The Snake Farm is open to the public everyday between 8.30 am. And 4.30 p.m. on weekdays and 8.30 am.-12.00 noon on public holidays. The extraction of venom from the snakes is demonstrated daily at 10.30 am and 2.00 p.m. on weekdays and at 10.30 am on public holidays. An admission fee of 70 Baht is required.

AMUSEMENT AND THEME PARKS
Siam Water Park
Siam Water Park, in merely a 30-minute drive from the Lat Phrao flyover, is located in Munburi. District The park features an extensive man-made sea with artificial surf, whirlpools, fountains and towering water slides amid carefully landscaped gardens. Satellite attractions includechildrens playgrounds, aviaries, open zoo and botanical gardens.

The complex is open daily from 10:0 to 18:00 hours (weekdays) and 09’00 to 19’00 hours (weekends). Admission fee is 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children.

Safari World
The adjacent Safari World feature’s collection of African and Asian mammals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras and bears that live in natural surroundings. The sprawling complex also contains Asia’s largest aviary with over 4,000 birds.

Situated on wasteland at 99 Thanon Ram Inthra 1, at kilometre 9, Safari World is divided into two parts. The first part is Safari Park, an open zoo with wild animals like zebra, deer, giraffe, tiger lion, bear, bird and so forth. Tourists may take a drive in this area, using private cars or taking guided tours, which can be arranged upon request, to observe the animals living in a natural environment. The second part is the Marine Park and water garden where there is a wide variety of marine animals and other rare animals, including shows of trained dolphin, bird, seal and monkey. In addition there are many restaurants and game stalls for throwing darts, loops, shooting, etc. There is a tram to take tourists on a tour around the Marine Park.

Dream World
{add dreamworld.jpg} Located at kilometre 7 on Rangsit- Ongkharak Road, Thanyaburi District of Pathumthani Province, Dream World has within its compound a Fantasy land and a wide variety of amusement machines and games. It is open during weekday from 09:30 to 17:00 hours and 09:30 and 19:00 during weekends and official holidays.

Admission fees plus fee for stage entertainment for adults and children are 95 Baht and 80 Baht respectively.

NIGHT LIFE
{add nightlife2.jpg} Thailand’s English-language newspapers carry daily listings of concerts, exhibitions, displays and cinematic offerings. Complimentary weekly tourist publications such as This Week, Explore Pattaya, etc., contain additional information with emphasis on dining and nightlife attractions. Beer bars, cocktail lounges and pubs are mostly concentrated in the Sukhumvit, New Phetchaburi and Silom Road areas. Metro magazine, available in most bookstores and hotel kiosks, also offers a great many listings for visitors and locals, highlighting popular restaurants, movies, bars and nightclubs and more.

Phat Phong & Sukhumvit
Probable the most popular night – life spot in the city, located between Thanon Silom and Thanon Surawong, the Phat Phong area is full of a-go-go bars and beers bars. There are also exciting Thai boxing (Muay Thai) bouts in the three short street comprising Phat Phong.

In Sukhumvit area, there are another two popular night – life spots: Nana Entertainment Plaza (or N.E.P.) in Sukhumvit Soi 4 and Soi Cowboy which is Located between Sukhumvit Soi 21 and 23.

Pubs and Jazz Clubs
If you like to sip a drink while listening to music, there are plenty of places for such activities, such as Renoir at Sukhumvit Soi 33 or Brown Sugar and Round Midnight in Soi Sarasin, Soi lang Suan area. For dancing, you can visit Royal City Avenue which is known as RCA among the teenagers who frequent visit the area. This is there you find Thai yuppies listening to non-stop CD music. More jazz can be found at Saxophone at The Voctory Mounument; Bobby’s Arms in Phat Phong; Witch’s Tavern in Sukhumvit 55 and Blue Moon at Gaysorn Plaza. Other places for good music are the many first- class hotels in Bangkok.

Discotheques
For those who are crazy about the beat and not content to just listen or look there is Peppermint Bistro in Patpong I, and Rome Club at Patpong III and some discotheques around Rachadaphisek Road such as in Capital City. For disco dancing there is Bubbles at the Dusit Thani Hotel, The Party House at Rama IX and Taurus at Sukhumvit Soi 22, all open from 22:00 to 02:00 hours.

Entertainment Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Thai silk, cotton, nielloware, silverware, bronzeware, pottery and celadon, pewter, precious stones, finished jewelry and a dazzling range of folk handicrafts make memorable gifts and souvenirs. International standard ready-made sportswear and leisurewear is inexpensive and quality tailors and dressmakers offer reliable 24-hour service in Bangkok and major tourist destinations.

Textiles
Fabric is possibly the best all-round buy in Thailand. Thai silk is considered the best in world- the coarse weave and soft texture of the silk means it is more easily dyed than harder, smoother silks, resulting in brighter coulours and a unique lustre. Silks, can be purchased cheaply in the North and North – East where it is made or, more easily, in Bangkok. Excellent and reasonably priced tailor ships can make you choice of fabric into almost any pattern. A Thai silk suit should cost around 400 to 6,500 Baht. Chinese silk is available at about half the cost – “washed” Chinese silk makes inexpensive, comfortable shirts or blouses.

Cottons are also a good deal – common items like the phaakhamaa (reputed to have over a hundred uses in Thailand) and the phaasin (the slightly larger female equivalent) make great tablecloths and curtains. Good ready- made cotton shirts are available, such as the maw hawn (Thai work shirt) and the kuay haeng (Chinese -style shirt). See the sections on Pasang in the Northern Thailand chapter and Ko Yo in the Southern Thailand chapter for places to see cotton-weaving.

In recent years, cotton-weaving has become very popular in the North-East and there are fabulous finds in Nong Khai, Poi-Et, Khon Kaen and Mahasarakham. The mawn khwaan, a hard, triangle-shaped pillow made in the North-East, makes a good souvenir and comes in many sizes. The North – East is also famous for its mat-mii cloth, thick cotton or silk fabric woven from tie-dyed threads – similar to Indonesia’s ikat fabrics.

In the North you can find Lanna-style textiles based on intricate Thai Lu patterns from Nan, Laos and China’s Sipsongpanna (Xishuangbanna).

Fairly nice batik (pa-te) is available in the South in patterns that are more similar to the batik found in Malaysia than in Indonesia.

Clothing
Tailor-made and ready-made clothes are relatively inexpensive. If you’re not particular about style you could pick up an entire wardrobe of travelling clothes at one of Bangkok’s may street market (e.g. Pratunam) for what you’d pay for one designer shirt in New York or Paris.

You’re more likely to get a good fit if you resort to a tailor but be wary of the quickie made of inferior fabric or the poor tailoring means the arms start falling off after three weeks wear. It’s best to ask Thai or longtime foreign resident for a tailor recommendation and then go for two or three fittings.

Shoulder Bags
Thai shoulder bags (yaam) are generally quite well made. They come in many varieties, somewoven by hill tribes, other by Northern Thai cottage industry. The best are made by the Lahu hill tribes, whom the Thais call “Musoe”. The weaving is more skiful and the bags tend to last longer than those made by other tribes. For an extra-large yaam, the Karen-made bag is a good choice, and is easy to find in the Mae Sot and Mae Hong Son areas. These days many hill tribes are copying patterns from tribes other than their own.

Overall, Chiang Mai has the best selection of standard shoulder bags, but Bangkok has the best prices – try the Indian district, Pahurat, for these as well as anything else made of cloth. Roi-Et and Mahasarakham in the North-East are also good hunting grounds for locally made shoulder bags. Prices range from 50 Baht for a cheaply made bag to 200B for something special.

Antiques
Real antiques cannot be taken out of Thailand without a permit from the Fine Arts Department. No Buddha image, new or old, may be exported without permission – again, refer to the Fine Arts Department, or, in some cases, the Department of Religious Affairs, under the Ministry of Education. Too many private collectors smuggling and hoarding Siamese art (Buddhas in particular) around the world have led to strict controls.

Chinese and Thai antiques are sold in Bangkok’s Chinatown in two areas: Wang Burapha (the streets which have Chinese “gates” over the entrance) and Nakhon Kasem. Some antiques (and many fakes) are sold at the Weekend Market in Chatuchak Park. Objects for sale in the tourist antique shops are fantastically overpriced, as can be expected. In recent years Northern Thailand has become a good source of Thai antiques – prices are about half what you’d typically pay in Bangkok.

Jewellery
Thailand is one of the world’s largest exporters of gems and ornaments, rivalled only by India and Sri Lanka. The International Colorstones Association (ICA) relocated from Los Angeles to Bangkok’s Chan Issara Tower a few years ago, and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has established a bourse in Bangkok – two events that recognize that Thailand has become the world trade and production centre for precious stones. The biggest importers of Thai jewellery are the USA, Japan and Switzerland.

Although rough stone sources in Thailand itself have decreased dramatically, stones are now imported from Australia, Sri Lanka and other countries to be cut, polished and traded here. There are over 30 diamond-cutting houses in Bangkok alone. One of the results of this remarkable growth of the gem industry – in Thailand the gem trade has increased nearly 10% every year for the last 15 years – is that the prices are rising rapidly.

If you know what you are doing you can make some really good buys in both unset gems and finished jewellery. Gold ornaments are sold at a good rate as labour costs are low. The best bargains in gems are jade, rubies and sapphires. Buy from reputable dealers only, unless you’re a gemologist.

The biggest gem centres in Thailand are Kanchanaburi – these areas are where the Bangkok dealers go to buy their stones. The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (Tel. (02) 513-2112; fax 236-7803), 484 Ratchadaphisek Rd. (off Lat Phrao Rd. in the Huay Khwang district, north-east Bangkok), offers short-term courses in gemology as well as tours of gem mines for those interested. You can bring gems here for inspection but they don’t assess value, only authenticity and grading.

The Jewel Fest Club
Jewellery and gemstones from Thailand are favourite items for many visitors to the Kingdom. Their beauty, quality craftsmanship and reasonable prices have earned Thai precious and semi-precious stones an unmatched reputation worldwide.

Occasionally, however, visitors encounter unethical jewelers who sell jewelry at unreasonable prices. With the cooperation of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Jewel Fest Club was established, bringing together 46 leading jewelry manufacturers and wholesalers. The club’s aim is to offer quality products at reasonable prices with a money-back guarantee if buyers are not completely satisfied with their purchases. Retail outlets bear the emblem featured here for ready identification.

When you purchase an item of jewellery from a store that is clearly identified as a member of the Jewel Fest Club, your purchase will be duly recorded and a certificate detailing your purchase will be issued. Not only does this certificate of authenticity clearly state the nature and price of your purchase, it also guarantees your refund should you wish to return the purchase, cut by 10 % it you return the merchandise to the point of sale within 30 days, and by 20 % after 30 days but within 45 days of purchase.

For more details about the club and the benefits offered, contact Tel: (66-2) 235-339,(66-2)267-5233-7 Fax : (66-2) 267-5238,(66-2) 235-3040

Gemopolis
As the name suggests, Gemopolis is a self-contained complex, some 300 acres in size, in eastern Bangkok, that is devoted to every aspect of gemstone and jewellery production and trade, inclusive of gemstone and diamond refinery, jewellery design and manufacture, and retailing and exporting finished products around the world. Visitors who would like to witness the manufacturing processes and shop for quality gemstones and jewellery at fair prices in a secure environment can contact Tel: (66-2) 727-022 (21 lines) for complete details.

Warning
Be wary of special “deals” that are offered for one day only or which set you up as a “courier” in which you’re promised big money. Many travellers end up losing big. Shop around and don’t be hasty. Remember: there’re no such thing as a “government sale” or a “factory price” at a gem or jewellery shop; the Thai government does not own or manage any gem or jewellery shops.

Hill-Tribe Crafts
Interesting embroidery, clothing, bags and jewellery from the North can be bought in Bangkok at Narayan Phand, Lan Luang Rd, at branches of the Queen’s Hillcrafts Foundation, and at various tourist ships around town. See Things to Buy in the Bangkok chapter for details.

In Chiang Mai there are ships selling handicrafts all along Thaphae Rd and there is a ship sponsored by missionaries near Prince Royal College. There is a branch of the Queen’s Hillcrafts Foundation in Chiang Rai. It’s worth shopping around for the best prices and bargaining. The all-round best buys of northern hill-tribe crafts are at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar – if you know how to bargain.

Ceramics
Many kinds of hand-thrown pottery, old and new, are available throughout the kingdom. Most well known are the greenish Thai celadon products from the Sukhothai -Si Satchanalai area and Central Thailand’s benjarong or “five colour” style. The latter is based on Chinese patterns while the former is a Thai original that has been imitated throughout China and South- East Asia. Rough, unglazed pottery from the North and North – East can also be very appealing.

Lacquerware
Thailand produces some good lacquerware, much of it made in Myanmar and sold along the northern Myanmar border. Try Mae Sot, Mae Sariang and Mae Sai for the best buys.

Styles available today originated in 11th century Chiang Mai; in 1558 Myanmar’s King Bayinnaung captured a number of Chiang Mai lacquer artisans and brought them to Bago in central Myanmar to establish the incised lacquerware tradition. Lacquer comes from the Melanorrhea usitata tree (not to be confused with “lac”, which comes from an insect), and in its most basic form is mixed with paddy-husk ash to form a light, flexible, waterproof coating over bamboo frames.

To make a lacquerware object, the craftsperson first weaves a bamboo frame. If the item is first-quality, only the frame is bamboo; horse or donkey hairs will be wound round the frame. In lower-quality lacquerware the whole object is made from bamboo. The lacquer is then coated over the framework and allowed to dry. After several days is it sanded down with ash from rice husks, and another coating of lacquer is applied. A high-quality item may have seven layers of lacquer altogether.

The lacquerware is engraved and painted, then polished to remove the paint from everywhere except in the engravings. Multi – coloured lacquerware is produced by repeated engraving, painting and polishing. From start to finish it can take five or six months to produce a high-quality piece of lacquerware, which may have as many as five colours. Flexibility is one characteristic of good lacquerware. A top-quality bowl can have its rim squeezed together until the sides meet without suffering damage. The quality and precision of the engraving is another thing to look for.

Lacquerware is made into bowls, trays, plates, boxes, containers, cups vases and many other everyday items. Octagonal-topped folding tables are another popular lacquerware item.

Nielloware
This art came from Europe via Nakhon Si Thammarat and has been cultivated in Thailand for over 700 years. Engraved silver is inlaid with niello- an alloy of lead, silver, copper and sulphur – to form striking black- and – silver jewellery designs. Nielloware is one of Thailand’s best buys.

Other Crafts
Under Queen Sirikit’s Supplementary Occupations & Related Techniques (SUPPORT) foundation, a number of regional crafts from around Thailand have been successfully revived. Malang thap collages and sculptures are made by the artful cutting and assembling of the metallic, multicoloured wings and carapaces of female wood -boring beetles (Sternocera aequisingnata), harvested after they die at the end of their reproductive cycle between July and September each year. Hailing mostly from the North and North – East, they can nonetheless be found in craft ships all over Thailand.

For “Damascene ware” (known as kram in Thai), gold and silver wire is hammered into a cross- hatched steel surface to create exquisitely patterned bowls and boxes. Look for them in more upscale Bangkok department stores and craft shops.

Yaan lipao is a type of intricately woven basket made from a hardy grass in Southern Thailand. Ever since the Queen and other female members of the royal family began carrying delicate yann lipao purses, they have been a Thai fashion staple. Basketry of this type is most easily found in the Southern provincial capitals, or in Bangkok shops that specialize in regional handicrafts.

Furniture
Rattan and hardwood furniture items are often good buys and can be made to order. Bangkok and Chiang Mai have the best selection of styles and quality. Teak furniture has become relatively scarce and expensive; rosewood is a more reasonable buy.

Fake or Pirated Goods
In Bangkok, Chiang Mai and all the tourist centres, there is black-market street trade in fake designer goods; particularly Benneton pants and sweaters, Lacoste (crocodile) and Palph lauren polo shirts, Levi’s jeans, and Rolex, Dunhill and Cartier watches. Tin-Tin T- Shirts are also big. No -one pretends they’re the real thing, at least not the vendors themselves. The European and American manufacturers are applying heavy pressure on the Asian governments involved to get this stuff off the street, so it may not be around for much longer.

In some cases foreign name brands are legally produced under licence in Thailand and represent good value. A pair of legally produced Levi’s 510s, for example, typically costs US$ 10 from a Thai street vendor, and US$ 30 to US$ 40 in Levi’s home town of San Francisco! Careful examination of the product usually reveals tell- tale characteristics that confirm or deny the item’s legality.

Prerecorded cassette tapes are another illegal bargain in Thailand. The tapes are “pirated”, that is, no royalties are paid to the copyright owners. Average prices are from 25 to 35 Baht per cassette for amazingly up-to-date music. Word has it that these will disappear from the streets, too, under pressure from the US music industry.

In 1991 four of the major tape piraters (including market leaders Peacock and Eagle) agreed to stop producing unlicensed tapes, but only on condition that the police prosecute the myriad smaller companies doing business. As of 1996 it was becoming quite difficult to find pirated tapes anywhere in the country except on Bangkok’s Khao San Rd. Licensed tapes, when available, cost 70 to 110 Baht each (average price 90 Baht); Thai music tapes cost the same.

Other Goods
Bangkok is famous the world over for is street markets – Pratunam, Chatuchak Park, Khlong Toey, Sampeng (Chinatown), Banglamphu and many more – where you’ll find things you never imagined you wanted but once you see, you feel you can’t possibly do without. Even if you don’t want to spend any money, they’re great places to wander around.

For top- end shopping, the two main centres in Bangkok are the areas around the Oriental Hotel off Charoen Krung (New) Rd and the River City shopping complex on the river next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. At the other end, Thailand’s two big department store chains, Robinson and Central, offer reasonable priced clothing, electronics and houseware at several branches in Bangkok as well as in the larger towns.

WHERE TO SHOP
Shoppers in Bangkok have a wide choice of areas in which to pursue their search for bargains, most of them located within walking distance of major hotels.

One such area, for example, is along Silom and Suriwongse Roads in the vicinity of the Dusit Thani Montien, and Tawana Hotels. This includes Robinson’s department Store, Central Department Store, the Charn Issara Shopping Centre, dozens of silk shop, antique and decorative reproduction shops, boutiques of ready-to-wear women’s clothes, men’s tailors and shops selling leather wear and other goods.

From the Ratchaprasong intersection, near the Meridien President Hotel, it is but a short walk to the Amarin Plaza shopping Centre Department Store in one direction and to Ratchadamri Arcade and Narayana Phand Store in another. Directly opposite Narayana Phand is the world Trade Centre, and enormous complex with two department stores and hundreds of boutiques selling everything imaginable. Also nearby are the upscale Peninsula Arcade and Galleries Lafayette.

Off the Ratchaprasong intersection eastward to Sukhumvit Road stands the Emporium shopping Centre, where brand name clothes and fashionable decorative items are found in attractive and unique style.

Shoppers should not overlook Bangkok’s many department stores, which offer locally made goods as well as designer name brands and feature alluring sales. Twice a year, visitors can take advantage of the month-long Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, which is held throughout Bangkok and other major cities. Watch for the Grand Sale, which takes place in June, and again in mid-November and offers valuable discounts on all kinds of goods.

Also worth visiting are several air-conditioned shopping complexes the offer a wide variety of goods and prices. The Oriental Plaza. In an atmospheric old building houses jewelry and Thai handicrafts as well as clothing and fabrics. River City Shopping Complex, located adjacent to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, has two floors devoted to small shops selling antiques and decorative items as well as a main floor that features exhibits of art, handicrafts, antique furniture, paper products, plants and more, Siam Centre and Siam discovery Centre near the Siam Inter continental Hotel are filled with numerous fashionable boutiques and in the vicinity is Mah Boon Krong.

{add shoping1.jpg} A particular favorite with younger Thais, this teeming emporium contains hundreds of shops as well as the Tokyu Department Store.

As comfortable as these centres are, any serious shopper will also want to explore some of the city’s markets for their colorful atmosphere and generally lower prices, Pratunam, near the Indra Regent Hotel, specializes in ready-to-wear clothing of all kinds. Opposite the Pratunam shopping complex is Nai Lert Market offering a variety of inexpensive trendy products, ranging from hairpins to shoes. Don’t miss the delicious oriental food sold here at very low prices.

Near the Grand palace is Khao San Road filled with clothes, jewellery and accessories popular among the backpackers and younger crowds. Just up from Khao San stands Banglamphu Market, which has authentic Thai goods and contemporary products.

In the older section of town, at the corner of Phahurat and Chakraphet, is the Phahurat cloth Market, where locals go for textile bargains, while Sampheng Lane and Yaowarat, both in Chinatown, have countless shops selling. Gold, jewellery, cooking utensils and other items.

The biggest market of all, and the most fascinating, is the Chatuchak Weekend Market, open on Saturday and Sunday at Chatuchak Park, not far from the Central Plaza Hotel. Here, just about everything Thailand makes or grows is on sale, from blue-and -white porcelain to hybrid orchids, and huge crowds go there to buy or just to enjoy the market atmosphere.

Another much smaller market is the Pat Pong night market that has good souvenirs, but nothing like what’s available a Chatuchak.

The Floating Market, despite the emergence of the ubiquitous farm pick-ups, paddy farmers and orchard gardeners still continue to meet and barter their products in age-old trading sports on the canals (Khlongs). Early every morning, sampans laden with all kinds of tropical fruits and vegetables and fresh products, wind their way to the floating markets around Bangkok. There is one particular floating market in Bangkok that visitors can enjoy: Taling Chan Floating Market is a weekend market in front of Taling Chan District Office, open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Boat trip services are available for sight-seeing along the canal where gardens and a village lifestyle are still to be seen. The market is also accessible by bus No. 79 and 83, which pass nearby. Contact Taling Chan District Office on telephone 424-1742 for more information.

Outside Bangkok, the main city for shopping is Chiang Mai, the unquestioned centre of traditional Thai handicrafts. Visitors can find beautiful sandstone pieces, antiques and more. The Night Bazaar, is a good place to sample the full tange of local products such as cotton, lacquerware, silver hilltribe clothing, Burmese tapestries, painted umbrellas and woodcarvings. While in Chiang Mai, make a point of going to some of how these goods – particularly lacquer, silk, silver and paper umbrellas – are actually made.

Pattaya also has many shops selling Thai goods and a particularly wide selection of precious and semi-precious stones since the popular resort lies near Chanthaburi, where numerous gem mines are located. Hat Yai, a district in Songkhla province in Southern Thailand is home to the Kim Yong Market, Where tax-free electronic goods, dried fruits and clothes are sold at very low prices.

SHOPPING TIPS
Department stores and a number of shops in Bangkok have fixed prices; some department stores will even offer a discount on expensive items like jewelry and fine furniture. No fixed rules can be given on the process, depending as it does on the bargainer’s skill and the shop keeper’s mood, but the final price may be reduced as much as 30 percent to that first quoted. An important point to keep in mind is that Thais admire good manners and a sense of humour and tend to be put off by a loss of temper. Providing you have the time, a good general rule is to make a survey of several shops selling the sort of items you want before coming to a final decision.

PACKING AND SHIPPING SERVICES
Thanks to the ever-increasing number of tourists coming to Thailand. Most shops are experienced at shipping abroad and will attend to all the documents such as insurance, customs and necessary permits. The Central Post Office also offers a parcel-wrapping service for those who want to make small shipments themselves . For larger items or bulk shipments, there are several Bangkok companies who specialize in such matters.

TRADING OPPORTUNITIES

{add Neckties.jpg} The Department of Export promotion (DEP), Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, offers the “Permanent Exhibition,” a one -stop export showcase where quality products manufactured in Thailand are on display. The exhibition features more than 250 selected exhibitors with more than 10,000 items on display in three exhibition areas. The same services are also available at DEP regional offices.

You can browse to your heart’s content, viewing top quality products ranging from gift item and handicrafts, furniture, toys, leather products, artificial flowers, garments, food products, construction materials, automotive parts, hardware, tools and appliances, stationery and sporting equipment, to name only a handful of the items on hand. All are carefully selected for reliability and a high standard of workmanship.

If you find products that suit your requirements, you may contact the manufacturers directly of DEP staff can provide a variety of services to help make things easy. For example, they will arrange appointments with many companies and also provide meeting rooms with full office facilities. All of the permanent exhibition services are free of charge.

For more information, please contact the Thai Trade Centre or a Commercial Counsellor’s Office at a Royal Thai Embassy in your own country. In Bangkok, contact the Department of Export Promotion on Ratchadaphisek Road. Tel: (66-2) 551-5066-77, Fax: 66-2) 512-1075, (66-2) 513-1917 Telex : 82354 DEPEP TH.

VAT REFUND
Visitor to Thailand can now claim VAT refunds at Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat-Yai and Phuket airports for a minimum purchase of 5,000 Baht with no less than 20,000 Baht/receipt/day. Upon purchase, visitors should request the store to process a Vat refund form (por.por.10) When departing, visitors have the customs stamp the form prior to airline check-in.

When passing through Passport Control, visitors will have the form processed by the Revenue Department and receive a VAT refund. Please note that valuable merchandise such as jewellery, watches, eyeglasses and pens must be declared before customs and revenue officials.

Shopping Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

A typical Thai meal will include soup, a salad, fish and / or meat and of course rice and vegetables. The flavours range from sweet and our to hot and spicy as well as fresh and mild. A Thai meal is a communal affair, during which a group of diners will share several dishes, including steamed white rice. A century ago, meals were eaten by hand, pressing the rice into small round balls. Today a spoon and fork are used for eating rice, with chopsticks being used for Chinese-type noodles.

Thai cuisine combines the best of Chinese and Indian culinary traditions- noodles, curries, sweet and sour dishes, exotic spices and condiments while retaining its own very special character. Thai sweets and desserts tend to be egg or coconut based, and succulent Thai fruits-some 20 major popular kinds, including mangoes, durians, pomelos, bananas, pineapples, grapes, melons-are second to none in quality or choice.

Foreigners may know Tom Yam Kung, a famous, original Thai spicy-sour soup that has for a long time been an export commodity of Thailand. Some people take to Thai food immediately; others find the pungent and spicy test, laden with garlic and chilies, a bit of a challenge.

TASTE OF THE NORTH
Most northern dishes are generally milder than those of other region and patterned by Burmese influence. Rice is always the main dish, with curries being secondary to the meal; but the northern people prefer Khao Nieo, a steamed glutinous rice, kneaded into small balls and used to soak up sauces and dips.

Kaeng Hang Le, is a spicy pork curry that relies on ginger, tamarind, and turmeric; Khao Soi, a curry of eggnoodles and meat that also originated in Burma, is heavily laced with coconut cream, and served with spring onions, pickled cabbage and slices of lime; Nam Phrik Ong, another delectable accompaniment, is a northern-style chili-dip served with dried shredded pork and freshly cooked vegetables; Miang (tea leaves) is also Burmese and is eaten as an hors d’oeuvre. The exclusive method for serving northern food is on a Khan Toke (small circular table). It is normally set up in lavish surroundings. Diners sit on the floor around the table and help themselves to assorted dishes; perhaps a minced meat dish seasoned with chili, a salad, and numerous sauces.

TASTE OF THE NORTHEAST
North-eastern (Isan) food reflects the influence of neighbouring Laos in a number of dishes. Glutinous rice is the staple diet, and all food is highly seasoned. This is supplemented by a heady mixture of strong bitterness and saltiness, creating an excitingly forthright taste locally known as seab.

Som Tom (green papaya salad), is one of north-eastern Thailand’s favourite dished that has became popular nation-wide, and even in Thai restaurants overseas, This is a spicy salad made from raw papaya, dried shrimp, crab, lime juice, garlic and chilies. For the genuine Isan version, Pla Ra, fermented fish, is also added to the dish; Lap, is minced meat, chicken or pork, cooked in heavily seasoned dried chilies; Kai Yang, or grilled chicken, is another dish that is always ordered after the formula of Lap, Nam Tok and Som Tam. Bathed with herbs and sauces, it is eaten with a sweet sauce used as a dip.

TASTE OF THE CENTRAL PLAINSThe central region also has what is termed the ‘Royal Cuisine,’ a more sophisticated version of regional cuisine. Influenced by the kitchens of the Royal court, dishes are elaborately prepared, making it as much an art form as a culinary masterpiece. As the largest agricultural area in the country, rice is an essential element of every meal. Various kinds of curries are used to bring a splash of variety.

Kaeng Phet, or curry, is eaten with rice; Tom Yam, the most frequently ordered dish all over Thailand, is mixed with kung or shrimp, fish and chicken and is flavoured with lemon grass, chilies and kaffir lime leaves; Kaeng Khieo Wan, a spicy green curry with ingredients comprised of coconut milk, sweet basil and chilies; Tom Kha Kai, a thick coconut milk curry made from chicken or meat with lemon grass.

Kaeng Som, a spicy-sour soup with fresh vegetables, shrimps or fish; Kaeng Liang, a traditional herbal, mild and spicy soup with vegetables; Phat Phak, or fried vegetables with oyster sauce, and Phat Prieo Wan, sweet and sour versions, are best known to complement rice and curry; Yam, this spicy salad dish is full of torpedo-shaped chilies, is quite popular and often ordered with a pre-dinner drink; Nam Phrik, the most original Thai dish of all, offers an array of different versions, all incredibly pungent to a foreign nose.

TASTE OF THE SOUTH
The people of the southern peninsula are known for being impetuous. They talk fast and act fast and have a spice and zest for life. Southern cooking seems to reflect these characteristics to a certain extent. Vegetables are taken raw or cooked. The most notable is the large tree-grown bean known as Sato, a bit like garlic because everyone knows when you’ve been eating it!

Kaeng Tai Pla, quite famous among southern curries is cooked from fish kidneys with added vegetables; Kaeng Luang, a yellow curry with fish and bamboo-shoots. If you have agelicate palate, approach this dish with extreme care; Muslim dishes are of course, common in this strongly Islamic region. Khao Mok Kai, exhibits strong Middle Eastern influences with its saffron rice and marinated chicken; Kuai Tieo Khaek, noodle curry, inspires thoughts of India, though it is believed to have originated in the Malay peninsula.

INTERNATIONAL FOOD
Chinese food in Thailand is second to none. European, Mediterranean, Asian and Oriental cuisines are represented in gourmet restaurants. American, English and Continental breakfasts served in most hotels and coffee shops often specialist in European dishes. Western-style fast -food shops, snack bars and ice-cream parlous are fast gaining popularity among Thais.

Chinese food
Thailand is an ideal place for enjoying genuine Chinese food that tastes exactly like that of its country of origin. The Chinese culinary art was first brought to Thailand by the Chinese who migrated to this country in large numbers in the late Ayutthaya period over 200 years ago. As a result of the long history of contact between the two peoples, the Thai and the Chinese cultures are now well mixed in many aspects, including the art of cooking. Chinese food is commonly served in restaurants and hotels in every part of Thailand, especially in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Indeed, Thailand is the only place outside China (and Taiwan and Hong Kong) that provide tourists with such a wide choice of delicious Chinese dishes.

RESTAURANTS AND FOODSHOPS
{add sea-food.jpg} Food parks, or centers, usually in large shopping malls and hotels, are regular stops for Thais and comprise of numerous restaurants offering every imaginable type of Asian cuisine. Most have color pictures of dishes to assist diners in their choices.

Open-air garden restaurants and riverine restaurants are more peaceful and are favoured in the evenings by most Bangkokians. Menus are extensive, service is prompt and prices are reasonable. All kinds of regional Thai food can be sampled. Special set dinners can be enjoyed on dinner boat cruises on the Chao Phraya River. Gentle breezes. Candlelight dining and tranquil music create a romantic atmosphere.

Seafood restaurants are also popular. They offer a wide choice of fresh ingredients: charcoal grilled or broiled to individual requests and a fine selection of local and imported wines.

Some tourist-oriented restaurants present selected Thai classical and folk dances. Guests sit around low tables, often in traditional surroundings, with teak paneling and floors, classic paintings and precious porcelain. A combination of Thai cuisine, music, silk orchids and graceful dancers are sure to produce a memorable evening.

Where to taste in Bangkok
Finding good Thai, and Chinese dishes in Bangkok, is quite easy. Many Thais like to eat out in ‘food streets’ and this is something that visitors will find every interesting, It is a great experience and the food is tasty and inexpensive.

Yaowarat
Bangkok’s ‘Chinatown’ street houses offer the best Chinese food in the city, both in expensive restaurants and on the cheapest food stalls. Noodles, seafood and at lunchtime, dim-sum dumplings dominate the menus. At night the neon glow from hundreds of hawker stalls electrifies the atmosphere of the streets. Seafood stalls line the pavements and sukiyaki stalls are equally thronged. Birds nest soup is nutritious and always popular with locals and visitors alike. Khao Tom, or boiled rice, is available every night-just waiting for the ‘night owls’ who like to have an early morning snack.

Phahurat
If Yaowarat is Chinatown, then Phahurat is “little India”. A short walk takes you from one food world to the other. The Phahurat area accommodates a number of authentic Indian restaurants, particularly northern Indian cuisine. There are also interesting alternatives serving Punjabi and Pakistani fare.

Sukhumvit
This road has just about everything to offer in the way of food. Starting from Soi 4, (Nana), an enclave of Pakistani and Middle Eastern restaurants fills the Sois (small lanes) with the aroma of spices. Futher up the road, Indian cuisine takes over, with restaurants offering both northern and southern Indian specialities, European restaurants are interspersed offering Italian, French, British, German and Mexican food along both sides of the street. American food is featured in fast-food outlets and in hotels.

Bang Lamphu
Known mostly to foreign back-packers, Thanon Khao San is the place to find the most economical accommodation and guesthouses, visited by folk who know about Bang Lamphu. Most eating places in this area cater for budget-conscious diners. Many quest houses on Khao San road have open-air cafes serving standard Thai and Chinese dishes. Other kinds of food to be found in this area include Indian, Jewish and Muslim.

Silom
One of Bangkok’s major business areas linked with several streets lined with food stalls and leading restaurants. Seafood stalls sprout along the roadside near Saladaeng Intersection after sunset until late into the night. Nearby Convent Road offers everything from Indonesian food to the Gaelic fare of an Irish tavern. At Thanon Thaniya, close to Phat Phong.

Siam Square
The shopping area is crammed with medium to high-priced restaurants as well as international fast food. Economically priced American, European, Italian, Mexican and Chinese food can be found here. Dozens of food stalls sell meatballs, grilled squid, and fried bananas along the walkways that connect the streets.

Dining Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

• Mini-bus (joint-seat) to any hotel in Bangkok 100Baht per person
• Shuttle bus (to Asia Hotel and Viengtai Hotel) 60 Baht per person
• Sedan (to downtown Bangkok) 30 Baht per trip
• Bus to Pattaya Beach 18 Baht per person
• Sedan to Pattaya Beach 1,500 Baht per tri

Taxi Service
Taxis are available for hire at the authorized public taxi stand, located next to the Meeting Point south of the Arrivals Hall in the Meeting Point south of the Arrivals Hall in the International Passenger Terminal. Taxi drivers are only permitted to pick up passenger at these authorized stands and are not allowed to offer their services to passengers in the terminal building. Fares are between 50-300 Baht per trip depending on the destination. Fares to Various destinations are posted at the taxi stand as a guideline for foreign commuters. There is a service charge of 50 Baht for all taxis hired from the airport.

Passengers are strongly advised not to use the services of private drivers who may not be insured to carry passengers and are not licensed for hire. All authorized taxis carry a yellow license plate and a rooftop “TAXI-METER” sign. No tip is expected.

Bus Service
Air-conditioned and regular public buses travel down-town from Bangkok International on a regular basis
Passengers wishing to take the bus can do so by walking to the bus stop located on Vibhavadi Rangsit highway.

Fares on regular buses cost only 3.50 Baht for any distance, while fares for air-conditioned buses range from 8 Baht for the first 8 kilometers to a maximum of 18 Baht. Fares are collected onboard. Bus numbers indicate the routes. Regular buses from Bangkok International Airport to town are buses numbers 29, 59, 95 and air-conditioned buses number 4, 10, 513 and 29.

These regular buses, however, can be uncomfortable and crowded especially during rush hours and will therefore have very littler or no room for luggage.

Passager Service Change (Airport Tax)
International passengers must purchase an airport tax ticket costing 500 Baht at the check-in counter or from machines in the Departure Hall. The amount is payable using 10 Baht coins, 50 Baht, 500 Baht, and 1,000 Baht on the screen of the machine. A 30 Baht domestic passenger tax is automatically included in the price of a domestic ticket upon purchasing.

Baggage Claim
Upon arrival at Bangkok International Airport, all international passengers must pass through immigration and passport control. They can then proceed to the baggage claim area.

Baggage Service (Lost and Found)
A Lost and found counter, in the Arrivals Lounge, is manned round-the-clock, seven days a week. If you leave anything on an aircraft or an airline bus, please contact the airline concerned immediately. Tel: (66-2) 535-2173, (66-2) 535-2811-12.

Trolleys
Trolleys are provided in both the Departure and Arrivals Lounges of the International Passenger Terminal. No fee is charged.

Airline Offices
Some 50 airlines maintain offices in Bangkok. A complete Listing can be found in the English edition of the Bangkok Telephone Directory’s yellow Pages.

TOURIST INFORMATION SERVICES
Tourist information is available at the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s head office in Bangkok, at local offices in 22 major cities (listed on the back cover) and the TAT information counter at Bangkok’s International Airport as well as at every airport where there is a TAT local office. They provide maps, brochures and useful information on tours, shopping, dining and accommodation. All TAT information offices are open seven days a week from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Local TAT Offices
Oversea TAT Offices

BUSINESS HOURS
Most commercial concerns in Bangkok operate five days a week. Government offices are generally open between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. with a 12.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. lunch break, Monday through Friday, except on public holidays. Private businesses maintain similar hours – 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. with certain exceptions. Most shops are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

BUSINESS CENTERS
Certain major hotels provide fully – equipped business centers for visiting executives. Services customarily include secretarial work, typing, photocopying and fax facilities, conference rooms and reference libraries.

More information about Thailand’s business, please see also Business in Thailand

CAR RENT
Travelers with a valid international driving license may choose to hire a car. English-language road signs and maps are commonplace. The Bangkok Yellow pages lists local and international automobile rental companies. Each offers different conditions. Self-drive and chauffeur driven automobiles are widely available.

International car hire companies such as Avis, Hertz and Budget operate in Bangkok, Pattaya, Hat Yai, Phuket, Chiang Mai and on Ko Samui.

Car Rentals Reservation

CHURCH SERVICES
Christian churches are found in Bangkok and most provincial capitals. Services are mostly in Thai, with some services in English, French and German, Local English-language newspapers provide comprehensive listings of services in Bangkok.

CLOTHING
Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters are recommended for the evenings during the cool season or if visiting mountainous areas and remote national parks. Jackets and ties are required in certain restaurants and nightclubs.

ELECTRICITY
The electric current is 220 volt AC (50 cycles) throughout the country. There are many types of plugs and sockets in use. Travelers with electric shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug-adapter kit. The larger hotels are likely to have 110 volt transformers available.

FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Major international film manufacturers maintain excellent photo finishing laboratories. Instant developing can be done within one hour. Popular films (Kodak. Fuji, Konica and the like) are available nationwide at reasonable prices.
Still photographers are free to shoot almost everything. Movie/video cameras are not allowed in Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Chapel complex without special permission. Photography is also prohibited in certain branches of the National Museum.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
Thailand’s English-language newspapers, The Nation, and The Bangkok Post Keep readers abreast of local and international events. Major English language magazines and newspapers such as the International Herald Tribune, Asian Wall Street journal, Time, Newsweek, Far Eastern Economic Review and Asia Week are readily available at hotel newsagents, supermarkets, department stores and leading bookstores.

RADIO
Thailand has more than 400 radio stations, with 41 FM and 35 AM stations in Bangkok alone. FM radio offers popular music, classical music, jazz English-language news broadcasts and the original soundtracks of certain imported films shown on local television. Bangkok’s national public radio station, Radio Thailand, broadcasts English-language programs at 97 FM. Another stations are 107 FM, features some surprisingly good music programs with British, Thai and American DJs and The Radio Bangkok, 99.5 FM.

In the evenings between 6 and 8 p.m., several FM stations provide soundtracks in English for local and world satellite news on television Channel 3(105.5 FM), Channel 7(103.5 FM), channel 9(107 FM) and Channel 11(88 FM).
The radio listeners without sort-wave receivers can listen to VOA on 95.5 FM and BBC world Service on 105 FM from mid-night to 6 p.m.

TELEVISION
Thailand has six TV networks based in Bangkok; Channel 5 is a military network and broadcasts from 6 a.m. to midnight: between 6 and 10 a.m. this network presents a mix of ABC, CNN International and English-subtitled Thai news programs. Channel 9, the national public television station, broadcasts from 6 a.m. until midnight. Channel 3 is privately owned; broadcast hours vary but there’s an English-language news simulcast at 7 p.m. on FM 105.5. Channel 7 is military owned but broadcast time is leased to private companies; the channel offers an English-language news simulcast via FM 103.5 at 7 p.m. Channel 11 is run by the Ministry of Education and features programs from 5.30 a.m. to midnight. ITV Channel is privately owned; broadcast from 5.30 a.m. to 2.00 a.m.

Leading hotels have color televisions in each guestroom, offering video features, satellite and/or cable television or tourism-related English-language programs.

EMBASSIES
Some 50 countries maintain embassies, consulates or legations in Bangkok, Most are concentrated around the Sukhumvit, Phloen Chit, Wireless and Sathon Road areas. A complete list of such missions is featured in the Bangkok ‘s English-language Yellow Pages.

Foreign Embassies in Thailand

TOURIST POLICE
In 1982, the Tourist Police was set up to coordinate with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in providing safety for tourists. Its responsibilities include receiving and acknowledging claims and complaints, conducting investigations and acting as coordinators of tourist security. At present, some 500 tourist police officers are stationed in major tourist areas including the Grand Palace, pat Pong and Lumphini Park.

Bilingual Tourist Police are affiliated with Tourism Authority of Thailand offices in Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayitthaya, Pattaya, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Khon Daen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Surat Thani, Phuiket and Songkhla to provide assistance for visitors.

In the case of an emergency, contact the Tourist Police Centre, Unicohouse Building, Soi Lang Suan, Phloen Chit Road Bangkok. Tel: (66-2)652-1721-6

24 – HOUR HOTLINE SERVICE
“One number gets you around Thailand” is the concept behind the 24-hour hotline service. All you have to do is dial 1155 from anywhere in Thailand.

Operators manning the hotline at the Tourist Service Center offer assistance in five languages – English, French, German, Japanese, Chinese and Thai. All that’s needed is a single one Baht coin and a public phone booth anywhere in the country.

There are three ways to lodge complaints or request assistance:

1. Call the hotline to request immediate assistance with regard to personal safety.
2. Drop in at the center to lodge a complaint.
3. Call the center to request an appropriate agency that addresses a particular problem.

The 24-hour, one stop Tourist Service Center has been set up as part of the ongoing efforts of TAT to help visitors with everything from friendly advice to acting on complaints. Together with the Tourist Police, TAT has formed a special task force to run the center.

Establishing this center is very much in line with TAT’s objectives under the Amazing Thailand campaign – to upgrade service standards for travel throughout the Kingdom while ensuring maximum safety for travelers. The center also provides general tourist information on destinations, accommodations, shopping tips, festivals, arts and culture. The center is open from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., while Tourist Police assistance is available 24 hours a day.
MEDICAL SERVICE
All tourism destinations and provincial capitals have hospitals and clinics staffed by well-trained doctors and nurses. In the case of and emergency, an ambulance can be summoned from any private hospital.

TIPPING
It is customary to tip porters and hotel personnel who have given good personal service. A 10-15% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charges are waived. It is not necessary to tip cinema ushers.

TEMPORARY IMPORT OF A VEHICLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF TOURISM
In order to import a vehicle into Thailand the following documents are required:

1. Valid International Driving License and passport of equivalent documents.
2. Vehicle registration, or in the case of a borrowed, vehicle, authorization documents from the owner
3. Cash guarantee, bank guarantee or self-guarantee. If the vehicle is brought in through Bangkok or Khlong Toey Port, a cast guarantee or bank guarantee is essential. If entry is by land across the southern border, then it is acceptable to guarantee oneself by completing the customs officer and signing the record.

Permission is then granted for a six-month period from the date of entry. If a traveler has requested to bring a vehicle in for a period of just 5-10 days and then wishes to extend the length of stay, a renewal can be granted free of charge by the Customs Department.
Procedure:

1. Contact the customs office at the relevant border
2. A customs officer will complete an additional incoming form and at the same time check documents as in No. 2 above and also fix the self-guarantee.
3. In the case of a cast or bank guarantee, the customs officer will evaluate the price of the vehicle according to its condition plus 20

Useful Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Thailand Hotels Online Reservation

RESORTS
In most countries ‘resort’ refers to hotels which offer substantial recreational facilities (e.g. tennis, golf, swimming, sailing etc) in addition to accommodation and dining. In Thai hotel lingo, however, the term simply refers to ant hotel that isn’t located in an urban area. Hence a few thatched beach huts or a cluster of bungalows in a forest may be called a ‘resort’. Several places in Thailand fully deserve the name under any definition-but it pays to look into the facilities before making a reservation.

Thailand Resorts Online Reservation

Family-style hotels, bungalow complexes, guest houses, houseboats hotels, motels, Chinese-style inns and hotels and beachside huts complete a range of accommodation costing anywhere from a few dollars daily to hundreds of dollar a night.

GUESTHOUSES & HOSTELS
Guesthouses are generally the cheapest accommodation in Thailand and are found in most areas where travellers go in Central, Northern and Southern Thailand. Guesthouses vary quire a bit in facilities and are particularly popular in Bangkok and Chiang Mai where stiff competition keeps rates low. Some are especially good value, while others are mere flophouses. Many serve food, although there tends to be a bland sameness to meals in guesthouses where you are in Thailand. Thai youth hostels rang in price from 50 Baht for a dorm bed to 250 Baht for an air-condition room.

Thai branch of Hostelling International (Tel. (+66-2) 282-0950, Fax: (+66-2) 281-6834). International Youth Hostel Federation, at 25/2 Phitsanulok Rd., Sisao Thewet, Dusit, Bangkok 10300

Current listings of accommodation and rates are available from the local offices of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in and around Bangkok. Offices in each region include: Central : Kanchanaburi, Phra akhon si Ayutthaya, Lop buri, Pattaya, Rayong, Cha-am, Nakhon Nayok, Trat
North : Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phitsanulok, Tak
Northeast: Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani
South : Hat Yai, Phuket, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat

Accommodation Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Further international flights, mainly from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Hong Kong, Land on a less regular basis at Phuket and Hat Yai airports in the south and Chiang Mai in the north.

Charter flights from Europe and Asia sometimes land in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and at U-Tapao for Pattaya.

Booking Flight to Thailand

By Rail
A regular rail service links Singapore and Bangkok. Intermediary stops include Kuala Lumpur(Malaysia), Butterworth/Penang and major southern Thai towns.

By Road
Overland entrance to Thailand can be made via three road crossings on the Thai-Malaysian border in Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat.

Thailand is also a gateway to the countries of Indo- China. There are several border crossings that lead to these neighboring countries.

• A road from Chiang Rai, northern Thailand leads to Kentung in Myanmar. Lao P.D.R. and Yunnan province in the PR of China;
• A road from Nakhon Phanom links northeastern Thailand with Lao P.D.R. and Vietnam;
• A road from Mukdaharn links northeastern Thailand with Lao P.D.R. and Vietnam;
• A road from Aranyaprathet links Thailand with Cambodia.

By Sea
There are no regular steamship connections with Thailand. Cargo ships calling at Bangkok’s Klong Toey Port sometimes have passenger cabin facilities.

Cruise ships calling at this port include Nippon Maru, and Silver Wind. There are also some calling at Laem Chabang Port, including Canard’s Queen Elizabeth II, Sky Princess and Crystal Symphony.

TRAVEL WITHIN THAILAND
Domestic air, Rail and road transport in Thailand is surprisingly inexpensive.

By Air
Thai Airways International, Thailand’s national airline, flies to eight destinations in the North, seven destinations in the Northeast, and six in the South.

Bangkok Airways flies from Bangkok directly to Koh Samui, Ranong, Cha-am (Hua Hin) and Sukhothai. It also flies one-stop to Chiang Mai and Phuket and from Samui to U-Tapao (Pattaya). There is also a service linking Samui and Singapore.

Orient Thai Airlines connects major Thai cities such as Chiang Mai-Surat Thani Hat Yai, Chiang Mai-Hat Yai, Chiang Mai-U-Tapao, Chiang Mai-Udon Thani-Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang mai-Khon Kaen-Ubon Ratchathani.

PB Air flies to Krabi, Chumphon, Roi-Et, Khon Kaen, and Chiang Mai.

Angel Air operates flights to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Phuket, Udon Thani, Chendu, Luang Prabang, Kunming and Singapore.

Reservations can be made through any authorized travel agent. Thai Airways international’s Lan Luang Office is on Lan Luang Road, Tel: (66-2) 280-0110, (66-2) 280-0060. The airline also organizes “Royal Orchid Holidays” tours for every destination it flies to.

Plane tickets can be reserved through any Thai Airways International Public Company Limited office in some 40 cities around the world, or through any authorized THAI travel agent.

By Rail
An efficient rail system links major northern and northeastern towns with the capital. A southern route enables visitors to travel by train into Malaysia and Singapore. Domestic express trains comprise first-, second- and third-class carriages. Slower trains may have only third-class seats.

The State Railways of Thailand organizes one-and two-day economy tours to various destinations on weekends and official holidays. Other tours include trips to Surat Thani (for Ko Samui), Chumphon and Chiang Mai. Railway schedules can be obtained from Bangkok’s Railway Station, Tel: (66-2) 223-7010, (66-2) 223-720. Train tickets of all classes may be purchased 90 days in advance at principal stations and at the Advance Booking Office (on Bangkok Railway Station) anytime from 8.30 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. (midnight) on Saturdays and official holidays.

Some major travel agents in Bangkok also provide train reservation services. For further information, please contact the Bangkok Advance Booking Office. Tel: (66-2) 223-3762, (66-2) 224-7788. Telex: 72242 SRT BKK TH.

By Road
A modern highway system reaches into all corners of the Kingdom. A domestic bus service offers a quick mode of travel. Air-conditioned tour coaches offer more comfort. Bangkok’s Northern/Northeastern Bus Terminal is on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road. Tel: (66-2)936-3674,936-3667-8. Bangkok’s southern Bus Terminal is on Pinklao-Nakhon Chaisri Road. Tel: (66-2)435-1190, 435-1200 (air-conditioned) and (66-2)434-5558 (regular).

Bangkok’s Eastern Bus Terminal is on Sukhumvit Road. Tel: (66-2)392-9227, 391-9829 (air-conditioned) and (66-2)391-2504, 392-2521 (regular).

Car Rentals Reservation

TRAVEL INSIDE BANGKOK
Public Ttransportation
Public buses are plentiful and cheap, with 3.50 Baht minimum and 20 Baht maximum fares to most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air-conditioned buses within Bangkok have minimum and maximum fares of 8, 10 and 18 Baht, respectively. Red and Grey microbuses, also air conditioned, cost 20 Baht for a single journey.

A bus route map is available at most hotels, bookshops and the TAT head office for 35 Baht.

Taxis And Tuk Tuks
Hotel taxis have fixed tariffs. Taxis on the streets of Bangkok, and designated “Taxi-Meter” cabs charge 35 Baht for the first 3 kilometers and approximately 5 Baht for every kilometer thereafter. Be sure the driver turns on his meter when you get in the car.
Tuk Tuks, or three – wheel taxis which no meter, are quite popular among tourists for short journeys inside Bangkok. Fares must be negotiated beforehand. The Fare range from a minimum of 30 Baht to a maximum of 150 Baht. They’re normally a little cheaper than ordinary taxis but are suitable for short trips only.

River Taxis
There are many boats navigating the Chao Phraya River. Some crisscross between landings on opposite banks while the Chao Phraya Express boats travel upstream and down-stream within the metropolis. Fares range between 5 and 15 Baht. They are express, fast and ordinary.

Sky Train
{add bts.jpg} The Bangkok Mass Transit system (BTS) is a new choice of public transportation in Bangkok. The speedy train eases t
raffic congestion in the business areas of the capital. It consists of two major routes: the Sukhumvit and Silom lines-with an interchange at Central Station (Siam Square).

The train runs daily from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. The fares range from 10 to 40 Baht depending on the distance of the journey. Look for the BTS sign in the city to locate the train station.

Airport buses
Four bus routes between city and airport: No.A1 Airport-Silom Rd., No.A2 Airport-Sanam Luang, No. A3 Airport-Sukhumwit 55 (Soi Thong Lo), and No. A4 Airport-Hua Lamphong railway station. There is a bus leaving from and for each terminal per 20 minutes, from 5 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Fare 100 Baht per person.

Transportation Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Immigration Information
Certain temporary visitors to Thailand travelling in holiday are exempted from applying for entry visas, and can stay for a maximum of 30 and 90 days n the country. They must be of one of the following nationalities and holding a valid passport or appropriate travel documents issued by that country:(30 Days)

(90 Days)

Certain temporary visitors travelling on holiday can stay for a maximum of 15 days in Thailand, and may obtain an official stamp from an immigration officer upon arrival.

They must be of one of the following nationalities and holding a valid passport or appropriate travel documents issued by that county:

Application Fee is 300 Baht: They must enter the Kingdom by means of passenger transport, through immigration checkpoint channels on the Malaysia border or by means of passenger aircraft, seagoing vessels of 500 registered tons and up, rail, bus, taxi, tour coach or hired motorcycle and having:

1. A fully paid ticket or support document belonging to the vehicle owner or to the operator of the vehicle which is to be used for leaving the Kingdom within the period specified, or
2. Documentary evidence of the owner or operator of the vehicle showing a fully paid reservation for the departure from the Kingdom within the period specified.

Exempted from this regulation are Malaysian nationals entering the Kingdom by bus, hired car, tour coach or hired motorcycle through immigration checkpoints or border checkpoints on Malaysian soil. They do not require ongoing travel documents or any of the documents mentioned in items 1 and 2.

People in the above-mentioned conditions to not require a visa and are permitted to remain in the Kingdom for a period nor exceeding 30 or 90 days (as mentioned before) from the day of entry. They are not allowed to extend their stay, unless under unforeseen circumstances such as illness or delay of aircraft departure. Visitors wishing to stay in the Kingdom for more than 30 or 90 days are advised to apply to missions in their countries, or forward their request and supporting evidence to the Immigration Division, Soi Suan Phlu, Sathon Tai Road Bangkok 10120, Thailand. Tel: (66-2) 287-3101-10.

Non-immigrant Visa
Normally, a visa can be obtained from the Thai Embassy or Consulate in your country that is valid for 90 days. If you wish to stay for one year, there are two ways that can be done:

An alien submits an application for a non-immigrant visa at a Thai Embassy or Consulate which will be sent to the Immigration Bureau in Thailand. A company in Thailand who wishes to employ an alien submits an application to the Immigration Bureau, Section 3, Sub-division 1, Immigration Division, Old Building, 3rd Floor, Room 303, Tel. (66-2) 287-4948 1 or (66-2) 287-3101-10 Ext. 2237

Visitors to Thailand may obtain visas on arrival at the following ports of entry:

1. The Bangkok International Airport
2. The Chiang Mai International Airport
3. The Phuket International Airport
4. The Hat Yai International Airport

They must also have a fully paid ticket, which enables them to travel out of the Kingdom within the stipulated time. Note: A photograph and the necessary fee must accompany the visa application form.

Validity of Visas
All visas are valid for a 90-days period from the date of issue.

Length of Stay
Transit Visa 30 days
Tourist Visa 60 days
Non-Immigrant Visa 90 days
Note: Please checks the period of stay stamped in your passport by the immigration officer. Visitors who overstay their visa will, at the time of departure, be fined 200 Baht for each day overstayed.

Visa Extensions
Apply for extensions of stay at the Immigration Office in Bangkok. Fee: 500 Baht.

Re-Entry Permits
In the case where an alien who holds any kind of visas for stay in the Kingdom wishes to travel abroad before his or her visa expires, the alien must apply for a re- entry permit. A re-entry permit allows you to re-enter the Kingdom and use the time remaining on your visa. If a re-entry permit is not applied for, the visa will automatically be cancelled although it has not expired.

Place to contact:
For the Bangkok/Central Areas: Section 3, Sub-division 1, Immigration Division 1, 1st Floor, Window No. 6, Old Building, Tel. (66-2) 287-3101 -10 Ext. 2274
For the Provincial Area: Contact day Immigration check-point through-out the country.
Requirements:

1. Passport or substitute travel document
2. One 4×6 cm. Photo
3. Application Form T.M. 8

4. 500 Bath fee per application. A re-entry permit may be obtained several times.

Exit Visa
Not required

Passenger Service Charge Exemption
Passengers wishing to take a quick tour of Bangkok or travel outside of Bangkok International Airport and return for their onward flight within 12 hours of arriving, may apply for an exemption of the 500 Baht airport tax through the following procedures:

1.
1. Fill in the Passenger Service Charge Exempt Requisition Form at service units in Terminal 1 (before passing though immigration points).

2.

2. Present the necessary documentation:
   – Passenger Service Charge Exempt Requisition Form
   - Passport
   - Valid airline ticket (Departure flight must be within the 12 hour time limit)
   - Completed Arrival/Departure Card (TM. 6 Form)

3.

3. Obtain an official signature and stamp at service counters before passing immigration at arrival points.

4.

4. Keep these documents during the transit stopover and present them upon departure, before passing immigration at departure points.

Note: Applicable only to visa-exempt and visa-on-arrival nationals.

Procedures for Lost Passport
A foreigner whose passport was either lost or stolen after enter must do the following: A report must be filed at the local police station in the passport was lost or stolen. Bring the police report to your embassy or consulate and a passport or substitute document. If there is no embassy Thailand, please contact the Passport Division of the Mini Affairs. Bring your new passport or substitute document to the I Bureau to have your visa division 4, Immigration Bureau, Floor, Old Building, Tel. (66-2) 287-3911 or (66-2) 287-3101-10 Ext. 22 the following:

• Passport or substitute document
• The report from a police station
• A document from the Embassy or consulate certifying the (if any).

THAI EMBASSIES ABROAD
To apply for a visa, contact the Royal Thai embassy (or consulate) in any of the following countries. In many cases, if you apply in person you may receive a Tourist or Non-Immigrant Visa on the day of application; by mail it generally takes anywhere from two to six weeks.

List of Thai Embassies abroad

HEALTH REGULATIONS
No inoculations or vaccinations are required unless you are coming from or are passing through contaminated areas. Yellow fever certificates are required for those who are coming from the following countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Angola, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan and Zaire.
Note: Please checks the latest regulations with your local health office.

CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Prohibited Items
All narcotics (marijuana, opium, cocaine, morphine, heroin), obscene literature, pictures or articles.

Firearms
Importation of firearms and ammunition can be done only after a permit has been obtained from the Police Department or local Registration Office.

Personal Effects
A reasonable amount of clothing for personal use, toiletries, and professional instruments may be brought in free or duty.

Tobacco & Alcoholic Beverages
Cigarettes, cigars, or smoking tobacco each or in total must not exceed 250 grams in weight but cigarettes not exceeding 200 in quantity. One litre each of wine or spirits may be brought in free of duty.

Household Effects
A reasonable amount of used household effects, accompanied by the owner on change of domicile are also free of duty.

Plants & Animals
Certain species of fruits, vegetables and plants are prohibited. Please contact the Agricultural Regulatory division, Bangkhen, Bangkok. Tel: (66-2) 579-1581, (66-2) 579-3576.

A permission of entry for animals arriving by air can be obtained at the airport. If by sea, application must be made at the Department of Livestock Development in Bangkok. Tel: (66-2) 251-5136, (66-2) 252-6944. Vaccination certificates are required.

Export of Antiques and Objects of Art from the Kingdom of Thailand

1. Buddha images, Bodhisattva images of fragments thereof are forbidden to be taken out of Thailand (with the exception of items being used for worship by Buddhists. For cultural exchanges or study purposes).
2. A license must be obtained from the Department of Fine Arts in order that such objects of antiquity or objects of art, irrespective of whether they are original or reproductions, may be taken out of the country.
3. Procedure for license application:
   1. Photograph the frontal view of all objects and make two postcard-size prints (not more than five pieces in one photograph);
   2. Make a photocopy of the passport of the applicant;
   3. The objects, together with the photographs and applicant’s passport and photocopy, must be taken to;
      1. The national Museums Division, Bangkok or
      2. The Chiang Mai National Museum, Chiang Mai or
      3. The Songkhla National Museum, Songkhla

This must be done at least four to seven days before the date of shipment or departure of the applicant in order to process the application and for inspection. For further information, contact the Bangkok National Museum at (66-2) 226-1661.

CURRENCY AND EXCHANGE SERVICES
Thai Currency
The Thai unit of currency is the Baht, which is worth a little less than 4 US cents. One US dollar = approximately 43 Baht.

The Baht is divided into 100 Satang. “Copper” coins are valued at 25 and 50 Satang. “Silver” coins are in denominations of 10 and 5 Baht. A 10 Baht coin is composed of both ” silver” and “copper”. Banknotes are valued at 10 Baht (brown), 20 Baht (green), 50 Baht (blue), 10 Baht (red), 500 Baht (purple) and 1,000 Baht (gray).

Costs
Food and accommodations our side Bangkok are generally quite inexpensive and even in Bangkok they are fairly cheap, especially considering the value vis-?-vis other countries in South and South-East Asia.

Outside Bangkok, budget-squeezes should be able to get by on 200 Baht per day it they really keep watch on their expenses. This estimate includes basic quest house, accommodation, food, nonalcoholic beverages and local transport, but not film, souvenirs, tours, long-distance transport or vehicle hire, Add another 50 to 75 Baht per day for every large beer (25 to 35 Baht for small bottles) you drink.

Living Costs in Thailand
Average Daily Cost per Person Low Budget Medium Budget High Budget Accommodation 60 to 100 Baht 250 to 500 Baht 600 Baht up Food 75 to 100 Baht 300 Baht 1,500 Baht up Local transport 25 Baht 75 to 100 Baht 500 Baht up Incidentals (admission fees, personal items) 40 Baht 100 Baht 200 Baht up

Traveler’s Cheques/Cheques/Credit Cards
US-dollar travelers’ cheques can be cashed at all provincial banks and authorized moneychangers. Travelers cheques in other currencies are best changed in Bangkok where better rates prevail. Generally, hotel exchange rates are lower than those offered by banks and authorized moneychangers.

Major international credit cards, such as American Express, Diners Club, JCB, MasterCard and VISA are accepted at all major banks, restaurants, hotels and shops.

Thai and foreign banks provide a standard service nationwide. Office hours are 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on public and bank holidays.

Major banks such as Bangkok Bank, Thai Danu Bank, Thai Farmers Bank and Siam Commercial Bank operate currency exchange centres in most tourist areas from 7.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. seven days a week, including holidays.

Many first-class hotels provide 24 -hour money exchange services, but only for major currencies such as American dollars, British pounds, German marks and Swiss francs. Travelers’ cheques are generally accepted only from bona fide hotel guests.

Exchange Control

1. Foreign tourists may freely bring in foreign bank notes or other types of foreign exchange. Upon leaving Thailand, a foreign tourist may freely take with him/her the foreign means of payments he/she brought in, with the exception that foreign notes or coins do not exceed the equivalent of US $ 10,000 or the amount declared in writing to customs upon arrival. Failure to do so may lead to arrest confiscation of the excess amount involved and/or prosecution.
2. Travelers can take a maximum of 50,000 Baht per person out of the country without prior authorization.
3. Foreign visitors may bring in personal effects and other goods that are not prohibited by current customs regulations. Other than personal effects, departing visitors are also allowance to take out merchandise bought from duty free shops, as well as precious stones, gold and platinum ornaments.
4. Foreign visitors are welcome to open foreign currency accounts with any commercial bank in Thailand. As a special gesture to non-residents, no restrictions are imposed on the maintenance of and withdrawal from the account, as long as the funds originate from abroad.

For additional information concerning foreign exchange regulations, please contact any authorized bank.

Visas & Regulations Information by Tourism Authority of Thailand

Thailand is located at the meeting point of the two great cultural systems of Asia-Chinese and Indian. In everyday life, Chinese culture has mixed very well with the Thai, whereas in Thai court Culture, which have been based mainly on Buddhism and Brahmanism, India has exerted a strong influence.

Thai culture can be divided in to 3 aspects: linguistic culture, court culture, and traditional culture.

LINGUISTIC CULTURE
The Thai language, or Phasa Thai, basically consists of monosyllable words, whose meanings are complete by themselves. Its alphabet was created by King Ramkhamhaeang the Great in 1283 by modelling it on the ancient Indian alphabets of Sanskrit and Pali through the medium of the old Khmer characters. After a history of over 700 years, the Thai alphabet to day comprises 44 letters (including 2 obsolete ones), representing 20 consonant phonemes and 15 vowel signs, denoting 22 vowels, diphthongs and triphthongs.

As Thai is a tonal language with five different tones, it often confuses foreigners who are unused to this kind of language. For example, they have difficulty in distinguishing these 3 words from each other – ???? (suea, with rising tone), ????? (suea, low tone) and ????? (sues, falling tone) which means a tiger, a mat and clothes respectively.

Like most languages of the world, the Thai language is a complicated mixture of several sources. Many Thai words used today were derived from Pali, Sanskrit, Khmer, Malay, English and Chinese.

Everyday used sentences and phrases
Greetings Sawadee khrab/kha : Hello, khrab, put at the end of sentences, is used by guys to express politeness kha, put at the end of sentences, is used by girls to express politeness.

THAI ENGLISH
Sabai dee mai khrab/kha How are you? Sabai dee khrab/kha I’m fine Khob Khun khrab/kha Thank you Laew chur khun mai See you later Chan I (Both girls and guys) Pom I (Guys) Pood pasa ang-grid dai mai khrab/kha Can you speak English? Kho thod khrab/kha I’m sorry Direction …pai tang nai What is the direction of… (place)? …pai yang rai How do I get to …(place)? Leaw sai Turn left Leaw kwah Turn right Trong pai Go straight Yon glab Go back Eating & buying Chan hew I’m hungry Pai kin/than kaw gun Let’s have something to eat Kreungdeum Drink Numplao Water Numkhang Ice Sang a-han khrab/kha I would like to order some food Keb ngeun Check Tao rai How much is it? Ao un nee I will take this one Mai ao un nee I won’t take this one Lod noi dai mai khrab/kha (You can use this sentence when you would like to bargain.) Vocabularies Thanon Street/road Soi Lane/alley Pai Sign Hong num Toilet Rod may Bus A-han Food Ran a-han Restaurant Pai Go

COURT CULTURE
Court culture refers to the conception of beauty, perfection and harmony in the fine arts, including painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, drama and music. In the old days most of these originated in or received the patronage of the royal court and nobility.

As the centrepoint of Indianised South – East Asia – as distinct from Sinicised South -East Asia east of the Annamite Chain of mountains – Thailand’s long -standing artistic traditions owe their greatest debt to the arts of India. As in India, traditional art in Thailand revolved around religious symbols borrowed from Hindu and Buddhist cosmology as well as literary epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The shastras of India (saat in Thai) – semi – semi – sacred texts which systematised the way in which these symbols were to be sculpted, painted and applied to architecture – became equally important in Thailand subsequent to their importation.

These symbols and texts arrived in Thailand by many avenues, including Indian traders, Mon immigrants, Sinhalese missionaries, Indonesian sailors and Khmer soldiers – each of which acted as cultural and artistic filters. When further modified by Thai artists and artisans, they attained their own native characteristics, which resulted in distinctively Thai modes of artistic expression. Most of the works served the Buddhist religion.

Painting
Classical Thai painting is mostly confined to mural paintings inside Buddhist temples and palaces. They are idealistic and the themes frequently depicted are those related to Buddhism, such as the Buddha’s life stories, stories of the three worlds (heaven, earth and hell), and also those concerning customs and traditions. The subjects of the paintings reflect different purposes: to beautify and dignify the places of worship, to promote Buddhism, and to educate people through pictures.

Today contemporary Thai painting is exhibited at a number of Bangkok and Chiang Mai venues. One of the most important modern movements in Thai art was an updating of Buddhist themes, begun in the 1970s by painters Pichai Nirand, Thawan Duchanee and Prateung Emjaroen. The movement has grown stronger since their early efforts combined modern western schemata with Thai motifs. One Bangkok gallery, the Visual Dhamma Art Gallery (off Soi Asoke), specialises in the display of modern Thai Buddhist art by a number of different artists.

Another important venue and source of support for modern art are Bangkok’s luxury hotels. The largest collection of modern Thai painting anywhere in the world is found in the lobbies and public areas of the Grand Hyatt Erawan; the displays are changed regularly.

Architecture
Apart from the royal palace buildings, classical Thai architecture can be found in monastic monuments-pagodas and temples-which have been the focal points of Thai community activities for centuries. Admitting Indian, Khmer and other influences such as Chinese and Burmese, Thai architects developed their own distinctive style of sloping multi-tiered roof-tops and soaring pointed towers, intricately ornamented with carved wood and stucco, gilded lacquer work, mother-of-pearl inlay, Chinese porcelain fragments and colour glass mosaic. Under the tropical sun, these buildings give out an artistic harmony of flamboyance and serenity.

Examples of Thai architecture are seen in Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Pho , Wat Suthat, the Grand Place, etc.

More recently, a handful of rebellious architects have begun reincorporating traditional Thai motifs – mixed with updated western classics – in new buildings. Rangsan Torsuwan, a graduate of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), introduced the neoclassic (or neo – Thai) style, the best example of which is the new Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok. Another architect using traditional Thai architecture in modern functions is Pinyo Suwankiri, who has designed a number of government buildings in Bangkok as well as the Cittaphawan Buddhist School in Chanburi.

Sculpture
Thai sculpture is concentrated on Buddha images that rank among the world’s greatest expressions of Buddhist art. As a result, it is widely believed that the Buddha images in Thailand, from the Chiang Sean Period (11-13th c.) to the present Rattanakosin or Bangkok Period, are so numerous that they far outnumber the population of the country. Made in wood, metals, ivory, Precious stones and stucco, they have been created to represent Ratanatrai of Buddhism, i.e., Buddha, Dhamma (the Buddha’s doctrine) and Sanga (Buddhist clergy). Among the most beautiful Buddha images in Thailand are Phra Buddha Chinnarat in Wat Mahathat (Phitsanulok province) and Phra Buddha Chinnasi in Wat Bowon Niwet (Bangkok)

Literature
In the early days, Thai literature was concerned with religion, royalty and aristocracy and hardly anything else. Then, in the early 20th century, King Rama VI made a revolution in Thai literary history. Prose has become a favourite form of writing among Thai writers since then and common life scenes have been depicted in their works. One of the most important Thai literary pieces is the Ramakian, an epic derived from the Ramayana of India.

Also passed on from Indian tradition are the many jatakas or life stories of the Buddha (chaa-t?k in Thai). Of the 547 jataka tales in the pali tripitaka (Buddhist caono) – each one chronicling a different past life-most appear in Thailand almost word-for-word as they were first writtendown in Sri Lanka. A group of 50 “extra” stories, based on Thai folk tales of the time, were added by Pali scholars in Chiang Mai 300 to 400 years ago. The most popular jataka in Thailand is one of the Pali originals known as the Mahajati or Mahavessandara (Mahaa-Wetsandon in Thai), the story of the Buddha’s penultimate life. Interior murals in the b?t or ordination chapel of Thai wats typically depict this jataka and nine others: Temiya, Mahaachanaka, Suwannasama, Nemiraja, Mahaasotha, Bhuritat, Chantakumara, Nartha and Vithura.

The 30,000-line Phra Aphaimain, composed by poet Sunthorn Phu in the late 18th century, is Thailand’s most famous classical literary work. Like many of its epic predecessors around the world, it tells the story of an exiled prince who must complete an odyssey of love and war before returning to his kingdom in victory.

Poetry
During the Ayuthaya period, Thailand developed a classical poetic tradition based on five types of verse- chan, kap, khong, khlon and rai. Each of these forms uses a complex set of strict rules to regulate metre, rhyming patterns and number of syllables. Although all of these poetic systems use the Thai language, chan and kap are derived from Sanskrit verse forms from India while khlong, khlon and rai are native forms. The Indian forms have all but disappeared from 20th century use. During the political upheavals of the 1970s, several Thai newspaper editors, most notably Kukrit Pramoj, composed lightly disguised political commentary in khlon verse. Modern Thai poets seldom use the classical forms, preferring to compose in blank verse or with song-style rhyming.

Drama
In the purely classical form, Thai drama and dance are indivisible. The techniques of dancing are of Indian origin, but Thai people evolved them to be much more graceful and slow in motion. Thai dramas include renowned khon (the maskd drama), lakhon (a less formal dance drama with movements more graceful than khon), nang yai and nang talung (shadow plays) and hun (marionettes). In former days, dramas were normally performed only in the royal courts and noble mansions. Ordinary people could enjoy such performances only on festive occasions in the compound of a Buddhist monastery.

Khon
{add Khon1.jpg} In all khon performances, four types of characters are represented-male humans, female humans, monkeys and demons. Monkey and demon figures are always masked with the elaborate head coverings often seen in tourist promo material. Behind the masks and make-up, all actors are male. Traditional khon is a very expensive production-Ravana’s retinue alone (Ravana is the Ramakian’s principal villain) consists of over a hundred demons, each with a distinctive mask. Perhaps because it was once limited to royal venues and hence never gained a popular following, the khon or Ramakian dance-drama tradition nearly died out in Thailand. Bangkok’s National Theatre was once the only place where khon was regularly perfomed for the public; the renovated Chalermkrung Royal Theatre now hosts weekly khon performances enhanced by laser graphics and high-tech audio.

Scenes performed in traditional khon (and lokhon performances) come from the Ramayana, the classic “epic journey” tale with obvious archetypal parallels in the Greek epic the Odyssey, and the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts. The central story revolves around Prince Rama’s search for his beloved Princess Sita, who has been abducted by the evil 10-headed demon Ravana and taken to the island of Lanka. Rama is assisted in his search and in the final battle against Ravana by a host of mythical half-animal, half-human characters including the monkey-god Hanuman. See the following Literature section for some details on the differences between the Indian jRamayana and the Thai Ramakian.

Nang
Shadow-puppet theatre- in which two-dimensional figures are manipulated between a cloth screen and light source at night – time performances -has been a South – East Asian tradition for perhaps five centuries. Originally brought to the Malay Peninsula by Middle Eastern traders, the technique eventually spread to all parts of mainland and peninsular South-East Asia; in Thailand it is mostly found only in the South. As in Malaysia a d Indonesia, shadow puppets in Thailand are carved from dried buffalo or cow hides (nang in Thai).

Two distinct shadow-play traditions survive in Thailand. The most common, nang thalung, is named after Phattalung Province, where it developed based on Malay models. Like their Malay-Indonesian counterparts, the Thai shadow puppets represent an array of characters from classical and folk drama, principally the Ramakian and Phra Aphaimani in Thailand. A single puppet master manipulates the cutouts, which are bound to the ends of buffalo-horn handles. Nang thalung is still occasionally seen at temple fairs in the South, mostly in Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat Provinces. Performances are also held periodically for tour groups or visiting dignitaries from Bangkok.

The second tradition, nang yai (literally, “big hide”), uses much larger cutouts, each bound to two wooden poles held by a puppet master; several masters (almost always male) may participate in a single performance. Nang yai is rarely performed nowadays because of the lack of trained nang masters and the expense of the shadow puppets. Most nang yai made today are sold to interior decorators or tourists – a well-crafted hide puppet may cost as much as 50,000 Baht. In 1994, in order to celebrate the king’s 50th year on the throne, the Fine Arts Departments initiated a project to restore the original 180-year-old set of nang yai figures used by the Thai royal court. The project required the refurbishing of 352 puppets along with the creation of a hundred new ones to complete the royal set, known as Phra Nakhon Wai (“City-Shaking”) -a tribute to the impact they had on audiences nearly two centuries ago. In addition to the occasional performance in Nakhon Si Thammarat or Bangkok, nang yai can be seen at Wat Khanon in Ratchaburi Province,where nang yai master Khru Chalat is passing the art along to younger men.

Lakhon
The more formal lakhon nai (inner lakhon) was originally performed for lower nobility by all-female ensembles; today it’s a dying art, even more so than royal khon. In addition to scenes from the Ramakian, lakhon nai performances may include traditional Thai fold tales; whatever the story. Text is always sung.

Lakhon nawk (outer lakhon) deals exclusively with fold tales and features a mix of sung and spoken text, sometimes with improvisation. Both male and female performers are permitted. Like khon and lakhon nai, performances are becoming increasingly rare. More common these days is the less refined lakhon chatrii, a fast-paced, costumed dance-drama usually performed at upcountry temple festivals or at shrines (commissioned by a shrine devotee whose wish was granted by the shrine deity). Chartii stories have been influenced by the older mamohra theatre of southern Thailand (see the following Manohra section).

Lakhon phuut (speaking lakhon) is the equivalent of western theatre based on the Greek model – all dialogue is spoken rather than sung. Thai are the most modern of Thailand’s theatre traditions as well as the most popular in cities and larger towns.

Music
Thai classical music uses the diatonic music scale. The instruments are of four kind: Those of plucking, drawing, percussion and woodwind. Apart from drama, Thai classical music is played in some religious ceremonies, traditional rites and on festive occasions.

The classical orchestra is called the pii-phaat and can include as few as five players or more than 20. Among the more common instruments is the pii, a woodwind instrument which has a reed mouthpiece; it is heard prominently at Thai boxing matches. The pii is a relative of a similar Indian instrument, while the phin, a stringed instrument whose name comes from the Indian vina, is considered native to Thailand. A bowed saw. The ranaat ek is a bamboo- keyed percussion instrument resembling the western xylophone, while the khlui is a wooden flute.

In the North and North-East there are several popular reed instruments with multiple bamboo pipes, which function basically like a mouth- organ. Chief among thee is the khaen, which originated in Laos; when played bye an adept musician it sounds like a rhythmic, churning calliope. The funky luuk thung (or country; literally ” children of the fields”) style, which originated in the North- East, has become a favorite throughout Thailand.

TRADITIONAL CULTURE
By traditional culture we mean customs concerning agriculture and human relations, the art of making daily necessities such as utensils, clothing and basketry.

The basis of the Thai customs and traditions lies in the family, whose structure is of bilateral descent. Like the Chinese and some other Asian peoples, the young are obliged to pay respect to and follow the admonitions of parents, elders, teachers and Buddhist monks who, in the old days, formed a highly educated class.

When speaking about traditional Thai culture, what cannot be left unmentioned is the wat of throughout Thailand for hundreds of years, the primitive animist belief of the Thai people was assimilated by the Buddhist one. The wat became the centre of the village. It was the place where people received education, attended rites and ceremonies, and observed feasts and festivals all the year round.

Nowadays, due to the rapid advancement of technology, the traditional Thai way of living, especially in the big cities, has inevitably changed. However, it is still preserved to a large extent in the faraway rural areas where modern civilization has failed to penetrate.

Thai Culture Information from Thai way and Lonely Planet

Thailand covers an area of 510,000 square kilometers, approximately the same size as France, and has a population of some 60 million. Thailand shares borders with Myanmar to the west and north, Lao to the northeast and north, Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia to the south.

Geographically speaking, Thailand is divided into six major regions:

– The mountainous North, where elephants work forests and winter temperatures are sufficiently cool to permit cultivation of temperate fruits such as strawberries and peaches;
- The sprawling Northeast Plateau, largely bordered by the Mekong River, where the world’s oldest Bronze Age civilization flourished some 5,000 years ago;
- The Central Plain, one of the world’s most fertile rice and fruit-growing areas;
- The Eastern Coastal Plain, where fine sandy beaches support the growth of summer resorts;
- The Western mountains and valleys, suitable for the development of hydro-electric power, and
- The peninsular South where arresting scenic beauty complements economically vital tin mining, rubber cultivation and fishing.

CLIMATE
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: Summer from March through May; Rainy season with plenty of sunshine as well from June through September and Cool season from October through February.

The average annual temperature is 28 C (83 F), ranging, in Bangkok, for example, from 30 C in April to 25 C in December.

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Unique in South-East Asia because its north-south axis extends some 1800 km from mainland to peninsular South-East Asia, Thailand provides potential habitats for an astounding variety of flora and fauna. As in the rest of tropical Asia, most indigenous vegetation in Thailand is associated with two basic types of tropical forest: monsoon forest (with a distinctive dry season of three months or more) and rainforest (where rain falls more than nine months per year).

As with plan life, variation in the animal kingdom closely affiliates with geographic and climatic differences. Thailand is particularly rich in birdlife, with over 1,000 recorded resident and migrating species-approximately 10% of all world bird species. Coastal and inland waterways of the Southern peninsula are especially important habitats for South-East Asian waterfowl.

Indigenous mammals, mostly found in dwindling numbers within Thailand’s national packs or wildlife sanctuaries, such as tigers, leopards, elephants, Asiatic black bears, Malayan sin bears, quaur(Indian bison) etc. Herpetofauna in Thailand numbers around 313 reptiles and 107 amphibians, and includes four sea-turtle species along with numerous snake varieties, of which six are venomous. Insect number some 6,000 species, while the country’s rich marine environment counts tens of thousands of other species.

TIME
Time in Thailand is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 7)

HISTORY
Archaeological discoveries around the northeast village hamlet of Ban Chiang suggest that the world’s oldest Bronze Age civilization was flourishing in Thailand some 5,600 years ago.

Successive waves of immigrants, including Mon, Khamer and Thai, gradually entered the land mass now known as Thailand, most slowly travelling along fertile river valleys from southern China, By the early 1200s, the Thai people had established small northern city-states in Lanna, Phayao and Sukhothai. In 1238, two Thai chieftains rebelled against Khmer suzerainty and established the first truly independent Thai kingdom in Sukhothai (literally, “Dawn of Happiness”).

The Sukhothai era saw the Thais’ gradual expansion throughout the entire Chao Phraya River basin, the establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the predominant Thai religion, the creation of the Thai alphabet and the first expression of developing Thai art forms, including paining, sculpture, architecture and literature.

The Sukhothai era declined in the 1300s and eventually because a vassal state of Ayutthaya, a dynamic young kingdom furthers south in the Chao Phraya River valley. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya remained the Thai capital until 1767 when Burmese invaders destroyed it.

During Ayutthaya ‘s 417 years as the capital, under the rule of 33 kings, the Thais brought their distinctive culture to full fruition, totally riding their lands of Khmer presence and fostering contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and European powers.

Ayutthaya’ s destruction was as severe a blow to the Thais as the loss of Paris or London would have been to the French or English. However, a Thai revival occurred within a few month, and the Burmese were expelled by King Taksin who later made Thon Buri his capital. In 1782, the first king of the present Chakri dynasty, Rama I, established his new capital on the site of a riverside village called Bangkok (Village of Wild Plums).

Two Chakri monarchs, Mongkut (Rama IV), who reigned between 1851 and 1868, and his son Chulalongkorn (RamaV), who reigned from 1868 to 1910, saved Thailand from western colonisation through adroit diplomacy and selective modernisation.

Today, Thailand has a constitutional monarchy. Since 1932, Thai kings including the present monarch, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulydej, have exercised their legislative powers through a national assembly, their executive powers through a cabinet headed by a Prime Minister and their judicial power through the law courts.

PEOPLE
Throughout its long history, Thailand has welcomed and gently assimilated immigrants. Many were skilled as writers, painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians and architects, and helped enrich the indigenous culture.

People inhabiting Thailand today share a rich ethnic diversity-mainly Thai, Mon, Khmer, Laotion, Chinese, Malay, Persian and Indian stock-with the result that there is no typically Thai physiognomy or physique. There are petite Thais, statuesque Thais, round-faced Thais, dark-skinned Thais and light-skinned Thais.

Some 80 percent of all Thais are connected in sine way with agriculture, which in varying degrees, influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that help make Thailand such a distinctive country.

The population of Thailand is about 61 million and currently growing at a rate of 1.5% per annum (as opposed to 2.5% in 1979). Of the total, 9.08% lived in Bangkok.

RELIGION
Theravada Buddhism is the professed religion of more than 90 percent of all Thais, and casts strong influences on daily life.

Buddhism first appeared in Thailand during the 3rd Century BC at Nakhon Pathom, site of the world’s tallest Buddhist monument, after the Indian Buddhist Emperor Asoka (267-227 BC) dispatched missionaries to Southeast Asia to propagate the newly established faith.

Besides moulding morality, providing social cohesion and offering spiritual support, Buddhism has provided incomparable artistic impetus. In common with medieval European cathedrals, Thailand’ s innumerable multi-roofed temples have inspired major artistic creations.

Another reason for Buddhism’ s strength is that there are few Thai Buddhist families in which at least one male member has not studied the Buddha’s teachings in temple. It has long been a custom for Buddhist males over the age of 20, at one time in their life, to be ordained for a period ranging from five days to three months. This usually occurs during the annual Rains Retreat, a three-month period during the rainy season when all monks forego travel and remain within their temple.

Besides sustaining monastic communities, Thai temples have traditionally served other purposes-as the village hostelry, village news, employment and information agency, school, hospital, dispensary and community center-which give them vital roles in Thai society.

The Thais have always subscribed to the ideal of religious freedom. Thus, sizeable minorities of Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs freely pursue their respective faiths.

MONEY
Thai currency is the Baht, divided into 100 Satang. Exchange rate, as at Feb. 1999, approximately 43 Baht to the US$. Thai notes are in denominations of 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10 Baht. Coins are of 10, 5 , 1 Baht and 50 and 25 Satang.

Cash and travellers cheques can be exchanged freely, with banks or money changers giving other rates than hotels. Major international credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops.

More information about exchange service, please see also Visas & Regulations

LANGUAGE
Spoken and written Thai remain largely incomprehensible to the casual visitor. However, English is widely understood, particularly in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket where it is an important language in commerce. English and other European languages are spoken in most hotels, shops, restaurants, banks, international offices and car rental services in major tourist destinations, and Thai-English road and street signs are found nationwide.

How to Speak Thai

GOVERNMENT
Since 1932, the government of the Kingdom of Thailand has nominally been a constitutional monarchy inspired by the bicameral British model with 76 provinces, each sub-divided into amphoe(district), tambon(sub-district) and muban (village) but with myriad subtle differences. Thailand’s 15th constitution, enacted on December 1991 by the coup regime’s now defunct National Peace-Keeping Council (NPKC), replaced that promulgated in December 1978 and allows for limited public participation in the choosing of government officials. National polls elect the 360 member lower house (House of Representatives) and Prime Minister. In Thailand the Senate is not as powerful as the House of Representatives; the latter writes and approves legislation, while the Senate votes on constitutional changes.

MONARCHY
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty and as of 1988 the longest reigning king in Thai history. Born in December 1927, in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA, where his father, Prince Mahidol of Songkhla was studying medicine at Harvard University, H.M. King Bhumibol ascended the throne in 1946 and is already the longest reigning Thai monarch. As a constitutional monarch, he maintains neutrality in times of crisis.

The king and his wife, H.M. Queen Sirikit, have four children: Princess Ubol Ratana(born 1951), Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (1952), Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn (1955) and Princess Chulabhorn(1957).

Thai people have a deep and traditional reverence for the Royal Family. To a very large degree, H.M. King Bhumibol’s popularity mirrors his deep interest in his people’s welfare. He concerns himself intimately with every aspect of Thai life. He and his wife, H.M. Queen Sirikit devote much of their time to inspect and improve the welfare of the people.

ECONOMY
During the 1980s, Thailand maintained a steady GNP growth rate which by 1988 had reached 13% per annum. Thailand in the 1990s finds itself on the threshold of attaining the exclusive rank of NIC or ‘newly industrialised country’. Soon, economic experts say, Thailand will be joining Asia’s ‘little -dragons’, also known as the Four Tigers- South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore- in becoming a leader in the Pacific Rim economic boom.

Major Agricultural exports are rice, tapioca, rubber, coconuts, sugar, maize, pineapples, cotton and palm oil. Processed food and beverages- especially canned shrimp, tuna and pineapples – also account for significant export earnings. Thailand’s Top export markets are the USA, Japan and Singapore.

About 60% of the Thai labour force is engaged in agriculture, 10% each in commerce and services and 20% in manufacturing. Major manufactured exports are textiles, cement, electronics, cars, trucks, gems and jewellery.

The minimum wage in Bangkok and surrounding provinces is 145 Baht (US$5.80) per day; it can be as low as 95 Baht a day in the outer provinces. The incidence of poverty in Thailand has steadily declined, from 30% in 1976 to 6.4% in 1995-96. Conversely the average income has increased to nearly 19 times what it was in 1962-63. Thais rank seventh worldwide, just ahead of the Japanese, for gross saving of GDP income at 37%.

More information about Thai economy, please see also Business in Thailand

Thailand in Brief by Tourism Authority of Thailand