Water.

Important warning: do not drink tap water in the Kingdom of Thailand!
Hotels provide drinking water free of charge.
In addition, you can buy bottled water in stores.

Clothing

Given the tropical climate, it is recommended to wear lightweight clothing made of natural fabrics.
However, Thai traditions do not welcome excessive nudity in public places.
When visiting temples, it is imperative that your clothes cover your knees, elbows, shoulders, and shoes cover your heels.
It is forbidden to sunbathe on public beaches without a bathing suit.

Shopping

Thailand is a country of shopping!
Here you can buy almost everything – from souvenirs to a live crocodile (however, before buying an animal or plant, consult the rules for their export and import to the country of passage).
The huge number of shops, stores, markets and large shopping centers is impressive!
They will offer a huge selection of souvenirs, products of Thai artisans, jewelry, clothing, shoes, leather goods, jewelry, household appliances and much more.
According to CBI, one of the world’s most respected tourism rating agencies, Thailand has been holding the palm in the “Value for Money” category for 5 years now.
Please note that in Thailand you can bargain, but only in markets and private shops – prices in shopping centers are fixed.
We do not recommend buying jewelry and stones on the streets and beaches, as they may be fakes.
For jewelry, it is recommended to go to jewelry factories and specialized shops at them.
When purchasing expensive goods (worth over 2,000 baht), it is advisable to have your passport with you so that the purchase is processed accordingly, and then you can get a VAT refund at the airport before flying home.

Currency and traveler’s check exchange

We advise you to change currency and traveler’s checks into baht only at bank branches and official exchange offices marked with the EXCHANGE sign.
Banks are open from 9:00 to 21:00 seven days a week.
Many hotels provide currency exchange services at the reception, but the exchange rate is usually low.

ATMs and credit cards

All ATMs in Thailand accept only the local currency, the baht.
You can find ATMs by looking for ATM signs in any shopping center, on the streets, and near bank branches.
Most banks, shops, and hotels accept international credit cards such as American Express, Master Card, and Visa.

Customs regulations

The laws of the Kingdom of Thailand are quite strict and protect morality and ethics.
The country prohibits the import of drugs (punishable by life imprisonment or execution), weapons and ammunition (without the appropriate permission of the competent authorities), printed and video products of an erotic or pornographic nature, and meat products.
Religious images and statues of Buddha cannot be exported from the country.
Special certificates or licenses are required for the export of antiques and original folk art, as well as gold bars, precious stones and jewelry.
If you intend to export a domestic animal, you should consult with customs officials in advance.

TAX FREE: what it is and how to use it

The system of VAT refunds (tax free) in Thailand is quite developed.
The VAT rate here is 7%.
In order to get a tax refund, you need to fill out a special document in stores or shopping centers that have the announcement “VAT REFUND FOR THE TOURISTS”, when buying goods worth more than 2,000 baht, ask the seller to fill out a special document that must contain the buyer’s passport details, the seller’s tax registration number and the amount of goods (net + VAT).
Important note: tax free payment upon departure from Thailand is only possible if the total value of goods on all tax free checks was more than 5,000 baht.
Upon arrival at the Bangkok airport, you need to find the “CUSTOMS CHECK FOR VAT REFUND” office near the check-in counters and stamp all the issued checks with a customs officer.
It is mandatory to do this, as no refund will be made without a stamp.
The money will be issued in cash at a special cash desk with the inscription “VAT REFUND” after passing passport control.

If you are late for your flightIf you are late for an international flight, you should immediately contact a representative of the airline at the airport for assistance.If you are late for a domestic flight, you can re-register your ticket for the next available flight at the airline’s counter at the airport, provided that there are seats available and it is provided by the airline.Transportation rental

It is recommended to use well-known rental companies (Budget, Avis) – all their cars are insured and their serviceability is guaranteed.
To rent a car, you will need a passport, an international driver’s license, and a credit card for payment.
Private rental companies have lower document requirements and accept cash payments only, but the cars are usually not insured.
Therefore, any, even the slightest, trouble (accident, breakdown) can cause huge losses for the renter – in 99% of cases, the police are on the side of the owners.
You should be especially careful when renting motorcycles, as they are high-risk vehicles.
And traffic in Thailand is quite intense.

Water motorcycles

There is a very high level of injuries among tourists who have jet skis (scooters).
The reasons for this are high speed, poor visibility due to waves or splashes in the eyes, and often alcohol.
This seemingly innocent pastime often results in a hospital bed and compensation for damage to someone else’s property.

Tipping

It is customary to leave a tip in bars and restaurants – usually in the amount of 10-20 baht per person or 10% of the order amount.
If you wish, you can also tip porters in hotels (10-20 baht).

How not to get lost in Thailand

Please do not talk to strangers on the street and do not agree to their dubious offers to visit this or that place or go on a tour.
Please tell these people a firm “no”.
You can get all the necessary information from your guide.
Please note: Thais do not speak English and Russian well, so it is advisable to always have a business card of the hotel you are staying at with the name in Thai – this will help you to find your way back to the hotel.

Rules of conduct in public places

Thais do not shake hands when meeting and parting.
They bring their palms together, holding them in front of them like Christians do when they pray.
This gesture is called “wai”.
The younger one greets the older one first, and the latter responds with the same gesture.
Watch how the Thais do it, and you will quickly master this way of greeting.
It is considered indecent to point at anyone with your foot.
Even when a person is sitting, the toes should not be pointed at anyone.
Try to keep a close eye on this.
For Thais, the head is the main part of the body, both literally and figuratively.
That’s why they don’t approve of strangers touching their heads, even in a friendly gesture.
If you look closely at the behavior of locals in public, you will easily notice that young people try to keep their heads lower than those of older people so that they do not appear to be looking down on their elders.
Of course, this is not always possible, but even such an attempt will be noticed and appreciated.
Excessive expression of feelings between a man and a woman in public places is not welcome.
Losing your temper and raising your voice in a given situation is seen by Thais as a lack of good manners.
You can get what you want faster if you keep your emotions in check and remain calm.
The locals address each other by their first names, so you should not be surprised to hear, for example, Vladimir or Maria instead of your surname.
Thais add the word “khun” before their first name, which is equivalent to our words “Mr.” and “Mrs.”

Rules of conduct in places of worship

One should dress neatly and with restraint.
It is not allowed to appear in the church without a shirt, in shorts, shortened pants, miniskirts, and other too revealing clothes.
It is appropriate to be guided by the rule: in what form you visited a similar institution in your homeland, come here in the same way.
You can wear shoes outside the temple.
But as soon as you are about to go inside, where the main Buddha statue is located, please take off your shoes.
Do not worry about hygiene – the floor is usually very clean in such places.
Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch a woman or take anything from her hands.
If a woman wants to make a gift to a monk, she must first give the gift to a man, and he will give it to the minister.
A woman can also make an offering to a monk or novice in another way: she places the gift on the edge of a saffron cloak (handkerchief), which is held by a monk on the other side.
All Buddha statues, large and small, dilapidated and new, are considered sacred.
Therefore, you should not climb on them, for example, to take pictures.
In other words, don’t do anything that could be seen as disrespectful to the shrines.

Diving in Thailand

Thailand is one of the most exotic maritime countries.
The waters of the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea and a relatively small piece of the eastern Indian Ocean, which stretches from the western shores of Malaysia towards the Andaman Islands, expanding towards Burma, are its waters.
Most professional diving centers are located on the islands of Phuket and Phi Phi (Andaman Sea).
Beginners can go to Pattaya.
But you can also dive near the islands of Samui and Chang (Gulf of Thailand) or on the outskirts of small islands that are not far from the big ones.
The sea usually warms up to a temperature of 27-29 ° C, which makes it comfortable in the water at any time of the year and day.

Useful phone numbers of hospitals and embassies in Thailand

Bangkok Hospital Medical Center
2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi Road
Bangkapi, Huay Khwang Bangkok 10310
tel: +66-2-310-30-00
Emergency Services
tel: +66-2-310-34-56

Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
301 Moo 6, Sukhumvit Road, K.M. 143,
Naklua, Banglamung, Chonburi
Thailand 20150
tel: +66-38-25-99-99

Bangkok Hospital Phuket
2/1 Hongyok Utis Rd., Muang District, Phuket, 83000, Thailand.
tel: +66-76-25-44-25

Bangkok Hospital Samui
57 Moo 3, Thaweerat Phakdee Road, Bophut, Koh Samui, Surat Thani 84320
tel: +66-77-42-95-00

Bangkok Hospital Chanthaburi
25/14 Taluang Rd., Watmai Sub District, Muang, Chanthaburi 22000
tel.
+66-39-31-98-88

Embassy of Ukraine in Thailand87 All Seasons Place, CRC Tower, 33 rd Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, ThailandTel: +66-2-685-32-15 Fax: +66-2-685-32-17Tourist police

Since 1982, Thailand has had a Tourist Police, which, together with the Department of Tourism of Thailand (TAT), ensures the safety of tourists.
The responsibilities of the Tourist Police include assisting tourists, accepting and acknowledging claims and complaints from them, investigating the causes of the incident, and coordinating security.
As a rule, Tourist Police officers speak English.
They can be recognized by blue or yellow patches on the sleeves of their uniforms.

Thailand Tourist Police, tel: 1155 (domestic)Bangkok Tourist Police, tel: +66-22-34-02-42Pattaya Tourist Police, tel: +66-38-42-93-71Phuket Tourist Police, tel: +66-76-25-46-93, +66-76-22-53-61Samui Tourist Police, tel: +66-77-42-12-81