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Bangkok	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rain (mm)	8	20	36	58	198	160	160	175	305	206	66	5
Sun (hrs)	9	8	9	8	8	6	5	5	5	6	8	9
Temp(Max)	32	33	34	35	34	33	32	32	32	31	31	31
Temp (Min)	20	22	24	25	25	24	24	24	24	24	22	20
Days of Rain*	1	2	2	4	13	12	13	15	18	14	5	1
Hum (%)	53	55	56	58	64	67	66	66	70	70	65	56
Chiang Mai	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rain (mm)	0	10	8	36	122	112	213	193	249	94	31	13
Sun (hrs)	9	9	9	9	8	6	5	4	6	7	8	9
Temp (Max)	29	32	34	36	34	32	31	31	31	31	30	28
Temp (Min)	13	14	17	22	23	23	23	23	23	21	19	15
Days of Rain*	1	1	1	5	12	12	14	17	14	9	4	1
Hum (%)	52	44	40	49	60	67	69	73	72	69	63	57
Phuket	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Rain (mm)	35	38	74	127	297	264	216	244	328	315	193	79
Sun (hrs)	9	10	9	8	7	5	6	6	5	6	7	8
Temp (Max)	31	32	33	33	31	31	31	31	30	31	31	31
Temp (Min)	23	23	24	25	25	25	25	24	24	24	24	24
Days of Rain*	3	2	4	9	19	17	17	17	21	20	13	6
Hum (%)	64	63	64	71	74	73	73	76	77	77	73	68

Currency

Thai baht (1 Thai baht = 100 santang)

1 US$ = 42 baht

1 UK£ = 67 baht

 

Common coins

• 1 baht
• 5 baht
• 10 baht

Common notes

• 20 baht
• 50 baht
• 100 baht
• 500 baht
• 1,000 baht

NB changing larger notes can sometimes be difficult in small villages.

 

Money can be changed at any bank, exchange kiosk or hotel (lowest rate). Banks are open from 10am to 4pm on weekdays, but special foreign exchange sections may be open outside normal banking hours. Traveller’s cheques are widely accepted but will entail a service charge, usually per cheque. ATM’s are common and accept all major credit/debit cards. Credit cards are also widely accepted, with Visa and MasterCard being the most popular. Cash advances are also available at banks and exchange kiosks. No black market exists in Thailand.

Holidays

New Year’s Day	-	1 st January
Chakri Memorial Day	-	6 th April
Songkran Festival (Thai New Year)	-	12 th-14 th April
International Labour Day	-	1 st May
Coronation Day	-	5 th May
Queen’s Birthday	-	12 th August
Chulalongkorn Day	-	23 rd October
King’s Birthday	-	5 th December
Constitution Day	-	10 th December
New Year’s Eve	-	31 st December

 

More information on holidays & festival dates in Thailand in the coming year

 

NB Banks and government offices are closed during the holidays above.

 

There are many other national Buddhist festivals throughout the year that are linked to the lunar calendar, usually during full moons.

 

There are also numerous regional holidays, festivals and fairs throughout the year.

Religion

Thailand is 95% Buddhist, with a small Muslim minority in the southern states close to the Malaysian border.

Vaccinations

Recommended vaccinations and other health protection measures vary and are subject to change. You must consult your GP on current vaccinations needed for your destination. You can also visit our travel health website at:

 

TravelHealthZone

 

This has links to up-to-date information on vaccination requirements as well as much more general travel health information and advice.

 

For direct, up-to-date information on vaccination requirements for Thailand please click here

Customs

• Greetings are usually accompanied with a small bow, a big smile and hands together in prayer.
• Thailand is a Buddhist country and religion is taken seriously.
• Images of the Buddha are regarded as sacred and should be treated as such by foreign visitors.
• Always take your shoes off before entering a temple and remember to dress conservatively, shorts are not allowed. Women are forbidden to touch, give to, or receive from a Buddhist monk.
• The Thai royal family is held in very high esteem. In cinemas and at public events the Thai national anthem is played and you are expected to pay your respects by standing.
• Thai women are on the whole quite conservative and should not be touched without their consent. Public shows of intimacy are frowned upon and nude sunbathing is prohibited. Except on the beach you should try to dress conservatively wherever possible.
• The feet are considered as unclean and should not be used to point to things or to touch someone with. It is also considered rude to show the soles of your feet in public, so try to avoid putting you feet up on a chair or table. Try not to touch the head or ruffle the hair, as this is also considered rude. Should you accidentally cause offence to a Thai you should apologise with sincerity immediately.
• Tipping is not expected except at large tourist resorts, and then only when a service charge is not included, however a small tip will always be appreciated.
• Haggling on the other hand is an integral part of Thai life. You should expect to haggle for just about everything, but for the best results do so with a smile and a light-hearted approach. Always be wary of street sellers, as what they sell may not always be what you think it is.
• You will find that Thais smile a lot, as the usual way to show gratitude or to thank someone in Thailand is to smile. You should try to do the same. The more you smile the better!

Security

Thailand is one of the safest countries in Southeast Asia and the risk of being a victim of crime is very low. The most common form of crime against tourists is theft, usually by stealth rather than violence, so visitors should take care to secure their personal possessions at all times. In more remote areas the risk of muggings and robberies does exist but again is very low.

 

Although there are risks travelling anywhere in the world, terrorism is not, and has never been a problem affecting tourist travel in Thailand.

 

For more specific, up-to-date security information and how this may affect your tour, please visit our regional security page.

Visas

Most foreign nationals can get a 30-day permit for free. New Zealanders, Swedes, Danes and South Koreans can stay up to 90 days free of charge. Permits are obtained on arrival at Bangkok airport and can be extended if necessary. Other visas, including work visas are obtainable for a fee.

 

There is a 500 baht departure tax when leaving by air.

Flights (from the UK)

UK return - UK£450to UK£550using the cheapest air carriers (usually with a short stopover).