Bob & Janette's Travel Adventures

Thailand Tips

When to Go
Thailand's most popular tourist season is the winter period from November until March. During this time it rains the least and is not unbearably hot and humid.  If you really want to travel cheaply, avoiding the crowds and taking advantage of discounted room rates consider going in April, May, June, September or October.

Drinking Water
Drinking water straight out of the tap in Thailand is not advisable.  Most mid range and higher hotels provide one or two bottles of drinking water per day.  It is best to get in the habit of drinking bottled water especially if you will be visiting rural areas or other countries in the region. Always take bottled water with you when you are out touring. If you have purchased bottled water, check that there is a proper seal or that the packaging is intact.  Some places have been known to sell recycled bottles that have merely been filled up with tap water.

Travel Overnight
You can go a long way for very few baht on overnight trains, and save a few hundred baht by not needing a room for the night.  Buses are more expensive, more dangerous, but they cover more routes

Taxis
Perhaps the easiest and most comfortable way to get around Bangkok is by aircon taxi. These come in quite a few different colours though the green-yellow and red-blue ones are the most common. The two tone green and yellow taxis are generally reckoned to be the best ones.  These are driven by the owner while all others are rented out by the day.  Always insist that the driver uses the taxi meter as this will be the cheapest option.

Hiring a Vehicle
You are required to carry a valid driving license whenever you drive.  That means either an international driving license obtained from your home country or a Thai driving license. Thai driving licenses are only available to Thais and foreigners on long-term visas.  The police may be generous with foreign visitors and accept a foreign driving license, however they are not obliged to so it is better to be safe and carry a legal driving license.  Not carrying a legal driving license will also invalidate most insurance policies.

World Class Thailand Drives

 Budget World Class Drives are a unique series of self drive itineraries.  Each Budget World Class Drive is a 16 page comprehensive guide with easy to follow driving directions, maps and information about sites to see at each featured destination. Guidance is also given on accommodation houses and restaurants.

 

First Aid Kit
It is strongly recommended that you carry a small first aid kit with you. Pack some adhesive bandages for minor injuries, scissors, tweezers, aspirin or Panadol for pain and fever, antiseptic for cuts and scrapes, antihistamines for allergies and insect bites, and medicine for stomach upsets.

Electricity
Thailand's voltage is 220 AC, 50 hertz using a two round prong plug. Some of Thailand's  larger hotels may be able to provide an adapter plug and have special outlets for shavers in the bathroom.  Alternatively, adapters can be brought relatively cheap at the markets

Internet Access
Internet access is readily available and most hotels will have an internet kiosk or corner however it is usually more expensive than an internet cafe. 

Don’t Get Scammed or Robbed
Read about the gem shop scams, the free rides in tuk-tuks, and find out the real price of airport taxis. Ask all taxi drivers to run the meters and agree on a price for a ride before you go anywhere.

 

Some example costs that you may encounter are:

 

If you have a tip that you think our readers might be interested in why not drop us a line via the Contact Us page.  We will review it and consider it's inclusion.