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USEFUL TIPS & FACTS
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Becareful - Thailand is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are held sacred. Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even if committed by foreign visitors. |
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Becareful - Thai people hold their King and Queen and the Royal Family in great reverence, and so won't tolerate foreigners showing disrespect to them. |
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Generally Thai women are conservative. So don't touch them without their consent. |
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Do dress properly when entering a Buddhist temple. Miniskirts and shorts are not allowed. Take your shoes off before going inside the hall of worship. Ladies must not on any account touch a Buddhist monk, give things direct to him or receive things direct from him. |
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Intimacies between man and woman should not be shown in public. Sunbathing in the nude is prohibited. |
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Call Thais their first names; Do use the title "Khun" for adults. |
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Normally, Thai people address others by their first names and with the title 'khun'. So don't be surprised if you are addressed as 'Khun Mary' or 'Khun John' instead of by your surname. |
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Traditionally, Thais greet each other with a wai (by pressing the palms together at the chest). If someone wais you, you should wai back (except wai-ed by a child). |
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Thai people smile to express gladness and happiness, to thank for small services, to return the wai of children and inferior persons, and even to excuse small inconveniences. |
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Don't touch a person's head, nor ruffle his hair. The head is the noblest part of the body. A sincere apology should be offered immediately if you touch someone's head unintentionally. |
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Avoid placing your feet on the table while sitting. Never use your foot to point things out or to touch any part of the body of anyone, which is considered rude. |
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Entering a Thai house, you're expected to Do remove your shoes. |
| Customs Clearance for Passengers |
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Passengers arriving in the Kingdom of Thailand have to fill in the "Passenger Declaration Form" (Form No.211) and submit it to the Customs officer while bringing their luggage or belongings through the red or green channel. In case there are no dutiable, prohibited or restricted goods, please mark "nothing to declare" on the Passenger Declaration Form and submit it to the Customs officer at the green channel.
In case there are dutiable, prohibited or restricted goods or the passenger is unsure whether or not goods are subject to any of the three aforesaid categories, the passenger should mark "goods to declare" on the Passenger Declaration Form and submit it to the Customs officer at the red channel. |
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1.1 Duties for goods brought into Thailand will be assessed according to Customs Acts, Customs Tariff Decree, and other associated laws.
The following are subject to duty charges (30% of the goods' value):
- Goods which are brought into the country in a limited quantity as personal effects and are not for a commercial purpose.
- Goods not exceeding 80,000 baht in value.
- Duties shall be paid in cash on the date of arrival.
In case goods do not comply with the above conditions, they will be sent to Goods Accompanying Passenger Section of the Import Formalities Sub-Division at Customs Warehouse 1, Import Customs Warehouse Building, Bangkok International Airport Customs Bureau or any local respective Customs House to comply with normal Customs procedures. The passenger will receive a delivery order form (Form No.466) as evidence.
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1.2 Personal effects for personal or professional use which accompany passengers in an amount not exceeding their needs with the total value not exceeding 10,000 baht, will be exempted from customs duties.
Personal effects such as clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes, glasses, perfume, etc., purchased abroad must have a receipt to show before the Customs; if there is no such receipt, the Customs officer will consider other available evidence.
The following accompanied goods can be brought into Thailand in amounts not exceeding as stated below;
- 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars and tobacco
- 1 liter of alcoholic liquor |
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1.3 A certain amount of used household effects accompanying a passenger due to change domicile will be exempted from Customs duties.
- Used household effects such as television, radio, video, etc., will be exempted from Customs duties; however, passengers are required to declare the mentioned items to the Customs officer at the red channel by submitting a passenger declaration form (Form No.211)
For further information, contact the Customs Bureau, Tel. 0 2535 1269, 0 2535 1569 or 0 2535 1153 |
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| Customs Formality (Outbound Passengers) |
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Cameras, video cameras and portable computers must be declared to the Customs officer in order to confirm outbound accompaniment upon re-entry to Thailand. |
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Jewelry and ornaments are required to go through the Customs formalities at the Outbound Section, Passenger Control Division, Bangkok International Airport Customs Bureau (3rd floor, International Terminal 1). |
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Prohibited Goods and Restricted Goods: |
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Prohibited goods are goods for which either the import into or export out of the kingdom is prohibited, e.g. drugs, pornographic materials, protected wild animals or related products, etc. Violators of laws related to illicit drugs, e.g. having and holding, holding for use, or being a producer, seller or transporter are subject to the death sentence.
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Restricted goods are goods the import and export of which are restricted by law and therefore require a permit from the related government agencies. The following items require a permit from the government agency concerned in order to go through the Customs formalities.
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- Firearms, ammunitions, explosive objects (Office of National Police)
- Buddha images, artefacts and antiques (Fine Arts Department)
- Radio transceivers and telecommunications equipment (Post & Telegraph Department)
- Plants and planting materials (Department of Agriculture)
- Live animals and animal products (Department of Live Stock Development)
- Medicines and chemical products (Office of Food and Drugs Administration)
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Do drink only bottled or boiled water. |
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You can find places to eat 24 hours a day, but better Avoid sidewalk stalls where, though food is cheap and palatable, hygienic conditions may not be up to standard. |
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Most Thai food is already cut into small pieces before serving or made soft enough to be cut with a spoon or fork; thus, a knife is unnecessary. |
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Saltshakers are rarely found on Thai dining tables, so add a little caramel-colour fish-sauce (called nam-pla in Thai) instead, if you find your food not salty enough. |
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English is spoken in large restaurants in tourist provinces and most establishments have menus in Thai and English. |
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Beckon waiters with a wave of a hand. Don't clap, snap fingers or hiss. |
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Normally, a tip of 10-20 baht or 5-10% of the bill should be left when dining in a middle or high-class restaurant. |
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Be careful with your bag and valuables while shopping in a crowded area. |
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After buying and before leaving the shop, Do check that the goods are the same that you bought. Some shops do not exchange or give refunds, and make sure you keep the receipts. |
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In the case that you have the shop send the goods by mail, Do ask for a receipt for sending the goods, so that you can be certain that there is an actual mailing service. |
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Bargaining is an art long practised in Asian countries including Thailand. So Do feel free to ask for a proper discount when shopping in places where prices are not marked. |
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Be careful in dealing with sidewalk vendors who may not offer genuine goods at fair prices. |
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Souvenir stores in hotel arcades and department stores may ask for higher prices than general souvenir stores and street shops for they have to pay high rents. Yet these shops mostly offer high quality goods. |
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To shop gems, Do make sure that you shop from a specialist in that field instead of buying from a simple souvenir store. |
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Before making your decision to buy, especially precious objects, Do compare prices at several shops. |
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Receipts should be obtained for the goods you buy. For jewellery you Must get a certificate of guarantee as well. |
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Some shops can offer a money-back guarantee but you Should clearly determine all conditions with the shopkeeper beforehand. |
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Do ask for a written agreement to full refund on any goods returned within 90 days. |
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Don't let a new acquaintance take you to shopping, for he or she is very likely to get a commission from the store. And the commission will be added to your payment. |
Related Link : VAT Refund for Tourists and Some Best Buys |
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Don't get involved with any kind of narcotic drugs, gambling, child prostitution or other illegal activities that violate the law. |
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Don't walk in isolated places. |
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Strictly observe the warning signs at tourist attractions. Don't violate the law, as this may result in severe consequences. |
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Be careful with your bags and valuables when travelling. Don't leave them unattended. |
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Don't accept any complimentary tour offered by a stranger. Reliable tourist information and safe tours are only provided by a tour agency with a license. |
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Before using any service, Do check the information before making a final decision and keep all the important related documents in case a problem should arise after using the service. |
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Don't take any foods, drinks, or candies offered by a stranger. |
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Don't spit saliva or phlegm, discard cigarette stubs, or throw away any garbage in public areas, on the streets, or on the ground. Offenders are subject to a maximum fine of 2,000 baht. |
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Consult Thaiways web or Thaiways magazine, the most comprehensive guide to Thailand , or obtain information about the tourist destination from the Tourism Authority of Thailand before travelling. Check the weather conditions, especially when going to the sea, and your health, so that your trip will go smoothly. |
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If you have any problems while travelling, please contact the Tourist Service Centre, tel. 1672 (24 hours) or Tourist Assistance Centre, tel. 0 2505 5686 (Mon - Fri, 08.30-16.30)
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| For your personal safety and protection by law, please use the services of travel agencies holding a TAT license only. |
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| About Wildlife & Environment |
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| As the environment has become more polluted and many wildlife species have become extinct, or are in danger of extinction, partly due to the development of tourism, visitors are requested to help keep the environment clean and protect wild animals for the benefit of the later generations. |
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Don't throw styrofoam and other types of plastics into the sea or Don't discard in the forest are harmful or even deadly to animals. |
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Never buy and keep wild animals as pets in which condition they are never meant to be. Never purchase any product or souvenir made from wild animals or their organs. |
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Avoid patronizing restaurants that serve food consisting of any wild animals. It is against the law to slaughter wildlife for food in Thailand. |
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