A Thailand checklist is a guide for any travelers to prepare themselves before landing in Thailand, the land of smiles.
Getting There
There are several ways to arrive to this country depending on where you come from.
By air: The main airport of Thailand is in Bangkok called Suvarnabhumi International Airport. However, there are many other airports in every region around Thailand in order for travelers to connect to all parts of the country such as in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. A little trick is that as there is a high competition in domestic flight market, travelers should compare the air fares from more than one source before booking. Also, be careful with the initial price offered as there could be a large amount of extra taxes and surcharges applied in the further booking steps. So, make sure, you continue the booking process until the final total price is shown. The popular airlines for domestic flights are Thailand Airways, Bangkok Air, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air and Air Asia.
By train: If tourists travel from Malaysia, a train is another option to enter Thailand. Moreover, as the railway connects to every part of the country, if tourists do not mind spending a little more time on transportation, this is another option to travel around the country and enjoy scenery of Thailand.
By ship: This way is becoming more popular nowadays. There is the cruise line heading to South East Asia route, including visiting Thailand. The recommended 5-star service cruise is Costa Cruises.
Checklist before Thailand check in
1. Seek for some basic information After choosing the transportation to enter the country, learning some basic information is always a wise idea to do before your arrival. Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT is always a trusted and valuable source to seek for any information about the country. The main channel to connect to TAT is through its website. In addition, even when you have arrived to the country there are many branches of TAT around Thailand to serve tourists, starting from the one at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
2. Vaccinations preparation In term of health preparation, vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, polio, rabies, typhoid and tuberculosis are advised but not necessary. If you plan to get into jungles around the border areas (connected to Cambodia, Burma and Lao), Malaria vaccination is also recommended.
3. Entry document check for Thailand Check in For Visa, the regulations for visa can be changed without notice so when planning to visit Thailand, make sure to re-check with the Thai embassy before departing. For passport, it must be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive Thailand.
4. Prepare some money and know its currency About currency, currency used in Thailand is Thai Baht. Its money includes both coins and notes, starting from “satang” coins, 100 satangs equal to 1 baht, 1 baht, 2 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht coins. For bank notes are 1,000 baht, 500 baht, 100 baht, 50 baht and 20 baht notes. One recommendation is that do not keep the large-denomination bank notes such as 1,000 or 500 notes or try change them to the smaller ones as street vendors or taxis don’t usually have large amount of changes. Exchange counters are also scattered around the country especially in tourist places. It is highly recommended to exchange your money at these bank counters rather than at hotels as the rate from the latter one would be more expensive. Besides cash, it is also a wise idea to bring cards with you as ATM machines are widely available everywhere around Thailand. Credit card is also accepted in many places however make sure you keep an eye on who handling your cards to avoid any cheating practices such as copying your card codes.
5. Clothes to match with the climate The usual weather in Thailand is hot. There is a Thai joke that Thailand has 3 seasons: hot, hotter and hottest. As a result, clothes to be used in this country should be something light with short sleeves. However, trousers or a long skirt are something you should also bring at least one as some tourist attractions such as temples will not allow people with shorts or singlet to get in. Some winter clothes may be needed only if you plan to go up the hills in the northern part or north eastern part of the country during winter time, otherwise, they will be quite useless for your trip. To make sure with this, it is highly recommend travelers to check the weather forecast again before their departure. Best place to retire in the world