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thailand:
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All visitors to Thailand need a passport which must be valid for at least 6 months from the time of
entry.
Whichever type of visa you have, be sure to check your passport immediately after stamping. Officials sometimes stamp it for
only 30 days when you may have a longer visa. The Thai government allows people of 57 different nations including most European countries,
Australia, New Zealand and the USA, to enter the country for tourism purposes without a visa for 30
days at no charge. Citizens of
Brazil, Korea and Peru may enter the country without a visa for a maximum stay of 90 days due to inter-governmental agreements.
If you plan to stay in Thailand for longer than a month, you should apply for the 60-day Tourist Visa.
You can buy more than one visa at a time and thus extend your stay in multiples of two months for a maximum of 8 months in one
passport. For more information, check out the Royal Thai Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
or contact the Immigration Bureau at 0 2287 3101.
To apply for a visa, contact the nearest Royal Thai embassy or consulate. In many cases, if you
apply in person
you may receive a Tourist or Non-Immigrant Visa on the day of application; by mail it generally takes anywhere from
two to six weeks.
All employment in Thailand requires a Thai work permit. Thai law defines work as "exerting
one;s physical energy or employing one's knowledge, whether or not for wages or other benefits" and therefore even volunteer
work requires a permit. Certain jobs including architecture, civil engineering and clerical or secretarial services are closed
to foriegners by royal decree. Work permits should be obtained through an employer, who may file for the permit before you
enter Thailand.
Thai immigration does not seem very concerned that you arrive with proof on onward travel.
Thailand prohibits the importation of illegal drugs, firearms and ammunition and pornographic media. Up to 200 cigarettes or other smoking materials
up to 250g are also allowed. For more information on drugs and legal matters in Thailand, click here...
Legally, any traveller arriving in Thailand must have at least the following amounts of money in cash, travellers checks, bank
draft or letter of credit: Non-Immigrant Visa - US$500, Tourist Visa - US$250, Transit Visa or no visa - US$125 per person. Your funds may
be checked by authorities if you arrive on a one-way ticket or if you look as if you're at the "end of the road."
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