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thailand:
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· getting there
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Here's some basic information for you when it comes to travel to Thailand...
OFFICIAL NAME
Kingdom of Thailand
CAPITAL
Bangkok
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
Thai
FLAG
The flag of Thailand is five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red.
MONEY
Thailand's currency is baht and satang. There are 100 satang in 1 baht; coins include 25-satang and 50-satang pieces and baht in
1B, 5B and 10B coins. Paper currency comes in denominations of 10B, 20B, 50B, 100B, 500B, and 1000B. 10B bills are being phased out in favor
of the 10B coin. Older coins exhibit Thai numerals only, while newer coins have Thai and Arabic numerals.
Note that you can't exchange Malaysian ringgit, Indonesian rupiah, Nepali rupees, Cambodian riel, Lao kip, Vietnamese dong or
Myanmar kyat to Thai baht at banks.
There is a 7% value added tax (VAT) applied to certain services and goods. Visitors to Thailand who hold valid
Tourist Visas
and who depart Thailand by air can apply for a VAT refund on purchases made at certain designated shops and department stores. Tourist
hotels will usually add a 10% hotel tax as well as an occasional 8-10% service charge to your room bill.
TIME
Thailand's time zone is 7 hours ahead of GMT. Thus when it's noon in Bangkok, it's 9pm the previous day in Los Angeles; midnight in New York;
5am the same day in London; 6am in Paris; 1pm in Perth and 3pm in Sydney. In the summer Thailand observes daylight savings time, setting clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday in
October and; clocks are wound back in the first Sunday of the following March.
The official year in Thailand is reckoned from 543BC, the beginning of the Buddhist Era (BE) so that AD 2003 is BE 2546.
BUSINESS HOURS
Office hours are generally from 8:30am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Most government offices are open from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday
to Friday but often close from noon to 1pm for lunch. Shops are usually open from 10am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings.
RELIGION
Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of Thailand and is the religion of about 95% of its people. The government permits religious diversity, and other major religions are represented. Spirit worship and animism are widely practiced.
ELECTRICITY
Electricity is 220V AC, 50 Hz, as in Australia, Asia and most of Europe; Electrical wall outlets are a hybrid arrangement that accept both round, two-pole
as well as flat, two-bladed terminals. Appliances designed
for DC supply or different voltages need a transformer.
WEIGHTS & MEASURES
Thailand uses the metric system of measurements. Petrol is bought in litres and food is
weighed in kilos. The exception is land measure which is often quoted using the traditional Thai measures of waa,
ngaan, and ri.
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