Thailand for the first time where to start. First time to Thailand

14.02.2024

1) There is no such country as Thailand! The country is called Thailand!

2) What currency should I bring to Thailand?

The country's currency is the Thai baht. Stable regional currency. Widely used in Laos, partly in Cambodia and in the border states of Myanmar. No one needs dollars, euros, and especially rubles, they are not accepted for payment - you will still change at exchange offices - it is better to do this not on the street but in bank branches: in any of them there is an exchange, but there are no queues or rudeness. It is better to change large sums of over 10,000 USD in trusted Chinese exchangers - ask the old-timers. Take a dollar card and withdraw baht from it, or a ruble card if you don’t have a dollar card. For insurance (if your cash is stolen), you can get a credit card, the best one is from Alpha and

3) If you see an elegant image of a man on calendars inside houses, on framed portraits, on billboards or in any other places, it is almost certainly the King. If there is a woman in the image, it is the Queen. Thais idolize the royal family. The king really did a lot for the people. (Addition: Bhumibol Adulyadej - King of Thailand, died on October 13, 2016)

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4) You shouldn’t joke about the King, even in Russian. For insulting the Royals there is a punishment, including prison. For the same reason, you should not throw money, burn it, tear it, or step on it. There is an image of the King on every banknote and coin.

5) Thais are extremely tolerant. Tourists will be forgiven for any ridiculous appearance, treacherous violation of local customs, or minor offenses. But this does not mean that you should behave like a complete pig, get drunk until you squeal, or walk around the city center in only swimming trunks.

6) Thais do not know how to say the word “no”. Therefore, if you cannot get an answer to some question for a long time, then you just need to retreat: ask another Thai in another place or abandon the original idea.

7) All the beaches of the country belong to the King. And they are allowed for free use by all local residents and guests of the country, without exception. This means that you can move along the coastline without hindrance, lie free on your bedding anywhere, even if there is a five-star hotel opposite; usually the private territory of such hotels is fenced off with a decorative fence or other obvious elements.

There are no private beaches in the country. No one has the right to charge any fee for using the beach. The exception is the territory of national parks, for which a fee is charged for visiting.

8) Everything is fine with aviation in the country. There are large low-cost airlines, the most famous: Nok Air and Thai Smile. Traditional airlines: and. And regional airlines, for example Kan Air and R airlines, the existence of which even local residents hardly know. There are airports in the capital of each province and in other major cities and tourist centers.

Tickets are available to everyone. The average price for a flight within the country is 1000 baht. On sales you can get it for 300 baht. For some holidays and destinations, prices can reach up to 5,000 baht. The difference in prices between traditional and low-cost airlines is negligible, especially when you factor in baggage and other costs (for example), sometimes low-cost airlines have higher prices!

Tickets from Moscow in both directions cost from 20,000 rubles ()

9) There are two airports in Bangkok. Bangkok Airlines also fly from the first (Suvarnabhumi) - this is a large international terminal, with a metro going to it.

From the second (Dong Muang) low-cost airlines and nok air. There is a free shuttle between airports. It is better to go from the city to it by taxi. The airports are located at different ends of the city, but are connected by toll highways

10) The bus network covers all populated areas. Comfortable buses with air conditioning, comfortable sleeping chairs and toilets operate over long distances. There are buses with individual multimedia entertainment systems or a massager in the back of the seat. As a rule, all routes lead to Bangkok. There are a small number of direct buses between tourist centers. A wide variety of transport operates on regional routes: buses with air conditioning and regular seats, buses without air conditioning, minibuses, songthaew (pickup truck with a closed passenger body).

Unfortunately, according to one statistics, the number of accidents on the roads remains first in the world. It is advisable to buckle up on buses; there are times when they fly off the road.

11) There are rare, strange cases of missing luggage or individual items from luggage. It is better to travel only on official buses, tickets for which are purchased at the bus station at the ticket office. This will provide you with a guarantee of safety and liability for lost or stolen luggage.

In tourist areas they offer tickets for illegal charter buses. They are often cheaper. This is compensated by inconvenient transfers or the imposition of excursions or hotels upon arrival. These buses can arrive in places remote from the city, from where it is not easy to get out. And it is in such buses that cases of theft occur.

12) Less luck with trains. If memory serves, there are only five branches. North to Chiang May, south to Malaysia and further to Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, and so on all sorts of shoots and stubs. Trains are incredibly late. on a 12-hour route they may be 6-9 hours late. There was a case when in 2 weeks a train derailed in the same place 6 times. After major repairs to open this section, the train derailed once again along with the Minister of Transport.

13) Bangkok is a name for foreigners. The Thais call the city Krungthep. Plan a stop in Bangkok for at least 2 days, in addition to the royal palace and Wat Arun, there are even alien sectarians there!

14) Farang is a name for a foreigner. Contrary to popular belief, it is not offensive. Applies to people of European appearance.

15) Thais are terrible nationalists. Foreigners will never be put on the same level as themselves, but this does not mean that they will put themselves higher - no, just as if on the sidelines. Europeans are treated well, in wild places they even idolize them. They don't like Hindus, Chinese and blacks.

16) Absolute tolerance in matters of sexual orientation. In this country, everyone can identify themselves as any gender according to their feelings, regardless of the presence of body parts or, for example, clothing. The classification of possible varieties is very extensive and without one hundred grams it is impossible to understand it.

17) Contrary to popular misconceptions, outside the tourist zones of debauchery, the country is extremely puritanical. After drawing a picture of breasts on a federal channel, without any hint of eroticism, a huge scandal broke out.

There are no sex shops in the country and all such products are illegal. If you are lucky, a foreigner can order a parcel from abroad or use the black market.

18) There is a death penalty for drugs in the country. For consumption, a tourist can be fined and deported, but most likely they will extort a bribe. There are raids in nightclubs and places with a bad reputation.

19) There is no presumption of innocence in the country. That is, you will have to prove that you did not commit illegal actions.

Martial law is still in effect, giving the military and police virtually unlimited power.

In practice, everything is not so scary. Foreigners are of interest only to officers from the migration service, and even then only at the moment of crossing the border or during visits to the office for those who live in the country. Tourists are of no interest to anyone in principle.

20) Tipping is not accepted in Thai places. In very wild places they won’t even understand why you left the money. In tourist places you can leave a tip, but if you don’t do this, no one will be offended.

21) The rainy season is an amorphous concept. He is in different places in the country at different times.

The rain does not interfere in any way; it usually falls no more than an hour a day and mainly at night. You can and should go to Thailand at any time. Moreover, in the off-season in summer, a trip can become several times cheaper, but not a bit worse.

22) It’s always hot in Thailand. With the exception of the far north in winter. However, you will definitely need one warm item. There's a creepy glacier on planes, buses, movie theaters and shopping malls. Always take warm clothes to such places.

23) If in Bangkok they tell you that some place is closed and today is a day off, don’t believe it. This is the most important wiring. You will be offered an alternative excursion with a stop at shops.

For the same reason, you shouldn't take a tuk-tuk in Bangkok. You are almost guaranteed to be taken to a store whose owner issues gas coupons to the driver.

24) It’s better to get around Bangkok by taxi. No matter how strange it may sound, if there are two or more of you, then a trip by metro will be more expensive than a taxi.

If you have the skill to put on a serious face and point your finger at the meter, then you will be taken at the official price. A trip within 2-3 metro stations will cost 50-60 baht. A trip through the whole city, if there are no traffic jams, costs 100-120 baht. My most expensive trip lasted 2 hours and 37 kilometers and cost 210 baht.

You only have to catch a taxi that is coming. A red light means it is free. If there is no light, it means it's busy.

You can get away with a meter from special stands near large shopping centers. True, the queue is sometimes 10-15 minutes long. At the hotel, it is better to ask the staff to arrange a taxi. Then, again, you are guaranteed to be taken along the meter.

In Chiang Mai, the most affordable transport is Song Thaew, here it looks like big red cars (you can’t go wrong) - for 20 baht they will take you in a taxi around the city center, picking up other passengers along the way. Uber and Grab also launched in Chiang May.

37) Is it possible to go to Thailand with children?

Thailand is an ideal country for traveling with children. Thais adore children, and they just idolize the children of foreigners. You will never be left in trouble and will be happy to look after your child anywhere.

You can often see mothers taking their children with them to work. To a massage parlor, hairdresser or store. This is absolutely normal. Children do not bother anyone and children in Thailand can do anything.

38) Contrary to popular misconceptions, not all dishes in Thai cuisine are extremely spicy. There are a huge number of completely non-spicy dishes. Just really, really.

A tourist has virtually no chance of distinguishing a spicy dish from a non-spicy one. The only way out is to order another dish, some kind of pancake. Food still costs pennies.

39) In Thai, the emphasis is on the last syllable of a word. Foreign words (mainly names) should also be pronounced with emphasis on the last syllable, so they will understand you faster. I asked for a long time whether there was a mAcro store in Krabi and they refused to understand me. But when I asked about macro, they immediately told me the way to it. The same applies to popular stores 7-11 not sEven, but sevEn

40) A SIM card can be bought at any 7-11. They are often given out free of charge right at the airport upon arrival. Travel packages are almost guaranteed to have instructions in Russian inside. Or buy for travel.

41) Thai names are long, complex and incomprehensible to a foreigner. Therefore, everyone who works in tourism seems to have a simple and understandable name for a foreigner consisting of 2-3 letters: em, pie, may, fight...

42) You are almost guaranteed not to get malaria. Unless you're wandering around remote jungles for months at a time. Although Dengue fever exists (it exists even in space-modern Singapore), it is also carried by mosquitoes, there are no vaccinations or treatment for it, but no more people die than from the flu. There are more dangers in Russia.

43) Snakes, scorpions, scolopendras - there are somewhere in the forests. Sometimes you can see them from afar, but they are more afraid of you than you are of them.

44) Thais do not eat beetles, worms and locusts. This is entertainment for tourists and food for migrant workers from Cambodia. Thais eat chicken and rice, sometimes pork. But cows are not held in high esteem, both with meat and dairy products. Cheeses and sausages are a terrible delicacy.

45) There is a separate tourist police for tourists. She speaks reasonable English and helps resolve any everyday conflicts, look for forgotten things and lost documents.

Sometimes foreign volunteers are on duty at public events; they are registered with the tourist police and speak different languages.

Using Thai driving directions (on business cards or in brochures) is AD. The scales are not observed on them, but simply the indicated guidelines are schematically in their own way.

47) Thailand has never been anyone's colony. Although certain areas of individual cities are currently practically occupied by foreigners.

48) In public places: in markets, parks, stadiums, train stations, the national anthem can be performed at 7 and 8 o'clock in the morning, and at 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening. If all the Thais stopped or stood up, you should follow their example out of respect. Although you, as a tourist, do not have to do this. In the cinema, before the screening, they also play the anthem and show a film about the King.

Important:

Impressions of the country and useful tips from one of the tourists...

Going abroad for the first time is always scary. And it’s even more scary if it’s exotic eastern country, such as Thailand, although it has long been favored by Russian tourists. And now, having already visited Thailand twice and planning to live there permanently, I would like to help those who are traveling to this wonderful country for the first time.

What is the first thing a tourist needs in Pattaya?

There are several rules that are useful both to people traveling on a tour package and to savages.

Firstly, it should be taken into account that this country has high solar activity. A cream with a protection level of at least 50ph is simply a must. Particular attention should be paid to the shoulders and face, they burn most often. It should be noted that if you burn on the first day, redness and other possible complications will haunt you for more than one day, even if you use special anti-burn products. Therefore, no matter how much you want a beautiful tan and preferably right away, in the first two days it is better to actively use sun protection. Then you can gradually reduce the degree of protection. Coconut oil is also great for an even tan, since there is a lot of it here.

If, no matter how hard you defend yourself, you get burned, there is one good remedy. All small markets (like 7/11 or Family Mart) have Aloe Vera. Usually this is a green bottle of gel, the price is about 100 rubles. You buy it and generously lubricate the burnt areas overnight. Usually only slight redness remains in the morning.

Question two: where to take excursions? Is it worth taking tours from the “streets” and how do they differ from so-called licensed tour operators?

Last year I went abroad for the first time and was quite puzzled when faced with the problem of purchasing excursions. First of all, as an inexperienced person, I was frightened by the information that tours from the streets are dangerous, uninteresting and often skimp on quality. This information is distributed by operators from large travel companies. I'm afraid this is not true.

It so happens that I know one of the street tour sellers well. And he explained to me why the price is so different. The fact is that the streets work directly with tourism service providers in Thailand, and in large companies you have to feed the entire corporation, but it turns out that their excursions are no different. Simply put, both street sellers and guides of official tour operators are intermediaries of the same company, but in different price categories. And from personal experience I can say that “street” tours are much more fun. There are a lot of young people there, young and interesting guides. Therefore, you can save a lot of money on tours, but as they say, this is a personal matter for everyone.

Attention! The opinion of the site administration may not coincide with the opinion of the author of this review!

Also sometimes a problem for Russian tourists is food. Thai cuisine is specific; eating in unfamiliar places is scary, especially considering that Thais are not known for their cleanliness. In Pattaya there are several large food courts where you can eat freely without fear of poisoning or Thai spices. One of these is the Central Festival, located on Second Street right in the center of Pattaya. Restaurants and eateries are located on all levels of the shopping center. On the third level, for example, there is a wonderful restaurant with national cuisines not only of Thailand, China, Russia, but also of India, Italy, and Japan. You can sit on the terrace with a wonderful view of the sea.

For risk-taking people who come to Thailand not only for relaxation, but also for acute gastronomic sensations, there is only one piece of advice: eat where the Thais themselves eat and do not neglect the spices. And be sure to try the banana pancakes from the carts on the street: crazy delicious and only cost 20 baht. There is one more point. In Thailand, they are very sensitive to children, so if you say that you are buying food for a child, they will make it exactly as it should be: without spices or other surprises.

The question is also often asked: is it necessary for a trip to have at least an initial knowledge of English?

In fact, English is not needed at all. Many Thais speak Russian well, but Thai English is difficult to understand even for a native speaker. You can learn a couple of phrases in Thai; locals are always happy when foreigners try to speak their native language.

There is one more important point that should be taken into account when traveling to Thailand. The mentality of the local population is very different from the Russian one. Thais are much more relaxed, positive and calmer than Russians. They are in no hurry, love to sleep, and smile often. No matter how hard you try, you will not make the dancers behave differently. Neither shouting nor monetary reward will change this. If you need something from Thais, approach them and politely, slowly, without active gestures, repeating key words several times, explain the purpose of your conversation. It's better when one person speaks, not a crowd. But most importantly, no violence or threats. Not only will it be of no use, but you will most likely have problems with the tourist police. So be careful, attentive and polite.

Follow these simple rules, it will be much easier for you to adapt to the unfamiliar, but so attractive Thailand and get a truly unforgettable vacation experience. Have a nice rest!

A unique country for travelers: here everyone will find their favorite type of holiday. Luxurious beaches Phuket And Samui, exotic nature Chang's, incendiary Pattaya, ultra-modern Bangkok- An unforgettable vacation awaits you everywhere.

Choosing a resort in Thailand

Holidays in Bangkok

When organizing combined trips around the country, you cannot avoid this modern metropolis, where palace and park complexes, ancient Buddhist temples, and modern skyscrapers are miraculously combined.

Bangkok is always considered as part of a trip - there are no beaches here, the holiday is purely excursion. As a rule, people stay in Bangkok for several days at the beginning or end of a trip, sometimes people come here on excursions from Pattaya.

Holidays in Pattaya

There are all the ingredients for an active holiday here. First of all, Pattaya should be considered as a youth resort - nightclubs and active nightlife attract tourists from all over the world.

In Pattaya, you won’t be able to live in such a way as to be in the center of entertainment and have a comfortable beach nearby.

Decide on your priorities and choose:

need parties, nightclubs - choose a hotel in the central part of the city;
If you prefer a beach holiday, choose a hotel in the southern or northern outskirts of the city.

Don’t expect much from the city beaches of Pattaya - the beach infrastructure is well developed here, the beaches are equipped, there is the opportunity to engage in water sports, the entrance to the water is gentle, the sea is calm, but there is no need to talk about cleanliness and transparency.

In the southern part of the city, the most popular beaches are Na Jomtien, Jomtien, Cliff Bay, Dong Tan - it is better to go here without children, as the beach is favored by gay tourists.

In the northern part of the city, popular beaches are Palm Beach, Naklua Beach, and Crescent Moon Beach.

If you are looking for clean clear sea, tranquility, relaxation, you should go to the islands.

Holidays in Phuket

Phuket not only the largest island in Thailand, but also the most popular in winter. What attracts tourists from all over the world here:

excellent tourist infrastructure, a choice of hotels and guest houses for any budget;
the evening breeze noticeably softens the climate, the weather seems milder than on the mainland;
there is an opportunity to choose hotels both for a secluded holiday and for a holiday with children;
here, a rich excursion program is complemented by excellent diving opportunities (scuba diving enthusiasts will appreciate the beauty of the underwater world and the clarity of the water); the proximity of Khao Lak national parks will appeal to nature lovers.

Holidays on Chang

Island Chang is the second largest island in Thailand. This is a real paradise for lovers of a relaxing beach holiday. There are no noisy discos on the island like in Pattaya or Patong in Phuket. But stunning nature awaits you here - the entire island is covered with jungle, so don’t be too surprised if monkeys walk on the roof of your bungalow at night.

Prices for accommodation and meals for Koh Chang will be noticeably higher than in Pattaya, but you can pay for the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the feeling that you are in a tropical paradise.

Holidays on Koh Samui

This Gulf of Thailand island is for beach gourmets. Excellent beach infrastructure, good hotel facilities, and excursion opportunities on the island have made it deservedly popular.

There are about 20 beaches on the island, not all of them are suitable for a beach holiday. The beaches on Samui look most attractive in the low summer season - the water is calm and clear. During the winter season (starts in January), there can be quite strong waves here and the water will be cloudy.

When choosing a resort for a beach holiday in Thailand, be sure to take into account the seasonality factor. Thailand is a year-round destination, but each of the islands has its own “low” and “high” seasons.

Choosing a hotel in Thailand

What you need to pay attention to when choosing a hotel in Thailand:

The official category does not always correspond to generally accepted European standards, the choice of hotels is quite large, all categories are represented, and many well-known world chains are present in the country;
Most hotels offer BB meals (breakfast), but recently ALL (all inclusive) system offers have also appeared;
pay attention to the location of the hotel not only relative to the beach, but also to the nearest infrastructure;
Almost all high-category hotels offer wellness centers.

Excursions in Thailand

There is a choice of excursions in Thailand for every taste: both history buffs and those who prefer boat trips or trips to national parks will find interesting routes. The number and variety of excursions is amazing. They will offer to buy excursions everywhere - on the beach, at the hotel, on the street.

Which excursions to look out for:

V Bangkok- sightseeing tour of the city (usually it includes a visit to the Royal Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Arun Temple and a walk along the canals of Bangkok);
V Pattaya- two-day excursion to the River Kwai, the Nong Nooch tropical garden, the Wat Yan temple complex, the Million-Year Stone Park;
on Phuket- boat excursions around Similan, Phi Phi, to Khao Lak National Parks;
on Koh Chang- boat trips around the islands, excursion to the Klong Plu waterfall, elephant rides;
on Samui- excursion to the Angthong Marine National Park, island jeep safari, excursion to the islands of Koh Tao and Nang Yuan

Most resorts have water parks, amusement parks, zoos, and provide the opportunity for boat trips in a variety of forms (with diving, fishing, etc.).

This may seem strange, but you can not know anything at all, provided that you speak English satisfactorily, have a good nervous system, or have incredible resourcefulness. Why all this you will find out in the following questions. If you bought a single tour (how you chose it is another question), then naturally you can exclude all of the above, relax and just enjoy the journey, making new discoveries for yourself. However, if you are a “proper” tourist, then you need to read several articles about the country and the places where you are going, you can read about the culture, but this is not so important, because you don’t need to know anything special here - it’s better to see for yourself. In terms of reading resources, we are a lucky generation because we have the Internet and, of course, Wikipedia. This knowledge will be pleasant to test and experience, perhaps you will read about some detail that you would otherwise simply miss and, of course, this knowledge will help you plan your trip if you decide to go “savage”. However, you can plan it on the fly - in tourist areas you can easily find a place where they offer various tours, it is also at the airport, or absolutely someone will come up to you and offer a tour, don’t be afraid, not with their hands, they’ll just take you to the booth information for tourists, where they will help you with hotels. To summarize, I’ll add that Thailand is a country in which tourism is the main source of income, and if you don’t accidentally fall out of this huge, ubiquitous bubble of the tourism business and you have money to buy something, then you don’t have to worry that difficulties will appear in front of you that interfere with your travel - they will help you everywhere, give you advice everywhere and guide you everywhere. But if you have fallen out and are not yet ready to live among nice people who do not yet understand you, which is quite possible in the huge Bangkok, then look for a way to return, the best way is probably to catch a taxi - the main thing is to find the keyword (airport or big shop ).

Do you need to know English?

It is not necessary to know English well, but you must at least have a vocabulary of all the words necessary for existence, for example, hotel, food, price, etc. You can explain a lot with your fingers and without knowing these words, you can also understand a lot. But here you need to realize that this costs a lot of nerves and patience and, by the way, not only from you, but also from your interlocutor. People in Thailand are very hospitable, responsive and will not leave you without help, but they are also people, they also get tired and they may also have problems at work and in the family, so don’t always expect 100% that everyone will smile broadly in front of you and behave helpfully, although this is almost the rule and you get very used to it. If you are resourceful enough, you can take with you a Thai-Russian phrasebook or dictionary, and it is better with duplication of words and sentences in Thai, because the Thai language is tonal and the word “ma” can mean “horse” and “dog” and the verb “ come” depending on the type of tone. I’m not sure that without preparation you will be able to pronounce the sentence correctly; it would be better to show it in the book with your finger.

How do you prepare for the trip?

Learn to smile. There will definitely be a person who will say that you smile little, even if you do it five times more often than at home, and then generalize this to all Russians - so our honor is on your conscience. Specific questions about money, things, planning, planes, and so on in other questions.

Do you need a visa?

Tourists from most countries, including Russia, do not need a visa for up to 30 days. At the border, you give only the completed immigration card (more on this later) - the arrival page is taken away, the departure page is attached to your passport, and you fill it out on the way back. A border guard stamps your passport and you can legally stay in the country for 30 days. The date when you must leave the country will be written on the stamp, so you don’t need to calculate anything yourself. All this does not require any money. If you are planning any manipulations with money, property and banks, then you will need a visa. This does not apply to renting a car or renting a house and similar typical needs of tourists. I won’t write more specifically about visas here because most people don’t need it, I don’t have any experience myself, but you need to know that you can only get or change a visa outside the country and there are no exceptions.

What is the currency in Thailand?

The national currency of Thailand is the baht (฿). The baht is highly dependent on the dollar, but usually moves at a rate close to the ruble - the ruble is a little more expensive, so counting your money here is very easy, in addition, it will seem that you have even more of it, which is doubly pleasant. Baht is accepted everywhere in Laos, but only paper bills, that is, from 20 baht. In Laos, it is difficult to count money because of the very small price of one kip (the national currency of Laos), so get ready to be fooled and not in your favor. In Cambodia, Thai money is also accepted, but less willingly; for a trip to Cambodia it is more convenient to use dollars, and to reject all offers from people at the border to exchange for riel (the national currency of Cambodia).

Do I need to get vaccinated before traveling?

As for entry rules, no vaccinations are required. This applies to almost all of Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, various sites advise vaccination against hippatitis A and B, Japanese encephalitis and, in addition, prophylaxis against maleria; sometimes they recommend vaccination against yellow fever. As for hippatitis, I don’t know what year this requirement is, but the feeling is that it was simply taken from the sky and has nothing to do with reality. Let’s exclude here that most likely you have already had hippatitis B and are immune, even if you don’t know it, the doctor at the immunoprophylaxis center will tell you the same. In fact, the reality is that in Thailand the attitude towards cleanliness is at the level of fanaticism and these are not just words. There are simply no people who walk around here in the same clothes for at least two days, except, perhaps, me. If there is no change of clothes, they wash them every day after work without any laziness, because it is a matter of habit. I won’t even talk about scrupulousness in terms of maintaining sanitary conditions. And this applies not only to expensive restaurants or cafes for tourists, for example, I have been eating for at least the last 4 months in street canteens or from street vendors, which are at every turn in Thailand and which ordinary tourists do not visit. During the entire time I was eating this way, I did not have even the slightest hint of an upset stomach. Therefore, in my opinion, the likelihood of contracting hippatitis A and B here is less than contracting it here, unless you prefer to drink water from the tap or directly from puddles. The choice to vaccinate or not is yours. On my first trip, I decided to play it safe and went to the immunization center, but due to the presence of a fever, they refused to vaccinate me against hippatitis. Before the second trip, I didn’t think about any vaccinations, because I witnessed what was described above.

Getting a vaccine against Japanese encephalitis is just as difficult as getting infected with it - there are clinics only in Moscow and St. Petersburg and then only one or two, in other regions it happens that they have never heard of it. The fact is that cases of infection among tourists have not been registered at all, and this is not surprising - the danger is only in areas far from civilization where rice grows; in Thailand you most likely will not see them, plus there is a temporary condition - carriers (mosquitoes) are active only from April to October. So think about this if you have phenomenal bad luck and only after insuring yourself against a meteorite falling on you. By the way, Vang Vien in Laos has a huge number of rice fields, but according to my data, there have been no cases yet.

Preventing malaria is a mockery of your own body and wallet, and Thailand is not a country where you can just catch it.

In summary, my advice, if you have time and you are still used to trusting doctors, go to any immunization center, talk to the doctor, the consultation is most likely free and no one will extract money from you, because the described vaccinations are a big responsibility for the clinic itself due to they contain a weakened live virus and it is better not to do them again.

As for children, I don’t recommend much, but I’ve read other people’s experiences who periodically visit Thailand without any vaccinations and so far there have been no problems.

What's the weather like in Thailand?

Thailand is not big, but the night temperature in winter differs significantly in the north and south.

Bangkok almost always has daytime temperatures of about 30-31 degrees and night temperatures of 26-28 degrees. In winter there may be stronger fluctuations and drops, but you definitely won’t notice them - it’s difficult for northerners to freeze here. I personally can bear the heat here quite easily, but being in the scorching sun can sometimes be unbearable; fortunately, Bangkok does not have clear skies very often. In the summer in the north the weather is exactly the same, but in winter the night temperature can reach 12 degrees, while the daytime temperature is a pleasant 26-28. It's always hot in the South, but temperatures of 35 degrees are quite easily tolerated due to the proximity of the ocean.

There is practically no rainy season, which is usually associated with Asia. From April and throughout the summer months, it rains every day as scheduled, but it rains for a maximum of a couple of hours, usually less. Long rains occur only in mountainous areas and do not depend much on the season

What to take with you?

I’ll start with what seems like an elementary thing, but it’s worth checking over and over again so as not to create a headache for yourself.

1) Documentation. Passport and foreign passport. You're right, you might want to take a car. It is better to have an international license (you can get it from us in a day by paying about 100 rubles) - serious organizations, when renting a car for a long period of time, can refuse you with a simple license.

2) Money, namely dollars. They can always be exchanged at any airport, including in the transit zone. If you are flying with a transfer, especially do not forget to take at least $100. But do not forget that this is in reserve and do not spend it if there is another source of money. There is no need to take a lot of money, because the start of the trip can be ruined by an imposing policeman during registration.

3) Bank card. This is your main source of money with it all just a commission of 150 baht per withdrawal (that is, it is better to withdraw less often but more) and your bank’s commission is about 3%. At the same time, check whether it has expired and that you have enough money on it, preferably with a reserve - travel is not always completely predictable. If you plan to use a card when paying for something, then it is better to have a normal card, and not a misunderstanding like Visa Electron, although I have not had any problems with it yet. Don't forget that when purchasing you will be asked for your passport or license.

We can also hope that the bank will not have global problems with access from other countries, but just in case, we have not forgotten the first point. In Thailand there are usually no problems. In Laos, there may be problems with electricity throughout the country and international maps may not be supported temporarily. I absolutely really starved for one day because I had no money. Therefore, in Laos, it is better to immediately take out everything you plan to spend while you have the opportunity.

4) Cloth. Do not take a lot of clothes here, only for a flight with a change in mind, comfortable casual shoes, a swimsuit if you are going to the beach, and a sweater that will be useful to you at the airport, in cinemas, in the subway or supermarkets, because air conditioning is not an option here know. Only Thais are capable of putting on a jacket in the evening, when it is 26 degrees - you see, they are cold. Don’t take everything else to show off here. You can easily buy very high-quality beautiful clothes and shoes here for up to 10 times cheaper - and I’m not exaggerating. At the same time, you will definitely want to buy it, plus more gifts and souvenirs, and in the end your old clothes for showing off will simply get in your way, and you will not wear them. Larger people may have trouble finding clothes that fit, so be aware. For men, it is better to follow modern fashion and take swimming trunks in the form of shorts, this will help you feel more comfortable. It's not very expensive to buy here, but it's not cheap either, because Thais don't wear them, but rather swim in the clothes. The cheapest clothes are at street markets and fairs, which last from 3 to 10 days during the holidays, and there are holidays almost every month.

5) Take a pen, may come in handy and save time when filling out an immigration card.

What time of year is best to visit Thailand?

There are no special restrictions or rules here, it all depends on your capabilities, temperament, desire to save money or visit some festival, of which there are an insane number. The weather, as I wrote above, does not change much here and only heat-loving Thais notice the colder weather in the north. The whole year is divided into high and low periods, in other words, it is divided depending on the number of tourists. The period from February to September is considered a low period, hence cheap plane tickets, prices for hotel rooms and other services that are allowed to change prices.

When it gets cold in a highly developed part of the globe, people fly to the south for vacation, including Thailand. Hence the influx of tourists during the winter months. If you agree with crowded beaches and high prices, then you just have to think about what festival you want to catch or maybe you want to celebrate the Western New Year here.

My purely personal opinion, the best time is the end of March, April. At this time, there are not too many tourists, it is cheap and on April 13, an unforgettable water festival is held - Songkran, which heralds the arrival of the new year according to the Chinese calendar.

What's the best way to get here?

You can buy a tour or go here as a “savage”. Each option has its own advantages and everyone must choose for themselves. The good thing about a tour is that you can just relax and have fun, without having to think about what to visit and how to get there. The downsides are that there is little freedom, you are taken in a bubble for tourists and the country itself will remain in your memory only as a collection of attractions. In addition, tours usually target places inhabited by tourists with developed infrastructure and already significantly damaged by it. Take Pattaya, where most tour operators work, which now evokes more disgust than desire to visit. At the same time, 100 km from it there is the paradise island of Samet, from which you will have impressions for a lifetime.

If you are traveling as a wild person, then there is a chance to save a lot, but unfortunately the rule does not always work, because tour operators have their own ways of reducing the cost. The plus is that before you is a country where you will see ancient and completely new temples, some of which show the history of the kingdom of Siam and reflect a mixture of cultures, where you will find huge national parks with caves, mountain rivers and waterfalls, in the south you will find tropical beaches with palm trees and crystal clear water, in which you can spot colorful fish or sea urchins. You can swim in two seas at once - the Adaman Sea (Indian Ocean) or the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean) and all this is your choice, it is only important to understand where to start enjoying all these delights. I’m already silent about entertainment for tourists such as drafting, swimming with elephants, paragliding and everything that happens. And naturally, if you find all this and visit it yourself, the memory will remain much more pleasant than from the tour.

It is better to get to Thailand from Moscow or through Moscow; charter flights are out of the question. Their price is several times higher; you will spend this money in a more reasonable way already in Thailand. At the moment, it is most profitable to fly with Qatar Airlines or Emirates; Aeroflot also has its own shares, but let them fly on their own planes. Anyone who can listen to the radio for up to 10 hours can fly, I’d rather watch a few movies on a modernly equipped plane, where each seat has an individual screen, where there are friendly staff and excellent food, even without pork.

I will give prices for Qatar (transfer to Doha), which were valid in 2009, in the low season from Moscow the price of a round trip ticket is 22,000 rubles, in the high season more than 30,000 rubles. The one-way price has an interesting feature: it is lower by only 1-2 thousand rubles.

What do you prepare for and what do you think about on the plane?

You will have to spend a total of 9-10 hours on the plane, so relax. If your chair has a monitor, look for interesting films - the film library usually has many series, programs and films, in different languages and with subtitles. If you're lucky, you can watch satellite channels, but you're not lucky often. There will definitely be a film in your film library that recently came out in theaters and you wanted to watch it, but didn’t have time, so take the opportunity.

If you don't speak English or have no communication experience and are afraid when it's lunch time, then you needn't worry. As a last resort, you can always shake your head and refuse. The steward or stewardess always names the dishes, so you just need to point one, two or three fingers, depending on which item the dish was named under, or repeat one of what was said. Usually it is smoked either fish or beef, so it is enough to know the keyword chicken, fish, beef, respectively. Also with drinks juice (juice) - juice, wine (wine) - wine or water (vota) - water. Flights to Thailand are usually more “advanced” than connecting flights, so they may have a menu and you just need to point your finger where you need it.

There is nothing difficult during transfers; you follow the crowd to the exit, where there is usually always control, so be prepared. Then you are in the transit area, where you can use the numbers to find your gate to another plane. If you are confused, stupidly go up to the staff, there are a lot of them here and present your ticket, showing in every way that you are confused.

With transfers with a large time difference it is more difficult, because you will probably want to eat. Observe people, what kind of money they use and how they pay, whether it is possible to use dollars or only national currency. Assess the money you need and withdraw it from an ATM. Usually in a canteen, service is very fast and there is a strong noise barrier, so find the best way to convey to the person what you want and don’t be afraid - it’s his job to work with clients, and from different countries.

You will be given an immigration card before boarding. If they don’t give it to you, don’t worry, you can find it in front of passport control. The map has two pages, the first about arrival, the second about departure from the country. The first has two sides. The data that you write on the card is of no interest to anyone, but there is a directive that all fields must be filled in (with the exception of the arrival flight number, if, for example, you walked to the border), if this is not so, you will be “tortured” at passport control. Basically, here is information about a person - last name, first name, passport number, gender. A small questionnaire where you just need to select an answer - whether you have been in the country or not, some have arrived and the purpose of the visit. The main difficulties with the field: address of residence in Thailand, profession and two fields: pick-up point and drop-off point. Do not leave the address blank, otherwise you will have to try to explain to the passport control officer that you have not decided yet. At the same time, most likely he does not know English and only knows how to ask questions, but not understand the explanations. Enter here, anything better, of course, the address of the first hotel you come across, even if you didn’t intend to go to it. No one will check this and no one will read it either; Thais usually do not perceive English letters at all, and there is no time to look closely. But there is a directive that the field cannot be empty. Next is the profession, especially no one will even look at it, write here engineer (engineer) or generally salaryman (salary employee). In the fields about boarding and disembarking, write the truth, they don’t look at them either, but you never know. In the first (upper) MSK is the international abbreviation for Moscow, in the second BKK is the abbreviation for Bangkok. You can write any transfer point in the first one. The main thing is not to scold, if you made a mistake, wrote something stupid - forget it, no one will notice. You can also always take another immigration form. The second sheet can be filled out before departure, you can fill it out now - as you wish, there is only information about the person, date and signature.

What can you visit in Thailand?

The question should probably be asked from the opposite direction - what cannot be visited in Thailand, because the wealth, diversity and uniqueness of the kingdom’s “treasury” cannot be so easily described. Nevertheless, I'll try. I have been to most of the provinces of Thailand and I will only describe what I can vouch for.

1) Northern provinces

When people talk about the north, they talk first of all about Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is perhaps the most unusual Thai city when compared with other large cities (we do not count Bangkok, because the capital is at least half a century ahead of other cities in development). In spirit, it is more reminiscent of a quiet provincial European city with small streets, a bunch of cooing pigeons in the main square near the eastern gate, and the leisurely life of local residents. At the same time, temples await you on every corner, many of them are hundreds of years old and most of them combine the styles of Thai, Burmese and Chinese architecture - you will not find such temples anywhere else in Thailand. Within the city limits, you should definitely visit the 14th century Wat Chedi Luang temple with its huge stupa destroyed by an earthquake. This temple once housed the great treasure of Thailand, the Emerald Buddha. You should also definitely visit the unique mountain temple - Doi Sutep - the symbol of Chiang Mai - from the observation deck from here you can see the entire city. In addition to the mandatory program, I advise you to see the small temple of three cultures, Wat Chaimongkol. There are a lot of interesting temples in Chiang Mai, so it might be better to take a tour; I have given the names of those that will definitely impress you.

The zoo is also of particular interest; it is located just on the way to Doi Sutep. The zoo is located on the side of a mountain and has an insane size - 200 acres; you can walk here for almost half a day, looking at more than 400 species of animals. The zoo is famous for the fact that in March of this year (2009) a panda was born here and mass hysteria began throughout the country. To see the panda and cub you will have to buy a separate ticket. If that's not enough for you, the zoo has a water world.

Additionally for tourists there is rafting, elephant riding (with swimming in the river), tree climbing (a New Zealand attraction that you will find in Luang Prabang, Laos), you can visit local villages with artisans and girls with long hair rings, necks. All these entertainments, with the exception of the “long neck” ones, are not unique and are available in other parts of Thailand.

Further north is the province of Chiang Rai. It does not have any special attractions, but there are several that can be highlighted. Firstly, this is a modern (even partially unfinished) unique white Buddhist temple - Wat Rong Khun. And secondly, the “golden triangle” is the border of Burma, Thailand and Laos, located at the mouth of the Mekong River.

2) Western part

The western part is primarily Kanchanaburi, and these are waterfalls, dams, caves and the railway of death, known to many for the bridge over the River Kwai. The bridge itself is located within the city and is not difficult to find, so it is a must-see. Two other interesting points associated with the railway of 41-43 - the Hellfire passage and the path from Namtok station - are not for everyone.

The province has a large number of national parks, of which Erawan Park with its 7-level waterfall is a must-see. Kanchanaburi is the only province rich in hot springs, so don't forget to visit one, it will definitely be an interesting and vivid memory.

Of the temples, I definitely recommend visiting Wat Tham Sua and Wat Tham Khao Noi, they are located nearby on the same hill in the southwest of the city. These are two huge temples, one of which is Chinese with all the accompanying paraphernalia, and the second is Buddhist with a huge statue of Buddha.

One of the most famous attractions is the Tiger Temple, where for a lot of money you can watch how local monks keep, feed and train tigers, without cages or bars. Here you can take quite a few shocking photos, but remember that the temple is only open from 12 to 15 hours.

There is also a safari park here and, like in the north, you can find several elephant camps, where you will be offered a ride and additionally draft on rafts. Keen travelers can drive to the Burmese border and visit the local market, but this is about 240 km from the city.

3) Northeast and East

Perhaps these are the least interesting destinations in Thailand. In the northeast you will find several large cities, but from a tourist point of view they are not interesting. Konken has an interesting 9-level stupa of the Wat Nong Waeng temple, which is quite famous, but it’s not worth going here just for it. The city itself is famous for its large number of schools and, accordingly, schoolchildren. Local residents don’t often see tourists, so they are very open and friendly, absolutely anyone can talk to you on the street - this is not the case in other parts of Thailand.

Even higher to the north is the border with Laos and the friendship bridge connecting the city of Nong Khai with the capital of Laos, Vientiane. At the beginning of November there are many tourists here due to the Full Moon Festival.

To the east is the province of Sakeo and the border with Cambodia. There are no major attractions here, so everything is only for those looking for additional adventures. You can find several ancient Khmer temple complexes, but it is better to go to Cambodia and see Angor Wat itself. Personally, I really liked a very ordinary temple in the Khao Chakan area - Wat Tham Khao Chakan. Sakeo is mostly a plain, but here you will find several high hills, on them and under their base there is a temple, in which there are countless monkeys and bats. You won’t find such impudent macaques anywhere; you can buy food for them right there.

4) Southern part

In my opinion, the number of beaches in Thailand cannot be counted, so my presentation will definitely not be complete.

Pattaya (Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea)

A place where you can safely hear Disco Accident or other Russian music on the street. It’s not unusual to see Russian signs here, followed by Russian bars, real estate firms, and so on. If you want something exotic with a Russian flavor, you're welcome.

Among the attractions here is the Temple of Truth, made entirely of wood (I didn’t get to it and, as I understand it, it’s not particularly interesting), mini Siam - a miniature park of attractions from all over the world, I advise you to visit (just not in hot weather, there’s a lot of walking and there’s shade almost none), then the underwater world - a large aquarium, quite mediocre, but not expensive. There is also an elephant village and a crocodile farm here, but I haven’t seen it personally, so I won’t recommend it.

Within the city limits there is a walking street for tourists with bars, transvestite shows and prostitutes. There are tours to the coral island and other standard sea activities from here. I’ll say one thing about the beaches - two or almost three stars out of five. It’s not well-groomed, it doesn’t look like Thailand as such.

My personal opinion is that there is no need to go here. There are many reasons - firstly, there are a lot of Russians and subconsciously this is very annoying and grounding. Secondly, it’s not particularly clean, but not dirty either. Thirdly, the level of service and quality of entertainment is poor. Fourthly, this is not exactly a tropical beach.

Yes, Pattaya is located not far from Bangkok (200 km) and this is its only advantage.

Rayong, Koh Samet, Koh Chang (Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea)

It's a little further down from Pattaya. Rayong itself and the nearby beaches are low-level and dirty. There are few tourists here, hotels are maximum 2-3 stars, but there are expensive bungalows. Restaurants on the shore serving seafood dishes are very common here; it’s worth stopping at one of them, but I don’t recommend swimming here.

A little further down. You can find the small island of Samet, of course you have to take a boat to get there, but it’s definitely worth it. Samet is truly an amazing place - beaches with white sand and emerald water, guesthouses are located right on the seashore (and this is not right 100 meters behind the road, but right 10-20 meters), restaurants next to them. Here you can sit on the shore and surf the Internet while drinking a cocktail. No large expensive hotels and, as a result, stratification by money and private beaches, everything is smooth and harmonious. In the evening, instead of the beds, seats are laid out and tables are placed for restaurants under the moon with live music and fakir shows. You won’t find anything like this anywhere else - if you want romance, peace and relaxation for the soul and don’t have a lot of money, then this is definitely the place for you. All the accompanying beach activities here, of course, also include diving, phishing, and everything else. At the local fish farm you will see sharks and sea turtles. In general, I recommend it and it’s not far from Bangkok; you can come here even for two days and get a lot of impressions.

I have not visited Koh Chang yet; it is not far from Samet. The island itself is slightly larger and has its own attractions and adventure park. I think it's a good place too.

Phuket, Krabi (Adaman Sea, Indian Ocean)

So we got to the very south. On the one hand, all this is an order of magnitude better than what was described above, these are truly heavenly and unprecedented places for us, but there is one “but”, although a completely natural “but” - there are a lot of expensive resorts, hotels with penthouses and private beaches. First of all, this applies to Phuket. For some, this may be for the better, but it greatly spoils the natural impressions of nature - fortunately, if you have a car, you can go to the neighboring wild beaches, where there are no people at all and the same emerald water, palm trees and white sand.

Phuket has three famous beaches, the main and more developed of which is Patong. Everyone, regardless of their wallet, will find a place here. There is also a street for tourists with bars and large supermarkets. From Phuket there are a huge number of different tours to the nearby islands and the coast of Krabi, and you should definitely visit at least one of them. This is the only chance to see truly clear water with tropical fish and stunning grottoes in huge green rocks. The most famous islands here are James Bond Island and Pee Pee Island. Phuket has its own zoo, not big, but very decent with a lot of animal shows. At the highest point of the island there is the Big Buddha of Phuket - a huge Buddha statue that is worth seeing with your own eyes, as well as standing on the observation deck with a view of the entire island. Additionally, on the island you can find shows of monkeys, snakes, and elephants. You can ride elephants like anywhere else, although here they are exhausted by the heat and generally very old and not beautiful compared to those in the north. Phuket is a wonderful island, but it is very far from the capital, almost 1000 km.

5) Central part

The main attraction of Bangkok is Wat Phra Kaew and the great palace where the Emerald Buddha is now kept. You can find other interesting temples and monuments nearby, but I won’t dwell on them separately. Another interesting place, also located in the historical center, is Loha Prasat (Wat Ratchanadda) and the golden mountain. Very close you can find the temple of the reclining Buddha - Wat Po. On the other side of the Chao Phraya River, from the historical center, is the Khmer-style Temple of the Dawn - Wat Arun.

Ruins lovers should visit the ancient capital of Siam - Ayutthaya, which is located near Bangkok (60 km). Ayutthaya is rich in temple ruins and historical parks; the atmosphere here is timeless and enchants from the moment you arrive. First on the list of temples should be the ruins of Wat Chaiwatthanaram.

In Bangkok you can visit a huge safari park and water world, which are much better than the local zoo. There are also two amusement parks, Dreamworld and Siam Park. The latter is less modern, but has its own indoor water park with the world's largest artificial pool.

For budget shopping there is the Chatuchak market, for those who like to spend money there is the Paragon complex. In Paragon you can find a lot of interesting things, including the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia, although visiting it is not a cheap pleasure. Paragon itself is located in Siam Square, where various events, shows and festivals are often held.

What should I do if I have problems?

Once I forgot my wallet on the plane, I’m sick of the fact that I can forget my phone on the bus, and once again I didn’t find the car I parked, which I rented a couple of days ago. Perhaps there was something else that I don’t remember, because everything was resolved and resolved well - everything was found and nothing was missing. The main thing is not to worry or panic. This will help you quickly find a way to solve the problem. Don’t worry about loss and loss, an ordinary Thai will never appropriate someone else’s property by giving up on the possible owner, there are completely different ethics and morals here, thanks to Buddhism, you shouldn’t try to understand this, just believe it. Most likely you will be able to find everything and return it. If the situation is very difficult, then in places where tourists gather you can easily find the tourist police and contact them; there will definitely be an English-speaking representative there - and a native speaker. In difficult situations, they will definitely find you an interpreter. If you can’t find the tourist police, contact the regular police - these are these guys in a brown uniform with a fitted shirt. They don't know English, but they will help you find someone who does.

I'm afraid of a tsunami, how can I help?

Do not be afraid. Firstly, the probability of a tsunami is very low. Secondly, Thailand has flat beaches and is not washed by deep seas, so a tsunami here cannot exceed even one meter. Thirdly, it’s usually just a high tide and by following simple rules of behavior you can protect yourself 100% even from an unexpected tsunami. Fourth, since 2004, Thailand has taken tsunami warnings very seriously and created infrastructure and areas for the safe evacuation of people. It is enough to know that before a tsunami the water moves away from the shores and you should leave the dangerous area at a distance of 1-2 km or find higher ground. Also remember that even if the water has returned to its original place after the first wave, there will definitely be several more waves and stronger ones at the same time. You should return only if you are completely sure that the tsunami has ended.

If these arguments do not help you, go relax on the beaches of the Gulf of Thailand. This is the safest place, which is washed by the shallow South China Sea, which means the strength and speed of the tsunami here is low, in addition, the bay is shielded by the Malacca Peninsula and the islands of Indonesia, from the belt of fire, where another earthquake could occur. The 2004 tsunami did not affect the beaches of the Gulf of Thailand, however, it could not have affected it.

What's the situation with crime?

Most tourists have the impression that there is no crime here at all. Indeed, it is almost invisible to tourists, because ordinary people are extremely respectable and can never even afford to think about theft or murder. They have well learned the doctrine that evil will definitely come back, and people who do good will be rewarded with goodness. This is a naive thought for us, but it is absolutely not naive for the Thais. Nevertheless, a person is a person, or rather, there will always be an animal inside a person, which sometimes breaks out and no brainwashing or religion is a hindrance to this. Therefore, there are murders here and this is not uncommon. Usually once every two weeks

Last week my sister came to visit us. For the first time I went to Thailand alone on a tour package. Due to the fact that she was flying to Asia for the first time, she had many organizational questions that arise for most tourists who travel to Thailand for the first time. Many beginners who are going on holiday to Thailand may find this information useful.

PREPARATION

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT THAILAND

What a tourist needs to know about Thailand and always remember to avoid getting into trouble. Travel agencies don't talk about this, unfortunately. The Thai sun is relaxing, but never forget these simple tips:

In Thailand, the king and his family are revered. Avoid any discussion of the king, including on the Internet. Cases of imprisonment for 20-30 years simply for a bad or humorous word addressed to the royal family are real and occur regularly.
For drugs, imprisonment for decades. Yes, it's true, every year many foreigners go to prison for using and transporting drugs. Have you seen the movie "Broken Palace" or "Bangkok Hilton"? If you are going to Thailand, under no circumstances should there be anything narcotic. Forget about weed. Do not agree to carry anything in your luggage if strangers ask you to do so.
Electronic cigarettes and hookahs are banned in Thailand. You cannot carry or vape vapes with you. Problems with the police are guaranteed.
Smoking is prohibited on the beaches. You can get a very large fine if you smoke on the beach.
You can't feed fish in the sea. On excursions, do not throw anything into the sea for the fish. This could result in imprisonment or a fine of several thousand dollars.
Quadcopters (drones) are prohibited. Huge fines or imprisonment for using drones without registering each device with the police. It’s easier not to take it and do without video from above than to fool around with it.
Standard insurance does not apply if you rent a bike. Even if they were sober. For insurance to be valid, you need to: a) enable this additional option, b) have category A license. So, take the bike at your own peril and risk, if something happens, the insurance company will not pay for the treatment.
Insurance is not valid if you have drunk alcohol. If the injuries were sustained while intoxicated, even if you drank a can of beer, that’s all, there will be a refusal. More information on insurance
Don't try Jackfruit (breadfruit). In many people it causes a severe allergic reaction.
When renting a bike, do not leave your passport as deposit. It often happens that your passport is taken hostage and then they demand money to repair the bike on which you allegedly had an accident.
Divorces when renting housing from Russians and Europeans. Do not send money to anyone who offers to help you book accommodation online. There are normal people, of course, but most of these pseudo-realtors from the Internet are scammers. A lot of divorces take place according to this scenario, when money was sent, they arrived and it turned out that there was no housing, no money, and there was no trace of the assistant. Do not give in to any persuasion, even if he sends you a scan of your passport.

What to take with you to Thailand

Take a minimum of everything with you, especially clothes. For the first day, 2-3 T-shirts, 1 shorts, 1 skirt will be enough. Don’t buy anything in Moscow, here it all costs a penny - 200-400 rubles for one thing. In any case, you will start shopping here when you see what bright and cheap clothes there are, so take a minimum of things.

The shoes are also very cheap. All you need in terms of shoes are flip-flops, which cost 100 rubles here if you don’t have your own. You won't need sneakers or shoes, just extra weight and space in your luggage.

Don’t buy a swimsuit in Moscow either - in Thailand you can actually buy a normal swimsuit for 500-800 rubles (and in Moscow for 3000). It’s just that when you find out how much all this actually costs, you won’t be able to overpay in Moscow.

Sun protection products in Moscow cost a fortune. Here we take Nivea 50 sunscreen for 199 baht (400 rubles). I think even with this course it will be cheaper to buy the cream in Thailand.

Fashionable shorts for 129 baht (260 rubles). How much do these cost in Russia? From 1,500 rubles for a noname to 8,000 rubles for a “brand”...

What not to take

100% you will not need evening dresses, high heels, sneakers, jeans, trousers, long sleeve sweaters, windbreakers... Jeans and trousers are hot even at night. Sneakers will definitely not be useful. Unless you plan to climb mountains or ride a motorcycle.

Don’t take any equipment except a phone/tablet and a camera.

Don't take a towel with you. Even the cheapest hotels always have towels that are changed every day.

Shampoos, soaps, shower gels, and toothpaste also don’t need to be carried with you; at any 7-Eleven, all this is sold in small jars for 20 baht. Also, the hotel often provides free shampoo and soap during cleaning.

Under no circumstances should you take hookahs, vapes and other electronic cigarettes with you! Prohibited by law throughout the country.

What money to take to Thailand and how much?

Take as much money as possible with you to Thailand. There will be a lot of temptations, since everything is very cheap and you really want to buy it. It depends on what your requests are, but on average $1000 for two people is definitely enough for a vacation. If you don’t have a lot of money, then $500 will be enough, but you’ll have to save money, don’t take a taxi, don’t eat in expensive cafes for tourists, but eat at markets, 7-Eleven or , and reduce the number of excursions. But it’s better to take more money and save money later in Moscow.

What currency should I take? Dollars or euros? Dollars. Euros are also possible. If you have euro cash, take it. If you have rubles, then exchange them for dollars. Ask the exchanger only for large bills of 50 and 100 bucks— the exchange rate for them is higher than for small ones. Exchange all rubles for dollars, the more you take, the better.

FLIGHT

Do not take any liquids, scissors, or spray deodorants with you into the cabin of the plane (in case you don’t know). It seems that liquids can be up to 100 ml, that is, nail polish will most likely be missed, but you will have to buy water after all the hassle. You can take water on the plane that you buy at duty free. Is it possible to take perfume on a plane? If it is less than 100 ml, then you can take it with you in your hand luggage.

Nail scissors, nail files, and disinfectant spray are definitely not allowed. Lighters are also often taken out.

Do not put anything valuable in your luggage - take money, documents, equipment with you into the cabin in a backpack.

What weight of luggage is allowed - usually up to 20 kg per person. Is it possible to pack your luggage in 2 bags if you are flying alone? No, only 1 piece of luggage per person.

Life hack: you can wrap a suitcase with regular cling film for 50 rubles. At the airport, wrapping luggage costs 500 rubles.

If you get motion sickness in transport, take Dramamine before the flight (this is a pill for motion sickness)

Another tip is to take something to eat with you. Sandwiches, chips, peanuts - something like that. Because you really want to eat, but the food will only be available an hour after departure. At the airport the prices are brutal, for example, a small peanut costs 100 rubles. In duty free, with the current exchange rate, everything has now also become very expensive.

FOREIGN AIRPORT

How to navigate an airport abroad? There is no need to worry, everything is usually logically clear there. You will most likely not need to speak English with anyone, but understanding the language will be useful to find the transporter from your flight.

Just follow the signs there:

arrival - arrival
passport control - here you will need to fill out a card, everything is simple, last name, first name, hotel
baggage or luggage - conveyors
flight N — flight number from which the baggage

At the airport, take a trolley and throw the stuff on it so you don’t have to drag it in your hands.

Don't change money at the airport, the exchange rate is the lowest there. 10-20 dollars can be exchanged to buy some water or a snack.

Local SIM cards may be handed out at the airport, grab one for yourself. Don’t call from a Russian number, it’s very expensive, more than 150 rubles per minute, in extreme cases an SMS is 20 rubles.

After collecting your luggage, where to go? With your luggage you walk towards the exit. A person from the travel agency (Russian) will meet you near the exit or on the street. At the exit, look for the tour operator's sign. It was the operator, Pegasus, Corel, Anex or whoever will be there, and not the site where I bought it. A person from the company may even be standing on the street where the taxi is.

TRANSFER

The package includes transfer to the hotel in the price. At the airport, a guide from the travel agency will meet you and lead you by the hand to the desired bus. The bus will bring you directly to the hotel door. There at the reception you will be accommodated with your passport and voucher. On the bus they will say something interesting in Russian about the country; the guide usually always greets you with a Russian.

If you don’t want to go on a bus with all the tourists, turn it down to the travel agency and order a private transfer.

CHECK IN HOTEL

To check in, you need to give your passport and voucher at the reception. Some hotels may require you to pay a deposit, which is returned upon check-out.

The room may have a so-called “minibar”. Usually this is a small refrigerator in which there are several cans of beer, cola, soda, and there may also be chips, nuts, and chocolate. All this is paid, and 2 times more expensive than in the store. Usually 2 bottles of water are free. Payment for minibar upon check-out. You can check at the reception what is paid and what is not.

Life hack: if you really want to drink something from the minibar, you can drink it, and in the morning before cleaning, run to the store and buy exactly the same bottle at a normal price and put it in the bar.

If the bed is dirty or there are not enough towels, contact the reception, they will change everything (just don’t “pump up your license”, but calmly explain the situation with a friendly smile).

THE LANGUAGE BARRIER

Don’t be ashamed of your English, as the locals don’t know it perfectly either, many are much worse than you. Pronunciation? Grammar? Time? No, we haven't heard. In practice, everything is simpler, and no one pays attention to grammar.

If you are flying on a package tour, in principle you may not know the language at all. We often see our aunties here, rubbing something in Russian with the Thais. And they don’t understand a word, then the aunts begin to speak in syllables or raise their voices. The main rule of communication is to smile, be calm, and not raise your voice. If you can’t explain something in words, show with gestures.

INFORMATION MEETING WITH GUIDE

A meeting with a guide is a waste of time, since the guide will give a minimum of information and spend most of the meeting selling overpriced excursions. So, it is not necessary to come to the meeting at all. Especially if they start intimidating you on the bus that at the meeting with the guide you need to fill out a registration card for the tourist police or activate your insurance or something like that. This is a 100% scam, there are no cards for the police, there is no need to activate insurance and air tickets, all this does not concern the guide at all. The main task of a hotel guide is to promote you on an excursion.

HORRY STORIES OF HOTEL GUIDES

For some reason, many guides try to intimidate package tourists. I don’t know why, maybe so that there would be fewer adventures and he wouldn’t be disturbed once again. Or to sell your excursions, and people should be afraid of everything else. In general, here are the most popular intimidations of guides:

In Thailand, there are poisonous snakes under every bush…….. During the year and a half of living in Thailand (Pattaya, Krabi, Phuket), we probably saw snakes 2-3 times. What is the probability that you will see a snake in 10 days of vacation?
Thailand is very dangerous. Don’t go anywhere on your own, just the hotel and the beach……. Well, no comments here. Complete nonsense. In Thailand it is safer to go somewhere on your own than in Russia. Well, maybe you shouldn’t walk along dark streets at night, lighting the way with your iPad, you shouldn’t go into the jungle or swim in stinking rivers.
You must attend the information meeting with your guide. If you don’t come, your insurance and air tickets will not be activated, you will be taken to the police, as you will need to fill out a registration card……… Also complete nonsense, the guide has no effect on either air tickets or insurance, they are “activated” from the day of purchase tour. There is no need to take any cards to the police. All this is just so that you buy excursions from him.
Don’t buy excursions from street travel agencies, your insurance is not valid there……… Nonsense, insurance is valid everywhere and it has nothing to do with your guide. Does not apply if the insured event occurred while drunk. Read more.
All Thais want to deceive you……… In fact, there is some truth, they often try to deceive tourists at the market for higher prices, but the hotel guide deceives you much more, telling all these horror stories, and then offers excursions that will cost 2 times more -3 times real value.
You can’t put money in your back pocket, you can’t put money on the table, only give it to your hands, etc……. These are all myths. One thing you really shouldn't do with Thai money is paint the faces on it.

EXCURSIONS

You can take excursions from a guide from a travel agency, or from street agencies (cheaper), as well as from online services. Insurance will be valid in both places, despite the guide’s assurances that street travel agencies do not pay for insurance. The guide has nothing to do with insurance at all actually. Insurance does not pay if injuries are sustained while intoxicated or while driving a motorbike.

In fact, everything will be simple. Traveling on a package tour to Thailand for the first time is not at all stressful. There are many more nuances when traveling to Thailand on your own.

Dear readers, if you have experience traveling to Thailand, write in the comments what other useful tips will be useful on vacation and what tourists who are going to Asia for the first time need to know about Thailand.