 Thailand Budget Travel Guide
      
Thailand Budget Travel Guide: Maya Bay, Phi Phi Island (4 November 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Exploring Thailand, the Land of Smiles
Thailand Budget Travel Guide is created to help people with a limited budget plan and enjoy a vacation in Thailand. This budget travel guide is intended for the use of independent travelers who wish to visit places on their own. As such, the places of interest are lined up in a column on the right. Simply select the sights that interest you to learn more about it.
Now let me introduce you Thailand
Thailand is an inviting destination with much to offer travellers, whether they are looking for culture, history or sun-and-surf. Thailand is a constitutional monarch. The king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigns by the title of Rama IX, is the world's longest reigning monarch. He was born in 1927 in Cambridge, Massachusetts while his father, Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, was studying medicine at Harvard University and his mother, nursing. He was unexpectedly made king after his elder brother, King Ananda, was fatally shot at the Grand Palace. The king and the royal family is hugely popular among the Thai people. They do not cost the Thai treasury anything, not directly, since they pay their own with income from their vast property. Nevertheless they have initiated many rural projects, from the Flying Doctor programme started by the king's late mother to arts and crafts by the present Queen Sirikit, all of which endears the family to the people.
Padaung children (21 December 2002)
© Timothy Tye
There are still hill tribes still live on the northern part of Thailand, especially in the hinterland north of Chiang Mai, in places close to the border of Myanmar. There, they continue to practise their age-old customs and wear their traditional attires. Among the tribes are the Akha, the Hmong, the Mien, the Lahu, the Lisu, to name a few. Each has its own costume - their tribal uniform - which distinguishes them not only by tribe, but also by their social status, age, marital status, and even their village. Perhaps the most intriguing are the Padaung, better known as the long-neck people because the women wear brass rings around their arms, legs and necks. Although this custom is diminishing, many have once again taken up this practise for commercial purpose.
Traditional Thai Village at Siam Niramit, Bangkok (27 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Some of the oldest cities and kingdoms to have flourished in Thailand were founded on the north, chiefly between Sukhothai and the northern border. these ancient cities will give us an insight into the life in Thailand many centuries ago. Although most of the temples are now in ruins, they have been meticulously preserved in heritage parks such as Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai.
The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, is a modern-day metropolis at the geographical centre of the nation. Within driving distances are the beach resorts of Pattaya and Hua Hin. Going further east, we come upon Khmer ruins within the border of Cambodia. Among these are Prasat Hin Phimai and Prasat Phanom Wan, both outside Nakhon Ratchasima.
Khao Sok National Park (26 December 2003)
© Timothy Tye
Thailand Travel Information
Time Zone: 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Currency: baht
Language: Thai
International Dialing Code: 66
Population: 62 million
Religion: Theravada Buddhism
Electricity: 220V 50Hz
Electrical Outlet: flat-pronged or round-pronged plugs (See details here: http://www.kropla.com/electric.htm)
Driving: On the left side of the road.
Ley Cave (3 November 2005)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Thailand Hotels
As a prudent traveller, you should check and compare the price of hotel rooms before booking. You will discover that different Hotel Booking websites offer the same hotel room at vastly different prices. Use our free Thailand Hotel Search Engine to view hotel room rates from all the major hotel booking sites. It helps you in making an informed decision that will potentially save you a lot of money.
If you are backpacking to Thailand, you can view a selection of hostels in Thailand with online booking facility.
Ko Yo, Songkhla (11 June 2005)
© Timothy Tye
Thailand Entry Requirements
Visa
- Passport with validity of no less than 6 months.
- Citizens of the following countries do not require visa for tourist visit for a maximum stay of 30 days: Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Swden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam.
- Tourist Visa US$25, max 60 days stay.
- Citizens of the following countries may enter Thailand without a visa in accordance with the Inter-Governmental Agreements for a maximum stay of 30 Tourism and Temporary Business only: Laos, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Macau.
- Citizens of the following countries may enter Thailand without a visa in accordance with the Inter-Governmental Agreements for a maximum stay of 90 Tourism and Temporary Business only: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Republic of Korea, Peru.
- Citizens of the following countries are exempted visa fees: Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Tunisia.
- If submitting in person, payable only in cash. Application processed within 48 hours.
- Thai Embassy Website: http://www.thaiembdc.org/consular/visa/visa.htm
- Citizens of Bangladesh, the People's Republic of China, Cambodia, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, the Middle East countries and the Socialist countries need to submit additional requirements. See Thai Embassy Website for details.
Thailand Customs
- Entering Thailand, visitors may bring in any amount of foreign banknotes.
- Leaving Thailand, visitors may take out a maximum of 50,000 baht in Thai currency.
- Foreigners may bring in without tax one camera, 5 rolls of film, 200 cigarettes, 1 litre of wine.
Khantoke dinner, Chiang Mai (24 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye
Thailand Public Holidays
The following are the public holidays observed in Thailand
- New Year Day: 1 January
- Magha Puja: Full moon in February/March. This festival commemorates the speech given by Buddha to 1,250 enlightened monks. Throughout Thailand, devotees carry candles and circumambulate the main shrine of the wats three times in the clockwise direction.
- Chinese New Year: January/February
- Chakri Day: 6 April, commemorates the establishment of the royal house of Chakri
- Songkran: 13-15 April - Thai New Year, characterised by water throwing.
- Coronation Day: 5 May
- Ploughing Ceremony: May, actual day varies
- Visakha Puja: Full moon in May, to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha
- Asalaha Puja: Full moon in July, to commemorate Buddha's first sermon
- Khao Phansa: July, beginning of the Buddhist rainy season retreat
- Queen's Birthday: 12 August
- Chulalongkorn Day: 23 October
- Loy Krathong: Full moon in November, when people head to rivers and lakes to float candle-laden banana-leaf floats called the krathong, intended to be a thanksgiving offering to the water deity. It is also believed that bad luck floats away with the krathong. A spectacular light show takes place at the Sukhothai Historical Park.
- King's Birthday: 5 December
- Constitution Day 10 December
- New Year Eve: 31 December
Stupa in Chiang Mai (24 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye using this photo
Useful Links
|
Principal Cities of Thailand
Listed here are the cities in Thailand arranged in alphabetical order. Population estimation as of 2008, rounded to nearest thousand.
- Ayutthaya (55,000)
Capital of Siam until 1767, when it was destroyed by the Burmese.
- Bangkok (5.7 million)
Capital and biggest city of Thailand.
- Chanthaburi (27,600)
City in eastern Thailand near Cambodia.
- Chiang Mai (148,000)
Main tourist destination in northern Thailand.
- Chiang Rai (70,000)
City and ancient northern capital.
- Chonburi (34,700)
Provincial capital of Chonburi Province, on the eastern seaboard of Thailand.
- Hat Yai (158,000)
Biggest city in southern Thailand.
- Hua Hin (85,000)
Famous beach resort on the northern part of the Isthmus of Kra.
- Kanchanaburi (31,000)
City to the west of Bangkok, near the border with Myanmar.
- Khao Lak (43,700)
Beach resort in southern Thailand. Population shown refers to the town of Takua Pa.
- Khon Kaen (119,000)
Regional capital of Isaan region.
- Ko Chang (5,300)
Second largest island in Thailand.
- Koh Samui (50,000)
Third largest island and resort destination in Surat Thani Province.
- Krabi (25,000)
City on the west coast of southern Thailand, at the mouth of the Krabi River.
- Lampang (59,000)
Ancient city between Sukhothai and Chiangmai.
- Lamphun (14,000)
Ancient city which was the capital of the Haripunchai kingdom in the 9th century.
- Lopburi (26,500)
Ancient city in central Thailand.
- Mae Hong Son (6,000)
Town in northwest Thailand.
- Nakhon Pathom (83,000)
City near Bangkok with the tallest stupa in Thailand.
- Nakhon Ratchasima (146,000)
Also called Khorat, biggest city in Isaan region.
- Nakhon Sawan (92,000)
Site where the Ping and Nan rivers converge to form the Chao Phraya.
- Nakhon Si Thammarat (108,000)
City in southern Thailand.
- Narathiwat (41,000)
City in southern Thailand near the border with the Malaysian state of Kelantan.
- Nonthaburi (265,000)
Suburb of Bangkok.
- Pak Kret (174,000)
Another suburb of Bangkok.
- Pattaya (104,000)
Resort city in the Gulf of Thailand.
- Phitsanulok (77,000)
City in central Thailand.
- Phuket (76,000)
Resort island on the Andaman Sea.
- Ranong (16,000)
City on the west coast of the Isthmus of Kra.
- Rayong (57,000)
City in southeastern Thailand near Cambodia.
- Samut Prakan (56,000)
City in central Thailand south of Bangkok.
- Samut Sakhon (55,000)
Provincial city at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River on the Gulf of Thailand.
- Si Satchanalai (95,000)
Ancient town, the second most important in the Sukhothai kingdom.
- Songkhla (73,000)
Capital of Songkhla Province in southern Thailand.
- Surat Thani (127,000)
Provincial capital in southern Thailand.
- Trang (61,000)
City on the west coast of southern Thailand.
- Ubon Ratchathani (85,000)
City in Isaan region with Khmer ruins.
- Udon Thani (142,000)
Provincial capital of Udon Thani Province in Isaan region.
- Yala (63,000)
City in southern Thailand near the Malaysian border.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Thailand
- Historic City of Ayutthaya
- Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns
- Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries
- Ban Chiang Archaeological Site
- Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex
Travel Information on Thailand
- Provinces of Thailand
List of all the provinces of the kingdom.
- National Parks of Thailand
List of forest reserves and protected forest areas in the kingdom.
- Marine National Parks in Thailand
List of marine national parks and protected areas of the sea around the kingdom.
- Wetlands in Thailand
List of wetlands, marshlands and mangrove swamps.
- City Pillars of Thailand
City Pillars are religious pillars erected at the founding of a city. Most cities in Thailand has one.
- Northern Thailand Temple Architecture
Information on the details of northern Thai temples.
Ancient Ruins of Thailand
- Ayutthaya
- Ban Chiang
- Khao Phra Viharn
- Lopburi
- Prasat Hin Phimai
- Si Satchanalai
- Sukhothai
|
