The Manager
Address:
ARLYMEAR TRAVEL COMPANY, LTD.
6th Floor, CCT Building
109 Surawong Road
Bangkok 10500
Thailand
Telephone: 66 (0) 2 236 9317 to 20
Fax: +66 (0) 2 236 2929, 66 2 237 6873 to 74
Email: info @ arlymear . com
Website: http://www.arlymear.com
Arlymear Travel Company is one of the country’s forward looking travel enterprises that has harnessed the latest technology to provide the highest quality travel products and services.
Baggage regulations for domestic flight
Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways are allowing baggage following the international 20kg/ person- rule. Some low cost- carriers such as Nok Air or Air Asia are only allowing 15kg/person, but passengers may upgrade against charge. Please contact your local travel agent or see the airlines- home pages for details.
Climate
The best time to travel to Thailand is late October to the end of April. This is the so called “dry season”, but don’t be fooled by the name you are in the tropics, so you always have to expect some outbreak of (heavy) rain from time to time. There is one exception to every rule, in this case it’s name is Koh Samui (and the neighboring islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Tao); best to be visited in the European summer months from March to early October. Temperatures in Thailand are high throughout the year, with the slight exception of the mountainous north, where “off season” and in the night- or early morning hours, you might want to wear some slightly warmer clothes. To give you an orientation, here are some climate charts for certain regions.
Currency & Exchange
Currency is the Thai Baht (100 Satang = 1 Baht). Most common are 1, 2, 5 and 10 Baht coins. 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1.000 Baht notes. 1 Euro = 42 Baht or 1 USD = 31 Baht (January 2014). For current conversion rate please visit our bankers home page at Bangkok Bank Plc but please remember to apply the buying rates when converting Thai Baht to your currency, or we lose on the exchange rate.
Domestic Airlines
Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air (low cost), and Air Asia (low cost) are the common and most used domestic airlines in Thailand. Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways do fly in code-share with many of the international carriers.
Electricity
Throughout Thailand 220V are the norm- in areas outside the tourist- destinations, you still might find 3way-sockets, while most places have switched to 2 plugs by now. If you want to be 100%- safe, use an adapter.
Facts & figures
Thailand covers a land area of 513,115 sq.km or approximately the same size as France, with a coastline of approximately 2,700 kilometers on the Gulf of Thailand and 865 kilometers along the Indian Ocean. There are approx. 66 million people living in Thailand. Capital and biggest city is Bangkok, with approx. 10 million citizens.
Food & Drink
Thai food is generally very spicy, very healthy and very exotic. Instead of salt, fish- sauce is used to salten dishes (a fact that vegetarians and vegans should consider). Common spices include chili, garlic, ginger, galanga, Thai- basil and lemon grass. Some of these herbs and spices may be unusual to European mouths. If you don’t mind the “simple ways”, Thai- food is also very cheap and available practically everywhere, as the Thais simply love to eat. Alcoholic beverages (except for beer and some local brands) are mostly expensive. You should generally stay away from tab- water or ice, made from tab- water. The water- quality has improved over the last years, but in some regions you may still risk a night or two of sleep in exchange for some unhealthy “diet”- behavior of your belly.
Landscape
Thailand is generally flat, with the southern ranges of the Himalayas making the north rather mountainous. The south is dominated by beaches and a long coastline with many small islands.
Shopping
Thailand is a shopping- paradise. From the night- markets to the luxurious shopping centers, from the fake watches and t-shirts to high quality Thai- products (silk, teakwood, silverware etc)- shoppers or souvenir- hunters will their places for sure. A word of warning though avoid the “special offers” that some taxi- or Tuk Tuk drivers make you- they will most definitely turn out way more expensive, than you may think.
Trains
Using trains in Thailand is relatively cheap and secure- you may have to take a lack of luxury into concern, as the train- system is not very modern. If you can live with that, getting around by train is a good alternative, if you have time to spend and are not on a tight schedule.
Tipping
For every service you are paying a “service charge” in Thailand, which practically covers tips. But of course it is a nice (and happily taken) gesture, if you pay a few baht extra for good service or quality. There are no rules, but you may consider this a tip of 35 baht provides a full-grown meal.
Transportation
The easiest way to travel in Thailand is still by plane. Trains, buses or mini- vans are available almost everywhere, but there have been some safety issues, lately…especially with the vans.
What to bring when traveling to Thailand (clothes, medicines..)
Although the major tourist destinations have a fully developed infrastructure and there are hospitals and doctors available at all times, it is always a good idea, to bring specific medicines with you and make sure, your accommodation can handle your special needs.
For tropical-diseases, please contact an experienced doctor. Most tourist areas of Thailand are free of Malaria, but there are cases of Dengue-fever from time to time.
Anti- Mosquito spray should not be missing in any suitcase.
Sun-protection is the A & O when traveling to Thailand, as the tropic sun can be harmful to unprotected body- parts. Apart from that bring mostly light clothing, made from natural fabrics and -if you travel up north- a light jacket or equal, as it may get a little chilly at night.
Passport & Visa
Citizens of most EU countries will receive a visa- upon- arrival with a validity of 30 days. Please contact your nearest Thai- embassy for details regarding your specific nationality.
Anyhow your passport has to be valid at least 6 month after the date of leaving the kingdom. Children of most nationalities need a passport.
The Thai people are well known for their tolerance, hospitality and cheerfulness. They will ignore the small blunders of social etiquette that you are certain to make. For the average tourist it’s very difficult to go wrong. Just smile a lot, avoid confrontation, and don’t insult the religion or monarchy of the country. Here are a few specific do’s and don’ts worth pointing out.
The Monarchy
All members of the Royal Family are held in the highest reverence in Thailand and visitors should show similar respect. Negative remarks about the monarchy may be considered lese majeste, an offence carrying severe punishment in Thailand. When the national anthem is played, at 8.00 am and 6.00 pm everyday and at public events or in cinemas, for example, you are expected to stand. The best guide is to check what other people are doing and follow suit.
Social Etiquette
In the big cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai, Western customs are well known and widely accepted. Upcountry, traditional customs and social behavior are still used. Here are a few customs to keep in mind.
Thais greet each other with a ‘wai’, a prayer-like, palms-together gesture, not a handshake. Generally, a younger person ‘wais’ an elder or senior person, who will then return the gesture. Even though most Thais are familiar with the Western handshake, a ‘wai’ is always appreciated.
Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body, literally and figuratively. Don’t touch Thais on the head, even playfully. If you accidentally touch someone’s head, offer an apology immediately.
Similarly, the foot is considered the lowest part of the body. Don’t use your feet to point at either people or objects. Don’t touch anyone with your feet. Don’t rest your feet on tables or chairs. Don’t step over people – always walk around or politely ask them to move. When sitting on the floor, try to tuck your feet underneath and to the side so they’re not pointing at anyone.
When handing objects to people, use both hands or the right hand only. Do not slide or toss objects across the room. Get up and pass them in person, no matter how inconvenient this may seem.
Public displays of affection are frowned upon. Some Thai couples may be seen holding hands, but this is the extent of public affection in polite society. Kissing in public is not acceptable behavior.
In Thai society, losing your temper or even speaking loudly is a sign of poor breeding. Keeping ‘face’ is of paramount importance. Never raise your voice or show anger, it will get you nowhere. Keeping cool, hiding your emotions and smiling is far more productive.
Dress & Appearance
The Thais place great importance on personal cleanliness and appearance. Tank tops, singlets, shorts and the like are considered inappropriate dress everywhere except at the beach. Sandals are OK except at formal occasions. Going topless or nude at the beach (or anywhere else) is seen as disrespectful to the local people. It’s also illegal.
When visiting someone’s home or at certain offices and shops, it’s polite to remove your shoes at the entrance. If you see shoes arranged on the floor at the door, don’t wait to be asked– remove your shoes before entering.
Religion
Do not insult the religion in any way, whether it be the majority religion, Buddhism, or any of the minority faiths. It is an offence to commit any act that may be considered insulting to a religion. For the traveler, this means proper conduct in temples or any location containing religious images.
All Buddha images, large or small, are considered sacred. Don’t climb atop or pose for photos in front of images of the Buddha. Monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman. A woman wishing to present something to a monk or novice should first place it on a piece of cloth. This can then be retrieved by the monk.
Always dress neatly in temples – shorts and sleeveless shirts are considered inappropriate. Do not wear shoes inside the main chapel of a temple where the principal Buddha image is kept. It’s OK to wear shoes in the temple compound.
In a Muslim mosque, men should wear hats and women should be well-covered with slacks or a long skirt, a long-sleeved blouse buttoned to the neck, and a head-scarf.
Electricity
The standard electricity supply in Thailand is 220V, 50 cycles. Electricity sockets are usually of the flat or round two-pin type but there is a trend towards earthed three-pin outlets in many modern buildings.
Adapters and voltage converters for any international plug type are available at hardware stores and most department stores.
Time
Thailand Standard Time is 7 hours ahead of Universal Time or Greenwich Mean Time.
Tipping
Not commonly or traditionally practiced in Thailand although it is becoming more widespread as a result of foreign influence. Tips are sometimes expected in the more expensive restaurants, hairdressers and for hotel porters. Don’t add a tip in hotel restaurants (where a service charge is added to the bill anyway) or in street restaurants. Taxi fares should be rounded up to the nearest 5 or 10 baht.
Weather
When it rains don’t bother putting on a heavy raincoat. Slip on something light and cool, a pair of plastic shoes and take your umbrella, just like the Thais.
The temperature in Thailand sometimes gets up to 40 degrees with high humidity. If you’re sightseeing, take along plenty of bottled water to avoid dehydrating. Sunglasses and sunscreen are a must at all times.
Be wary of the ice in cold drinks. Ice often comes from unhygienic sources and is best avoided. The ice cubes with holes through them are generally OK.
When you’re eating out in the evenings, watch out for mosquitoes. Ask the waiter to put a mosquito coil under the table to discourage them. Wearing pale colored slacks and mosquito repellent will also keep them at bay.
Touts & Nuisances
If someone approaches you on the street offering to sell you something such as gems or jewelry, just smile and walk away. Go in a shop and buy them instead. They’re more likely to be genuine and you’ll probably get a better price.
Names
Don’t get angry when someone on the street shouts “hey you” to attract your attention. They don’t realize they’re being impolite. “You” is translated from the Thai word “khun” which is a normal and polite form of address in Thai.
Don’t be surprised if someone addresses you by your first name, like Mr. David or Miss Jennifer. The Thais normally address one another using first names only, usually with the title ‘Khun’ in front. Surnames are not commonly used as a mode of address.
You’ll notice after a short while in Thailand that Thais have three names—a first name, a surname and a nickname. The nickname, usually something short and catchy like Noi or Lek, is given at birth and is used universally among family members and close friends.