Getting There

There are several ways to arrive to this country depending on where you come from.

By air: The main airport of Thailand is in Bangkok called Suvarnabhumi International Airport. However, there are many other airports in every region around Thailand in order for travelers to connect to all parts of the country such as in Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. A little trick is that as there is a high competition in domestic flight market, travelers should compare the air fares from more than one source before booking. Also, be careful with the initial price offered as there could be a large amount of extra taxes and surcharges applied in the further booking steps. So, make sure, you continue the booking process until the final total price is shown. The popular airlines for domestic flights are Thailand Airways, Bangkok Air, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air and Air Asia.

By train: If tourists travel from Malaysia, a train is another option to enter Thailand. Moreover, as the railway connects to every part of the country, if tourists do not mind spending a little more time on transportation, this is another option to travel around the country and enjoy scenery of Thailand.

By ship: This way is becoming more popular nowadays. There is the cruise line heading to South East Asia route, including visiting Thailand. The recommended 5-star service cruise is Costa Cruises.

Checklist before Thailand check in

1. Seek for some basic information

After choosing the transportation to enter the country, learning some basic information is always a wise idea to do before your arrival. Tourism Authority of Thailand or TAT is always a trusted and valuable source to seek for any information about the country. The main channel to connect to TAT is through its website. In addition, even when you have arrived to the country there are many branches of TAT around Thailand to serve tourists, starting from the one at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

2. Vaccinations preparation

In term of health preparation, vaccinations for hepatitis A and B, polio, rabies, typhoid and tuberculosis are advised but not necessary. If you plan to get into jungles around the border areas (connected to Cambodia, Burma and Lao), Malaria vaccination is also recommended.

3. Entry document check for Thailand Check in

For Visa, the regulations for visa can be changed without notice so when planning to visit Thailand, make sure to re-check with the Thai embassy before departing. For passport, it must be valid for at least six months from the date you arrive Thailand.

4. Prepare some money and know its currency

About currency, currency used in Thailand is Thai Baht. Its money includes both coins and notes, starting from “satang” coins, 100 satangs equal to 1 baht, 1 baht, 2 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht coins. For bank notes are 1,000 baht, 500 baht, 100 baht, 50 baht and 20 baht notes. One recommendation is that do not keep the large-denomination bank notes such as 1,000 or 500 notes or try change them to the smaller ones as street vendors or taxis don’t usually have large amount of changes. Exchange counters are also scattered around the country especially in tourist places. It is highly recommended to exchange your money at these bank counters rather than at hotels as the rate from the latter one would be more expensive. Besides cash, it is also a wise idea to bring cards with you as ATM machines are widely available everywhere around Thailand. Credit card is also accepted in many places however make sure you keep an eye on who handling your cards to avoid any cheating practices such as copying your card codes.

5. Clothes to match with the climate

The usual weather in Thailand is hot. There is a Thai joke that Thailand has 3 seasons: hot, hotter and hottest. As a result, clothes to be used in this country should be something light with short sleeves. However, trousers or a long skirt are something you should also bring at least one as some tourist attractions such as temples will not allow people with shorts or singlet to get in. Some winter clothes may be needed only if you plan to go up the hills in the northern part or north eastern part of the country during winter time, otherwise, they will be quite useless for your trip. To make sure with this, it is highly recommend travelers to check the weather forecast again before their departure.

6. Baggage check

To make your Thailand check in smoother, check the allowance of your baggage properly and make sure your bags are not overloaded. The baggage allowance is up to the airline policy so check this in your booking that issued by the airline.

After all the lists have been checked, you will be quite ready for checking in to Thailand. The final suggestion is that always find the promotional prices in advance for any services you are going to use in Thailand such as accommodations, transportation, limousines, spas or other activities. Many services are often offered great deals for advance booking.

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The issues behind these protests are complex, but to put it as simply as possible:

The Yellow Shirts (also known as The People’s Alliance for Democracy or PADs), agree with the concept of democracy, but also feel that people need to have some understanding of the long term economic, social and political consequences of their vote. They believe that Thaksin used corruption to gain the vote of the majority population of the rural regions of Northern Thailand, on the lead up to the 2001 elections that made him prime minister.

The Red Shirts, however, see Thaksin more as a Robin Hood character, who took from the rich and gave to the poor. They believe they would be financially better off both in the short term and the long term under the rule of Thaksin. Now, Thaksin faces corruption charges, and an unelected party and prime minister are ruling their country. As a result, they feel cheated.

Who is right and who is wrong is not for discussion here. We are currently more concerned with the impact these struggles could have on the economy of Thailand and on the number of tourists who want to visit. When the first major protests began in November 2008, many holidaymakers cancelled their trip, and having just recovered from the impact of the Tsunami, many businesses in the tourism industry of Thailand faced yet another season of lowering tourist numbers. The fallout from this is wide spread. Entire families rely on the income delivered by tourism to survive.

As such a high proportion of the population in the tourist hotspots of Thailand survive on the income of tourism alone, the majority of the locals in these places want nothing but a peaceful resolution. They want foreigners to continue to regard Thailand as The Land of Smiles.

Whilst no one wishes to encourage you to walk into the middle of a conflict, I’m sure I’m speaking for the large majority when I ask you to consider the real impact of these struggles on your visit to Thailand. Neither the Reds nor the Yellows have an issue with tourists or expats, but if you are concerned about the recent troubles in Bangkok, I would like to highlight that you do not need to fly to Bangkok if you wish to visit Thailand. You can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Krabi, or fly direct into Phuket. From there you can go straight to your final holiday destination, where a warm welcome and a peaceful atmosphere awaits – just as tourists have grown to expect from Thailand – The Land of Smiles.

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Are you a foreigner, married to a Thai National and planning to retire in Thailand? In that case, in particular if you are contemplating to buy land and build a retirement house in Thailand this could be of interest.

To start with I am obliged to give you a few warnings!

Warning No. 1: All land in Thailand is does not have the same legal grade!

Warning No. 2: I am not a solicitor. This article is gained from my own research and is offered as is.

I have vigilantly checked the correctness of my investigations, but I can not be responsible for any consequences arising out of you making use of it. Please make certain that you conduct your own checks

Warning No. 3: Things in Thailand on occasion turn out in unexpected ways.

Just because the law says A, some people may take it as B!

The Significance Of Checking Title Deeds On Land In Thailand

You would be well advised to verify the title deeds before you agree to any land transaction in Thailand. Instances have been reported where some people understood they would actually fully own the land, yet they just received possessory rights. Other people understood that they were acquiring a particular amount of land however they really received a smaller size.Yet more people understood that the house is on the land they were buying, but the property was on somebody else’s land.

Right Of Possession And Ownership Of Land In Thailand

There are two completely separate rights that people can possess on a plot of land in accordance with the law in Thailand.

One is the right of ownership, the other is the right of use.

A person are able to have the right of use of land for whatever purpose even though it does not actually belong to them. Yet, the rights that you can hold over a plot of land, such as ownership or right of use, depends upon the sort of title deed. Accordingly it is critical that you can distinguish between the limitations of the varying types of land title deeds and what is the actual kind of title deed held by the land you are contemplating purchasing.

The Several Kinds of Land Title Deeds In Thailand

1. Sor Kor 1

2. Por Bor Tor 6

3. Por Bor Tor 5

4. Sor Por Kor 4-01

5. Nor Sor Saam

6. Nor Sor Saam Gor

7. Nor Sor 4 Jor (Chanoht)

1. Sor Kor 1

Sor Kor 1 is the form required to inform the State of a possessory claim to a plot of land.

This first appeared in December 1954 and was a tool of the state to confirm claims upon the land with the ultimate issuance of Nor. Sor 3 or Nor. Sor. 3 Gor documentation (see below). There are plans to get rid of this title and raise all Sor Kor 1 land to Nor Sor Saam. The form recognises the right for the holder to occupy and farm the land. The land can not be disposed of, it may only be moved to immediate heirs of the individual who owns it.

2. Por Bor Tor 6

This is certification that is mandatory for all land to have so that a tax number can be issued and tax be paid upon the use of the land. There is no inference of title, ownership or possessory right of the land, just that it has been recorded as taxable.

3. Por Bor Tor 5

This is farming land not documented as having ownership by the appropriate land office. The local village headsman will be used as the one and only Official and he needs to know about who owns the land by possessory rights title, and moreover the borders of the land. When disposed of, funds are handed over with the knowledge of the sheriff. By law development is not permitted, but often property developments have appeared with full knowledge by local Planning officials.

4. Sor Por Kor 4-01

This relates to land fixed by the Land Reform Committee. Land with this documentation cannot be purchased or disposed of, and may only be moved to rightful heirs of the individual who owns it.

5. Nor Sor Saam

This identifies that the land has been discharged to the holder by the administration and the land can be utilised for its benefits by the certificate holder of this title deed. Nevertheless, this is not an unambiguous document, and is appropriate only to the particular the holder of the land. Problems occasionally appear when aiming to confirm the real extent of such plots covered by this type of document as no coordinates are indicated and it refers to an identifiable piece of land with no reference to adjacent plots of land. Land of this form can be traded, but the extents are only marked with respect to the adjoining pieces of land and survey mistakes abound. Should you be constructing on land of this status, I suggest that you build well inside the boundaries so that you can be certainly positive the property is really on your land, not your next door neighbors.

6. Nor Sor Saam Ghaw

This type of land deed possess similar lawful status as Nor Sor 3, however, in this case the extent is marked by means of coordinates and is precisely drawn displaying neighbouring plots on a plan using a standard scale of 1:5000.

7. Nor Sor 4 Jor. (Chanote)

This grade of land is the ideal certification for investing in land in Thailand. This is a deed defining the official owner of the land. It shows the GPS-verified extent of the plot of land. The property owner identified upon this type of title deed frequently uses the title deed as corroboration of ownership in official transactions. Lenders are regularly prepared to lend cash using this documentation as collateral. Land of this kind customarily has distinctively numbered government concrete posts to define the boundary of the area of land and maybe other locations as well. These will be shown on the title deed.

It is usually particularly O.K. for non Thais to acquire land of this class and you will commonly pay a premium over Nor Sor Saam Gor as it is so desired.

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The Chaing Dao flowers of Thailand can be described as nothing short of exquisite. It is a largely agricultural town and the locals are a very hard working mix of people who rise as early as 3.00am and are well and truly in bed at night by 8.00pm For Thailand standards, this is not a party town in the least!

Many groups of enthusiasts have come to the Chiang Dao area in search of the famous parrot flower. A species of the Impatiens Psittacina, the rare parrot bird flower has captured not only many hearts, but many urban myths and legends also.

There are entire websites devoted to the accuracy of this plant being real or not. Thought to only grow on the Chaing Dao mountain top, it is by all accounts and otherwise unsightly plant. The flower is truly beautiful, and the name for this plant truly is representative of the flower. Many have offered thousands of dollars for the seeds to this rare parrot flower and yet no one seems to be able to get them.

Known for some of the most breathtaking views, many flower enthusiasts have fallen in love with the region and have returned year after year hoping to sight the flowering Impatiens Psittacina. One of the biggest draw cards to the area is that it is not as popular as many other areas of Thailand and therefore you are able to witness nature in all her glory without the trampling tourists. The most striking feature to the area is Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand’s third highest mountain which is a popular hiking and bird watching destination

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Most of my time is spent in northern Thailand, which is considered to be the cultural region. Should you be going to travel in Thailand please enjoy all it has to offer and believe me that is an awful amount but temper it with consideration for the local population. The King is the most respected individual in the kingdom and is loved by his subjects. Make derogatory remarks about any member of the royal family at your peril.

The second most important institution is the Monkhood of the Buddhist faith, 90%+ of the population follows Buddhism. Full of beautiful and ancient temples lavished with much adornment by the community it serves. There are more than 7000 Buddhist temples in Thailand. The wealth of the church in Thailand is probably greater than the monarchy. Every Thai individual will make “merit” by giving to the church at any opportunity. The theory being that they will get it back in the next world.

The Thais are devout Buddhists in the main with Muslims making up 10% of the population mainly in the Deep South and Christians and other religions making up the remainder. It must be born in mind that Thai style Buddhism is a mish mash of true Buddhism and paganism, which has filtered down from the days of the Lanna kingdom. Most Thais have their own spirit house in the garden for the spirits of the ancestors to reside in and offerings will be made to keep the spirits happy.

The temple is the hub of village and community life. Local government whilst centred in the Ampher House (town hall) gets its message across in the local temple. This is the same when election time comes around, it all centers on the temple.

Every family expects their sons to join the monkhood in their teens and consider it a great honour for the family. Great ceremony is placed on the son joining the church followed inevitably by a great party to which everyone is invited. The Thai way is to have a party for any reason however slight and I for one can see no problem with that.

Weddings are another great opportunity for a party. The day starts with members of the family going to the temple and collecting the community owned tables and chairs in their trucks and setting them up in the grounds of the brides family home. The previous evening the fatted pig would have been killed and cut into mouth sized portions and cooked in the largest Wok you have ever seen some five feet in diameter. It is monitored throughout the night to ensure it gets stirred occasionally, in between the rounds of rice whisky drinking.

The night before is rather like a disco with a group on stage and everybody dancing. The men dance together and not with the ladies. It is most disconcerting to have a Thai male come up to you and ask you to dance. I find it very difficult to say no without causing offence and so I end up dancing with them. They seem to be happy and the ladies accept it.

Ask anyone who has visited Thailand if they would return and I know they will say YES! emphatically!

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One of the world-class hotels in Thailand is the Nirvana Place Hotel. The hotel is situated between Jomtien and Pattaya, overlooking the clear azure waters of the Gulf of Siam. This 5-star Nirvana Place Hotel has cozy rooms, with a wide array of facilities and services. Travelers can choose from the decorated one and two bedroom luxury boutique suites to stay in style and elegance. The dining and recreational facilities in this hotel are satisfying.

Anantara Resort & Spa Golden Triangle, located in Chiang Rai is one of the finest accommodation options in Thailand. This resort offers privacy, luxury, comfort and tranquility to all its guests. The rooms are elegantly decorated and come with a wide range of in-room amenities. This Anantara Resort & Spa Golden Triangle is a perfect hillside retreat, away from regular hustle-bustle of city life.

In Bangkok, tourists will get the Amari Boulevard Hotel to reside in. This luxury hotel of Thailand is set on the Sukhumvit Road area, which is one of the city’s most lovely destinations. The hotel is comfortable, convenient and is well-known for its personalized services and friendly behavior. The Amari Boulevard Hotel features varied and modern amenities to make you feel comfortable and nice.

Among the famous Thailand hotels, one can stay in Best Western Ban Ao Nang Resort. The resort is located in Krabi in southern Thailand. The location of this Best Western Ban Ao Nang Resort is simply great, with Ao Nang Bay and beach within a walking distance. This resort offers convenience to leisure and business travelers alike.

The Serene Hill Boutique Health Resort and Spa is situated in Koh Samui, one of the popular tourist destinations in Thailand. With its central location, the resort is within easy reach from major tourist attractions and business centers in Koh Samui. The resort is known for its tranquil settings and cordial services.

There are also many budget hotels for the budget-conscious travelers. One of the nice budget hotels in Thailand is the Club Coconut Resort Hotel in Phuket. Club Coconut Resort Hotel offers peaceful accommodation coupled with word-class hospitality and friendly services.

Another good budget hotel is Anyavee Railay Resort Hotel, located in Krabi. The resort is located at a short distance from the famous Railay East beach in Krabi. The property offers peace and tranquility and user-friendly services. Travelers can easily reach this hotel from the Krabi airport.

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Benchmark your project potential Revenue in a realistic manner and on a conservative side. Remember that economic cycles repeat themselves every decade, so sampling a period having experienced Peak, High, Low and very Low Demands will serve as a good base to establish a fair business trend. Finding out your project competition Average Room Rate, Occupancy, Extra Revenue and Cost will guide you to a good Profit estimate. Working out those figures over 10 years, without taking into consideration Rates or Occupancy increments, will cover a return on investment including loan interests and loan Pay back, and, will give you a pretty good overall results assessment.

Consider all costs that might occur when purchasing your project. Such as hotel construction cost for a new property on an empty land, which usually is an average spending per room built that include all the hotel facilities and technical requirements. Note that the higher your project standard is, the higher the cost per room will be. Or, if your project is already built, decide if you want to operate the hotel as it is or renovate it. Renovation should always be the preferred option. Here also, you should work out an average cost per room built. You have now your Investment cost.

Deduct this investment cost, if any, to your Potential Profit (over a 10 years period) and the result of this simple deduction will give you an idea of the financial value of the Land or Property you intend to buy. You might be shocked by the difference between the so-called “market” price and your figure, but this will definitely be the right amount and no other consideration should affect the figure you have just calculated.

Now you are ready to offer a “down-to-earth” Bid for your investment, and once again, do not get emotionally involved nor carried away by potential astonishing revenue opportunities… Economic cycles contain high and low period, so you are looking at an average. Plus you just did the math taking into consideration all positive and negative aspects, so there is no reason to purchase higher! The best way to handle such investment is to consider two, three or more alternatives of the same nature and to deal with them one at a time until you get the transaction you are looking for.

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Phuket

Phuket is the most popular island and is along with Pattaya and Bangkok the most popular tourist destinations of the country. There are many beautiful beaches on this isle which include Patong, Karon, Kata, Kamala, Surin and Nai Harn. If you enjoy the nightlife then perhaps either Phuket or Samui should be your choice for your next vacation.

Koh Samui

Samui is ranked among the top 5 vacation destinations in the country and has been known for a very long time as a backpacker heaven. Samui has however been under development a great deal during the last decade and visitors can now choose from a wide range of luxurious hotels and resorts. The beaches on this island rank among the finest of Thailand. Chaweng beach is the most popular beach resort area of Samui.

Koh Chang

Koh Chang is still relatively unknown to the general public however it is one of the fastest growing travel destinations of Siam. If you would like to visit Koh Chang then you should take the ferry boat from Rayong as there is no airport on this Thai isle

Koh Samet

Although Samet is not a very large island, it is one of the most romantic of all the Thai islands. Many travelers are like to visit Samet as it is located not too far from Pattaya. A lot of day trips are also organized to this wonderful isle.

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One of the distinctive points about Thailand is the Thais. Many people know this nation as the Land of Smiles as the Thais are easy-going and always smiling. Thai people are normally kind, warm and welcoming to foreigners. Tourists can feel quite comfortable asking for directions or helps from Thai strangers during their trips. Some believe that this is the influence of Buddhism, which is the religion that approximately 90% of the population is believed in.

Besides the friendly people, the country has a great combination of unique culture, interesting long history, amazing cuisine and beautiful nature. As a result, Thailand has a vast variety of holiday destinations and activities for tourists to enjoy. Tourists can choose to experience many things in this territory from thick jungles, all-night parties, stunning beaches or something else that would appeal to everyone. Besides the tourist attractions, Thailand is also an excellent place to shop due to the incredibly low price items available. To make this article the easy and the best Thailand travel guide, the content in terms of attractions will be divided into regions, North, Central and South; due to the distinctive characteristics of each part of the country.

As mentioned, each part of Thailand has different characteristics and cultures. To the north of Thailand, especially in Chiang Mai, you will find some beautiful mountain landscape with many orchid farms and elephant training camps which would give visitors some unique experience that hard to find elsewhere. Up To Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle area, travelers can visit the hill-tribe people that still have strong native culture and rituals. With the extremely different way of living for these hill tribes, travelers can experience another world on this same planet. In addition in this area, tourists can have a chance to see nice view of Me Kong river, one of the World’s greatest rivers originated from Tibet area and divide Thailand territory from Laos. Moreover, if ones wish to enjoy camping in the greenish forests up the hills, this can also be done in the northern region due to plentiful of the green areas that still beautifully exist in this part of the land.

Next is the best Thailand Travel Guide in the central part of the country. In this part, there are still a lot of natural attractions in boundless national parks with some stunning waterfalls. Additionally, there are more of the ancient cities with the existed ruins in Ayutthaya and Sukhothai that can say a lot about the long history of the nation. Last but not least, the capital city, Bangkok, is also located in this region.

To introduce Bangkok separately as it is the place where most visitors begin their journey in this country due to that Bangkok International Airport is the major arrival spot from flights around the world. Bangkok is one of the most crowded cities in the world with lots of traffic congestion, large amount of population and high-rise buildings; yet, it is the city with complete facilities, convenient transportation systems and large shopping malls and streets.

Finally for this best Thailand Travel Guide is the southern region, the slimmest and longest area of Thailand. This region is the land in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea so that beaches are the highlights of this area. Tourists are guaranteed to experience amazing beaches, stunning beautiful tropical islands and sparkling blue water. Moreover, many alternative western-standard accommodations are available from world-class hotels to backpacker places that can be matched with every taste and budget. Due to the existed beautiful reefs and underwater creatures, Scuba diving and snorkeling are normal activities visitors often choose to enjoy in this area.

There is a Thai joke saying that there are 3 seasons in Thailand: hot, hotter and hottest. Normally, most Thailand travel guides would say that the most recommended season to come to Thailand is during November to February as it is the least hot period, yet, the sun still shines beautifully. March to May is considered too hot as it is the hottest period, which could be less tolerable for visitors especially westerners. And as the rain would then arrive during June to October, it is considered as too wet in the monsoon season of Thailand. However, this Best Thailand Travel Guide would choose to also recommend travelers to consider this wet season because this would be less crowded time to visit many attractions such as well-known beaches, ancient cities or temples. The best thing is that during this time with occasional rains, travelers can pay for much less for air fares and accommodations. Well-known hotels can reduce their rates up to 50-60% so that visitors can enjoy superior facilities at minimal expenses.

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Temple Etiquette

If you go to Thailand, you will see many Wats (the Thai word for a temple). In fact, even every village has a Wat inhabited by monks. You are allowed into the Wats, but you must dress neatly, which means no running-style vests. It is best if your shirt covers your armpits. Short trousers are allowed, but not preferred and some Wats will refuse entry to people wearing shorts. You must also take your shoes off outside. Once, inside, remember that all Buddha images are sacred to such an extent that a foreigner may not take one out of the country – not even a 50c plastic Buddha from a market place. With that in mind, you should not pose for pictures in front of the Buddha inside the temple and don’t allow children to clamber over anything.

Women are welcome in any Wat, but women may not touch a monk and monks may not receive anything from a woman. If you want to give a gift, place it within easy reach of the monk; sometimes there will be a ‘receiving mat’ before him to place the gift on. Entrance to a Wat is usually free, but not always, especially in Bangkok. If there is no charge, it would be nice of you if you made a donation in one of the boxes available.

Never point your feet at a monk or a Buddha image. If you want to sit down, adopt the ‘mermaid’ posture, so that your feet are pointing backwards.

The Waai

The traditional Thai greeting is the waai, which looks like the way children pray in infant school with their hands together just below the chin with the head very slightly inclined. However, many people shake hands with foreigners, especially in the larger tourist cities. I live in a village in the north and people do not waai each other every day. It is quite formal for everyday friends.

Head and Feet

The feet are considered dirty in Thailand and for most Thais, that is quite true. Most people wear open-toed sandals and Thailand is a hot, dusty country. People consider it a very serious insult to have feet, especially the soles of the feet (or shoes), pointed at them. Some men might consider it bad enough to hit you. It really is very bad – don’t take it lightly.

The head is at the opposite end of the body and is considered sacred. Never, ever touch anyone’s head or hair. I would never even ruffle a child’s hair, although you might get away with that. I am even very careful when I touch my wife’s head. I asked her what was acceptable years ago and she asked me not to touch her forehead. I once accidentally flicked her head with my finger tips because the bus took a corner violently, she was very upset all day and I got the silent treatment. I only found out why when she complained to her friend what I had done. So again, heed the warning.

Having said all this, Thais are extremely tolerant and put up with a lot from well-intentioned, but ill-informed foreigners. You shouldn’t worry about ‘putting your foot in it’ too much, but if you can remember the above advice, it would help a lot.

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