Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [635]
Upon leaving Thailand, you’re permitted to take out a maximum of 50,000B per person without special authorisation; export of foreign currencies is unrestricted. An exception is made if you’re going to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar or Vietnam, where the limit is 500,000B.
It’s legal to open a foreign-currency account at any commercial bank in Thailand. As long as the funds originate from out of the country, there aren’t any restrictions on maintenance or withdrawal.
Tipping
Tipping is not generally expected in Thailand. The exception is loose change from a large restaurant bill; if a meal costs 488B and you pay with a 500B note, some Thais will leave the 12B change. It’s not so much a tip as a way of saying ‘I’m not so money grubbing as to grab every last baht’. Apart from this, it is not customary to leave behind the change if it is less than 10B.
At many hotel restaurants or other upmarket eateries, a 10% service charge will be added to your bill. When this is the case, tipping is not expected. Bangkok has adopted some standards of tipping, especially in restaurants frequented by foreigners.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
Thais are gadget fans and most have made the transition to digital. Memory cards for digital cameras are generally widely available in the more popular formats and available in the electronic sections of most shopping malls. In the tourist areas, many internet shops have CD-burning software if you want to offload your pictures. Alternatively, most places have sophisticated enough connections that you can quickly upload digital photos to a remote storage site.
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BARGAINING
If there isn’t a sign stating the price for an item then the price is negotiable. Bargaining for non-food items is common in street markets and some mum-and-dad shops. Prices in department stores, minimarts, 7-Elevens and so forth are fixed.
Thais respect a good haggler. Always let the vendor make the first offer then ask ‘Can you lower the price?’. This usually results is an immediate discount from the first price. Now it’s your turn to make a counteroffer; always start low but don’t bargain at all unless you’re serious about buying.
It helps immeasurably to keep the negotiations relaxed and friendly, and always remember to smile. Don’t loose your temper or raise your voice as drama is not a good leverage tool.
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Print film is still available but not as ubiquitous as it once was. Slide film can be hard to find outside Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Dependable E6 processing is available at several labs in Bangkok but is untrustworthy elsewhere. Image Quality Lab (IQ Lab; Map; 0 2266 4080; www.iqlab.co.th; 160/5 ITF Bldg, Th Silom, Bangkok) offers the widest range of professional services, with all types of processing for print and digital printing.
Be considerate when taking photographs of the locals. Learn how to ask politely in Thai and wait for an embarrassed nod. In some of the regularly visited hill-tribe areas be prepared for the photographed subject to ask for money in exchange for a picture. Other hill tribes will not allow you to point a camera at them.
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POST
Thailand has a very efficient postal service and local postage is inexpensive. Typical provincial post offices keep the following hours: 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays and 9am to noon on Saturdays. Larger main post offices in provincial capitals may also be open for a half-day on Sundays.
Most provincial post offices will sell do-it-yourself packing boxes, and some will pack your parcels for you for a small fee. Don’t send cash or other valuables through the mail.
Thailand’s poste restante service is generally very reliable, though these days few tourists use it. When you receive mail, you must show your passport and