Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [641]
If you overstay your visa, the usual penalty is a fine of 500B per day, with a 20,000B limit. Fines can be paid at the airport or in advance at an immigration office. If you’ve overstayed only one day, you don’t have to pay. Children under 14 travelling with a parent do not have to pay the penalty.
Foreign residents in Thailand should arrange visa extensions at the immigration office closest to their in-country address; this is a recent procedural change so check with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for more details.
WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Women make up nearly half of all foreign visitors to Thailand, a much higher ratio than the worldwide average, and female travellers generally face few problems. With the great amount of respect afforded to women, an equal measure should be returned.
In the provincial towns, it is advisable to dress conservatively, covering shoulders, belly buttons and thighs. Outside of Bangkok, most Thai women cover up in the sun to avoid unnecessary exposure since lighter skin is considered more beautiful. That Westerners believe the opposite is an endless source of amusement and confusion.
Attacks and rapes are not common in Thailand, but incidents do occur, especially when an attacker observes a vulnerable target: a drunk or solo woman. If you return home from a bar alone, be sure to have your wits about you. The regular Full Moon party at Ko Pha-Ngan is a common trouble spot. Avoid accepting rides from strangers late at night or travelling around in isolated areas by yourself – common sense stuff that might escape your notice in a new environment filled with hospitable people.
While Bangkok might be a men’s paradise to some, foreign women are finding their own Romeos on the Thai beaches. As more couples emerge, more Thai men will make themselves available. Women who aren’t interested in such romantic encounters should not presume that Thai men have merely platonic motives. Women should not encourage frivolous flirting as some Thai men might feel a loss of face if attention is then diverted to another person and, in some cases where alcohol is involved, violence can ensue.
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Transport
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CONTENTS
Getting There & Away
Entering The Country
Air
Boat
Land
Border Crossings
Getting Around
Air
Bicycle
Boat
Bus
Car & Motorcycle
Hitching
Local Transport
Tours
Train
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GETTING THERE & AWAY
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ENTERING THE COUNTRY
Entry procedures for Thailand, by air or by land, are straightforward: you’ll have to show your passport (Click here for information about visa requirements); and you’ll need to present completed arrival and departure cards. Blank arrival and departure cards are usually distributed on the incoming flight or, if arriving by land, can be picked up at the immigration counter.
You do not have to fill in a customs form on arrival unless you have imported goods to declare. In that case, you can get the proper form from Thai customs officials at your point of entry. Click here for Thai customs information about minimum funds requirements.
Flights, tours and rail tickets can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel _services.
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AIR
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Airports
The Suvarnabhumi Airport (Click here; sù·wan·ná·poom) opened in September 2006 and has replaced the airport at Don Muang for all international flights and some domestic flights. It is located in the Nong Ngu Hao area of Samut Prakan – 30km east of Bangkok and 60km from Pattaya. The airport code for Suvarnabhumi is BKK.
The old international airport, Don Muang Airport (Click here) in Bangkok, is now used for some domestic flights by Thailand’s national carrier, Thai Airways International (THAI), as well as by Nok Air and One-Two-Go. The airport code is DMK. When booking connecting flights, always check which Bangkok airport you will be using.
While most international flights