Thailand travel tips

The Kingdom of Thailand is the most popular holiday travel destination in Southeast Asia because of its stunning natural scenery, renowned Buddhist hospitality, tropical white beaches, delicious food and temple architecture dating back to ancient dynasties.

The Thai people are mostly fun-loving, smiling and friendly, and travel to Thailand is almost always a joy.

About 13 million tourists visit Thailand every year and it's worth noting there was a 29% increase in female tourists during 2004, most attracted by the country's fantastic shopping, cuisine, health facilities and spas.

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Thailand holiday guide

Note: On April 13, 2009, troops and tanks occupied the streets of Bangkok to curb civil protests that saw red shirt protesters block up-country roads, railways and bridges. A state of emergency was declared on April 12 in the city and surrounding provinces (Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Nakon Pathom, Ayuthaya, Pratum Than) but lifted on April 24. However, the Thai government has warned that some troops will remain on the streets. The crisis in the Thai capital has abated but tourists should monitor news reports to avoid any resurgence in street protests as political tensions remain volatile.

Following several weeks of civil unrest during November/December 2008 that saw occupation and closure of Bangkok's main airports and a change of government, tourist numbers in Thailand have nosedived. Resorts around the country have suffered huge numbers of cancellations, forcing many hotels and airlines to slash their rates. Hotels in Bangkok which are normally about 85 per cent full have seen occupancy rates fall to around 20 per cent. The political/military situation in Thailand remains tense but travellers are nevertheless able to enjoy bargain prices in Thailand in early 2009 with plenty of cheap accommodation, low airfares and short queues.

Note: Don Muang Airport reopened for domestic flights in March, 2007, taking the pressure off Suvarnabhumi which is under repair for cracked runways, taxiways and other problems. Don Muang Airport has restaurants, snack bars, souvenir shops and taxi services but a levy of 50 baht extra will be charged. Don Muang (code DMKM / Suvarnabhumi is BKK) will handle about 140 flights a day operated by One-Two-Go, Nok Air and Thai Airways International.

Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi International Airport opened in September 2006. Travellers to Thailand are advised to study new Bangkok maps before flying so they are better prepared for the new airport location east of the city and how to navigate to their holiday accommodation or other planned destination.

For travel accommodation in the Thai capital of Bangkok, you can find an uncomfortable hovel for as little as 200 baht (US$6.36 Oct 07), but expect to spend at least 700 baht (US$22.28 Oct 07) for a reasonable hotel room in Bangkok.

Khao San Road is a popular destination for budget backpack travellers and has numerous cheap guesthouses. However, Khao San is an Asian tourist mecca for Westerners and is generally seedy. Many travellers prefer to visit Khao San Road as a tourist attraction in its own right, but not to stay there.

Look elsewhere off the beaten tourist track and you'll find plenty of other districts in convenient locations with plentiful tourist facilities.

For example, the middle-class Thewet area just north of Banglamphu provides a more accurate reflection of the real Thai lifestyle. Guesthouse rooms can be hired in Thewet for as little as 200 baht (US$6.36 Oct 07).

What all this means is that a backpacker can travel rough for around 700 baht (US$22.28 Oct 07) per day in Thailand, including meals, accommodation and transport.

A more comfortable holiday with mid-range hotels and restaurants can be enjoyed for around 1200 baht (US$38.21 Oct 07) per day, although accommodation prices in Bangkok are usually much higher than elsewhere in Thailand.

Luxury hotels in Bangkok usually start around 2700 baht (US$85.98 Oct 07) per night.

For a hotel in a major city with restaurants, swimming pools, satellite television or direct room dialing, expect to pay between 2,500 and 3,000 baht (US$79-95 Oct 07).

In smaller regional centres and towns, you can find a similar hotel room for less than half the price.

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Tipping is not customary in Thailand, although it's becoming common in swanky hotels and restaurants.

Thailand has an extensive bus and train travel network covering most domestic and international routes.

Trains are comfortable, reasonably priced and usually on time, but a little slow.

The cheap buses are uncomfortable but fast and some buses are for women only because of the crime and sexual harassment that plague mixed passages.

Dependent upon your holiday travel budget, you can tour around by hiring a tuk-tuk (rickshaws with motors) a samlor (a bicycle rickshaw), a songthaew (a small pickup truck) or a taxi, the latter usually metered in Bangkok but less so in the rest of the country.

The other transport modes mostly require some bargaining to settle on a fare before you travel.

Traffic in Thailand drives on the left side of the road and if you hire any sort of vehicle or bike, beware that Thai drivers are notoriously independent and dangerous. Be particularly careful driving at night.

Bangkok's Mass Transit System, better known as the Skytrain, has two lines with 23 strategically-positioned stations covering 23.5 kilometres through the city. These air-conditioned trains are a rapid and cheap way to get around the city while enjoying the scenery from an elevated position. The Sytrain runs from 6am to midnight and the central station of Siam Square provides access to Bangkok's busiest shopping area. Tickets, which are valid for 90 minutes, cost 10 baht for one stop and 20 baht for two or three stops (August 2006). A day ticket with unlimited trips costs 100 baht and there are English announcements on the train for each stop. The Skytrain will eventually link to the new Suvarnabhumi international airport.

A new 20 kilometre subway with 18 stations opened in Bangkok in 2004, running from 5am to midnight at dirt cheap prices. The new subway trains travel at 35kmh and arrive every few minutes, creating a much more convenient and less stressful way of getting around central Bangkok.

Beware of traffic in Thailand as the national road toll is horrendous. For example, a total of 283 people were killed in road accidents during December 29 to January 1, 2006, with 87 killed on New Year's Eve alone. During the Songkran holiday from April 7-13 2006 there were 343 road deaths and 4,199 injuries on Thailand roads.

If you want to escape the frantic crowds of Bangkok, Lumpini Park is a calm public green space with two lakes in the heart of the city, a short walk from the centrally located Sala Daeng skytrain station. The park opens at 6am and closes at 7pm.

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Thailand (known as Siam until 1939) is one of the few Asian countries never colonised by the West. As a result, its people have retained much of their authentic culture.

The country is a democratic constitutional monarchy, covers 517,000 square kilometres and has a population around 62 million. About seven million live in the capital, Bangkok (pictured above), although the unofficial figure is more than 10 million. Bangkok itself was founded in 1782.

About three out of every four citizens is an indigenous Thai and about nine out of ten are Buddhists.

The most enjoyable hot, dry weather for holiday travel in Thailand is from February to June.

The hottest time of year is usually the third week in April when the temperature often hits 42 degrees Celsius, unless there is heavy cloud or rainstorms.

The peak summer temperature often exceeds 40 degrees Celsius in towns such as Tak, Lampang and Kanchanaburi. The highest temperature ever recorded in Thailand was 44.5 degrees Celsius in the town of Uttaradit in 1960, while the town of Tak saw 43.7 degrees Celsius in 1998, the third-hottest day in Thailand's history.

Monsoons dominate Thailand's climate and you can expect a rainy holiday from May/June till November, although brief showers are possible at any time of the year.

The most comfortable time to travel in Thailand is from November to February.

The north of Thailand is baking hot from March to May, average temperatures in the mid 30s Celsius.

The rainy season from June to November is very humid and showers are usually torrential but brief. Flash flooding and muddy landscapes are an obstacle to holiday travel in various parts of Thailand during this season.

In the north during the cool season from November to February, the weather can be quite chilly.

The capital of Bangkok has various attractions, many involving sex, but this city of 10 million (6 million officially) is crowded and polluted. It's reported that about a dozen policemen die in Bangkok each year from respiratory problems caused by pollution. The traffic jams are enormous and development since the 1950s is causing the city to sink at 12 centimeters per year.

However, Bangkok has been transforming itself in recent years and the city nowadays has its own bustling, overcrowded, smoggy charm, typified by its lacework of canals (called klongs) and the 400 domes and spires of Buddhist temples and golden pagodas that pepper the city and suburban skyline. Arguably the most iconic and famous of Bangkok's landmarks is the Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun, on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

For many travellers, Bangkok nightlife is focused on girlie bars - often in the Patpong area where you are likely to be conned. However, there are plenty of alternatives such as theatre or traditional Thai kickboxing.

A drawcard is the Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre which offers an enthralling 75 minute show starting at 7.45pm throughout the week. The theatre is close to the Sum Lum Night Bazaar and restaurants of the Lumpini district (entry 500 baht in 2006).

Another major theatre venue is the 2000-seat Siam Miramit at Huay Kwang near the Thai Cultural Centre. The theatre presents a musical covering Siamese-Thai history with 2006 admission at 1500 baht.

Other classical Thai performing arts venues are the Patraveadi Theatre complex, the Chao Phraya Cultural Centre near Sathorn Bridge, the Sala Rim Nam, Supatra Riverhouse and the Sala Chalermkrung theatre at the corner of Charoen Krung and Triphet roads.

Thai kickboxing tournaments can be seen at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium (Rama IV Rd) on Tuesdays and Fridays from 6.30pm and on Saturdays from 5pm and 8.30pm.

The Grand Palace is a huge Buddhist shrine and its golden wat spires draw large crowds of tourists who want to see what is regarded as one of the most impressive architectural feats in Asia. If you visit the Grand Palace, which is a former royal residence set over almost 220,000sqm, don't try to photograph the tiny famed Emerald Buddha or a guard might confiscate either your memory card or your camera. In 2007, the Grand Palace was open daily from 8.30am to 3.30pm and entry was 200 baht for foreigners.

Near the Grand Palace is the Wat Pho temple, perhaps the most impressive monument in Bangkok. Wat Pho houses the Reclining Buddha, a 45 metre stutue of a reclining Buddha coated with gold, its soles inlaid with mother-of-pearl and inscriptions. The temple is open every day from 8am to 5pm with a one hour midday break. Visitors must remove their shoes upon entrance. Revealing tops and shorts are banned but sarongs are usually available at the ticketing office for women. Wat Pho also houses several smaller shrines and expert massages are available for a small charge. The Wat Pho entrance is on Chetuphon Rd and entrance in 2007 is 20 baht (about 63 cents US).

Another of Bangkok's popular shrines is Erawan Shrine at the corner of Ratchadamri and Ploenchit roads in front of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

The Chao Phraya River is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Bangkok's city life. It's also a great way to quickly travel through Bangkok and admire the city's historic temples and architecture on either an express ferry or a tourist boat.

Tourists can buy a one day river pass that allows them to hop on and off the Chao Praya Tourist Boats at any of nine piers on the Chao Phraya river - Saphan Taksin at the end of the Silom Line using Bangkok's Skytrain; Si Phraya near the River City Shopping Centre; Ratchawongse near the entrance to Bangkok's Yaowaraj, or Chinatown; Memorial Bridge built in 1932 to commemorate King Rama I; Tien for access to the Wat Pho, the biggest Buddhist temple in Bangkok (open 8am to 5pm); Maharaj to get to the Grand Palace built in 1782 (open daily from 8.30am to 3.30pm with dress codes); Wang Lang near the Royal Barge Museum; and Phra Arthit which is near Phra Sumane Fort, one of two remaining fortresses built in the 18th century.

The Chao Praya Tourist Boats have commentators and fly an orange flag. Bangkok's regular ferries, which fly a blue flag, are cheaper but less comfortable.

Street food in Bangkok is generally safe and very cheap. There are numerous great locations to eat around Banglamphu, also known as Backpacker Central. Stalls along Khao San Road have good food but if you want to escape the hawkers, look into spots such as the eastern end of Thanon Rambuttri, adjacent to Khao San Road. Delicious meals here cost between 25-50 baht (about US$1 in 2009), while a Chang beer costs about 40 baht. Another excellent destination for street food, particularly fried rice stalls, is Thanon Chakrapong. Even cheaper food can be bought from the many pushcart vendors who can always be found outside all the Metro and Skytrain stations.

But the true holiday wonders of Thailand are found outside Bangkok.

Northern Thailand, stretching almost 400 kilometres from the Burmese border to Laos, was once known as the Lannna Kingdom (land of a million ricefields). The kingdom was founded in 1296 and retains its own unique beliefs, music, culture, cuisine, dress and dialect. The former kingdom stretches across villages, valleys, towns and jungles north-east to Chiang Rai, west to Mae Hong Son and its long-necked tribes, and south to Lampang.

The most popular northern travel tour destination is Chiang Mai, an historic city founded in the 13th Century as capital of the Lanna Kingdom with an awesome backdrop of mountains and an excellent choice of food, accommodation and holiday shopping outlets.

Chiang Mai is at 310 metres altitude and is home to about 250,000 people. The city is surrounded by a 700 year old moat and is dotted with about 300 Buddhist wats, or temples. In 2005, about 176,000 international tourists passed through Chiang Mai Airport.

About an hour's flight north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai has long been regarded as a cultural capital and is renowned for the graceful beauty of its women. The city boasts more than 300 temples and enjoys comparatively cool nights because of its altitude.

Starbucks, McDonalds and various luxury hotels have invaded Chiang Mai but it is still home to hills tribes, elephant camps, quality artisans and craft workers.

The most important and popular temple is the 16th Century Wat Pra That Doi Suthep, 15km from Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai's oldest temple is Wat Chiang Man (1296) and its largest is Wat Chedi Luang. At all temples in Thailand, you should be modestly dressed and enter barefoot.

The celebrated Night Bazaar of Chiang Mai is held on several blocks centered around Chang Klan Rd in the city's CBD, although tourist trinkets are the main product (albeit usually cheaper than in Bangkok). Better products and lower prices can often be had at the Sunday Market at Tha Phae Gate. Plenty of bars and cafes can be found along Tha Pae and Loi Kroh roads.

As in most of Thailand, there is little apparent order among traffic on the roads of Chiang Mai, a city with humid weather but a much more relaxed atmosphere than Bangkok.

There are fewer tourist scams in Chiang Mai than in Bangkok but prostitution and drug use are equally common.

There are still several tribes such as the Lahu, Lisu, Hmong and Yao in the hills north of Chiang Mai, and a daytrip to their villages is usually priced from 1000 to 1500 baht.

Chiang Mai, known as the Rose of the North, is a great place if you want elephant trekking, mountain biking, rafting down the river Mae Taeng, rock climbing or bungie jumping. A popular daytrip out of Chiang Mai is to the national park at Doi Inathanon, which is Thailand's highest mountain at 2565 metres.

Note: Chiang Mai public health authorities are warning residents, particularly the elderly and those with respiratory diseases, to avoid prolonged outdoor activities as the city's air pollution is reaching critical levels. Medics report that the number of people suffering respiratory diseases in Chiang Mai is rising dramatically, with an increase of 20% expected in 2007.

Arguably the most authentic region of Thailand is in the north-east (Isaan) where the Mekong River borders Laos. This area has few tourists and its own distinctive regional culture and cuisine, a blend of northern Thai and Lao food.

About a half day's drive north-west of Bangkok at the far north of the central plains is the ancient city of Sukhothai, the first capital of the independent Thai people. Founded in the 13th century, Sukhothai and its satellite city of Si Satchanalai boast the ruins of imposing temples, palaces and monuments in a World Heritage site. The ancient Buddha statues in Sukhothai are regarded by many to be the best in Thailand.

If you want to see authentic Thai life away from the tourist spots, good locations include Chachoengsao province about 80 kilometres east of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. The picturesque Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok provinces are 100 kilometres and 130 kilometres north of Bangkok respectively. While in this region, it's worth visiting Khao Yai National Park, a biological wonderland covering about 2,000 square kilometres and inhabited by elephants, gibbons, tigers, leopards and Malaysian sun bears. The national park is criss-crossed by about 50 kilometres of hiking trails and is famed for its majestic waterfalls.

An increasingly popular magnet for young backpackers in northern Thailand is the lazy village of Pai, about halfway along the uncomfortable, twisting road between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. Pai's population has soared in recent years to around 10,000 and offers about 150 places for accommodation.

Arguably Thailand's best Lanna-style temple is Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, 500 years old and made of wood in the northern district of Lampang. Harking back to the ancient Thai kingdom of Lanna, Lampang is bursting with ancient monuments and symbols, and provides a quiet retreat from the frenzy of Bangkok because there are very few tourists. The town of Lampang is dissected by the Wang River and the oldest area is to the north. Most homes are built of teak and the architecture of many buildings is influenced by past occupation of the area by Burma. Brightly painted rot mah, or horse-drawn taxi carriages, are still used in Lampang, having disappeared in the rest of Thailand.

There are plenty of eco-tourism and adventure travel firms offering fantastic jungle holidays in the north of Thailand. Popular tourist drawcards include foot and elephant trekking, calm and whitewater rafting, mountain biking, kayaking, caving, camping or horse riding. The jungle and forest environment are exciting and enthralling, and it's worth remembering that wild tigers still live in these parts.

Note: Due to the hot season and two mega-dam projects built in China, the Mekong River water level has fallen dramatically in early 2007, slowing boat travel to a crawl in its upper reaches. Boat trips that used to take two to three days are now taking as long as a month.

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The jungle forests in the south of Thailand are taller, darker and more evergreen than jungles in the north surrounding Chiang Mai.

Other popular Thai destinations include Chiang Rai and the pristine islands and beaches of Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Krabi, Khao Lak, Koh Samet and Koh Chang. Sights worth seeing in Thailand's central region surrounding Bangkok include the ancient capital of Ayutthaya with its World Heritage listed ruins and temples, and the Bridge over the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi.

Thailand sided with the Japanese during World War 2 and went through more than 20 military coups after the war before democracy settled in the late 1970s, notwithstanding a coup in 1991 and the restoration of civilian government in 1992.

The currency and economy collapsed in 1997, prompting intervention by the International Monetary Fund.

Thailand's economy has been improving since. Although prosperity has returned, there are still large pockets of poverty which have been worsened by the economic turmoil.

The Thai economy has been strengthening in the new millennium despite the tragedy of the Boxing Day tsunami.

It's worth noting that Thai cuisine is utterly delicious but it also includes some extremely hot spices and MSG, both or either of which you can order out of your meal if you have a sensitive palate or health concerns. The local tropical fruits are exquisite.

Meals in Thailand can be purchased for as little as 100 baht (US$3.18 Oct 07) but a quality dinner will probably set you back around 240 baht (US$6.10 Apr 05).

Alcohol is readily available in stores and bars throughout Thailand. Local beers are good quality, the best known called Singha. Two of the more popular local whiskeys (rum) are Mekong and Sang Thip.

Medical facilities in Thailand are good, particularly in Bangkok, although some regional areas are below Western standards and it's best to avoid Thailand's public hospitals.

Pharmacies in Thailand are fairly reliable. They are known as "ran kai yar" and foreigners can usually spot them either because the term "drug store" is sign-posted in green or because the "Rx" symbol is displayed on the store window.

The multilingual Tourist Police in Thailand can be telephoned on 1699 for emergencies or information.

Most major banks throughout the country have Automatic Teller Machines. Currency exchange rates are much better at banks and money changers than at hotels. Be aware that ATMs usually charge well over $US1 for each withdrawal.

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Travel tip ... It can be worthwhile before your holiday to check that your debit card is linked to either the MasterCard/Cirrus or Visa/PLUS networks.

Government and business trading hours in Thailand are generally between 8am and 5pm with most stores open till 7pm or later every day of the week.

Don't expect to find a Western toilet everywhere you go during your holiday in Thailand as various places use Asian toilets (a hole in the ground) and not all have toilet paper.

Red public pay phones are for timed local calls and blue public pay phones are for long-distance calls within Thailand.

All of the country is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Don't trust the tap water anywhere in Thailand. Always use bottled water for drinking and brushing your teeth, and it can be worthwhile checking that the ice in your drink is sterile.

Products for sale in Thailand outside department stores and shopping malls often don't list a price, so it's up to you to gauge the true value of an item and bargain accordingly.

Simply note that if you look like a tourist or you're in a tourist zone, the prices quoted are usually way too high - even if they're cheaper than in your home country.

Siam Paragon, next to Siam Skytrain station, is the largest shopping emporium in South-East Asia with half a million square metres of floorspace. For one-stop shopping, CentralWorld and Ma Boon Krong are also huge and convenient shopping centres in Bangkok. CentralWorld is accessed via Skybridge from the Chitlom BTS (Sky Train) station and Ma Boon Krong is accessed via the National Stadium BTS (Sky Train) station.

It's almost essential you browse the markets of Thailand if you wish to truly experience the local culture during your Thai holiday. Chatuchak is one of the largest markets in Bangkok, covering about five hectares with more than 15,000 stalls. Items for sale vary from monkeys to fruit to antiques. This is billed as one of the largest markets in the world and prices are low with vendors expecting customers to haggle for even cheaper bargains. Chatuchack Market is at Mo Chit, the northern end of the BTS Sky Train line.

The Suan Lum Night Bazaar is another market paradise but is aimed more at tourists than Chatuchak with higher prices and a cleaner setting that is easier to navigate. Suan Lum Night Bazaar is outside the underground MRT station Lumpini and is open from 6pm to midnight every day.

A market rarely visited by tourists is Phahurat, about a 10 minute walk south of the Grand Palace. Little English is spoken or written here but the stalls serve fantastic stews and soups at bargain prices, and there is a huge offering of coconuts, bananas, melons, oranges, papayas, cakes and sweets.

Tourist-oriented clothing stalls are located on Pratunam, Silom, and Skukhumvit roads, trading all day and through half the night. The renowned Patpong night market off Silom Rd isn't as good as it once was but a feast of digital computer gear can be found at Panthip Plaza on Phetchaburi Rd. Also popular is the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (best between 6.30am and 8am) in Ratchaburi province about 110km south-west of Bangkok.

Muang Boran is a theme park on the southern outskirts of Bangkok at Samut Prakan. The park is an open air museum built over 320 hectares in the shape of Thailand, and displays 109 scale versions of the country's most famous ancient Siam buildings. This theme park, also known as Ancient Siam, usually doesn't have queues and is open daily from 8am to 5pm. The entrance fee in 2009 was 300 baht.

Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre north of Bangkok is another important theme park highlighting the culture and architecture of Thailand's regions. The park is open daily except Mondays from 8.30am to 4pm.

Remember that the Thais are proud of their king and their predominantly Buddhist religion. Respect their holy temples and sites when entering and wear the right clothing (no shorts).

Don't point your feet toward someone if you're sitting and don't touch people on the head.

Locals at most tourist holiday spots are used to foreigners without manners, but it's smarter and safer to respect the traditions of your hosts.

It's worth noting that more than 75,000 tourists visited Kho Samui, Pa-ngan, and Tao Islands during the New Year's holidays of 2006, the majority from Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia and Scandinavian countries and a smaller proportion from India, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.

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Note: Thailand has tightened its immigration rules affecting tourists from 41 countries who have previously been allowed to stay in Thailand without a visa for up to 30 days. Among the 41 countries are Australia, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the US. Tourists can extend their stay by travelling to the neighbouring countries of Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos or Burma and returning with new entry stamps. From October 1 2006, tourists from the designated countries may still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days. However, their entry stamps will be renewable twice at most for a maximum stay of 90 days. Tourists who stayed for 90 days must leave Thailand for at least 90 days before being permitted back into the country.

Usually, foreigners are well regarded in Thailand's social pecking order and Thais are a particularly joyous people when travellers take an interest in their language, food or culture.

However, travellers should beware that there are also plenty of thieves keeping an eye on their luggage and conmen chasing a dollar.

Women in particular should be cautious if travelling alone.

About 5% of the Thai population is Muslim, most living in the five southern provinces bordering Malaysia's fundamentalist Muslim heartland.

A southern Islamic insurgency has claimed about 2400 lives since January 2004 and there have been ongoing bomb blasts and shootings including six bombs claiming four lives in September 2006 in the southern tourist hub of Hat Yai and the killing of 16 soldiers and civilians on May 31 2007 in the Yala and Songkhla provinces. In January 2008, eight soldiers were killed in an ambush near the town of Rae Poh. Fearful tourists have avoided travel mainly in the provinces of Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Pattani, with foreign embassies advising against non-essential travel through these areas.

Most of Thailand remains safe for tourists who should nevertheless be aware of the threat and check ongoing media and/or consulate advice before they travel to the southern region.

If you really get into adventure holiday travel, be aware of occasional military skirmishes and outlaw incidents on the Myanmar and Cambodian borders.

Be very protective of all your valuables and avoid unlicensed taxis recognisable by their black and white license plates.

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Most tourists can holiday in Thailand for up to 30 days without a visa and a 30 day extension costs 500 baht (US$15.92 Oct 07).

There are few health risks although it's worth defending against malaria if you travel in areas such as Kanchanaburi Province and along parts of the Cambodian border.

By August 2006, bird flu had been found in most Thai provinces. All 76 provinces have been declared animal epidemic control areas with stricter rules on the transport and handling of birds. More than a dozen bird flu deaths have been recorded in Thailand.

The electricity voltage is 220 volts at 50Hz through wall outlets with two flat-pronged or round-pronged holes. You may need an adapter.

The country uses metric measurements and Thailand's telephone prefix is 66.

Travel tip ... Prescription glasses, dental work and cosmetic surgery cost far less in Thailand than in most western countries and many tourists take the opportunity to pick up new spectacles or have their teeth repaired.

Traditional Thai massages can be enjoyed just about everywhere and, depending on where you are, the prices vary from about 50 baht (US$1.59 Oct 07) to 180 baht (US$5.71 Oct 07) for half an hour.

The Thai New Year, known as Songkran, is celebrated in mid-April and is Thailand's biggest annual festival. Children and adults indulge in water fights during Songkran and streets like Bangkok's Khao San Road are lined with teenagers carrying hoses and buckets on April 13.

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Pattaya, about 150 kilometres south-east of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand coast, has always been a popular seaside holiday town renowned for its parties. The new Suvarnabhumi Airport on the eastern side of Bangkok is just a convenient two hour drive from Pattaya.

About 150,000 people live in Pattaya, which has a pulsating nightlife that attracts about 5 million tourists a year (5.8 million in 2006). There are plenty of family attractions around Pattaya so the town isn't just for singles.

The main beach of Pattaya is narrow with grey sands usually carpeted by rental sunloungers. A wider, whiter beach is Jomtien just south of Pattaya and solitude can be enjoyed in the rocky coves of Wong Amat north of the town. Popular holiday pursuits include paragliding, scuba diving, bungie jumping, paintballing, go-carts and golf (the area has about 20 international golf courses and driving ranges). For eats in Pattaya, head to busy Second Rd. For extreme nightlife, Pattaya's central location is Walking St at the southern end of Pattaya Beach.

Drive 90 minutes east from Pattaya and you'll arrive at Ban Phe pier, from where ferries make a 30 minute crossing to Koh Samed, which is a narrow, T-shaped, 8 kilometre island with 14 quality beaches. Koh Samed has numerous resorts, mostly on its west coast, but the island remains suitable for backpackers with bungalows priced from about US$7 per night (2009). Rice, noodles or beer can be enjoyed for less than US$2 each and daily motorcycle hire is less than US$10 (2009).

Ko Chang, also known as Elephant Island, is Thailand's second largest island at 492 square kilometres. Much of the island is still covered in virgin rainforest, jungle and mountains with uncrowded beach, similar to Ko Samui and Phuket before 1990. Most of the island's fun is centred on White Sand Beach. Ko Chang is a spectacular tropical island where beach bungalows can be found in 2009 for between US$12 and US$18 per night. The nights can be humid and air-conditioned rooms cost a few dollars more. One of the cheapest spots on Koh Chang is Lonely Beach and the island has plenty of ATMs and broadband facilities. A flight from nearby Trat Airport to Bangkok takes about 40 minutes.

Note: Local hoteliers and resort owners in Khao Lak, an area heavily devastated by the Asian tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 with more than 4000 deaths, have renovated more than 3000 rooms to welcome back tourists in 2007.

Khao Lak is world-renowned for diving and dive company shopfronts line the main shopping street, which is also the southern route to Phuket and the northern route to Surat Thani. The main street also offers a tsunami museum and travel firms. Eco-tours and elephant safaris are available in the nearby national parks such as Khao Lak Lamru National Park about three kilometres out of town. Hotel rooms in Khao Lak can be found for as little as 500 baht (about US$16 Oct 07) per night in 2007, ranging up to 4500 baht (about $US143.19 Oct 07) for top-class resorts. Khao Lak is about an hour by taxi (1200 baht or about US$38.21 in Oct 07) from Phuket Airport. It's much cheaper to take a minibus to Phuket bus station (100 baht in 2007) and catch the air-conditioned Surat Thani bus which delivers tourists to the centre of Khao Lak for 90 baht.

The popular resort island of Phuket off the Andaman coast has fully recovered from the 2004 tsunami and tourists are again packing the hotels. Ko Phuket is Thailand's largest island at 800 square kilometres and is a holiday mecca for more than 3 million foreign tourists each year, as well as many more Thais. Phuket's interior is studded with forest-covered hills and the island's name is believed to be a derivation of the Malay word, bukit, meaning hill. Phuket once shared trade routes with Indonesia, China and Malaysia, and the discovery of tin in the 19th century sparked an economic boom with an influx of Chinese merchants whose architectural legacy is still apparent in the south-east town of Phuket. The island boasts superb beaches, elephant jungle trekking, diving, parties every night and endless shopping. There are tailor shops in almost every street. About 35% of Phuket's population is Muslim and the rest are almost entirely Buddhists. Phuket's interior is laced with farms and rubber plantations, and the last remaining virgin rainforest is in Khao Phra Taew National Park in the north. The famed Patong beach strip is a bit crowded and plastic, and sometimes the locals can be relentless in trying to make a sale. The island has plenty of other less-crowded beaches if you explore away from the west coast's glamorous beach strip of Patong, Karon and Kata.

Phang Nga Bay to the east of Phuket harbours numerous small islands such as Ko Phi Phi, which has grown in popularity thanks to its kayaking, snorkelling, cliff jumping, trekking and beaches. Ko Phi Phi suffered substantial damage fronting Ton Sai Bay in the 2004 tsunami. The nearby island of Ko Yao Noi usually has little nightlife but offers a tranquil retreat from Thailand's many other tourist havens.

Krabi has pearl white sands and a superb interior jungle. Apart from the beaches, popular tourist activities include caving, rock climbing and diving. Krabi is 820 kilometres south of Bangkok and 180 kilometres by road from Phuket. The main tourist area and popular beach spot is Ao Nang. The town has a population around 60,000 and is essentially a ramshackle sprawl of low-rise shops and offices slowly giving way to glass and concrete. The year-round temperature of surrounding waters is about 29 degrees Celsius and the local economy is highly dependent upon backpacking tourists. Local land prices have soared in recent years due to demand for coastal resort sites. A popular tourist attraction is the beautiful Emerald (Crystal) Lagoon. Locals say the best time to visit Krabi is during the wet season from April to October, when the land is greener and there are fewer tourists on the beaches. Swedes, Germans, Britons and Australians are the most common tourist nationalities in Krabi.

Ko Lanta is a fairly large island south of Krabi which is home to about 20,000 people. Ko Lanta is 27 kilometres long and has a lush, rugged landscape with unsealed roads. The island focus is the kilometre-long Ba Kan Tiang Beach on the southern coast. In 2007, Ko Lanta had about 70 accommodation spots, mostly bungalow, and the easiest way to get there is to fly or bus from Bangkok to Krabi or Trang, then catch a bus and boat.

Ko Samet off the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand and about an hour south of Pattaya, is the closest resort island to Bangkok. The island, narrow and 13 kilometres long, is a small marine national park and is carpeted with jungle, thanks in part to its unsealed and rutted roads that prevent interior development. Note that upon arrival, the national park entrance fee is 40 baht for Thais and 400 baht for foreigners (2007). Ko Samet is a comparatively cheap, clean and less crowded hideaway with quality beaches - particularly midweek. There are a few upmarket retreats but most accommodation is in small resorts and bungalows along the best beachfronts. Modest bungalows cost from 800 baht to 2,000 baht, including breakfast, and prices vary according to season with mid-October to March usually more expensive. Boat trips costing about 600 baht (2007) include fishing, snorkelling or just cruising around the island. The only town on Ko Samet is Na Dan and the most popular beach is Sai Kaew (meaning "glass sand") on the island's north-east shore, an 800 metre stretch of fine white sand, restaurants and bungalow hotels. The beaches become increasingly pristine and less crowded if you travel further south. Ko Samet's west coast is much rockier with less beaches, the exception being Ao Prao (Coconut Bay) where upmarket resorts crowd a 200 metre shoreline. Resort accommodation prices are between 2,000-7,000 baht (2007). Because of its proximity to Bangkok, weekends on Ko Samet are noticeably busier so it's better to visit mid-week if you haven't pre-booked accommodation. The island is not a place to go for clubbing or raving and the best way to get around is either in the back of a songthaew pick-up truck or by hiring a light motorcycle for around 400 baht per day (2007). Quad bikes cost about 1,600 baht per day.

Other famous Thai islands include Ko Phangan, near Ko Samui, which is famous for its alcohol and drug-fuelled full moon raves which attract tens of thousands of mostly young backpackers, although the island is developing some stylish, upmarket resorts. Koh Tao, 45 kilometres north of Ko Samui, is a diver's paradise with great visibility around its numerous reefs.

In 2006, more than a hundred fibreglass sculptures were placed on the seabed in Thailand's Andaman Sea as artificial coral reefs and these locations off the six Andaman coastal provinces are expected to become popular diving sites.

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Thailand shares borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia.

More than half a million hill tribe people live in the mountainous regions of Thailand's far north and west, an area utterly different from the hustle of crowded Bangkok and the southern holiday beaches. These chao khao (mountain people) live according to tribal laws and customs, avoiding assimilation with mainstream Thai society and 21st Century standards. For just $US50 (2005 prices), you can find a three day, two night trek from Chiang Mai into the northern jungle villages, including an elephant ride, river journey and food. The best season for these northern adventure treks is from mid-November to March and you should only use a tour guide who speaks tribal languages. Rates and itineraries vary so shop around before booking.

Nakhon Phanom, 735 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, is famous for its Lai Rua Fai - or Illuminated Boat Festival - in which a procession of boats illuminated by tens of thousands of candles float by and burn on the waters of the Mekong River. Lai Rua Fai is held in late October or early November each year.

About 20% of Thailand is covered by monsoon forest or rainforest and the tropical climate ensures a lush greenery almost everywhere.

Thailand has an exotic but endangered variety of birdlife, insects, fish and mammals such as Asiatic black bears, tigers, elephants and leopards.

There are several excellent elephant villages in Thailand, including Pattaya, Hua Hin (180 kilometres south of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand's western shore) and Chiang Mai, where tourists can learn about the country's national mascot and enjoy a jungle elephant trek.

Note: Authorities have warned of a marked increase in the number of credit cards being "skimmed" of information to make counterfeit credit and ATM cards in Phuket and other tourist resorts such as Chiang Mai and Haad Yai. One way to prevent your card being skimmed is to make sure it's a "smart" card, and you should shield the keyboard when you enter your PIN code at ATM machines in Thailand.

Travel tip: don't make jokes of any sort about the Thai monarchy as some Thais can be deeply offended and strict laws are in place making it illegal to make any insult against the royal family. In 2007, a Swiss man was jailed for ten years for spraying paint on public portraits of the king in Chiang Mai while drunk.

Travel tip: it is impolite to touch someone's head in Thailand and it is also impolite to point your feet at anyone.

Note: In late 2006, mobile phones in Thailand switched from nine-digit mobile numbers to 10-digits. The change was brought about by adding the number 8 after the initial zero. For example, a mobile number beginning with 01 was altered to begin with 081, rendering obsolete all mobile numbers stored in mobile phones or other databases.

Koh Samui travel tips

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