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Home > Travel Guide > Getting to Thailand
GETTING
TO THAILAND
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Most
people arrive in Thailand via Bangkok's Don Muang International
Airport, situated approximately 20 kilometres north
of the city centre. There are two inter-national terminals
at Don Muang Airport. Arrival terminals are dependent
on the airline flown. Currency exchange counters and
ATMs are located in the Arrival Hall. A second international
airport is currently under construction in the south
of Bangkok and is due to open in 2003. |
|  Visas
Foreign visitors from 57 countries
can enter Thailand without a visa for a period not
exceeding 30 days; or get a Tourist Visa on Arrival
for a period not exceeding 15 days.
Transit
Visas allow up to 30 days of travel in the kingdom with
proof of an onward ticket. Tourist Visas permit a stay
of up to 60 days and can be extended once by 30 days.
Non-Immigrant
Visas allow a stay of up to 90 days.
Retirement
Visas, aimed at encouraging foreigners aged 55 years
and over to stay longer in Thailand, can be applied
for at Royal Thai embassies or consulates.
For
more information, contact the Immigration Department
located at Soi Suan Plu, South Sathon Road, Bangkok.
Tel: 0 2287 3101.
Immigration
Arriving passengers are required to
fill out a No. 6 (T.M. 6) immigration card. Passengers
without entry visas from 90 plus countries can obtain
visas on arrival at International Passenger Terminal
1. A fee of 300 baht is charged and two 1" passport
pictures are required (Express Photo Service fee, 120
baht for 4 photos). Permitted length of stay is 15 days,
including arrival day.
Passengers
departing Thailand must have their passport checked
by an Immigration officer. The boarding pass and a completed
No. 6 (T.M. 6) immigration card must also be presented.
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Customs
All kinds of narcotics (hemp, opium, cocaine, morphine,
heroin), obscene literature, pictures and articles are
prohibited.
Cigarettes, cigars, or smoking tobacco, each or in total,
must not exceed 250 grammes in weight. Cigarettes must
not exceed 200 in quantity |
| One
litre each of wine or spirits may be brought in duty
free.
Certain
species of fruits, vegetables and plants are prohibited.
Please contact the Agricultural Regulatory Division,
Bang Khen,Bangkok, Tel: 0 2579 1581, 0 2579 3576. Entry
permission for animals arriving by air can be obtained
at the airport. If arriving by sea, application for
entry must be made at the Department of Livestock Development,
Bangkok. Tel: 0 2251 5136, 0 2252 6944. Vaccination
certificates are required.
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| Health
regulations
As in most countries, vaccination certificates are
not required for people unless coming from or passing
through a designated contaminated area. Some border
areas of Thailand are malarial and appropriate precautions
should be taken if visiting there. Bangkok, major
cities and resorts have excellent medical facilities
and most hotels have doctors on 24-hour call.
Thailand
has altogether 455 private hospitals - 121 in Bangkok,
165 in the Central region and East Coast, 62 in the
North, 57 in the Northeast, and 50 in the South. Visitors
can be assured of round-the-clock international standard
medical services.
Exchange
control
Any amount of foreign currency may be brought into the
country. Visitors may take foreign currency out of Thailand,
but no more than the amount stated in the customs declaration
made on arrival. Travellers leaving Thailand may take
out no more than 50,000 baht per person in Thai currency.
Baggage
clearance
Arriving passengers are required to complete a Customs
Declaration Form before passing through Customs. Passenger
with nothing to declare should proceed to the Green
Channel. Those with articles to declare should proceed
to the Red Channel with a completed Declaration Form.
Failure to declare dutiable, restricted or prohibited
articles may result in their confiscation and a fine
amounting to four times their value.
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Airports
Thailand
currently has six international airports, at Bangkok
(Don Muang Airport), Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai,
Ko Samui and Phuket.
Airport
tax for international passengers is 500 baht/person.
Domestic airports are at Mae Hong Son, Nan, Lampang,
Phrae, Mae Sot, |
Phitsanulok,
Udon Thani, Sakhon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Phetchabun,
Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram, Nakhon Ratchasima,
Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi, Trang and Narathiwat.
VAT
refunds
Visitors
entering the Kingdom on tourist visas are entitled
to refunds of the 7% value-added tax (VAT) paid on
goods purchased at shops,
department stores and other retail outlets displaying
VAT Refund for Tourists signs, where tax refund application
forms are available. Prior to airport departure, visitors
must presenta completed
VAT
refund form, plus passport information and purchase
receipts, to a customs officer. Certain luxury goods
must be shown to an excise official.
Refunds may be in bank draft form or credited to a credit
card. For more information,
please contact the VAT Refund for Tourists Office,
Tel: 0 2272 9388 or VAT Refund Office at Bangkok International
Airport,
Tel: 0 2535 6576-79
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