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Introduction Upgrades don't replace the guides û they add important information gathered since the current edition of the book was published. You can print them out and stick them in the back of your current guide. This Upgrade was posted in December 1998. Be aware that things keep changing û even after we post these Upgrades. Always check the latest information on visa requirements and safety warnings with your embassy or consulate before you leave. |
Since we last visited Thailand, the Thai Government launched a two year 'Amazing Thailand' tourism campaign that it hopes will increase the number of foreign visitors and earn the country one trillion baht in much needed hard currency. Although the number of East Asian tourists has dropped due to the regional economic crash, visitors from Europe, the Americas, Australia and Pacific Ocean region have increased substantially in 1998 (see the Economy section). The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is promoting traditional events and culture as well as food, handcrafts and herbal medicine. It is encouraging more women and family groups to visit the country (although Thailand currently ranks about average, worldwide, in both categories of visitors).
Facts about the Country
ECOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT
One traveller described Hat Rin on Ko Pha-Ngan as a huge ashtray. This is mainly a problem during and immediately after the monthly Hat Rin full moon parties, which often attract over 5000 participants. The sea is left full of plastic and cigarette butts, and unless travellers take some responsibility, they are going to disappear under the mess.GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
On 27 September 1997, the Thai parliament voted in a new charter, Thailand's 16th since 1932 and the first to be promulgated by a civilian government. Known as the rátthamnuun pràchaachon or 'people's constitution', it puts news mechanisms in place to monitor the conduct of elected officials and political candidates and to protect civil rights. In many ways the new charter constitutes a bloodless popular revolution, as pro-democracy groups have been fighting for more than 10 years for constitutional reform.In a victory for Thailand's international image, Transparency International's 1997 Corruption Perception Index dropped Thailand from its top 10 list of Asia's most corrupt countries.
ECONOMY
The baht plunged at the end of 1997, more than halving at one stage against the US dollar and triggering a crisis in government and the economy, as well as making Thailand a bargain travel destination. The once-booming 'tiger economy' is now expecting zero growth in gross domestic product and average inflation of up to 10% for 1998.
The economies worst affected by the financial turmoil û Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and South Korea û displayed certain common pre-crisis characteristics, including wide current account deficits, lack of government transparency, high levels of external debt and relatively low foreign exchange reserves. The crisis stemmed mainly from investor panic, with the rush to buy dollars to pay off debts.
Many Thai-owned banks and finance companies have been forced to close in 1998, as the government makes a valiant effort to restructure the economy and particularly the financial and property sectors. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has promised huge loans, with the stipulation that the Thai government follow IMF's prescriptions for recapitalisation and restructuring.
Tourism is helping to restore the current account balance. While East Asian visitors to Thailand declined 4.5% in the first half of 1998 over the same period in 1997, visitation from all the other regions grew, with notable leaps of 18% from Europe, 16% from Australia/New Zealand and 12% from the Americas. TAT's stated goal of a cumulative 15.84 million tourists for 1998-99 should be reached easily.
Facts for the Visitor
VISAS & DOCUMENTS
A new type of Non-Immigrant Business Visa (usually abbreviated by Thai immigration officials as 'non-B') allows unlimited entries to Thailand for one year. The only hitch is that you must leave the country at least once every 90 days to keep the visa valid.Travellers have reported drastic changes in the visa procedure for crossing between Mae Sai and Thakhilek in Myanmar. Now, you can present your passport (no photocopies or extra photos required) and Thai immigration processes you out of the country just like at any other departure point. At the Myanmar side of the bridge, your passport is stamped (no visa required) after a payment of US$5 for a one day pass and then you are sent on to Thakhilek. Coming back is just as simple but you must fill out an entry/departure card. This is an easy way to get a new 30 day visa on arrival for Thailand.
At the Lao embassy in Khon Kaen visas for Laos cost $35 for 30 days (or you can get them at the border û $50 for 15 days). Visas for Vietnam in Khon Kaen take four to seven days. In both cases you keep your passport.
Try this link to work out visa requirements for any nationality in the world: http://www.travel.com.au/destination/index.html
EMBASSIES & CONSULATES
Thai Embassies and Consulates
Details of the following embassy have changed:
Sweden
(Tel 08-7917 340)
Floragatan 3
S-114 31 StockholmEmbassies & Consulates in Thailand
Details of the following foreign embassies/consulates in Thailand have changed:China
'The old American consulate on Sadao Road, Songkhla has been taken over by the Chinese. We are led to believe that visas for onward travel to China can be obtained here.'
Source: John & Moy Screttlow (Jan 97)
Indonesia
An Indonesian consulate reportedly opened in Songkhla in late 1997. It's on the western end of Sadao Road, nearly at the junction with Ramwithi Road, just behind the TC Catering firm.
New Zealand
The telephone number for the New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok is now Tel 02-254 2530. The address currently listed is correct.USA
The US Embassy in Bangkok now has sections on both sides of Thanon Withayu, including the original site. The visa section can be found on the east side of Thanon Withayu.MONEY
Virtually all transport, accommodation and shopping has dropped in price (by about 20 to 35% if measured against the US dollar or British pound) due to the depreciating currency. Around a dozen major international hotels have taken to pricing their rooms in US dollars; at these hotels prices remain about the same as before.Before June 1997 the baht was pegged to a basket of currencies heavily weighted toward the US dollar and for over 20 years it hardly varied beyond 20B to 26B to the dollar. A year after flotation, in June 1998, the baht had slipped approximately 30% against the dollar.
Exchange Rates
It's always risky to pin down a currency on paper (or on screen), so try this currency converter to give you the current value of the baht:
http://www.oanda.comCash
A reader pointed out that the large one-baht and five-baht coins do not seem to be in circulation any more. The standard small one-baht coins DO fit into vending machines now, including pay phones.Travellers Cheques
Duty fees for cashing a travellers cheque now average 23B per cheque. You can save a lot by bringing along large-denomination travellers cheques so you cash fewer cheques.Credit Cards
Better yet, bring an ATM or debit card. ATMs are found throughout Thailand now and they accept most cards from virtually all systems common to the developed world.POST & COMMUNICATIONS
Email & Internet Access
The scene is changing rapidly. When the current edition of Thailand was published, the few Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in business only had nodes in Bangkok, and there were only a handful of Internet cafes across the country. Thailand's better ISPs now offer upcountry nodes in a dozen or more towns and cities, which means if you are travelling with a laptop you won't necessarily have to pay long-distance charges to Bangkok.Many guesthouses, bars and cafes in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ko Samui and Phuket now offer email and Internet access at house terminals.
INTERNET RESOURCES
For further up to date information on Thailand, try the following hot links:For information on Phuket:
http://www.phuket.netA general guide to resources available on the Internet about Thailand:
http://www.ait.ac.th/Asia/infoth.htmlGeneral travel information on Thailand:
http://www.sino.net/asean/Travel section from the Bangkok Post Internet edition:
http://www.bangkokpost.net/horizons/Horizons.htmlFILMS
In early 1999 Trainspotting's Danny Boyle is slated to direct teenage heart throb Leonardo DiCaprio in a film adaptation of English author Alex Garland's novel The Beach (about Western backpackers in Thailand).WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Although the Thai Government is attempting to lure more families and female visitors to Thailand, parts of Bangkok and Pattaya are still suffering from a sleazy image and are obviously still visited by sex tourists, as one Asian woman traveller found out:'One thing that shocked me the most in Patong Beach in Phuket was the prostitution. I am a Japanese female in my mid 20s û in European tourists' eyes I look no different from the Thai women who flirt with tourists for favours in bars and restaurants. I remember the eyes that looked at me when I walked around during the day and how they were trying to say 'hello' in Thai to strike up a conversation.Æ
Source: name not suppliedThe idea that Thailand receives more male visitors than other countries is a myth. Around 38% of all foreign visitors to Thailand are women, a ratio equal to the worldwide average as measured by the World Tourism Organisation. The figure is on a par with Singapore and Hong Kong and ahead of all other Asian countries (for which the proportion of female visitors runs lower than 35%).
Although one reader wrote that she couldn't find Tampax, it's readily available in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in the more expensive pharmacies. 'O.B.' brand tampons are even more common.
GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELLERS
Pink Ink, a relatively new newspaper published by and for Bangkok's English-speaking gay and lesbian community, is a useful resource. It's distributed monthly at gay and lesbian venues around Bangkok or you can check its Web site at http://www.khsnet.com/pinkinkAccording to Pink Ink, 'Thai lesbians prefer to call themselves tom (for tomboy) or dee (for lady), as in Thailand the term 'lesbian' suggests pornographic videos produced for straight men. Tom and dee, by contrast, are accepted and integrated categories for Thai women, roughly corresponding to the western terms 'butch' and 'femme'.'
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
We haven't received as many reports of scams, dangers and annoyances as we have for other Asian destinations, but you should still be on your guard, not only for scams but also for natural dangers, as this reader found:'I stayed on the island of Koh Samui for two weeks. During this time I saw three people drown and one person successfully resuscitated. I tried unsuccessfully to help one man on holiday with his wife, which was quite upsetting. We also heard of another eight people drowning. I can only vouch for what I saw û and three in a fortnight is enough.'
Source: Victoria Sims, Wales (Aug 97)'While visiting a temple, a person claiming to be a Singaporean tourist told me of a gem exhibition that had also been recommended by a tuk-tuk driver at another temple. The exhibition was said to be at the Export Centre but I was taken to a store. After being told how to distinguish between a fake and a real gemstone, I bought a ruby pendant. I later found out from Tourist Assistance that the gem I bought was fake. After telling the Tourist Police my story, they rang the store which sent someone over with a refund, no questions asked! (Apparently there have been many cases against that store.) Others weren't lucky enough to get a refund, as their purchase was mailed home. So don't buy gems despite the sweet talk; touts who bring tourists to jewellery stores are paid commissions.'
Source: Joelynn Chin, Malaysia (Dec 97)Bangkok
In December 1997 the National Theatre was reportedly closed for renovation. The Charoen Krung Theatre, an interesting Art Deco building, sometimes has excellent film festivals such as the European Film Festival, with one film from each European country. It offers a refreshing change from the usual Hollywood blockbusters at Bangkok cinemas.
Northern Thailand
A traveller strongly recommended a visit to the Wat Thewet, near New Sukhothai. He described it as a little wat with 30 or so beautiful sculptures from various Buddhist legends, which was built over 25 years by one monk. His son is now the head monk, a very friendly Thai who studied in the USA. If you have any cement sculpture skills, they apparently need a hand with the maintenance of the sculptures. To get there, take the road from New Sukothai to Sukothai Airport (about 10 minutes on a scooter) or ask at the Ban Thai Guesthouse.
'The Siam Chiang Mai Cookery School, also called Center Place Thai Cookery School (Tel 6653 271169, fax 6653 208950), 5/2 Loikroa Rd Soi 1, Chiang Mai, 50100, is excellent. Parn Parnee Chookitjkoon, the head chef, will conduct a class even if there is only one student. When you arrive she hands you an apron and a knife and you get to work. After the first course you sit down and eat. That continues all day, until you think you will burst. She is a wonderful teacher and a fabulous chef. The course runs between 10 am and 4 pm and costs 700B per day, which includes three different courses and a cookbook.'
Source: Cheryl Swishen, USA (Nov 97)'Before you go on a trek in Chiang Mai, you'll be asked whether you prefer vegetarian meals. Say yes unless you want to witness a black pig being slaughtered in front of your very eyes.'
Source: Joelynn Chin, Malaysia (Dec 97)Several guesthouses in Chiang Mai post notices attempting to persuade foreign visitors not to go to Myanmar (to keep them in Chiang Mai?). One guesthouse, Eagle House II, has a whole noticeboard devoted to articles about why you shouldn't visit or trade with Myanmar, yet all the dining tables in its restaurant are covered with imported Burmese blankets.
One traveller described Utaradit as a 'gem of a province' and although it's not described in the current edition you shouldn't miss it. (Utaradit Province will be covered in the 8th edition of LP's Thailand guide).
North-Eastern Thailand
There are reportedly no tourist offices in Si Saket and Surin.
The Khao Phra Wihaan ruins just inside Cambodia near Ubon Ratchathani were closed to visitors from the Thai side for five years due to serious skirmishes between Khmer Rouge and Phnom Penh troops. Following Cambodian military victories against the Khmer Rouge, the ruins re-opened to the public in August 1998.
Southern Thailand
In 1997 several scuba schools reportedly raised prices for diving in Ko Tao, and one traveller sent us the following prices:
Discover Scuba Diving (an introductory course without final qualifications) û 1400B
Open Water Diver û 7800B
Advanced û 6600B
Rescue Diver û 7600B
Medic First Aid û 2500B
Divemaster û 16000B
Scuba Review û 1400B
Open Water and advanced (if booked together) û 12500B
Rescue and Medic First Aid (if booked together) û 9000BDive Trips:
One dive û 800B
Two dives û 1400B
Three dives û 3600B
Six dives û 4000B
10 dives û 5400B'Jet-skiing's days may finally be numbered in Phuket. A ban came into force on 1 January 1998 as part of the 'Amazing Thailand' tourism campaign.'
Source: Phuket Gazette (Jan 98)In a case of 'if you can't beat them, join them', forestry chief Sathit Suwintara has announced no illegal tourist resorts on islands within national park boundaries will be evicted. He wants to give them long-term leases of up to 30 years that will instil operators with a sense of security and enable the state to tax their operations.
Source: Bangkok Post (Oct 97)'Krabi, on the west coast of Thailand, is worth experiencing. Krabi town itself is very pleasant with a pretty good night market to savour those hawker stalls. For the beaches û take a long-tailed speed boat from Krabi harbour to the East or West Rai Leh Beaches (about 50 minutes). These beaches are great places to hang out with a few bars and restaurants and decent bungalows. Don't miss out on the snorkelling excursions to the more secluded islands û the experience is something else! Be sure to wear a T-shirt in the water as well as sun-block û the sun is more fierce than you may think!'
Source: The Thorn Tree (Jan 98)'I recommend another island, Ko Samui. I went to Thailand for a month in 1996, and stayed on Phuket Island. Biggest mistake I made on that trip. It's over-developed, the taxi drivers and street hawkers harass you to either use their taxi or buy their stuff. It's a real pain when all you want to do is walk and view the scenery. Hotels and guesthouses are all overpriced as well. Ko Samui is quite different. It's not as developed but there are still lots of things to do.'
Source: The Thorn Tree (Jan 98)Essential Lonely Planet Resources
Don't stop here in your search for up to date information on travelling in Thailand. Guidebooks and Upgrades provide a neat snapshot of the place as it was when the author was last there, but for the very latest news, travellers' reports and embassy advice, check the following sections of the Lonely Planet Web site.
Destinations û Lonely Planet's On-line Mini Guide to Thailand
Scoop û Thailand News Archive
The Thorn Tree û South-East Asia Travellers' Bulletin Board
Postcards û Travellers' Reports From Thailand
Propaganda û Lonely Planet's Latest Guides to Thailand, Thailand's Islands & Beaches, Bangkok City Guide, Thailand travel atlas, Thai phrasebook, Thai Hill Tribes phrasebook and South-East Asia
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