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FAQ
/ Visiting Thailand
These
FAQ should help to answer the most common questions. It is not going
to replace an e-mail chat with us or a travel guide where you find
more in depth information. Some items like prices, times, may change
without notice. Please don't take it as gospel and double check before
you travel. Should you find information here that is outdated or wrong,
please e-mail us and let us know.
Is
Thailand a safe place to travel? It
pays to keep abreast of the news if travelling extensively in Thailand
beyond the major dive regions to the volatile muslim seperatist
area in Narathiwat province on the South Eastern border with Malaysia.
Most people use the South Western border crossing with Malaysia
regardless, as it is a far more interesting area. If
you insist on travelling to the South Eastern corner, keep
an eye on media reports or the travel advisory on their websites.
Foreign
Affairs departments of all major nations offer "official travel
advice". We don't always agree with them, but please judge
for yourself:
Do I need a Passport or Visa? Visa
Prior to Arrival Visa
Free Entry Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Burma, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, USA, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Yemen. Although many taxes and security fees will be included in the cost of your air ticket, Thailand levies an international departure tax of Thai Baht 500 (approx AU$20.00, US$13). Please ensure that you have enough Thai currency available to pay this fee on the day of departure from Thailand. When is the best weather to visit and dive
in Thailand ? Most of Southern Thailand (the main diving region) has only two
seaons, a wet and dry, with small temperature differences between
the two. The West Coast experiences dry season, October to May,
whilst the East Coast has dry season January to November.
Most of Thailand - with the mountains in the North and the Khorat
Plateau of the North-East notable exceptions - is very humid, with
and overall average humidity of 66% to 82%, depending on the season
and time of day. The hot part of the dry season reaches its hottest
along the north-east plain, and temperatures easily soar to 39 C
in the daytime, dropping only a few degrees at night. The temperature
can drop to 13 C at night during the cool season in Chiang Mai.
If you're visiting the North during the cooler months, long sleeved
shirts and sweaters would be in order.
If planning a trip to Thailand, diving conditions are at their best October to May of each year on the West Coast, or January to October for the East Coast. Do I need vaccinations before I travel to
Thailand?
What do I need to know about the currency? Paper money (which also available in plastic)is clearer since the notes have Arabic (as well as Thai) numerals and are colour coded as well as of different sizes for different denominations - the larger the denomination the larger the size. 10's are brown, 20's green, 50's blue, 100's red, 500's purple and 1000 Baht notes are grey. In
towns & dive resorts, major credit cards (MasterCard and Visa)
are widely accepted. AMEX and Diners cards are not accepted in some
places. Traveller cheques are the next best thing, changeable at
banks & money changers. Will my electrical appliances/computer/chargers
etc. work in Thailand ? Can I use my drivers licence to hire a car? Should I bring any special clothing?
How much tips do I need to give ? What is the time difference to Indonesia
?
Are airport transfers included? |
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FAQ
/ Visiting Thailand
Diversion Dive Travel · PO Box191 Redlynch (Cairns) Qld 4870 Australia
Ph: 61 7 4039 0200 · Fax: 61 7 4039 0300 ·Email: info@DiversionOz.com · FREECALL in Australia: 1800 607 913