| Thailand ((th)ประเทศไทย) | |
 | |
| Sukhothai | |
| Flag | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Capital city | Bangkok |
|---|---|
| Area | 514 000 km² |
| Population | 68 977 400 hab. (2020) |
| Density | 134,2 inhab./km² |
| Cash | baht (THB) |
| Electricity | 220 V/50 Hz, American and European plugs |
| Telephone prefix | 66 |
| Internet suffix | .th |
| Flow direction | Drive to the left |
| Spindle | UTC 7 |
| Location | |
 14 ° 0 ′ 0 ″ N 100 ° 48 ′ 0 ″ E | |
| Official site | |
| Touristic site | |
The Thailand is a country ofSouth East Asia to the flourishing tourist industry, bordering the Burma to the north-west, from Laos to the northeast, from Cambodia to the south-east and Malaysia South.
Understand
Geography
Weather
Story
Population
Holidays and public holidays
| Dated | French name | Local name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year | Wan Pee Mai | ||
| Wan Makha Bucha | According to the Thai lunar calendar | ||
| King Chakri Day | Wan chakri | Celebrate the king Rama Ier, founder of the Chakri dynasty | |
| Thai New Year | Songkran | Beginning of the rainy season | |
| may | Wan Vaisakh Bucha | According to the Thai lunar calendar | |
| may | Royal Plowing Ceremony | Government leave | |
| Labor Day | Wan rang kjang | Closure of banks | |
| Coronation Day | Wan chattra mongkhon | Celebrates the coronation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) in 1950 | |
| July | Wan Asarnha Bucha | According to the Thai lunar calendar | |
| July | Buddhist Lent | Wan khao phansa | According to the Thai lunar calendar |
| Mid-year day | Closure of banks | ||
| Mothers' Day | Wan mea | Celebrate the queen's birthday | |
| King Chulalongkorn Day | Wan Piyamaharat | Celebrates the anniversary of the death of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) | |
| First full moon in November | Festival of Lights | Loy Kratong | End of the rainy season |
| Fathers Day | Wan phor | Celebrates the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej | |
| Constitution Day | Wan Ratthathammanoon | Celebrates the change to constitutional monarchy in 1932 | |
| New Years Eve |
Regions
Thailand includes 77 provinces grouped into 5 geographic and cultural regions:
.png/400px-Thailand_regions_map_(fr).png) Thailand map |
|
Cities
- 1 Bangkok – Capital city
- Ayutthaya - the old historic capital
- Chiang Mai
- Chiang rai
- Hat Yai
- Kanchanaburi - west of Bangkok
- Nakhon Ratchasima
- Pattaya
- Krabi (Fr)
- Phuket (Fr)
- Pai (Fr) - is found north of Chiang Mai at about 2 h car in the jungle.
- 2 Chumphon (Chumphon, เทศบาล เมือง ชุมพร)
- Pak chong - stopover town for the park of Khao Yai
- Phimai
- Nang rong
Other destinations
- National parks of Thailand
- Phuket island
- Ko Samui (Fr) : the third largest island in Thailand.
- Ko Chang : the second largest island in Thailand after arguably Phuket.
- Ko Pha Ngan The green island and its calm beaches. Still protected from mass tourism. Best known for its famous Full Moon party.
- Ko Lanta (Fr) : is located in the southwestern part.
- Ko Tao (Fr) : island recognized by scuba diving.
- Ko Yao
To go
Formalities
Visa
Holders of an ordinary passport who are nationals of 41 countries, including France, do not need a visa if tourism is the reason for their visit and if the stay does not exceed 30 days. Tourist visas are issued by Thai embassies abroad. Their duration cannot exceed 3 months.
Please note, although tourists with valid passports usually get 30 days at checkpoints located in airports, the duration will only be 15 days at land border checkpoints. This has been true since November 2008. (cf. Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Please note that the passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the return date.For nationals of 14 other countries including India, China and the Russian Federation can obtain a visa on arrival at certain points of '' entry.Check the update of these conditions with the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Thailand
- Visa exemption for 3 months
- Visa exemption for 1 month
- Visa exemption for 1 month by air or 15 days by land
- Visa exemption for 14 days
- 30 day visa on arrival
- Visa required
Return or onward ticket
A return or onward ticket is officially required by airlines to any Thai international airport, as long as you disembark in the kingdom from a foreign country. An ancient Thai immigration law requires that passengers must have a valid return or onward ticket in order to enter the country without a visa, but in practice refusals are rare and Thai immigration officials rarely monitor the presence of migrants. famous tickets. Hundreds of thousands of people arrive in Suvarnabhumi each year on a one-way trip and intend to leave the country through a land border.
However, according to this rarely applied law, the airline that transports you with a one-way ticket will have to pay the return ticket as well as a fine if your entry is refused for this reason, a certain number of companies will not let you board without return ticket (although strangely they sold you a one-way ticket initially).
The companies that you may have trouble with about this are very fickle, and often it just depends on the mood of the staff at the check-in counter. It seems that it is mainly western companies that are the problem on this point, but it is indeed impossible to list which companies practice this policy or not. Trying to reach your company by phone will surely be ineffective, your interlocutor will just quote official policy and teach you what you already know. The best advice if you are denied boarding for this reason is simply to buy a refundable one-way ticket from Bangkok to the capital of a neighboring country (for example Vientiane) on site, to have it refunded once you arrive in Bangkok. Make sure you arrive at the boarding airport well in advance to do so.
It should be noted that when applying for a visa for more than a month (tourism or business), some Thai consulates will ask to see this return or departure ticket for another country.
By plane
Don Muang Airport
Former Bangkok airport, it has been replaced by Suvarnabhumi since September 2006. There are still national flights there, as well as some Low Cost flights, in particular to nearby countries. Since mid-2012, the region's main low-cost tour operator (air asia) has departed from Don Muang.
Suvarnabhumi airport
Located at 30 kilometers East of Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi is Thailand's main airport. He almost completely replaces Don Muang since September 2006.
Some internal and low-cost international flights, to nearby countries in particular, still depart from Don Muang.
There are international flights to and from Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Ko Samui, Phuket, and Pattaya U-TapaoThe national company is THAI Airways, Bangkok Airways provides medium-haul flights to neighboring countries. Bangkok Airways offers free internet access while waiting at the boarding gate.
There are many low cost airlines that serve Thailand see Low cost airlines in Asia for an up-to-date list.
For the full list of companies based in Thailand, see the "Thai airlines ».
On a boat
Boat trips to Thailand are difficult to find / negotiate for some destinations (Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar). They are quite frequent from Malaysia, with, in particular, daily trips from Langkawi or Penang.
Be aware that a boat trip from these destinations is not the quickest solution; the interconnections between the various maritime lines often requiring one to spend a night on one island or another. During the rainy season, from April to October, some routes are closed.
By train
Arrival in Thailand from some neighboring countries by rail is theoretically possible (Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia) but in fact, only Malaysia has an agreement with the State Railways of Thailand, allowing travelers to continue their journey from Thailand. across the border once customs formalities have been passed.
It is possible to buy train tickets to Singapore, including the journey to Malaysia.
By bus
It is very easy to arrive by coach from Malaysia, of Singapore, Laos and recently (2012) Myanmar (ex-Burma). Buses from Singapore often stop in southern Thailand, for example at Hat Yai or Phuket. There are "VIP" bus companies in Singapore that run the Singapore-Bangkok route.
Arriving in Thailand from Cambodia was quite a trying experience, but the road has now improved. The journey between Siem Reap (Angkor) and Poi Pet (at the border) takes 3 to 4 h for 200 km (instead of 8 h previously).
By car
Getting your own vehicle into Thailand can be quite laborious.
In addition to the compulsory possession of the customs clearance book, you will certainly be asked to pay a deposit (returned on exit if you leave the country with the same vehicle) which fluctuates according to its age and market value.
Circulate
On a boat
By plane
4 low-cost airlines have emerged, making far-flung destinations within the country accessible in time and cost.
By train
The train in Thailand is a good means of transportation, especially over long distances like the South of Thailand, the North and the Far Northeast (Nong Khai). Note that the trains are slow and always late (except at the departure). In the stations, the staff at the counters speak English. At the station, get the train timetables in English (it's free and very convenient). Leaving Bangkok is not too much of a problem, returning there is more hit and miss, so book your tickets 3/4 days in advance. The cheapest is the regular train (single class), then there are the rapids and the express, and the special express to which you must add a supplement to the price of the ticket. [1][2]There are three types of classes:
- the third class overcrowded, often with wooden benches ... it is very cheap but do not use it for journeys of more than six hours, otherwise your back will remember it, on the other hand, it can be the occasion to meet people, especially if you speak a little Thai.
- the second class, it is better with the choice between a wagon with fan or air conditioning (with supplement), padded seats ... some trains have surprisingly comfortable berths (with supplement of course), there you will have to choose between a "lower berth" "and" upper "... the cheapest is the" upper "(narrower and without window), but for a little more expensive, it is better to take a" lower "... in hot season, the wagons are fast stifling ... On the other hand, for air conditioned cars, the nights are freezing. Especially when you are in "upper": you have the air conditioning right on your face (and the curtains do not hide the light). Please note, sleeper trains are rare, they are in great demand, book at least a week in advance for Chiang Mai (this is valid during the tourist season), for the South and the North-East, 2 or 3 days are enough. In addition, State Railways police travel on night trains, so no safety concerns.
- finally the first class is very comfortable, but much more expensive. These are cabins for two people, with air conditioning, etc. Only the lines for the South and those going to Chiang Mai are equipped.
For all timetable information, you can inquire here. 1 Rongmuang Road, Rongmuang, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 Telephone: 0-2222-0175, 0-2220-4272, 0-2220-4268 E-mail: info @ railway. co.th
By taxi
Most official taxis are good value for money. They are often even cheaper than "tuk-tuk" because they have a meter and cannot modify it at the head of the customer.
Some drivers will tell you that the meter is broken or will start to haggle over a price; if you haggle: you will surely pay more. So ask him to use the counter. So have only one word when entering the taxi: "Meter".
Despite these recommendations, note that in some large cities like Bangkok or Chiang Mai, at peak times, as well as on southern tourist islands (especially Koh Samui), you will rarely see a meter on.
By tuk-tuk
Very practical for short distances and typically local. Always negotiate the price in advance to avoid being overloaded with the price of the ride upon arrival. Sometimes you will be offered to transport yourself for nothing but to stop at a friend's house in exchange. You just have to go down to the store (usually a costume store), take a look around and explain that you don't have a circle for the costume. This can be a very economical solution if you are not in a hurry. the trick is to do it with a smile.
By bus
Buses run throughout the country and the public company BKS (บ ข ส Baw Kaw Saw), Transport Company, has a bus station in every city regardless of its size.
In general, BKS buses remain the best choice, both in terms of price and comfort. There are also many private companies, which mainly fight over price but are less reliable in terms of schedules or security. In particular, beware of non-governmental "VIP" buses which have nothing to do with the qualifier. In a separate sub-category we find those offered around Khao San Road, targeting backpackers. You may find, after paying up front, that your supposed VIP bus is in fact a skimpy minibus.
The quality of the Thai coach network is simply astounding, so much so that we end up using only this means of transport. The comfort is impeccable (air conditioning and reclining seats), the roads in very good condition, the prices ridiculous, and all the major cities are served. Plus, buying a bus ticket (and simply walking into a coach terminal) is an experience you won't want to miss.
By car
Driving is on the left side of the road, the international driving license is essential for driving a vehicle. Rental is possible from 21 years old (sometimes 25 years depending on the companies).
Road signs are written in Thai (but more rarely in English) and reproduce international standards.
Driving a car yourself is not always the right option, it is usually the bike that will be preferred, and rather for local use. Small roads are not always paved and driving rarely meets Western safety standards. However, it remains representative of the Thai mentality, calm and applied. If you will not be asked for your license for a motorcycle rental, a solid experience is still necessary, especially for the city and long distances off the main roads.
Speed limits:
- Highway and road: between 90 and 120 km / h
- City : 60 km / h
The authorized blood alcohol level is 0.5 g / l of blood.
To speak
Thai is a tonal language, which makes it particularly difficult to learn and speak for some French speakers. The same syllable can have up to 5 distinct tones (6 actually, but the last is used for scientific and technical words rarely used by the "common" population), to which are associated as many different meanings.
By taxi, to indicate the route to the driver: on the left: saï. On the right: kouha. Straight ahead: tong paï Very practical, especially when the driver pretends not to find your hotel and tries to send you to another ( with a commission for him), if of course you know by heart the route that leads to your hotel.
Thais will appreciate that you learned a few words of their language. Even if you are unable to converse with them, a simple "sawatdi khrap" (hello) or "khop koun khrap" (thank you) can make the difference between a polite welcome and a warm welcome.
The Thai language uses a differentiating suffix based on the gender of the person speaking. So women (as well as transsexuals and some homosexuals) will often end their sentences with "kha", while men (as well as some lesbians or some older women) will end their sentences with "khrap". These two words, too, are often used as an affirmative answer.
To buy
Cash
The currency of Thailand is the Baht (฿, บาท, THB).
Purchases
You can buy everything on site and at low prices, in the street, in shops, or in the large themed markets (clothing, food, etc.) which are to be seen even without any planned purchase.
The most popular purchases are clothing (textiles are a staple industry in the country), arts (manual labor in Thailand is of exceptional quality) and electronics (prices are roughly the same as in Europe. but tight right out of the product).
To bargain
Be careful, the prices advertised are sometimes aberrant but sometimes surprisingly tight. It is generally advisable to reduce the price by two in tourist areas but not to nitpick too much elsewhere. Good humor and respect for the rules (of the game) are here more than elsewhere the best way to be a winner, beyond the price. If you ask for a price, it means you are going to buy, so be prepared to negotiate.
Price
There are cash dispensers and money changer everywhere in all cities. These are "ATM" (our ATMs).
Some reference prices: - a meal: 20 baht (pad Thai in the countryside) 60 baht (a dish in a small restaurant) 250 baht (meal in a tourist restaurant) - a room: 300 baht (rustic single room in Khao San Road in Bangkok) 1,500 baht (room by the sea) - a skewer: between 5 and 15 baht depending on the seller - a train / bus trip: 300-800 baht depending on the distances / options
Eat
Thai cuisine is undoubtedly one of the most refined in the world. It is based on a variety of herbs (Thai basil, spring onion, lemongrass, ginger), fruits and vegetables quite astounding, much of which is unknown in France, cooked in a wok and seasoned mostly with gravy. oyster and fish, sugar, soy sauce. Be careful, however, the dishes are generally extremely spicy. Here is a small list of the great must-haves of Thai cuisine:
- Pad Thai: A simple dish made from rice noodles sautéed with chicken. This dish is usually served with chilli powder (red, and to be used with a lot of moderation) and ground peanuts.
- Papaya Salad: Very spicy once again, this salad tastes completely new. The secret is in the sauce, made with garlic, fish sauce, long beans, lemon juice and lots of chilli.
- Tom Ka Kai Chicken Soup: Cooking with coconut milk has a very important place in Thai cuisine. This soup gets its flavor from lemongrass, combined with Thai ginger which brings a bit of spice.
- Thai curry: The real little treasure to try absolutely. Totally different from Indian curry, Thai curry paste takes quite a long time to prepare and the ingredients are quite complicated to put together. Chicken is usually grilled in a little curry paste, which is then drowned in coconut milk which will soften the pepper. Adding Thai basil at the end of the brew is probably the most dazzling act of human intelligence since the invention of the wheel.
- Khaô Pat Khaï: Fried rice with chicken: In restaurants everything is mixed with usually a fried egg, in the street you will have simple boiled rice (not fried, however Pat means fried) with chicken on the side.
- Vegetarianism: Vegetarian food is said to be "Jay" Where "Mang Sawilat", it is RARE and often monotonous.
Have a drink / Go out
Drinks are cheaper than in France. Avoid crushed ice, tube shaped ice cubes are made by an external company and are no problem.
To go out in Bangkok: just tell the taxi driver of your choice: "Patpong" "Sukumvit Soi 4" "Soi Cow Boy" and you will discover the festive districts.
Soi cowboy was historically the Gogo-bar district. If you don't want to see this side of Thailand, there are other places to party.
A hotspot for "live" music in Bangkok is "Le saxophone" bar / pub, located on the edge of Victory Monument Square. We play a lot of jazz there but different Thai and international groups have also made passages there. Entrance is free and drinks are reasonably priced.
In most tourist, and / or medium-sized towns, you will find bars catering to local groups. Thais are fond of music and these places are often the easiest to reach for connecting with the locals.
Music is part of Thai life. We listen to it at official events, at weddings, funerals, birthdays, etc.
There are also karaoke rooms / bars (and even karaoke booths in some shopping centers).
Unfortunately for the followers of this practice, the "karaoke" offering titles in English are rare, and in French almost impossible to find.
In Thailand, a decree prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors under the age of 20 and to everyone outside of official hours which are: 11 h - 14 h and of 17 h - 24 h
In fact, only 7/11, Lotus and Big C stores apply this rule. In most of the other stores, small local stalls, we sell everything at any time; moreover, in some tourist areas like Pattaya, even 7/11 sell alcohol regardless of the hour.
Housing
A multitude of Guesthouses allow you to stay inexpensively.It should be noted that, outside the tourist season (mid-December to mid-March), you will find free rooms in all cities of Thailand.
A good guide (lonely, backpacker, smart or other) will give you addresses according to your budget. Even if their information is rarely up to date, some essentials remain valid.
A call to book from France, or simply to check the guide's information, will not put too much strain on your vacation budget, while a night in a seedy hotel may ruin your vacation ...
Be wary of the hotels / guesthouses you can find through sites like Booking.com, Tripadvisor.com and other online intermediaries. The hotel industry in Thailand uses these systems very little, except in extremely touristy areas. Word of mouth (and traveler forums) is the best way to find good accommodation.
In any case, don't hesitate to book only for one night and then look for your "room in paradise".
The following section deals (only) with Pattaya:
The first hotels date from the beginning of the 1960s, there are at least 2 establishments left from this period, located on the beach road, the Nautical inn, soi 11, renovated in 2011 and the Basaya resort, opened as Nipa Lodge in 1964 and which has from the first bar in town. In the mid-1970s there was already a beautiful infrastructure on the beach road with the Pattaya Palace, the first 5 stars, today Selection, the Holiday Inn, today hard Rock, the Montien, the Orchid lodge, currently Amari Orchid and Siam bayshore, on walking street, all have large gardens unlike the new establishments built on beach road. Jomtien also saw the start of hotel infrastructure in the 1970s with, among others, the arrival of the Royal Cliff and Asia. Wong Amat, north of the city already had the Wong Amat resort, today the location of the Centara Mirage.
In 1980 there were around 500,000 tourists and in 1995 around 2 million, so it was at the end of the 1980s / early 1990s that the construction of many hotels began such as the Grand Palace, currently Dusit Thani, VC , Pattaya Center, Lek, Peace resort, Flipper Lodge, Sport Garden resort, currently Thai Garden resort, on Jomtien l'Ambassador with nearly 5,000 rooms, one of the largest in the world, also opened in the 1990s.
As the number of tourists has increased fourfold since 1995 compared to 2012, there are also a lot of new hotels that have opened since the mid-2000s, there is also the return of large hotel groups like Sheraton, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Marriott and many establishments of the Accor, Mercure, Ibis group, on Wong Amat beach, many design establishments have opened such as Zign, The Way or TSIX 5. Currently the choice is practically unlimited with around 1000 hotels if you adds up the hotels, guesthouses and other condos and several more hotels will open during the next 2-3 years.
Luxury
Here is a small list of original establishments.
- Sugar Hut, on the hill in a large garden, real Thai house, shower with jar, 3 swimming pools-
- A-one, on beach road, boat-shaped hotels-
- Idyll, very design, some rooms with water flowing on the walls-
- Hilton, the deluxe plus rooms offer bathtubs on the terrace with a view of the bay.
- Centara Grand Mirage, surprising design and direct access to wong Amat beach-
- Royal cliff, in Jomtien, access to the beach by lift, 3 wings including the exclusive Royal wing.
- Sheraton, Jomtien, considered by many to be the best hotels in town, suite with private pool-
- Eravana, Jomtien, all bungalows with private pool, Villa Pool Kuu has a space of 1000 M2! -
- Golden Cliff, suites in a castle, 2 swimming pools, one of which is in the sea-
- Birds and Bees, original suites some directly on the beach, renowned restaurant Cabbages and condoms-
- Dusit D2, some Duplex suites with a bed that seems to be suspended-
- Pent house, rooms with dance bar and jacuzzi-
- Hard rock, very large tropical pool, accessibility by paying an entry for non-residents-
- Moonlight on sea, Wong Amat, houses directly on a practically deserted beach and view of the Sanctuary of Truth-
- Napalai pool, Wong Amat, bungalows with private pool-
- Rabbit resort, Jomtien, pretty bungalows with direct beach access, 2 swimming pools-
- Ruenjai boutique, near the 3e street, four-poster beds
- The Cottage, latest establishments with many bungalows in a large garden in the city center, 2 swimming pools-
- Sunset Village, North Jomtien, very pretty bungalows directly on a beautiful beach, 2 swimming pools
There is also a wide selection of Love Motel- establishments for 3 h or more about 3-400 baht 3 h / 6-700 baht day-
- Full love Inn, some rooms with round bed - Red Horse, themed room, TK resort, Sweet love inn, Love 24 inn
There are therefore 3 beaches in Pattaya and some bungalows on the island of Koh Larn and here are some hotels by beach:
Wong Amat, north of Pattaya
Luxury
- Zign, Centara Mirage, Pullman, Garden Cliff, Dusit Thani
With bungalows
- Sea Lodge, Garden lodge, East sea resort and Paradise, Marina Inn, The Beach Garden, Moonlight on Sea-
Pattaya center
Cheap
Average price
Good quality and well located, beach road or not too far
- Sandalay resort, Nantra de Boutique, Page 10, most of the LK hotels, Summer Spring, Baywalk residence, Aya Boutique, Sea Me Spring 1 and 2, Baan Khun Nine, Vista, the Sabai hotels, Mayatara, All season, Mercure, Citin Loft, Intimate by Tim Boutique, Agust suites
- New Star, Ice inn, BR Inn, Classic, Midtown Inn, Tune, Sutus Court
Luxury
- Hilton, Amari orchid, Holiday inn, Montien, Siam Bayshore and Bayview, Selection, Hard rock, Seven zea chic, Dusit D2, Marriott-
Economic
Jomtien
Luxury
- Sheraton, Royal Cliff, Birds and Bees, Golden Cliff, Grand Heritage, Jomtien Palm beach, Rabbit resort, Eravana, Avalon beach, Sugar hut, Sunset park, Sunset village, Ambassador Bungalow Siam Garden Village, Golden beach resort -
Splendid resort, Nirvana boutique, Costa village pool, Grand Jomtien palace, Sea breeze, The Now, Sarita Chalet, RS seaside, Natural park, Sigma resort, Pinnacle grand, Ocean marina
To learn
To work
Working in Thailand when you are "farang" (Western) can turn out to be a real obstacle course unless a generous boss delegates one of his employees to do the legwork for you. First thing to know: there is a list of jobs reserved exclusively for Thai people and therefore prohibited for foreigners. It is available at the ministries of labor but, to summarize, the only trades authorized to foreigners are those of business and education. Once past this first obstacle, the serious things begin. First, you must have a visa of type B (non-immigrant) to be able to apply for a work permit, the only way to obtain this famous visa is to have a certificate from the employer describing in detail your future position.
With the correct visa in hand, you can walk to the Department of Labor (which is located near Victory Monument, knowing that if you ask a taxi for this destination, they will certainly look at you thoughtfully and say "ok" , even if he has no idea where you want to go).
Once at the ministry, go to 1er floor (finally on the 2e for Thais) to queue for long hours to apply for the permit.
We will tell you to come back in a week, the time to make the permit.
Do not forget to come back to this same place every 3 months, if not goodbye the permit. And if you think of leaving the territory, ask for a "re-entry permit" at immigration otherwise, same punishment. Good luck and above all, keep always smiling, that can unblock a lot of situations!
You can also think about doing volunteer missions. Several international volunteering organizations offer missions in Thailand: environmental protection, humanitarian aid, education, etc.
Volunteering
There are many Thai associations accepting foreign volunteers. But beware of companies voluntourism who pretend to be associations and who will organize you some very lucrative bogus volunteering. Check whether it is indeed an association or a disguised travel agency.
En Europe, le Service Volontaire International prépare et organise des projets de volontariat pour des jeunes adultes français ou belges. L'association est non lucrative et accréditée par le ministère de la jeunesse belge. Sa branche française permet de partir en service civique en Thaïlande avec une aide financière.
Communicate
On trouve des cyber-cafés partout en Thaïlande pour en moyenne 60 THB. Petite remarque : si vous voyez un tas de chaussures devant la porte du cyber-café (surtout en province), déchaussez-vous.
Le courrier met en moyenne 15 jours pour arriver en Europe, mais c'est fiable, Same pour les paquets... seulement bien vous renseigner sur le port. Le port par avion est très cher. La poste : vous pourrez acheter des enveloppes, cartons d'emballage pour vos envois; la colle et la ficelle vous seront fournies.
Notez que le personnel parle anglais dans beaucoup de bureaux. En thaï, le timbre se dit "stamp" et le bureau de poste "sathani paesani". En province, l'usage de la "queue" est une notion abstraite; donc attendez-vous à vous faire passer devant.
Security
 | Emergency telephone number: Police :911 Ambulance:1669 Firefighter :199 Tourist police:1155 |
- Attention à ceux qui souhaitent faire du jet ski sur la plage de Pa Tong, une terrible arnaque opère depuis quelques années. On vous donne un jet ski qui est déjà mis à l'eau et vous montez dessus précipitamment (car les vagues sont conséquentes) sans en avoir inspecté l'état de la coque qui s'avère bien évidemment fendue. Au retour, on vous demande 200 € par jour d'immobilisation du scooter (sisi, vous avez signé un petit papier avant de monter dessus) qui doit soit disant être envoyé à bangkok pour réparation pendant 3 jours. Rien ne sert d'appeler la police (ils sont dans le coup), sauf s'ils deviennent violent (parce que vous refuser de payer) afin de vous protéger (on a croisé d'autres touristes à l'aéroport qui étaient couvert d’ecchymoses et qui ont finalement dû payer car menacés à la machettes dans leur hôtel.)
Government travel advice
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Belgium (Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) 
Canada (Government of Canada) 
France (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) 
Swiss (Federal Department of Foreign Affairs)
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Health
Il reste des consignes de sécurité visant à éviter la propagation du SRAS, mais elle concerne le contact avec les poulets vivants, et seulement le nord-est du pays. Hormis cela, il n'y a pas de risque sanitaire particulier.
Pour rester en bonne santé durant son séjour, aucun vaccin n'est nécessaire, il suffit d'éviter de boire de l'eau courante, même sous forme de glaçon. Les glaçons fournis par des entreprises sont soumis à des contrôles sanitaires, on les reconnait à leur forme tubulaire. Dans les enseignes connues (Starbuck, Fuji, MK, etc.), le risque est pratiquement inexistant.
Aucun vaccin n'est obligatoire pour la Thaïlande, toutefois pour un séjour prolongé (3 mois ou plus), certains vaccins peuvent s'avérer utiles (encéphalite japonaise, hépatite).
Le paludisme est présent en Thaïlande. Les médicaments que vous conseillera votre médecin n'empêcheront pas la maladie mais en diminueront les effets. Le risque est, dans ce cas, de contracter la maladie sans le savoir puis de subir une crise plusieurs semaines après votre retour en France.
Le meilleur moyen de se protéger contre cette maladie est de se protéger contre son vecteur : le moustique.
Pour ce faire, pensez à vous protéger les bras et les jambes au lever/coucher du soleil ou lors de séjours en zone à risque (forêt, proximité de plans d'eau douce, fermes). Sachez toutefois que les périodes de lever/coucher de soleil sont celles ou l'activité des moustiques en général est la plus importante, ceci n'exclue pas les autres périodes de la journée.
Utilisez des crèmes/sprays anti-moustiques efficaces. Les systèmes anti-moustiques à base d'ultrasons/ultraviolets sont une escroquerie (y compris votre super appli iPhone 12).
Si vous êtes plutôt "écolo", vous trouverez des lotions anti-moustiques écologiques à base de plantes locales dans de nombreux marchés. Si utilisez du Deet (un défoliant puissant) ne vous pose pas de problèmes particuliers, des anti-moustiques en crème (moins agressive pour la peau et à l'odeur plus agréable) et vaporisateur sont disponibles dans de nombreuses boutiques en Thaïlande, pour un prix moitié moindre de celui que vous payeriez en France.
Respect
Quelques notions de savoir vivre à la thaïlandaise :
- Retirer ses chaussures quand vous entrez dans un temple ou une maison
- Ne jamais s'énerver en public, vous passerez pour un grossier personnage
- Quand vous rencontrez un thaïlandais, ne lui tendez pas votre main, mais saluez-le d'un signe de tête pour ne pas faire d'erreur.
- N'embrassez pas votre compagne ou compagnon en public
- Ayez une tenue convenable pour visiter les temples, en particulier pour les femmes : pas de bermudas ou minijupes, ni de grands décolletés, couvrez-vous les épaules et mettez un pantalon. Pour les hommes, le pantalon est parfois obligatoire
- Ne jamais toucher la tête d'une personne, car on dit que c'est le siège de son âme
- En Thaïlande on fait le "wai" pour dire "sawatdii khrap" (hommes) et "sawatdii kha" (femmes), "kopkhoune khrap" ou "kha" pour les femmes (merci) et "khotot khrap/kha" (pardon)
- En principe, quand deux personnes se rencontrent, c'est à la plus jeune d'initier le "wai". Un Thaïlandais vous répondra toujours par un "wai", même rapide.
- Avant de prendre des gens en photo ou de prendre des photos dans un temple, demandez la permission aux personnes concernées.
- Ne jamais montrer délibérément le dessous des pieds, c'est considéré comme malpoli.
En Thaïlande, à 8 h and to 18 h dans tous les lieux publics retentit l'hymne national thaïlandais. Il faut se lever et arrêter toute activité le temps de l'hymne ; donc ne soyez pas surpris si dans la rue vous voyez des gens s'arrêter brusquement vers les heures citées, et faites de même. De plus au cinéma, l'hymne national est joué avant la projection du film : il faut aussi se lever.
Deux choses sont sacrées en Thaïlande : Buddha et le roi (pas forcément dans cet ordre).
Ne désignez jamais du pied et ne marchez jamais sur une représentation du roi ou de Buddha. Cela comprend les effigies du roi sur les pièces de monnaie ou les billets de banque.
Le "lése-majesté" est un crime en Thaïlande. Avec la situation politique actuelle, il est revenu de manière plus forte sur le devant de la scène, et donc dans les esprits des thaïlandais qui supportent de moins en moins de voir tourné en dérision leur roi et/ou leur religion d'état.
