All-sided Thailand Travel Tips & Tour Advice You Must Know

In recent years, Thailand has become one of the top attractions. Hundreds and thousands of visitors flood into Thailand every year, especially between the months of November and February, for its quality beaches and islands, good-taste cuisines, and fascinating temples and pagodas.

But how to make Thailand tour more pleasant and comfortable is still a hard nut to crack. Here we offer the latest Thailand travel tips and advice for your wonderful Thailand traveling!

Best Time to Travel to Thailand

Between November and February, the weather in Thailand tends to be cool, which is the best time to visit Thailand. The northeast monsoon brings refreshing winds to keep temperatures not hot. Very little rain falls and you can expect sunny weather every day. However, the great weather brings crowds of visitors, and hotels and travel-related industries charge higher prices.

March and April are getting hotter gradually and May sees the start of heavy rainfall, lasting until October. Touring Thailand during these months enables you to escape the crowds and save your budget as well. Of course, there may be fewer places to go in Thailand in such a shoulder season.

All in all, choose your best traveling time on your preference.

3 Days Bangkok Highlights Tour

Bangkok

Regulations to Follow

In Thailand, you should drive or cycle on the left. Don’t drive in the middle of the road; don’t park cars randomly. Wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle and follow the local traffic rules in order to avoid the accident.

According to Thai law, smoking in public places is forbidden. If necessary, you need to find the Smoking Room, and please tell the hotel staff that you need to live in the Smoking Room while booking the hotel room.

Besides, in public areas, littering is also prohibited by laws the law and can result in fines.

6 Days Northern Thailand Tour

Chiang Mai - Mae Hong Son - Chiang Rai - Golden Triangle - Chiang Mai

Basic Social Etiquette

Thailand is a country that highly values respect and etiquette in unique social norms. A simple action that may seem innocuous elsewhere can be considered impolite by Thai people. Therefore, it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with the 16 essential social etiquette guidelines before a Thailand Tour.

●  Thai people do not greet each other by handshaking, but by putting their palms together. It looks like praying. Thais call it “wai”. Generally speaking, younger people first say hello to the older people.
●  Using tiptoe to point at others is not a polite behavior. So, if you sit opposite to others, you should avoid it. Or, if you want to point out something, you should use your hands but your feet.
●  Thai people think “head”, no matter in its literal meaning or symbolic meaning, is the highest part of the body. As a result, it is not allowed to touch anyone’s head, even if it is a friendly expression. Meanwhile, by observing Thai people at the Thai party, young people will deliberately put their heads down in front of the elder people in order to show their respect to them.
●  In Thailand, being angry is very bad, especially in public. Thai people believe it represents a despicable manner.
●  If the Thailand people call you by your first name instead of last name, such as Mr. BuKe Or Ms. Mary, don’t be surprised. Because that’s how they call each other, generally use “Kun” (Mr, Mrs, ms) before your first name.
●  Thai women are conservative and value personal space and consent. Please don’t touch them (the body) without their permission.
●  Thai people believe that man’s right hand is clean but the left hand is unclean. The left hand can only be used to take some dirty things. As a result, you will be abandoned when you use your left hand to take important things. Left-handed people cannot pay attention to this in daily life, but on formal occasions, using the left hand is forbidden. Thai people eat with their right hand and give something to others with their right hand, which is a sign of respect. When you have to use the left hand, you should first say “Left hand, please forgive me”.
●  The soles of your feet are also considered not net. When you sit down, you should avoid putting your feet on the table. Thai people think the foot is ignoble. It can only be used to walk. When Women sit down, they must put their legs together, otherwise, they will be considered impolite, poor upbringing.
●  In public, avoid public displays of affection, such as hugging and kissing. It does not conform to local customs. Handshakes are accepted now, but it is usually used in more formal or business situations. In addition, nude sunbathing is only allowed on some beaches. In other places, the Thai people don’t like this kind of behavior.
●  Thai people don’t use a red pen for signatures, because after the Thai people die, people will write down their names in the mouth of the coffin with a red pen. Thai people love red and yellow. Brown is taboo. People use colors to represent different dates: red for Sunday, yellow for Monday, pink for Tuesday, green for Wednesday, orange for Thursday, light blue for Friday, and amaranth for Saturday. People often wear different colors of clothes according to the different dates. White was used for the funeral in the past, but now black is used for the funeral.
● In some villages, it is avoided praising others’ children's beauty.
● Do not pick up krathong (a kind of lantern put on the river). In December, the Loi Krathong Festival is held, which is one of the busiest holidays in Thailand. When you watch a krathong, it is important to note that no matter how delicate and beautiful the krathong is, you can’t pick it up; otherwise, you will be severely punished.
● Avoid discussing these issues: politics, corruption, and members of the royal family. People don’t like to talk about personal issues, even if they are friends.
●  If you offend others, you should smile and say “sorry” to apologize, with hands together.
●  Take off your shoes before entering Thai people’s houses. Don’t step on the threshold. If the host is sitting on the floor, the guest should do the same. Don’t make feet crossed; bend the legs under the body; don’t show the soles.
●  When you give gifts to Thai people, you’d better choose a packaging food or candy, etc. And you have to hand your gift by your right hand. If Thais give you a gift, you should put your hands together to express thanks before accepting the gift. Unless you are requested to open the gift, don’t open the gift face to face.

Thailand greeting guesture

Thailand’s Royal Taboos

Thailand is a nation with a monarchy. So, visitors should notice Thailand’s royal taboos.

●  The Thai people respect their king, the queen, and the royal family very much, so you’d better not criticize the royal family in front of others. Disrespecting the royal family is a crime according to Thai law. So, you have to be careful about your performance, such as in public activities where royal officials attend. It is better to pay attention to the behaviors of others and follow to do the same.
●  Every day, at 8:00 and 18:00, many public places will play Thailand's national anthem. Every Thai who hears the Thailand national anthem will halt and stop doing things to show respect. As a visitor, when you hear the Thailand national anthem, you should also stop doing things immediately and salute. It's more kind of respect, not a formal requirement.

8 Days Classic Thailand Tour

Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai - Golden Triangle - Bangkok

Religious Taboos

Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist nation, holds its religious beliefs in high regard. When planning a Thailand visit, particularly to temples, observe the following things to show respect for their religious sensitivities.

●   Thailand temple is recognized as a holy place by Thai people. Please dress dignified when entering the Buddhist temples. You will not be allowed to enter if you wear short skirts, shorts or low-cut clothes.
●   Visitors should take off their shoes before entering the Buddha hall, otherwise, you will be seen as contaminating the Buddhist temple. Visitors mustn’t act thoughtlessly in front of temples, statues, and Buddhist monks.
●   If women want to give something to monks, they have to ask a man to transfer it. If the woman wants to personally give away her gift, the monks will open a yellow robe or towel to receive the gift. In the process, monks are not allowed to touch women. Men are also not allowed to touch the body of female monks.
●   If you want to take photographs with monks, you should get their permission first.

Don't wear short skirts, shorts or low-cut clothes when visiting temples.

Tip Etiquette

In Thailand, people are used to tipping for service. This is not a must; of course, it is more like a kind of etiquette. Except for those senior hotels and restaurants which will add a 10% service charge to the bill, there are some other places that you may need to pay tips. In addition, when you tip, you can’t give a coin, because coins are for beggars. Please note that you have to tip at least 20 baht once.

Here are some common occasions for tipping in Thailand. You typically tip 15% of the meal price in restaurants, give $1 per piece of luggage to porters, around 15% of the fare for taxis, offer a $1 tip to the bartender (if you feel it's necessary) at bars, and provide an average of $5 to $10 per day for the driver and tour guide during visits.

When it comes to spa massages, it's customary to tip about 20% of the total cost. However, it's important to note that you don't need to tip for fast food, buffets, or bills that already include gratuity.

Two Weeks In-depth Thailand Historical Tour Package

Bangkok - Ayutthaya - Sukhothai – Doi Inthanon – Chiang Mai – Pai – Chiang Rai – Golden Triangle - Hua Hin - Bangkok

Medical Information

Thailand is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Asia, even in the world. In medical tourism, Thailand can be the preferred destination in Asia for those who take care of their healthcare, because Thailand is one of the earliest countries in Asia to promote medical tourism service quality. Each year more than one hundred people from all over the world come to receive medical services in Thailand. As of 2022, Thailand has 901 public hospitals and 404 private hospitals. Of course, Visitors can prepare some medical supplies before traveling, such as fever medicine, cardiac medicine, pills that help to digest food, mosquito repellent, band-aid, and so on. Visitors may be infected with diseases such as dengue fever, which is spread through mosquitoes. As long as you take anti-mosquito measures, you will be ok.

Main Hospitals in Thailand:

Bangkok Hospital
Address：2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchaburi Rd., Bangkok, Thailand 10310
Telephone Number： +66-02-3103000
Website：https://www.bangkokhospital.com/

Phuket International Hospital
Address：44 Chalermprakiat Ror 9 Rd, Phuket 83000
Telephone Number： +66-76-249400
Website：https://www.phuketinternationalhospital.com/

Chiang Mai Ram Hospital
Address：8 Boonreungrit Road, A MUANG, Ching Mai
Telephone Number：+66-53-224880
Website：https://www.chiangmairam.com/

Pattaya International Hospital
Address: Soi 4 Pattaya 2nd Rd, Pattaya City
Telephone Number：+66-38-428374
Website：https://www.pih-inter.com/

Bangkok Hospital

Post Office Information

Thailand’s postal service is efficient and reliable. You can send a characteristic postcard to your family and friends to share your excellent Thailand memory. The main towns in the country all have postal services. Its operating time is 8:00 – 16:30 from Monday to Friday and 9:00-13:00 on Sunday and Saturday. Bangkok Postal office, which is located on New Road, is open at 8:00 and closes at 18:00 from Monday to Friday. On Sunday and Saturday, it is open at 9:00 and closes at 13:00. All the post offices will be closed on legal holidays, but most hotels have the service for sending letters and parcels. In addition to providing general domestic and international letter service from land and air delivery, the Thailand post office also provides cable service.

Main Post Office in Hot Spots:

Bangkok’s Central Post Office
Address：123 Moo 5, U Thong Road
Opening Time： 8:30-16:30 (from Monday to Saturday)， 9:00-12:00 (Sunday)

Chiangmai General Post Office
Address: Near Chiengmai Train Station
Telephone Number：+66-53-241070

Pattaya Post Office
Address：13-1 Street, Pattaya Second Road
Opening Time: 8:00-20:00 (from Monday to Friday)，8：00-13:00 (on Saturday and Sunday)

Send a Thailand-style postcard as one of trip souveneir.

Necessities for Thailand Traveling

Except for the useful information above, remember to pack the necessities for the Thailand traveling.

Clothes
What kind of clothes do you need to prepare before traveling to Thailand? It mainly depends on the season and your travel route. Shorts, sleeveless T-shirts, and beach shoes are the most useful things. Thailand has a high requirement on dress in some places, and do not dress up too casually, especially in some temples or senior hotels. Clothes that are loose, lightweight, breathable, and fast-drying are the best choices for you in the rainy season. Streets are easily submerged by the flood in the rainy season and the temples and some offices will request you to take off your shoes before you enter. Therefore, slippers are very practical. And please take rain gear with you.

In the cold season, if you are going to travel to the north of Thailand, for example, Mae Hong Son or Chiang Rai, you are recommended to take a long-sleeved T-shirt or jacket. In fact, in the north of Thailand, at Doi Inthanon, which is at an altitude of 2565 meters (8415 feet), you can even see the snow. So be sure to check the weather forecast before traveling. You can buy warm clothes at the stores in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai before starting your trip to the mountains.

Documents
A passport and Thailand visa are the two documents to tour Thailand. However, tourists from numerous countries can enjoy visa-free entry for periods ranging from 14 to 90 days, depending on their nationality. The visa policies are subject to change, so it's advisable to check the latest requirements with the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate before planning a trip to Thailand.

Skincare products
It is recommended to use accusing oil, sunscreen cosmetics, and hydrating skin care products.

Medicine
It is better to prepare some commonly used cold medicine and fever medicine.

Thailand visa

Thailand Important Telephone Numbers

As a traveler in an unfamiliar country, don't hesitate to seek immediate assistance in case of trouble. Mark telephone numbers below for emergencies and never worry about your safety in Thailand!

Emergency Call: 191; International Code for Thailand: 66
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Telephone Number：1672  Sevice Time: 08:00-20:00
Thailand Tourist Police
Telephone Number：1155  Service Time：24 hours
Emergency Center：1691
Medical Assistance：1669
Fire Telephoen：199

17 Days Thailand Beach Tour with Temple Expedition

Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai - Golden Triangle - Bangkok - Pattaya - Phuket

Conclusion

Thailand has earned itself the fame as one of the hottest travel destinations in the world. Every day, crowds of tourists flock to its shores, visit Bangkok's popular temples like Wat Arun or the Grand Palace, and throng into restaurants scatted in the streets and lanes.

Hope these mentioned Thailand travel tips can help you learn clearly about Thailand. If you are still wondering about how to plan a perfect Thailand tour, feel free to contact us. Our professional travel consultants are glad to arrange your journey and suit all your needs. Just enjoy your best Thailand time with IndochinaTour!