For most western countries, a visa is not required for those staying for up to 1 month of less and for a longer period, an authorized visa is required. Transit
(30- day) and tourist (60-day) visas are also available upon arrival in Thailand. A non-immigrant visa is valid for 90 days. However, working in Thailand requires a work permit. Advance preparation is required to obtain the permit. One should check with Location Thailand for details. The duration of stay can be extended to more than 90 days by sending a required application to the
Immigration Department with the following evidence:
1) Passport
2) Individual photo (1x2 inch)
3) Statement of guarantee for stay extension
For more specific information, contact Smile and Goodwill or the Royal Thai
Time Zone:
Thailand has a seven (7) hours difference to Greenwich Mean Time.
As an example - 12:00 Noon – Thailand is:
3:00 p.m. same day Australia (no daylight saving)
1:00 p.m. same day Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
6:00 a.m. same day Belgium, Holland
5:00 a.m. same day London
10:00 p.m. day before Los Angeles, and Seattle
Climate:
Thailand’s climate is tropical. The weather is subject to three seasons: the cool season (November - February), the hot season (March - May), and the rainy season (June - October). It is fair to work on average daily Bangkok temperatures all year round of 33 Celcius (96F) with Christmas getting as low as 29 in the day time. Weather is basically hot and dry or hot and wet! The highland areas in the Northern and North Eastern parts of the country are much cooler and it’s not unusual to get to sub teen temperatures during nights in (December) winter.
Geography:
Centrally located in the heart of Southeast Asia, the country covers just over 513,000 square kilometres and is bordered by Myanmar (formerly Burma) to the North & West (also by the Indian Ocean), Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand (formerly ‘The Gulf of Siam’) in the East, and Malaysia in the South. It is approximately 2,500 kms North to South and 1,250 kms East to West and has 1,840 kms of coastline to the Gulf of Thailand and 865 kms to the Indian Ocean. It divides into four natural regions:
North
Mountainous, natural forests, ridges and deep, narrow alluvial valleys, whose capital is Chiang Mai.
South
Hilly to mountainous, thick virgin forests and rich deposits of minerals and ores and the centre rubber production and other cultivated
Crops. Central
The basin of the Chao Phraya River, fertile and lush and the richest rice producing area of the country often referred to as ‘the Rice
Bowl of Asia’.
Northeast
The Korat Plateau, arid, rolling surfaces of undulating hills, harsh climatic conditions often subjected to the extremes of drought or floods.
--------------------------
Business Hours
In Thailand, businesses are open Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (with an hour for lunch between 12.00 - 01.00 p.m.) Shopping centres and supermarkets are generally open from 10.00 a.m. – 09.00 p.m. daily. There is also a plethora of night markets and street vendors all day and into the early hours of the morning seeling everything. Bargaining is expected and should be attempted always.
It is part of the fun!
Banking hours: Monday to Friday, from 9.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. with some Banks open until 5:00pm (city) and usually at Carrefour and Tesco Lotus, regional local Banks are open as long as the Super Stores are including Saturday and Sunday and until 10:00pm allowing currency exchanges (but at not very good rates – you pay for the convenience).
Currency Requirements:
The Central Bank (Bank of Thailand) has certain Rules regarding Foreign Currencies and the importing of Funds. It is essential that all
non-resident accounts be registered and all movements of transactions in and out of Thailand must be reported over Baht 200,000 or Foreign Currency equivalent. These transactions are reported by the transaction Bank (Thor Tor 40 report). Smile and Goodwill can advise you of the requirements and the reports required.
Post Offices:
Government post office and privately operated couriers provide rapid service at numerous locations. Domestic and overseas deliveries are available, as well as express mail and overnight services. Some are also open Saturday morning.
Government post offices hours:
Monday through Friday, from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.
Saturday, from 8.30 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.
Holidays: Banks, businesses, schools, and government offices are closed on
these following holidays:
Date Events
January 1 ::New Year’s Day
February 26 :: Macka Bhucha Day
April 6 :: Chakri Memorial Day
April 13-15 :: Songkran Festival
May 1 :: Nation Labour Day
May 5 :: Coronation Day
May 26 :: Visakha Bhucha Day
August 12 :: H.M.the Queen’s Birthday
October 23 :: Chulalongkorn Day
December 5 :: H.M.the King’s Birthday
December 10 :: Constitution Day
December 31 :: New Year’s EvE
