About Thailand

About Thailand

Thailand is a huge tourist destination. As tourism plays one of the largest roles in the Thai economy, every effort has been made to make every guest to this country comfortable and safe. Do not take the following tips as warnings, only advice, remember being a knowledgeable traveler is a big step to a successful vacation.

CUSTOMS AND RULES
Thailand’s culture is vastly different to the west and it is much appreciated when foreigners respect both its laws and heritage. There are certain Do’s and Don’ts that should ALWAYS be adhered to and then there are other rules that, though generally frowned upon are at times accepted.
One of these ‘accepted’ rules is that topless-ness on the beaches is in fact banned by law. Though it is generally advised, especially in Muslim areas, to abstain from this practice, some beaches do turn a blind eye to it. Be prepared for onlookers.Other than that, rules that are custom to the Thai culture should always be followed. One of the foremost of these is NEVER SHOW ANGER OR RUDENESS in public. If you do, you will find that all it achieves is to be ignored completely. Thai people are extremely polite and rudeness is not tolerated in any form.

When visiting a Buddhist Monastery, please remember the grounds are holy so appropriate attire must be worn. Shirts with sleeves for women is recommended and it is preferred that women wear either a skirt or neat shorts (not high cut ones). For men a neat shirt and shorts will do fine. Women should be careful as no monk may come into physical contact with any women.
Two customs considered impolite are sitting with your feet pointing towards another person. Where possible tuck them out of the way. The other is touching another person’s head in public.
The road accident rate in Thailand is one of the highest to be found and despite motorbike rental being both cheap and readily available, it is not recommended that the visitor hire one. Helmets have to be worn by the drivers of any motorbikes within the country. A helmet for the pillion passenger is optional but again it is advised that if carrying a passenger, you ask for a second one.

MEDICAL TIPS
It is advisable when traveling to any foreign destination that you check with your local hospital as to what inoculations or medications you may need for your trip. This applies even more so when traveling to tropical areas. If there’s a Tropical Diseases hospital nearby, contact it before departure for Thailand. If not, then chat to your local doctor.
Some areas of Thailand do occasionally have malaria so it’s a good idea to check on this before you visit. Mosquitoes generally throughout Thailand can at times be bothersome so it is advised that you come prepared, especially if you go plan on going outside at night. Many western hospitals will advise taking precautionary medical measures against the possibility of contracting the disease but those that live in malaria infested areas, around the world, not just in Thailand, advise against this. The reason for this is that if you are on medication and still contract malaria, it is harder to detect than if you are on no medication at all. Some travelers prefer to carry the cure with them rather than taking preventative measures all the time. The choice therefore is yours entirely but do speak to your local doctor before visiting.
Dengue fever is another mosquito born illness that is prevalent in most parts of south-east Asia. Complications with the disease, which can lead to death, usually only occur on a second infection and although causing severe headaches and body pains and general weakness, there is no preventative medicine. The only way to avoid contracting the disease is to protect yourself against mosquito bites as bes.