Travel Tips

• It will be the hot season, so bring clothing accordingly (but nothing too revealing) - best to leave your shorts at home unless you're going to the beach
• Have some more modest clothing (especially for women, covering shoulders) if you plan to visit temples
• Bring a cheaper pair of shoes for visiting temples — you take your shoes off before entering temples and leave them outside — a good pair of sandals you can walk for hours in is a good thing to invest in!
• Leave the fanny packs at home, your jewelry at home, watch your wallet, and keep your valuables hidden
• Bring your own toilet paper and carry it around with you…you never know what kind of facilities you'll be using, whether it be western style or squatting style…
• First aid kits are very handy to have
• If you plan to bring things you need to plug in, buy a converter
• Cash is king, ATMs should be widely available. I've heard to get the max in baht about once a week. Bring a few Travellers Cheques for emergency situations
• Don't drink the tap water..bottled water is widely available
• Women, don't touch the monks
• Don't point with your feet
• For current exchange rates, check xe.com
• right hand must be used to pick up food eaten with the fingers
• Refrain from PDA (public displays of affection)
• Beware of tuk tuk drivers trying to take you places you do not wish to go to (so that they get commission)
• Beware of gem scams — if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is
• If taking a taxi from the BKK airport, be sure to take a metered one — non-metered taxis also show up in the line (they should say something like "Metered taxi" in enormous letters on the taxis)
• Always insist that your taxi driver set the meter
• Don't tip — it is not customary in Thailand
• Bartering, especially in markets, is cultural. Don't be afraid to bargain reasonably (agreeable price for you and seller).
• Don't get mixed up in drugs…bad idea.
• Do as Thais do — meaning, watch what Thai people do in certain situations (entering temples, greeting people of various rank, etc) and do the same.