Trifter

Pharmacies

All Pharmacies in Thailand must have at least one qualified Pharmacist, and those in the more popular holiday destinations will undoubtedly speak very passable English.

On the whole you will find pharmacy staff both friendly and knowledgeable and able to get most prescription drugs – although the more obscure or specialist medications may have to be ordered from a local hospital (or, in a worst case scenario, from Bangkok).

You will find that Thailand has an equivalent of most U.K. prescription or non-prescription drugs, and will dispense these on request with little problem. However, for certain medications the Pharmacist may ask that you see a G.P. and obtain the equivalent of a prescription before dispensing.

Doctors

Unlike the U.K., many of the Doctor’s surgeries may only be open for consultation at limited times. The usual reason for this is that the Doctor, as well as having his/her own practice, may also work in other areas, and, in many cases, may also work at a local hospital!

You may even find that the Doctor is actually a senior member of hospital staff, and, in some cases may even be a consultant!

Although this is not the case in every situation, it is surprising to find such highly qualified and respected personnel giving up their valuable time to work at a local level and with local people.

Needless to say then the quality of service, generally speaking, is quite high, particularly in tourist areas, where you can also expect medical staff to speak English to a greater or lesser degree.

Normally a surgery will dispense its own medications on instructions from the Doctor, and – compared to U.K. prices – you will find that they are quite inexpensive.

Hospitals

Much of what has already been said about Doctors can also be said of Thai hospitals too. Many hospitals in the more popular tourist areas will actually be geared-up for foreigners (and their insurance policies!), and some of them provide services that are not just quick and efficient, but would also put many a U.K. National Health hospital to shame!

If you are unfortunate enough to require the services of a hospital whilst on holiday in Thailand, you may (the situation varies from hospital to hospital) have to pay some money up-front (until your policy is checked out to see if you have appropriate cover), or get permission from your insurers (normally a fax). Any money paid up-front can normally be claimed back from the hospital once your policy has been approved by your insurers – assuming you are adequately covered.

Recreational Drugs

This section could easily be summed up using only one word…

DON’T!

However, in all conscience I couldn’t leave it at that, and, with a little further clarification will explain why.

If you get caught bringing drugs into Thailand (or out of Thailand for that matter!) you WILL spend time in a Thai prison! Although Thailand still holds the option of executing drug smugglers, normally, for foreigners, this is commuted into a life sentence. In Thailand a life sentence means 50 years – and you will serve 50 years!

Even if you are repatriated back to the U.K. (normally only after 8 years) the arrangement between the U.K. and Thailand is that the remainder of the sentence MUST be served! There is only one other alternative… and that is that you are pardoned by His Majesty the King of Thailand. A pardon is both unlikely and very rare, and most certainly NOT to be counted on as a way out unless you have spent a very long time in prison, or have particular reason to claim clemency – although even then there is absolutely no guarantee of release.

If you get caught in possession of illegal drugs whilst on holiday, you also have a big problem. Forget all the stories about paying on-the-spot fines and getting away with it – the fact of the matter is that these days you will almost certainly be arrested and spend time in a Police Station cell before being moved to a prison , where one of two things will happen:

1. Your lawyer arranges bail for you (normally around the thousand pounds plus mark), and then you have to wait until your case “comes up”… or
2. You stay in prison until your case comes to court (can be up to 5/6 months), where you will be sentenced and/or fined heavily.

Even if you can arrange Bail, the chances are that your passport will be confiscated and you will not be able to leave the country until everything is sorted out. This means – case heard in court, any sentence served, any fine paid, Lawyer’s bill paid etc.

You also run the risk of being blacklisted from Thailand, and having notes on your offence linked to your passport number.

Just in case there are not enough exclamation marks and capital letters in the former paragraphs to give you strong hints about how foolish bringing drugs into Thailand is… I will continue with a mention of the now infamous Full Moon Party held every month on Koh Phangan island in the Gulf of Thailand.

Every month a number of foreigners are arrested by under-cover police for possessing/dealing drugs (normally ecstasy, amphetamines, or marijuana). Those arrested are a great boon for Thailand’s anti-drug policy, and are quite often paraded on TV. soon after arrest.

Although the U.K. has recently downgraded the offence of possessing marijuana, the fact that you come from a country that has a softer approach cuts absolutely no ice with Thai authorities. If caught, you can expect to spend a LOT of money, and a LOT of time before your life can get back to anything approaching normal, if, indeed it ever will!

• Don’t bring any illegal substances into Thailand!
• Don’t take any illegal substances out of Thailand!
• Don’t indulge yourself whilst on holiday in Thailand – no matter how tempting!
• Don’t buy any drugs whilst on holiday in Thailand! Thailand has a lot of under-cover police around and people who will sell you drugs and then inform police for the reward.

Finally – purely for my conscience… don’t. It really is not worth the risk.

Money!

Currency in Thailand is the Thai “Baht”, and, as with all currencies, exchange rates vary on a day to day basis.

Cheque cards and credit/debit cards are now almost as much a part of Thai life as they are for us in the U.K., and, as such, there is little need to bring much, if any, Thai currency with you on your holiday-isn’t technology wonderful?

ATMs (cash points) are a common feature in almost any large town in Thailand – even more so in those that are frequented by tourists. The ATMs in Thailand recognize every major credit/debit card, making the withdrawal of cash (in Thai baht) very easy indeed. However, be aware that although some U.K. banks offer free A.T.M. use whilst abroad, most do not, and there is normally a fixed charge for this service… (at time of press this is around the £2.50 mark).

The ATMs are identical in every respect to those we have in the U.K. except for the names of the representative banks. Simply insert your card as normal and select the “English language” option when it appears on the screen. From then on it is simply a matter of entering the amount you wish to withdraw and waiting the short time it takes to verify your details.

There are only a very few exceptions when your card may not be recognized – for example, ATMs belonging to the smaller banks which may only provide services at a local level. However, these are now few and far between.

Most of the ATMs have a maximum daily amount able to be withdrawn. At time of press this varies between 10,000 baht and 20,000 baht (c150 pounds – 300 pounds), depending on which bank’s ATM is used.

Special note!

Just as you would do back in the U.K., take precautions when using an ATM machine. Ensure your “PIN” number is kept secret during use, and don’t waste any time in putting both your cash and your card away safely and securely!

As a point of interest, be aware that Thai ATMs dispense the cash first and then give the card back! We tend to be creatures of habit, and in the U.K. the card is given first before the cash… therefore we are in the habit of receiving the cash and then walking away-you would be amazed how many people take their cash and walk away leaving their card behind!

If you need to withdraw more than the daily cash amount allowed by ATMs, you will have to go to one of the major banks to do so. Most banks that have even light contact with tourists will, in all probability, have a member of staff who is able to speak English at a level to understand your request.

Getting your cash is a fairly straightforward process which requires you to show both your passport and your credit/debit card, and normally to fill in a simple form with your personal details. These are then checked by bank staff, and, assuming you have the available funds, your cash is then dispensed.

Internet banking is essentially exactly the same as if you were in the U.K. Simply look for an e-mail centre/shop (you won’t have to look far!) and log on as you would normally do.

Again, as per using your ATM card, be aware that others may be able to see you type in your password/security information, as well as see your account details as they are displayed on screen, so taking a little care to keep your details private is in order.

E-mail/internet charges are very cheap compared to U.K. rates. The current charge has remained unchanged for almost 5 years at 1 (one) baht per minute. However, in Bangkok and the other larger towns, the rate can be up to 4/5 baht per minute if you use the rather trendier Internet Café/shopping mall centres.

If you do need to exchange money or change Travellers’ cheques etc, do so only at registered money changing outlets, as changing your money anywhere else (many small shops, supermarkets etc will advertise this service) may well cost you an arm and a leg for service charges!

Try to keep some smaller denomination notes handy to pay for odds and ends. Paying for a 20 baht can of soft drink with a 1,000 baht note in a small local shop will not be appreciated!

Shops at a local level will almost certainly not have card swipe facilities, although some of the bigger stores in places like Bangkok, Pattaya, Hat Yai etc may have. Generally speaking though, shopping transactions tend to be cash only.

Travelling and Transport

Compared to the U.K., travelling around Thailand by train or bus is remarkably inexpensive. With a couple of deep breaths and a bit of bravery, it is also relatively easy… although initial impressions can make it look daunting. The chaos that is part and parcel of every train and/or bus station is actually misleading… the term “organized chaos” may be more appropriate, and booking a train or bus ticket is really just a simple matter of finding the correct booth!

In most stations, giving a member of staff the name of the place you wish to travel to is usually all that is needed to get you pointed in the right direction and to the correct booth.

If you are travelling by bus, the most luxurious option (and most expensive) will have only 3 large seats across the width of the bus – as opposed to the normal 4 smaller seats. All buses (except the cheapest wooden-seated 3rd class buses) will have reclining seats, air con. and toilet facilities. They will also provide a snack of some sort, as well as a bottle of water during your journey. If you are travelling at night, you get a blanket too!

Normally, at some point, the bus will stop for a short period (30 minutes or so) at a food stop, where a basic Thai-style meal will also be provided free of charge.

Many bus services travel through the night as well as day, giving you the option of a bit of “fly-by” sightseeing during the day, or sleeping (night buses). However, those of a nervous disposition may find the Thai “driving style” rather nerve racking, and may prefer the “sleeping” option, travelling by night when the roads are less busy-although it has to be said that accidents involving tourist buses are mercifully quite rare.

Taxis

You will almost certainly require a taxi from the airport to either the train station, bus station, or your hotel, and (similar to the U.K.) there are two kinds! There are the ‘Taxi-Meters’ – licensed cars with a “Taxi-Meter” sign on the roof and a meter which (by Law) they must use for every fare… and the “Taxi-cabs” which do not have meters, and often charge up to 3 or 4 times more than a metered taxi would charge! The law forbids Taxi-meters from soliciting customers, so these licensed cars tend to queue outside the airport or station etc in the taxi-rank, waiting for customers.

On the other hand, the cabs without meters have no such legal restrictions, and try very hard to solicit customers before they actually get to the taxi-rank holding the licensed taxi-meters! Due to the fact these cabs can’t park on the official taxi-ranks, they usually have to park a short distance away, and tend to be very successful with tourists that arriving in Thailand for the first time! My advice is simple… ALWAYS travel in a licensed and metered Taxi-meter!

If you are travelling by Taxi-Meter in Bangkok, your journey may involve travelling on one of Bangkok’s “Toll” roads. If your driver uses one of these, it is perfectly normal for him/her to ask you for the cost of the Toll (usually not more than 30/40 baht), as this would not be included in the metered fare. The cost of the Toll is displayed on large sign boards on the approach, and so can easily be checked.

All-in-all you will find Taxi-meters cheap to use and, depending on the time of day, very exciting! Driving in Thailand (and particularly Bangkok) can be akin to either an exciting fairground ride or a “Mad Max” race – whether you are in rush hour traffic or not! Those of a nervous disposition may wish to keep their eyes peeled to the floor rather than the road!

Trains

Where possible, travelling by train in Thailand can be a great alternative to travelling by bus. Ticket prices and journey times tend to be pretty similar, but the train is the better option by far for those who may find travelling by road just a little too “exciting”, and – if travelling by night – the option of a fold-out “sleeper seat” is available.

There are two alternatives when booking a sleeper seat – a lower bunk, where the seat converts into a bed… and an upper bunk which is latched to the carriage ceiling. The lower bunk has the advantage of the train window (providing both cooler air and a view), whilst the upper bunk has a small wall or ceiling mounted fan (which may, or may not, be in working condition!).

Both bunks will be prepared and laid out by a train attendant with clean sheets, a pillow and a blanket – usually around 8.00pm. The train also offers food and drinks (both non-alcoholic and alcoholic), and all-in-all, is considered the more comfortable and smoother option by most travellers. However, don’t forget to take into account the possible need of another journey when you get off the train, from the railway station to your ultimate destination.

Buying your rail ticket couldn’t be easier, as the main station in Bangkok has huge LED signs, in both English and Thai, showing destinations and platform numbers. Simply head for the booth which has your destination written above it. Each booth will have numerous destinations listed above its window, so tell the ticket clerk where you want to go… just to be on the safe side!

Even in rural rail stations, it is simply a matter of stating your destination and paying for your ticket. You will find most staff friendly and helpful. If you worry about getting on the wrong train, show your ticket to one of the rail staff, and they will point you in the right direction. Your ticket will show you both the carriage and the seat number.

Flying high!

Depending on your ultimate destination in Thailand (and of course your budget!) an internal flight may be yet another option open to you.

Flights are now available to, or close to, some of the more popular holiday destinations, and again, compared to U.K. prices, are relatively cheap. Certainly they are by far the quicker option, cutting, for example the 12 hour train journey from Bangkok to Suratthani down to less than one hour’s flying time!

Your travel agent should be able to organize these internal flights for you when you book your holiday. An added attraction to this option is that you may also have the choice of booking your luggage straight through from the U.K. to your final airport.

If you didn’t, or couldn’t, book an internal flight whilst booking your holiday, it is relatively painless to organize after you land in Bangkok. Simply make your way to the Domestic Terminal from the International part of the airport, and book/pay for your ticket. Staff at the International part of the airport will advise you on how to make your way over to the Domestic section.

Internal flights tend to be pretty regular these days, so there is usually only a short waiting time after booking until your flight.