Thailand Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

South-East Asia.

Language

Thai is the official language. English is widely spoken, especially in establishments catering for tourists.

Area

513,115 sq km (198,115 sq miles).

Time Zone

GMT + 7.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are standard.

Population

65 million (2007).

Population Density

126.7 per sq km.

Capital City

Bangkok. Population: 9.4 million, including Thon Buri (UN estimate 2005).

Government

Constitutional monarchy.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva since 2008.

Head of State

HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) since 1946.

Religion

The vast majority adhere to Buddhism (Theravada form), 5% are Muslim and there are Christian and Hindu minorities.

Recent History

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the opposition party, replaced Somchai Wongsawat in December 2008, who was forced to resign earlier that month. He is the country's fifth leader in just over two years.

Thailand's recent past has been something of an economic boom and bust, with an unstable government, unrest in the Muslim south and the effects of the December 2004 tsunami disaster.

After a quarter of a century of military rule, civilian government was restored to Thailand following student riots in Bangkok, but this was to last only three years before the military took over again in 1976.

Thailand returned to a civilian government again in 1983, but eight years later another military coup took place. This time, though, a civilian prime minister was instated, and despite various government collapses and allegations of corruption in high places, parliamentary democracy prevailed until September 2006 when there was a peaceful military coup and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was forced to stand down. In December 2007 Samak Sundaravej's People Power Party (PPP) won 228 seats in the 480-seat house.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +66.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. There is good coverage, especially around main towns.

Internet

There are plenty of Internet cafés, some even found in remote areas visited by tourists.

Media

While the government and military control nearly all the national terrestrial TV networks and operate many of Thailand's radio networks, the print media is largely privately run.

Post

Airmail to Europe takes up to one week.The General Post Office in Bangkok (on Charoen Krung Road) is open Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat-Sun and holidays 0800-1300. Post offices up-country are open Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0900-1200.

Press

• Many daily and weekly Thai newspapers are available, including Thairath. The English-language dailies are Bangkok Post and The Nation.

Radio

• Radio Thailand and MCOT are operated by government agencies, while Army Radio is controlled by the Royal Thai Army.
• There are more than 60 stations in and around the capital.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
5 Dec HM The King’s Birthday
10 Dec Constitution Day
31 Dec New Year’s Eve

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
18 Feb * Magha Bucha Day
6 Apr Chakri Day
13 Apr Songkran (Thai New Year)
1 May Labor Day
5 May Coronation Day
17 May ** Visakha Bucha
1 Jul **Mid Year Bank Holiday
27 Jul *Khao Phansa Day (Buddhist Lent)
12 Aug HM The Queen’s Birthday
23 Oct Chulalongkorn Day
5 Dec HM The King’s Birthday
10 Dec Constitution Day
31 Dec New Year’s Eve

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
3 Feb *Magha Bucha Day
6 Apr Chakri Day
13 Apr Songkran (Thai New Year)
1 May Labor Day
5 May Coronation Day
4 Jun Visakha Bucha
1 Jul Mid Year Bank Holiday
8 Jul *Khao Phansa Day (Buddhist Lent)
12 Aug HM The Queen’s Birthday
23 Oct Chulalongkorn Day
5 Dec HM The King’s Birthday
10 Dec Constitution Day
31 Dec New Year’s Eve
* The religious festivals are determined by the Buddhist lunar calendar and therefore are difficult to predict. The dates provided here are estimates.
** Date to be confirmed.

Contact Information

Royal Thai Embassy in the UK

29-30 Queens Gate, London SW7 5JB, UK
Tel: (020) 7589 2944.
Website: www.thaiembassyuk.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1230 (consular section); Mon-Fri 1400-1700 (telephone enquiries).

Tourism Authority of Thailand in the UK

First Floor, 17-19 Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, London SW1Y 5BL, UK
Tel: 0870 900 2007.
Website: www.tourismthailand.co.uk

Royal Thai Embassy in the USA

1024 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Tel: (202) 944 3600.
Website: www.thaiembdc.org

Tourism Authority of Thailand in the USA

61 Broadway, Suite 2810, New York, NY 10006, USA
Tel: (212) 432 0433.
Website: www.tourismthailand.org