Known as the Land of Smiles, Thailand captivates most visitors with its rich, colourful culture and soothing Buddhist traits and if you are planning your first visit to Thailand, get ready for a unique experience.
To help make your holiday in Thailand a memorable one, here are a few mistakes to avoid.
- Visa overstay – The Thai immigration department has recently cracked down on foreigners who overstay their visas; the fine is 500bt per day and a few days can be paid for at the airport. In the event, you are apprehended and your visa has expired, this could lead to imprisonment and deportation, with a ban of 5 years.
- Using ATMs to withdraw cash – There are heavy banking fees when you withdraw cash in foreign ATMs; some pay and think nothing of it, but a few dollars a time soon adds up. Bring US dollars or Euros and change at exchange booths and save money on ATM fees. Different banks have different charges and if you are planning to use credit cards, inform the provider that you are spending a few weeks in Thailand; otherwise, your card might be blocked for suspicious activity.
- Not visiting the waterparks – If you are your partner are heading to Phuket, don’t think that the water park in Thailand is exclusively for kids. Adults have a great time with the swim-up bars and the wave pool and you’ll meet like-minded couples who are chilling out in Phuket.
- No medical insurance – This could be a very expensive mistake; all it takes is an accident or illness and you are at the mercy of a foreign hospital. You only have to look at the GoFundMe pages where tourists are stuck in Thailand because they can’t pay their medical bills, to see the consequences of not having health insurance.
- Vaping laws – Strangely enough, vaping is illegal in Thailand, not because it is judged to be bad for your health, but rather the vaping device does not fit into any import category, therefore it is illegal to possess the device. Leave your vape pen at home to avoid airport detection and they are sold on the street markets, just don’t vape in public.
Thailand is one of the safest countries in the world and we hope that you will join the many people that return for a second visit.