Getting Along in Thailand Thailand is justly celebrated for is tolerance and hospitality, and the average tourist will have no difficulty in adjusting to the local customs. All the same, as when coming into any unfamiliar society, a visitor may find it helpful to be aware of certain do's and don'ts and thus avoid giving accidental offense. Basically, most of these are simply a matter of common sense and good manners not really all that difference from the way onewould behave in one's own country-but a few are special enough to be pointed out.

Religion
Thai law has a number of special sections concerning religious offenses, andthese cover not only Buddhism, the religion of the majority of the people, but also an other Faiths represented in the Kingdom. It is, for instance unlawful to commit any act, by any means whatever, to an object of a place of religious worship of any community in a manner likely to insult the religion. Similarly, " Whoever causes any disturbance at an assembly lawfully engaged in the performance of religious worship of religious ceremonies" is subject to punishment, as well as "Whoever dresses of uses a symbol showing that he is a priest or novice, holyman or clergyman of any religion unlawfully "

In less legal language, here are a few tips on what to do and what not to do on a visit to a religious place:
     - Dress neatly. Don't go shirtless, or in shorts, pants, or other unsuitable attire. If you look at the Thais around you, you'll see the way they would prefer you to be dressed which, in fact, is probably not very different from the way you'd dress in a similar place back home.
     - It's all right to wear shoes while walking around the compound of a Buddhist temple, but not inside the chapel where the principal Buddha image is kept. Don't worry dirt when you have to take them off; the floors of such places are usually clean.
     - In a Muslim mosque, men should wear hats and women should be well-covered with slacks or long skirt, a longsleeved blouse buttoned to the neck, and a scarf over the hair. All should remove their shoes before entering the mosque and should not be present if there is a religious gathering.
     - Budddhist priests are forbidden to touch or to be touched by a woman or to accept anything from the hand of one. If a woman has to give anyhing to a monk or novice, she first hands it to a man, who then presents it. Or in case of a woman who wants to present it whit her hand, the monk or novice will spread out a piece of saffron robe or handkerchief infront of him, and the woman will lay down the material on the robe which is being held at one end by the monk or novice.
     - All Buddha images, large orsmall, ruined or not, are regarded as sacred objects. Hence, don't climb up on one to take a photograph or, generally speaking, do anything that might show a lack of respect.

     1. Visitors are advised to use only the Authorized Transportation Service for transfering from the airport to the city and other areas. Please contact Service Counter located within the imcoming passengers area behind the customs
     2. Those whe need help on accommodations please consult the Thai Hotel Association counter located within the imcoming passenger lounges.

3. Beware of unauthorized people who offer their service as quides. contact any reliable travel agent for a guide or Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) counters for all Tourist information    4. Visitors are advised to use the hotel taxi service at their hotel if they do not know their way around or cannot speak local language.    5. Observe all normal precautions as regards to personal safety, as well as the safety of your belongings. Walking alone on quiet streets or deserted areas is not recommended. Be sure that all your valuables-money, jewelry, airline tickets, ect. - are properly protected from loss.

     6. Travel information is obtainable at the Tourism Authority of Thailand counters located within the imcoming passenger lounges; at the terminal 1 Tel: 5238972-3, at the terminal 2 Tel: 5352669, at the main office on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue; Tel: 2829775-6 and at the temporary office onBumrung Muang Rd.; Tel: 2260075-6 during working hours.
     7. Visitors needing assistance relating to dafety security, unethical of other matters please call Tourist Assistance Center immediatedly at these telephone numbers : 2815051, 2828129 or contact Tourist Police Tel. 2552964-8 or 1155
     8. Penalties for drugs offences very severe in Thailand, DO NOT get yourself involved with drugs

Save Wildlife, Save Thailand
     Many wildlife species are becoming extinct, all wiped out by man's insatiable greed. The sad trend will continue unabated unless every effort is made to check or reverse the process. We must together put a stop to all the harmful practices and cruelties. the time to do so is right now. The only place where wild animals belong is their natural habitation. Thailand's magnificent forests and clear blue seas. Will zoos and aquariums be the only place your children can go to watch the few creatures that are left but were once unique and roamed free in this area?

Join us now. Help protect life in all its forms. Keep the environment clean. Styrofoam, plastics and other synthetics thrown into the sea or discarded in the forest are harmful or even deadly to animals. When styrofoam is eaten by turtles, e.g., its buoyancy keeps them from diving and they starve to death. Do not support all manners of wild animals abuseas pathetic pets, trinkets or so called intricacies. Never buy and keep wild animals as pets in which condition they are never mean to be. Never purchase any product or souvenir made from wild animals including reptiles like crocodile, snake, monitor lizard, and long monitor and also turtle shell, tusk, etc.     Avoid patronizing local restaurants and joints that specialize in or sever wild animal intricacies, it is against the law to slaughter wildlife for food in Thailand especially many endangered species. Take no part in it. Help us save them by reporting these illegal activities to the Wildlife conservation Div.; Tel. 579-1565 or the Forest Protection Div.; Tel. 561-4843, Royal Forest Department

    A great variety of souvenirs made from local products are available at fair prices in Thailand. For those who haven't got very much time and don't want to bother bargaining, they are available at fixed prices inseveral department stores while a bargain can be made at small shops or withstreet vendors. Some of the preferred items include silk products, leather products, silverware, ceramics, and wood products carved mostly out of soft woods. Another favorite one is jewelry for with Thailand is renowned for craftsmanship and relatively low prices. In a bid to provide impressive shopping experience for tourists, especially in purchasing jewelry, here are some useful advices.

- Disregard all stranger's offers of free assistance or services, especially in purchasing jewelry, of you might find out later that you have made your purchases at relatively much higher prices than what it should be now that the shopowners will have to pay a 10-30% commission to the jewelry prices.      - Make your purchases just to satisfy yourself, your relatives or friends. Do not expect to gain Profit from the goods now that jewelry prices change in accordance with times and places of purchases. The jewelry prices vary owing to its different values and popularity      - Compare and negotiate the prices of jewelry of the same types and sizes in several different shops before making a decision to buy so as to be assured of possessing the goods at fair and reasonable prices.      - Please be informed that any claim made by the shopowner that the purchases could be refunded at That embassies, consulates, or other government agencies abroad is not ture nor practical.

     -   Make sure that all documents such as receipt, quality certificate, and you customer slip (if paid by credit card) contain all negotiated data, be it the prices in Thai embassies, consulted, or other government agencies abroad is not true nor practical.
     -   In general practice for jewelry trade in Thailand, all purchased goods cannot be returned. However, in case of a possible refund, 25-30% of sold prices will be de-ducted as a cost of damage. Some reputable companies will take back jewelry form a full refund, although usually some time limit, such as 30 days, is placed upon that return privilege.

     The don't of Thai social behavior are less clearly defined than these concerning the monarchy or religion, especially in a city like Bangkok where Western customs are better known and more widely accepted. However, what is acceptable in Bangkok may not be in the countryside where the old ways are still strong. Here, there are a few things to keep in mind:
     -   Thais DO NOT normally shake hands when they greet one another, but insteadpress the Palms together in a prayerlike gesture called a wai. Generally, a younger person wais an elder, who returns it. Watch how the Thais do it, and you will soon learn.
     -   It is considered rude to point your foot at a person, so try to avoid doing so when sitting opposite anyone, and following the conception that the foot is a low limb; DO NOT point your foot to show anything to anyone, but use your finger instead.
     -   Thais regard the head as the highest part of the body both literally and figuratively. As a result, they DO NOT approve of touching anyone on that part of the body, even in a friendly gesture. Similarly, if you watch Thai at a social gathering, you will notice that young people go to considerable lengths to keep their heads lower than those of the elder ones, to avoid giving the impression of "looking down" on them. This is not always possible, of course, but it is the effort the counts.
     -   Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon. You may see some very Westernized young Thai couples holding hands, but that is the extent of the displaying of affection in this polite society.
     -   Losing your temper, especially in public, will more than likely get you nowhere, The Thais think such displays denote poor manners, and you are more apt to get what you want by keeping a cool head and concealing your emotions.
     -   DO NOT be surprised if you are addressed by your first name; for instance, Mr. Bob of Miss Mary-instead of by you surname. This id because Thais refer to one another in this manner, usually whith the title "Khun" (Mr., Mrs., or Miss) in front. Follow the customs of the country as far as possible, and you'll make more friends during your stay. The more friends you make, the more you will want to return to Thailand.

Precautions
     Although Thailand is in no way a dangerous country to visit, it's wise to be a little cautious, particularly if you're travelling alone. Solo women travellers should take special care on arrival at Bangkok international airport, particularly at night. Don't take one of Bangkok's often very unofficial taxis (black-and-white licence tags) by yourself - better a licensed taxi (yellow-and-black tags) or even the public bus. Both men and women should ensure their rooms are securely locked and bolted at night. Inspect cheap rooms

     Take caution when leaving valuables in hotel safes. Many travellers have reported unpleasant experiences with leaving valuables in Chiang Mai guesthouses while trekking. Make sure you obtain an iteniised receipt for property left with hotels or guesthouses - note the exact quantity of travellers cheques and all other valuables.

     In general Thai police don't hassle foreigners, especially tourists. If anything they generally go out of their way not to arrest a foreigner breaking minor traffic laws,

      One major exception is drug laws, which most Thai police view as either a social scourge with regard to which it's their duty to enforce the letter of the law, or an opportunity to make untaxed income via bribes. Which direction they'll go often depends on dope quantities; small-time offenders are sometimes offered the chance to pay their way out of an arrest, while traffickers usually

      A strong anti-littering law was passed in Bangkok in 1997 and there were rumours that foreigners were being singled out for enforcement. 1 have received no first-hand accounts of such cases, so can only note that these remain unconfirmed reports. However it won't hurt to be extra vigilant about where you dispose Bangkok.

      If you are arrested for any offence, the police will allow you the opportunity to make a phone call to your embassy or consulate in Thailand if you have one, or to a friend or relative if not. There's a whole set of legal codes governing the length of time and manner in which you can be detained before being charged or put on trial, but a lot of discretion is left up to the police. With foreigners the police are more likely to bend these codes in your favour. However, as with police worldwide, if you don't show

      Thai law does not presume an indicted detainee to be either 'guilty' or 'innocent' but rather a 'suspect' whose guilt or innocence will be decided in court. Trials are usually speedy. Thailand has its share of attorneys, and if you think you're a high arrest risk for whatever reason, it might be a good idea to get out the Bangkok yellow pages, copy down a few phone numbers and carry them with you.

Tourist Police Hotline
      The best way to deal with most serious hassles regarding ripoffs or thefts is to contact the Tourist Police, who are used to dealing with foreigners, rather than the regular Thai police. The Tourist Police maintain a hotline - dial 1155 from any phone in Thailand, and ask for extension 1. The
      Tourist Police can also be very helpful in cases of arrest. Although they typically have no jurisdiction over the kinds of cases handled by regular cops, they may be able to help with translation or with contacting your embassy.

     Bring as little as possible - one medium-sized shoulder bag, duffel bag or backpack should do. Pack lightweight clothes, unless you're going to be in the North in the cool season, in which case you should have a pullover. Natural fibres can be cool and comfortable, except when they get soaked with sweat or rain, in which case they quickly become heavy and block air flow. Some of the lightweight synthetics breathe better than natural fibres, draw sweat away rather than holding it in, and may be more suitable for the beach or mid-rainy season.

Sunglasses are a must for most people and can be bought cheaply in Bangkok and most provincial capitals. Slip-on shoes or sandles are highly recommended - besides being cooler than lace-up shoes, they are easily removed before entering a Thai home or temple. A small torch (flashlight) is a good idea, as it makes it easier to find your way back to your bungalow at night if you are staying at the beach or at a remote guest-house. A few other handy things include a compass, a plastic lighter for lighting candles and mosquito coils (lighters, candles and 'mossie' coils are available in Thailand) and foam ear plugs for noisy nights.     Toothpaste, soap and most other toiletries can be purchased anywhere in Thailand. Sun block and mosquito repellent (except high-percentage DEET) are available, although they can be expensive and the quality of both is generally substandard. If you plan to wash your own clothes, bring along a universal sink plug, a few plastic clothes pegs and three metres of plastic coed or plastic hangers for hanging wet clothes out to dry.

     If you plan to spend a great deal of time in one or more of Thailand's beach areas, you might want to bring your own snorkel and mask. This would save you having to rent such gear and would also assure a proper fit. Shoes designed for water sports, eg Aquasocks, are great for wearing in the water wheater you're diving or not. They protect your feet from coral cuts, which easily become infected.