According to politicsezine, Thailand (Thai: ประเทศไทย) is a country in Asia bordering Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Malaysia. The capital of Thailand is Bangkok. A number of major cities in Thailand are: Phuket, Pattaya, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and Pattani. There are many islands around the mainland, of which Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Chang are the largest.
Thailand is known as a holiday destination because of its beautiful nature and beaches. The landscape is hilly with several mountain areas, tropical rainforests and a wide coastline. The coastline consists of white sandy beaches with clear blue water where you can practice water sports such as diving, snorkeling and sailing. The highest point in Thailand is the Doi Inthanon with an altitude of 2590 meters. Further inland you will find caves, waterfalls and many vast rice fields. Thai cuisine is known for its many rice and fish dishes. The population mostly lives from tourism and agriculture. In 2004, a tsunami ended the lives of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. See sportsqna for tips for the first time in Thailand.
Where is Thailand located?
Travel information of Thailand
Official name: Kingdom of Thailand
Continent: Asia
Area: 513,115 km²
Capital city: Bangkok
Country code: TH, THA
Population: 68,977,400 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary monarchy (Kingdom)
Highest point: 2,565 m (Doi Inthanon)
Distance (Amsterdam – Bangkok): 9,185 km
Flight time: approximately 10 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to certain areas in Thailand is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow, orange and red. Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice
is in effect for Thailand.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Thailand that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Thailand, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Thailand. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Thailand?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Thailand at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Thailand has a tropical climate. Temperatures are around 20 to 35 degrees all year round.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Thailand can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Thailand can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, November and December are the best months to travel to Northern Thailand.
January, February, March, April, November and December are the best months to travel to Central Thailand.
January, February, March and December are the best months to travel to southern Thailand.
This avoids the hot summer period with a lot of precipitation.
Language
Thai is the official language in Thailand. In addition, there are several local languages.
Would you like to translate from or into Thai for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon departure from Thailand.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Thailand for less than 45 days.
Business travelers must apply for a visa.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Thailand: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Thailand: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Thai Embassy in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Thai consulate in the Netherlands: royalthaiconsulate-amsterdam.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Vaccination against yellow fever is mandatory for Thailand if you have visited a yellow fever country in the seven days before you visit Thailand. In addition, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria Malaria
occurs in Thailand (with the exception of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui and Pattaya). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Thailand, payment is made with the Thai baht (THB).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Thailand can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Thailand are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -39% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (73% cheaper), food (13% cheaper), imported beer in catering (23% cheaper), cigarettes (57% cheaper) and public transport (80% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Thailand it is customary to tip, especially in tourist areas. If this has not already been included in the bill, it is customary to tip approximately 10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 5 hours later in Thailand.
During our winter time it is 6 hours later in Thailand.
Thailand has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone of Thailand can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Thailand you must drive on the left.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Thailand, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Thailand.
Electricity In Thailand you may need a travel plug
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Thailand can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 911
– Fire Department: 911
– Ambulance: 911
– Tourist Police: 1155
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Thailand can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Thailand can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Thailand end in.th.
Thailand’s official website: tourismthailand.org.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Thailand is 0066 or +66.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Thailand? Then use the Dutch country code 00131.
(If you use a country code, you must leave out the first 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Thailand.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Thailand.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Thailand.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Thailand can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Thailand, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travel reports
Are you looking for a travel report (travel story) about Thailand?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Thailand. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Thailand can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Thailand can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Thailand? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the import of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported to Thailand.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you intend to do business in or do business with Thailand, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Thailand, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Thailand? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Thailand.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 20.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places and on popular beaches.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Thailand bore the name ‘Siam’ until 1939?
…More than 200 species of insects are eaten in Thailand?
…In Thailand, the second Saturday of January is Children’s Day?
…In Thailand the hairdressers are closed on Wednesdays?
…The name Siamese twins originated in Thailand?
…10% of all animal species worldwide occur in Thailand?
