Thailand Travel Guide

Thai is the official language spoken across Thailand. However due to the reliance on tourism, many of the most popular tourist areas will have someone who knows some English.  Even taxi drivers and some locals will know a few words of basic English, but not much. It is recommended that you learn a few words in Thai – if anything, to show some respect to the locals and their culture. 

Being polite is important to the Thai culture. So learning how to say ‘Hello’ in Thai – which is “Sa-wa-dee-ka” (female speaking) and “Sa-wa-dee-krap” (male speaking) is valuable. Saying this while putting your palms together as if to pray, and bowing your head is a very traditional greeting in Thailand. 

You will need to have a valid passport to enter Thailand. However, depending on your country of residence, you may not need a visa. For example, US citizens do not need visas for Thailand if they are tourists for less than 30 days. When you enter the country, you will be able to get a visa at arrival at immigration. 

Thailand uses the Thai Baht as their form of currency. This is primarily paper bills, with a few coins as well. We recommend you bring some baht with you when you travel to Thailand. But you can get additional Baht when you are there either by exchanging currency (higher rates) or by using your ATM card to withdraw money from your home account. Just make sure you have checked with your bank that your card will work, and that you put a travel notification on your account. 

Thailand is a tropical country and stays warm year round. The main city of Bangkok is quite hot for much of the year, and can be quite humid. The southern islands are also quite hot and tropical climate. The northern region near Chiang Mai, and the mountains in that area can be mild in the winter. Possibly needing a sweater in the evening, but no snow or anything like that.