To help you prepare for your trip to Thailand, we’ve put together this page with all the practical information you’ll need. All you have to do is let yourself be guided and enjoy your stay…
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date.
The passport is valid for 10 years for an adult and 5 years for a child, and must be renewed at your local town hall.
We advise you to scan and photocopy this document, keeping one copy for yourself and one for our office, to facilitate administrative procedures in the event of loss or forgetfulness in Thailand.
Visas
French nationals do not need a visa for stays of less than 30 days.
If you wish to extend your stay beyond 30 days, please go to this address beforehand to obtain a 60-day tourist visa:
Royal Thai Embassy
8 rue Greuze
75116 PARIS
Tel. : 01 56 26 50 50
www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/
Insurance
Check that your travel insurance covers medical expenses, including repatriation, as well as loss of luggage and money.
Keep all receipts for your expenses, and report loss or theft to the tourist police, requesting a signed declaration from your insurance company.
What documents should you bring with you ?
- One passport per passenger (including children)
- Invoices for your valuables (camera, tablet, etc.).
- Electronic airline ticket or proof of reservation.
- International vaccination record, if required.
- Prescriptions (in English), if taking medication.
- A French or international driving license if you wish to drive. This is free of charge and can be requested from the Préfecture.
- A copy of your official documents (passport, permit).
- Your insurance certificates
What we recommend you take with you
Thailand is a modern country, where you can buy everything you need, often at attractive prices. Most cities have shopping malls or department stores.
The heat is almost permanent, so jackets and sweaters are unnecessary. As for coats, ties and other dressy clothes, they’ll just get in the way, unless you intend to frequent Bangkok’s very chic restaurants.
Lightweight cotton or natural-fiber clothing is preferable to synthetic fibers.
Take only the essentials with you, and expand your wardrobe on the spot: you’ll find a wide selection of top-quality clothing.
However, don’t forget comfortable shoes and easy-to-remove sandals to visit the temples, as you’ll be required to enter barefoot.
Credit Card
Visa and MasterCard are accepted at most ATMs, subject to a commission. To avoid any unforeseen events, we recommend that you take the following steps before leaving for Thailand:
Tell your banker about your trip, so that he doesn’t suspect fraudulent activity on your bank card.
If possible, use two means of payment (Visa and MasterCard).
Check the validity date of your credit card.
If you’ve just acquired a new bank card, remember to activate it at an ATM in France before you leave. Check the authorized limit for your withdrawals and payments.
Write down all the information you need to stop payment if your card is lost or stolen: your bank’s emergency number, the 16 numbers on your bank card and its expiry date.
Currencies
The local currency is the Thai baht (THB). Au 2ième trimestre 2023, 1 € = 37.50 THB.
You can withdraw cash from an ATM, or go directly to an exchange office with your passport (both are available either at the airport or in the city center).
We advise you to carry a minimum amount of cash with you at all times, as the more modest or rural restaurants and stores do not have credit card terminals.
Vaccinations
To date, no vaccine has been compulsory for travel to Thailand, all travelers can freely travel to Thailand without any COVID restrictions.
However, certain vaccines against universal diseases are recommended:
- Diphtheria – Tetanus – Polio (DTP)
- Hepatitis A and B
- Typhoid
Don’t forget to take your international vaccination booklet (yellow booklet), which may be useful in the event of an accident (to check your tetanus vaccination, for example).
Please note that some vaccinations require booster doses. It’s best to plan ahead and start checking with your GP at least six weeks before your departure date.
If you return from a country at risk of yellow fever (particularly in Africa) within six days of your departure, you will be asked for proof of vaccination.
Standards are constantly changing, so check the Institut Pasteur website for the latest health recommendations for travel to Thailand: www.pasteur.fr/fr/map
Medications
Make sure you’re in good health. If you are taking a regular treatment, don’t forget your prescription (with the name of the active ingredient). Carry your medicines in their original packaging. We advise you to enclose a letter from your doctor stating your state of health and the equipment you need (medication, needles and syringes), if possible in English. Which will justify the transport of certain medicinal substances in the event of a customs check. Don’t hesitate to have important medical information, such as allergies, medical history or specific medical follow-up, transcribed into English.
If you have any cardiovascular problems, take a copy of your latest electrocardiogram. (ECG)
If you are taking a regular treatment, take twice as much as you need.
In Thailand, many medicines are sold over the counter, but it can be difficult to find the precise drug you’re taking. Please note that some molecules are strictly forbidden in Thailand, while others require import authorization. Consult the embassy’s website to find out about all the procedures involved in transporting specific treatments: www.thaiembassy.fr/fr/visa/informations-generales/medicaments-interdits-en-thailande/
You can also report your trip to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country. In France, registering on the ARIANE website (https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fildariane) will enable you to receive safety recommendations by e-mail or SMS, and to be contacted in the event of a crisis in the country.
Malaria
Thailand is classified in zone 3, but only for its border areas with Burma and Cambodia. Outside these areas, and especially in urban centers such as Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai, the risk of malaria is low and no preventive treatment is necessary.
On the other hand, we advise you to protect yourself from mosquito bites, using repellents and appropriate clothing, to guard against diseases such as Dengue fever and Chikungunya.
Flying
Check-in on departure and return.
Use your reservation number to check that your flight has not been modified (schedule change, cancellation, etc.). The company usually sends you an e-mail to let you know, but this can quickly end up in your spam folder.
Please arrive at the airport at least three hours before your departure time. Crowds and security checks can extend your check-in time! Likewise, plan ahead for airport transfers, and allow time for traffic jams, cab strikes or accidents.
You can register in two ways:
- On the Internet, in the thirty hours before your flight, print out your boarding pass. You’ll be able to choose your seat on the plane (with possible additional costs depending on positioning), your meal (vegetarian, diabetic), and additional options.
- At the airport check-in counter: on the day of departure, take your passport to the check-in counter of the corresponding flight to print out your boarding pass.
Baggages
All baggage must be tagged before being checked in. If you don’t have your own stand, you can request one free of charge from the company’s check-in desk. On your outward journey, we advise you to enter the contact details of your first hotel, or of our agency in Phuket, so that we can pass them on to you quickly in the event of delays.
Each airline has its own standards. The number of baggage items in the cabin depends on the seat category selected (business or economy). The maximum size for cabin baggage is 55 x 40 x 20 cm.
Similarly, always remember to check the weight allowed in the hold and in the cabin, which generally varies between 23 and 30 kg in the hold, and between 7 and 10 kg in the cabin. Please note that in the event of excess weight, additional charges may apply.
Safety standards are very strict, particularly for cabin baggage, which must not contain sharp or flammable objects. Liquids can only be transported if they have a capacity of less than 100 ml and are carried in a transparent bag (supplied at security checkpoint).
Arriving in Thailand
Your arrival at the international airport will be as simple as can be:
Immigration forms will be distributed to you by the flight attendants on the plane (blue form). Fill it in carefully and keep it until you pass through customs, where you will be asked to fill in a voucher. The remaining part must be kept until the return flight. It is imperative that you do not misplace this part, which is necessary for your departure from Thailand.
Your first step off the plane will be immigration. Present your passport to the officer so that he can verify your identity. They’ll then ask you to look at a webcam to take your picture. Once the check is complete, your passport will be stamped and returned to you.
Then proceed to the baggage claim area to collect your hold baggage. The belt number is indicated on the notice board, and depends on your arrival flight number.
If by some misfortune, one of your baggage items goes missing, don’t leave the airport without reporting it to the Baggage Claim Department, located in the baggage reclaim hall. This will enable you to report your missing baggage and collect a complaint. You can also give them your contact details, as well as those of the hotel (or agency), so that they can transfer your belongings to you on receipt.
That’s it! You’ve finally arrived in Thailand! Head for the exit, where we’ll be waiting with a sign bearing your name at the rendezvous point notified in our information e-mail.
In the unlikely event that you get lost, don’t panic, we’re here, you’ve got the phone number of our agency and your guide! Don’t try to reach the hotel on your own, just wait a few moments for us to come and meet you at the meeting point.