What To Bring To Issan Esarn - The Real Thailand

Not too much- the weather in Thailand is mostly hot - see our climate page.
You may need a jumper or light jacket for air-conditioned buses which can sometimes be a little chilly. Bring a pair of long trousers for any potential visits to temples.

Lightweight cotton clothes are best in the humid climate. You can buy most things in Thailand and prices are lower than at home. Large-size clothing, particularly shoes can sometimes be difficult to find.
You'll see that a lot of Thai ladies have rather small, delicate feet!
 

Passports and Visas

Thailand does try to make things easy for visitors.
Most foreign passport holders are issued on arrival with a stamp granting a 30-day stay, without the need to apply for a visa in advance.
This is the case for British passport holders.

A few nationalities though must obtain a visa in advance of arrival so check first with your nearest Thai Embassy or Consulate.

If you plan to stay longer than 30 days then you will need to apply for a tourist visa before coming to Thailand.

You must ensure your passport has at least 6 months before expiry, calculated from your date of entry to Thailand.
Without proof of a return ticket and sufficient funds for the projected stay any visitor can in theory be denied entry.

In practice this is not often checked - as long as you don't do anything to upset the immigration officials!

Flights

The Thai government's loose restrictions on air fares and the level of competition between airlines and travel agencies means that you can sometimes find really cheap flights to Thailand.

Fares fluctuate and the price varies quite a bit depending on the airline, and of course when in the year you intend to travel.

For the best deals book your flight early. Contact us and we'll gladly offer advice on who we recommend for the best deals and also the best service.
 

Telephones

The telephone system is efficient: the country code for Thailand is +66. The internet is rapidly growing in popularity all over the country and internet cafes can be found nearly everywhere, most Thai ladies will be able to show you the location of the nearest cafe.

Mobile phones from home can be used, but remember you will be charged for both incoming and outgoing calls if you are using the international roaming service option.

Often it's cheaper to buy a Thai SIM card here and use it for both local calls and international calls.

 

Currency

The local currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht, which comes in denominations of 20 (green) 50 (blue), 100 (red), 500 (purple) and 1000 (grey). The larger the denomination the larger the note. Numerals are printed in Arabic numerals as well as Thai. Coins include denominations of 10, 5 and 1 baht.

All paper denominations bear the image of HM King Bhumibol and should be handled with respect. All major currencies can be exchanged in most places and travellers cheques get a slightly better rate.

Visa and Mastercard holders can get cash advances from many banks, and ATMs accepting debit and credit cards are widely available. Click here to check the latest exchange rates for the Thai Baht.

Tipping is not normally expected, though naturally appreciated.

To check currency exchange rates click here

 Time Difference & Opening Hours

Thailand is 7 hours ahead of GMT and 6 hours ahead of British Summer Time.

Public offices work a five-day week, Monday to Friday. Most shops are open at least six days a week from 8am to 8pm. Department stores are open later.

Medical Care

Hospitals and clinics can be found all over Thailand and there is generally quite a good level of health care.

We would strongly suggest that you ensure you have some form of medical health insurance - better safe than sorry!

Water and Food

Drinking tap water is a no-no in Thailand, drink only bottled water. Ice is produced from purified water under hygienic conditions. Water offered to you in homes or restaurants is safe to drink.

Foreign food is available – we have the fast food restaurants of KFC and Pizza Hut here in Udon Thani to name but two.

Needless to say, there are many Thai restaurants locally. Thai food has many distinctive flavours: curry, fish, meat, coconut, chilli, a whole host of vegetables - all freshly cooked to your own order. See the food page for more about tempting Thai food.

Regarding food safety: use common sense. Restaurants that are busy and frequented by locals are sure to be serving good food. We will be only too pleased to suggest the best places for you to eat here.

Foreign food and Thai food are both considerably cheaper than you would expect to pay at home.