INFORMATION > TRAVEL
Thailand (also Italianised Thailandia in Thai Prathet Thai), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (in Thai Ratcha Anachak Thai) is a country in Southeast Asia, bordering Laos and Cambodia to the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar (formerly Burma) to the west.
Thailand is also known as Siam which was the official name of the nation until 24 June 1939 and was also used from 1945 until 11 May 1949, when it finally took on its current name.
The word Thailand comes from thai, an adjective meaning “free” in the Thai language and sometimes used in Italian instead of thaiese. Since this word also gives its name to the Thai people, some inhabitants (especially the sizable Chinese minority) continue to use the name Siam.
THE COUNTRY PROFILE
Capital: BANGKOK
Population: 68.100.000
Area: 514.000 km2
Time zone: +6h compared to Italy; +5h when daylight saving time is in effect in Italy.
Languages: Thai and English, but the latter only in the capital Bangkok and major tourist resorts.
Religions: Buddhist, Muslim and Christian minorities.
Currency: Baht
Prefix for Italy: +39
Prefix from Italy: +66
Full country name: Kingdom of Thailand
Area: 514.000 kmXNUMX
ECONOMIC PROFILE
GDP: $524,8 billion
GDP per capita: $8.100
Annual growth rate: 6,1%
Inflation: 2,8%
Main sectors/products: tourism, computers, tobacco, textiles and clothing, integrated circuits, precious stones, jewelry, tin, tungsten, furniture, rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, cereals, soybeans, sugar cane, coconuts, bananas, pineapples, citrus fruits, cattle, buffalo, pigs, fish
Economic partners: USA, Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan
ITALIAN EMBASSY IN THAILAND
Embassy of Italy in BANGKOK
CRC Tower, CRC Tower, All Seasons Place
40th floor (Consular Office on the 27th floor)
87 Wireless Road
Lumphini, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330
Prefix from Italy 0066
Tel.(0)2 250 4970 Switchboard
Fax:(0)2 250 4988 Consular Office
Mobile active only for emergencies outside of service hours: 0066(0) 818256103
E-mail: ambasciata.bangkok@esteri.it
consolare.bangkok@esteri.it
Home page: www.ambbangkok.esteri.it
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED TO ENTER THE COUNTRY
Documentation required to enter the country
Passport: required for entry into the country, must be valid for at least 6 months upon arrival and have at least two blank pages remaining for visa application. Tourists are required by law to carry their original passport with them at all times. There have been cases of tourists being arrested for not having the document.
Travelling abroad by minors: please consult the Focus: “Before leaving/documents for travelling abroad by minors” on the home page of this site.
Entry visa: not required for tourism stays of up to thirty days. Upon arrival in Thailand by air, a stamp is placed on the passport that allows a stay in the country for 30 days. In the case of a land border crossing, this period is limited to 15 days. Longer-term tourist visas or other types of visa (study, work, etc.) must be requested from the Thai Embassy or Consulate in Italy. Overstaying is considered a crime and leads to arrest if the fine is not paid.
Currency formalities
There are no special formalities for reasonable quantities of currency.
Import bans and restrictions
The Thai authorities strictly enforce local customs regulations governing the import or introduction into the country of particular categories of goods. In particular, it is recommended to pay attention to the provisions concerning tobacco. In this regard, up to 200 cigarettes (or up to 250 grams of tobacco or a mixed quantity of the two items with a total weight not exceeding 250 grams) can be brought into Thailand duty-free. Exceeding this limit entails the payment of very onerous fees at the border crossing, which can lead to detention if not paid immediately.
It is also prohibited to bring into the country certain categories of goods such as pornographic material, counterfeit products and currency, protected animal species, etc.
Finally, for other goods, import and export are subject to restrictions, for example:
– firearms and ammunition: a special permit issued by the National Police is required;
– spare parts for vehicles: cannot be imported duty-free and require a permit from the Ministry of Industry;
– ancient objects and objects related to religion cannot be exported without a permit issued by the Department of National Museums (information tel. 0066 22261661).
It is strongly recommended that you obtain up-to-date information on the relevant regulations before you travel by consulting the website http://www.customs.go.th/Customs-Eng/indexEng.jsp. Please note that the Thai authorities impose severe penalties on those who do not comply with these regulations, which result in the imposition of large fines or detention.
Pets
Dogs and cats must have a health certificate in English, signed by the veterinarian of the country of origin, stating: age, breed, sex, color and species of the animal and also the name and address of the owner or breeder. Animals must be vaccinated at least 21 days before departure against: rabies, distemper, leptospirosis, hepatitis, parvovirus. It may happen that the animal is quarantined and subjected to medical tests, at the owner's expense. For further information, we recommend contacting the following office:
Department of Livestock Development Phayathai Road Bangkok 10400 Thailand Tel. 02(66) 6534-444, Fax: 02(66) 6534925
Health situation
Good overall. Local private healthcare facilities are excellent. Bangkok has high levels of air pollution.
The spread of AIDS is high. There are outbreaks of tropical diseases (e.g. malaria, Japanese encephalitis, sporadic cases of leprosy).
Degne fever is present in Thailand as in much of Southeast Asia.
In recent months, there has been a sharp increase in cases of Chikungunya fever in the southern provinces of Thailand. The virus is contracted following the bite of infected mosquitoes and manifests itself with symptoms similar to those of dengue fever (fever, bone and muscle pain, headache, tiredness, nausea and vomiting). It is therefore advisable to adopt preventive measures against mosquito bites during your stay in the country, indicated in the "FOCUS" "Health Safety - Preventive measures against diseases transmitted by mosquito bites" on the home page of this site.
Since January 2004, new outbreaks of avian influenza have appeared throughout Southeast Asia. Since the beginning of the disease, some cases of contagion from animals to humans have been reported. The situation is constantly monitored by the Thai health authorities, who adopt the appropriate control and prevention measures.
As a precaution, it is advisable to avoid places where poultry is raised, not to touch birds (live or dead) and to eat poultry meat and eggs only if well cooked.
WARNINGS
It is advisable to take out adequate health insurance before embarking on a trip (local health facilities are not free and private ones are very expensive) which includes, in addition to medical expenses, also the possible repatriation of the patient.
It is recommended during your stay to:
– do not consume food and/or drinks of dubious origin, drink only bottled water and soft drinks without the addition of ice unless in public establishments that provide hygiene guarantees;
– quench your thirst frequently, to prevent the inconveniences associated with dehydration phenomena which are frequent in tropical countries.