A guide to Thailand: Dos and don'ts

At the Match 

Access to the stadium can be slow. There will be body searches at the entrance to the stadium and then ticket checks at the entrance to the stand. To avoid a last-minute bottleneck, please try to get to the stadium early.

Security at the stadium will be strict and uncompromising - refrain from antagonising the police even if you believe you are in the right.

The temperature will be very hot and this is an old stadium with no roof which means you will be exposed to the sun.

No bottles and cans are allowed to be brought into the ground. Drinking alcohol inside the stadium is prohibited. Stadium security will not allow entry to anyone they consider to have been drinking heavily.

Flags and banners but without poles are allowed subject to message, language and content.

Smoking is allowed.

Tips 

Tap water is not safe to drink. Bottled water is readily available and cheap.

As in any other city beware of pickpockets and bag snatchers in busy areas and when using public transport. Only carry what you need, leave spare cash and valuables in hotel safety deposits.

Avoid carrying cash, passports and credit cards all together. Keeping sums of cash separated while travelling will minimise the impact if your wallet is stolen.

Sentences for criminal offences will vary in Thailand compared to those in the UK. What may be considered a minor offence in the UK may carry a far greater penalty in Thailand, particularly anything related to narcotics.

Passports, visas and health insurance

British passport holders arriving by air can enter Thailand for 30 days without a visa. If you arrive overland you will be allowed entry for 15 days, again without a visa. If you overstay you will be liable to a fine and deportation at your own expense.

Your passport should have a minimum of six months validity from the date of arrival in Thailand. You may be refused entry if your passport is damaged or has pages missing.

Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is not valid in Thailand, so adequate travel/health insurance is essential. Private medical care in Thailand is expensive, and an insurance policy which includes medical repatriation is recommended. Ensure you declare any pre-existing medical conditions and read the small print carefully.

All non-Thai nationals are required to be in possession of their passport at all times; however, carrying a photocopy is acceptable. The copy should include both the data (photo) page and the page showing your entry stamp. Keep your passport in a secure location, such as a hotel safe.

If you lose your passport or have it stolen, you should report the loss to the local police as soon as possible and obtain a report or confirmation of loss from the police. The British Embassy can provide you with an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) and advise how to arrange your exit visa so that you can leave Thailand and return home. The current cost of an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) is £95.00 (payable in local currency).

Key transport tips, embassy location and opening times

Bangkok has a BTS Sky Train System with two lines that cover much of central Bangkok. There is also an underground, the MRT, which also covers central Bangkok. Both are cheap and air conditioned. The BTS system operates between 6pm and 12pm local time daily. For more information, click here.http://www.bangkok.com/bts/ (this link includes a link to information about the MRT system)

Taxis are readily available in Bangkok and are a cheap way of getting around town if the traffic is moving. Ensure the driver uses the meter and be clear about where you wish to go. (This would be a good way to travel to the Stadium).

The nearest Sky Train (BTS) station to the British Embassy Bangkok is Ploenchit (E2) on the Sukhumvit line. The embassy can be located at 14 Wireless Road, Lumpini Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 and contacted by calling telephone number: +66 (0) 2305-8333. The embassy email address is consularenquiriesbangkok@fco.gov.uk.

From the station, follow the signs for 'Wave Place & Home Pro Plus', take the escalator to the ground floor, turn right and exit the doors that face Wireless Road. The British Embassy is 100 metres to the right on the opposite side of the road.

The embassy switchboard number is +66 (0) 2305-8333. Follow the prompts to select the appropriate service. The consular section is open to the public from 8pm to 11pm local time for applications Monday to Friday and for collections between 2pm and 3pm Monday to Thursday and 11am to 12am on Fridays.

The embassy offers a full after-hours telephone service for those with a consular emergency. If you have a consular emergency outside working hours call the embassy on +66 (0) 2 305 8333 and follow the instructions.

The main international airport servicing Bangkok is Suvarnabhumi. There is an express train service from the airport to Makkasan Road station, and a scheduled service from the airport to Phaya Thai station (N2), which is the interchange station for the Sukhumvit Line BTS (Sky Train) which covers the north and east of the city.

Taxis are readily available from the airport to the city centre. Taxis taken from the official ground-level taxi stand (follow the signs for public taxis) will levy an airport surcharge of Thai Baht 50. They should always apply the metre, but on occasion may try to persuade you to accept a fixed fee - be wary of this. Taxis taken from other parts of the airport should use the meter but are more likely to try to negotiate a fixed fee for the journey.

Taxi customers are expected to pay the tolls if the route to their destination is via a toll road or express way. Most journeys to and from the airport will involve tolls, generally in the Thai Baht 25 to 45 range, though this may vary depending upon destination and route taken

Minimise the risks

Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp with you when out and about.

Keep a note of the address of your hotel (in both English and Thai - ask the reception if they have a hotel card) - it can help people give you directions and ensure that taxi drivers know where you want to go.

Keep the number of valuables you carry to a minimum - passport, a credit card, your phone and some money - and ensure they are secure (not in back pockets).

Change money at a bank, hotel, or in exchange points.

Carry the contact number for your travel insurer at all times

Carry the address and telephone number of the British Embassy so you can call for help if you have a consular emergency. The British Embassy is located at 14 Wireless Road, Lumpini Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330 and can be contacted by calling: +66 (0) 2305-8333.

Leave a copy of your passport and other important documents safe in your hotel in case you lose the originals.

Drink and drugs

Be vigilant when drinking - pickpockets may operate in some bars.

Don't leave drinks unattended - drink spiking is common.

Thailand operates a zero tolerance policy on the possession and use of drugs, whether hard or soft. Penalties are severe and include long jail sentences and the death penalty.

Duty free allowances

The maximum permissible allowance for taking alcohol and cigarettes in to Thailand is one litre of spirits and two hundred cigarettes. If you exceed these allowances, the full amount in your possession will be confiscated and a fine applied. The fine is usually 10 times the value of each pack of cigarettes and is levied by Thai customs officers.

Bags are routinely x-rayed by customs after you have removed them from the carousel and are making your way through customs towards the exit gates.

What the British consulate can do

If you lose your money or are robbed, the consulate can help you obtain funds from friends or family in the UK - but cannot provide you with money in any circumstances.

If you lose your passport or have it stolen, the consulate can provide you with an Emergency Travel Document (ETD) so that you can leave Thailand and return home.

If you are detained or arrested in Thailand, insist on contacting the consulate on 02 305 8333 (from within Thailand) or +66 2305 8333 (if calling from a UK mobile).

This number is available 24 hours a day. Consulate staff can make sure you are being treated fairly - but if you have broken the law, they cannot arrange for you to be released from detention, nor can they pay fines.

In the case of serious injury or illness, the consulate can help you contact a member of your family and your travel insurance company. We aim to contact you within 24 hours of being told that you have been admitted to hospital.

British Embassy in Bangkok

British Embassy,
14 Wireless Road,
Lumpini Pathumwan,
Bangkok 10330.
Telephone: +66 (0) 2305-8333
Email: consularenquiriesbangkok@fco.gov.uk

Emergency numbers

Tourist police: 1155
Police: 191
Emergency: medical services: 1669
Fire brigade: 199