• Tourist Police Tel. 1155 (24hrs)
• Medical services
• Bumrungrad International Hospital (Bangkok)
• Bangkok Hospital (Bangkok)
• BNH Hospital  (Bangkok)
• Bangkok Pattaya Hospital (Pattaya)
• Ko Chang International Clinic (Koh Chang)
• Hospital San Paolo (Hua Hin)
• Ko Pha-Ngan Hospital (Koh Pha-Ngan)
• Bangkok Samui Hospital (Koh Samui)
• Bangkok Phuket Hospital (Phuket)
• Krabi Hospital (Krabi)

• General
• Avoid disparaging remarks about the king, queen or anyone in the royal family.
• Stand with respect for the royal anthem played in the theatres before showing and for national anthem often played through loudspeakers at 8am and 6pm
• The head is regarded as the highest part of the body, so never touch Thai on the head or ruffle their hair. For the same reason, you should never sit on pillow meant for sleeping.
• The feet are considered the lowest part of the body. You should never step over someone, even if they are lying on the floor – squeeze around them or ask them to move instead.
• If invited to a home, bring a small gift, either food or drinks, but not flowers, which are typically reserved for merit-making.
• Temple
• Always dress neatly and conservatively when visiting temples. No shorts or sleeveless tops for men or women.
• Take your shoes off when you enter any building that contain a Buddha image.
• Women should not touch a monk or a monk’s belongings. To avoid an accidental brush, don’t sit next to a monk on a public bus and let them pass first on a crowded street.
• Sit with your feet points away from any Buddha images: pointing your feet towards someone is highly disrespectful.
• Beach
• Avoid public nudity on the beaches. Thais are traditionally very modest and all but the most flamboyant Bangkok Thais will swim fully clothed.

Thailand is a shopper’s paradise and many travelers come home with their bags bulging with wooden carvings, sarongs, jewellery and clothes.

 
Duty-free shops are located throughout the country and items can be purchased there and delivered to the airport in time for the departure flight. Value Added Tax (7%) can be refunded on goods bought in shops labeled 'VAT Refund for Tourists', where there is a minimum transaction of ฿2,000 including VAT.

VAT Refund Application for Tourists forms are completed at the time of purchase and it is necessary to show one's passport. Cash refunds (minimum ฿5,000) can be obtained in the airport departure hall and often the goods purchased must also be shown. Shopping hours: Mon-Sun 1000-2100/2200.

People seem so friendly in Thailand that a visitor can forget to follow the basic precautions of travelling aboard.

While violent crime is rare, there are plenty of stories of bags being snatched and pockets picked, particularly in Bangkok’s crowded markets; Chatuchak is probably the worst. Use your common sense, however, and you should be fine; keep your bags in front of you and in sight all times. On the islands, don’t put your bag in the front basket of rented bicycles or motorbikes, as you might as well just put out a sign saying ‘rob me’.

The best way to keep your money safe is to split the risk. Bring a mixture of cash and travellers cheques, and keep an emergency stash of money separate from your main finances. Credit cards are very useful in Thailand but keep them safe and have the emergency cancellation phone number on hand. If you have two cards, keep them in separate places. Money belts or pouches worn under clothing are much safer than wallets or purses.

We’d say keep your valuables, including credit cards, cash or travelers cheques, with you at all times, but clearly that’s going to be a problem when you are lounging around the beach all day. At these times it’s best to store them in the safety box at your hotel or guesthouse. In cheaper places, this means a locked drawer or a mysterious place behind the counter.

It also pays to seal your valuable before you hand them over. A tape-up envelope with a signature over the top is the best way. If you can’t do this, at least make a show of counting and noting your money before you hand it over. This works for both parties as while most staff are trustworthy, there are exceptions and the same applies to foreigners. In the case of an alleged theft, the staff have as much reason to suspect you of fraud as you do them.

Never let vendors take your credit card out of sight to run it through the machine. Unscrupulous merchants have been known to run off multiple receipts with one credit-card purchase, forging your signature on the blanks after you have left the shop.

Finally, remember that a padlock on a bag doesn’t turn it into Fort Knox, particularly on long-distance bus trips.