Shopping

There are many gift shops, souvenir stands and even first class shopping centers in Pattaya, Bangkok and Phuket.
You can shop ‘til you drop. Spending options diminish with the scarcity of luxury accommodation and quality restaurants  when you get off the beaten track.
But  even in tiny Ko Tao there are some good little T-shirt shops and CD joints.
Thailand is famous for jewelry and gems, batiks and beautiful sarongs, carvings and surf wear.
Divers are pretty well covered in Thailand.
There are major dive supply stores with top name brand gear in the major cities and even on Ko Tao.
There is a wealth of surf gear (mostly clothing), as well as tailors. This is a real plus for divers. Ever dreamed of having that custom fitted wetsuit?
This is your chance to pick one up at a much more  reasonable cost than ordering one from Travel Facts  49 a manufacturer.
Get fitted on your first day and you may have it to use halfway through your week.
Many Thai divemasters  have their suits made and the quality is often excellent. Ask at your dive shop for recommendations. Credit card scams are on the rise here.

DINING & FOOD

This is one of the few places in the world where you may find just about every cuisine.
There are taco joints on tiny Ko Tao and Japanese restaurants in the heart of old Phuket city.
Fine dining is always available, but don’t forget to try some banana pancakes from a roadside cart.
The whole gamut is here. Tipping is not customary in Thailand,
although Thais are getting used to the idea of it in upmarket hotels and eateries.
Ten  percent is usually fine if you feel like tipping.
There is a countrywide ban on smoking in restaurants. If a restaurant  is part of a bar, expect there to be smoking and non-smoking sections.
Bottled  water is sold everywhere and it is highly recommended that visitors use bottled water for drinking and even brushing teeth. If dining in more remote areas, ask if the water for ice in drinks was boiled. It usually is.

ACCOMMODATION

There are hotels for every budget and desire, but since most divers have equipment and often pricey photo gear, it is best to seek out the more upscale hotels to avoid
problems.
Each dive operation  will generally have a selection of hotels it deals with to fit your budget.
Many  dive shops have their own hotels and dive camps that you can stay in as part of a training or dive holiday package.
Most lodgings are generally safe, but it never hurts to use caution when leaving valuables in hotel safes.
Take a photo of your valuables or get the hotel to give you a list of what you gave them.
If something does go missing, then you have a record.
Hotel rooms should be locked at night, and cheap, thin walled rooms checked for strategic peepholes.
Some beautiful boutique hotels can be found at just about every locale that offers diving.
The level of live aboard comfort normally corresponds directly with the price of the trip.
Ask for references  and the ship layout in advance.
Some ships are quite luxurious and feature superb meals and roomy staterooms with large, en suite bathrooms.
Others are some what bare bones. Check in advance so you’re not expecting one and getting the other.

POSTAL

Thailand’s postal system is very reliable and quite fast, albeit not cheap for air mail to the US or Europe.
For post cards,  the local post office is just fine.

(During the research of this guide, the post office was used to send home dive suits, regulators,
books and some extra clothes, all arriving intact in the US in less than 10 days.)

Thailand also has DHL, FedEx and UPS offices, based in Bangkok. Call to find out where the closest satellite office is.
Rely on FedEx or DHL if you are sending anything valuable that requires tracking or time-sensitive delivery.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Email outlets and Internet cafes are prevalent all over this backpackers’ paradise.
Many cafe computers now have SKYPE headsets and even online cameras, so you can talk to and see those freezing at home while they can see the palm trees behind you and the beads of sweat rolling down your brow.
Many hotels have computer centers, business centers and even wireless weeklong packages.

WEIGHTS & MEASURES

The system of metric weights and measures is used.
There  are  a lot of European operators, so depths are registered  in meters and also feet, and weights normally just in kilos.
A lot of sale and rental dive gear is oriented this way.
See our quick conversion scale on the back inside cover.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Visitors from 39 different countries can stay for 30 days without a visa.
Check with a Thai embassy or consulate to check the requirements relating to your nationality if you plan on arriving without a visa, or visit www.mfa.go.th/
web/12.php.

Your passport must be valid for six months beyond your intended length of stay.
This is required by all except: holders of a Hong Kong certificate of identity bearing a Thai visa issued in Hong Kong, and holders of a Singapore certificate of identity issued in Singapore  with a visa.
Get a haircut. Entry may be refused  to people with long, untidy looking hair who are dressed in a manner considered by the authorities to be ‘like a hippie’ or offensive.

ELECTRICITY

All electricity in Thailand is 220 volts AC,50Hz. American and European style two pin plugs are in use.
Converters are not commonly found. Bring chargers that accept 220V or bring your own current converter.
Make sure you have a current converter and not just an adapter plug, or your 110V charger or appliance will fry in seconds.