49
votes
Accepted
Is it impolite to ask for halal food when traveling to and in Thailand?
Thailand actually has a significant Muslim minority (around 5% of the population), so the idea of halal food -- locally known as ahaan Muslim (อาหารมุสลิม), literally "Muslim food" -- is well ...
- 99.5k
47
votes
Leaving Thailand after months-long overstay (can't pay fine)
Here's what actually happened to the OP (as indicated in a comment):
So I got to the airport and paid the fine and signed some papers and
that was it... booted for a year, but that was it... last ...
44
votes
What to do when a taxi driver uses the meter but at the end of the ride clears the meter and pretends we had agreed on some higher price for the ride?
Had something similar happen going from Tunis airport to central Tunis. The driver (who had a "mate" with him, so I was skeptical from the outset) had the meter on, but just before the destination he ...
- 79.5k
42
votes
Accepted
Are taxi drivers in Bangkok expected to round up the taxi fare to the nearest multiple of 10 THB?
According to TripAdvisor, in taxis, "both Thais and local ex-pats commonly round up the fare (i.e. 51 baht fare rounded up to 60 baht)." As ฿7 is equivalent to US$0.22, I wouldn't worry about it much.
- 14.8k
40
votes
Accepted
What activity does this "don't do this in a Thai taxi" image refer to?
From Reddit, the symbol represents a water buffalo, and the Thai word for buffalo also means idiot, so the sign means no idiot / don't be an idiot. Ask the taxi driver if that sign means that the car ...
- 58.8k
38
votes
Accepted
With the passing of Thai King Bhumibol, are there any customs/etiquette as a traveler I should be aware of?
One must understand that Thai citizens are very sensitive about the loss of the King. Unlike political parties, where controversy is normal, HM King Bhumibol was sincerely beloved by everyone in the ...
- 3,731
35
votes
What to do when a taxi driver uses the meter but at the end of the ride clears the meter and pretends we had agreed on some higher price for the ride?
Remain calm and say you have left your wallet in the other bag, which is in the trunk. He will of course know that's a lie, but he will also realize nobody will proceed until the baggage is offloaded ...
- 451
31
votes
Does anyone recognize this temple in SE Asia?
Looks like Wat Chaiwatthanaram in Ayutthaya, Thailand, north of Bangkok:
(courtesy Justin Vidano via Wikimedia)
While the tubular central Khmer-style prang does indeed look a bit like Angkor Wat, ...
- 99.5k
30
votes
Accepted
How to make sure that you get off at the correct bus stop in Thailand?
Even when I can read signs, it's not always easy to navigate public transport. [Try the New York subway system, although there may be announcements they are not always intelligible. Add in a few ...
- 4,538
30
votes
Accepted
Are 30-day tourist visa extensions ever denied in Thailand?
Yes.
I went through the extension process in January. (As an aside, the new Bangkok Immigration office is fairly inconvenient to get to; plan accordingly.)
While I was being interviewed the Canadian ...
- 798
30
votes
What should I pay for a 5-km songthaew trip in Koh Samui?
The regular public Songthaew buses have fixed price and fixed route. One can not negotiate the price. It is 10 Baht in rural towns up to 20 Baht (and sometimes even 30) in crowded areas full ...
- 3,731
30
votes
Is it impolite to ask for halal food when traveling to and in Thailand?
I have a very simple rule:
If you have to ask, it is not halal. If it was halal you would clearly know it by virtue of signage in any non Muslim country.
Halal food in non Muslim countries is a ...
- 32.9k
30
votes
How can I convert an address in Thailand from English to Thai?
If you're looking for a fully automated way, you can't. Thai romanization is nonstandard and lossy, and Thai script has many redundant letters, so you can't tell if a "kh" is supposed to be ...
- 99.5k
27
votes
Accepted
Do Europe laws apply in foreign (Asia) countries?
Crimes should be reported where they occur. With the exception of very major crimes, countries will generally not enforce the laws of other countries, although in certain cases they will agree to ...
- 15.4k
23
votes
Accepted
What do the dates on a recently issued Thai visa mean?
A Google Image search for 'thai visa' shows that such visas have two dates labeled "date of issue" and "enter before". These are likely dates C and D respectively.
"Date of issue" (C) is simply when ...
- 9,800
22
votes
With the passing of Thai King Bhumibol, are there any customs/etiquette as a traveler I should be aware of?
Not in particular. However, in the immediate mourning period, expect to see a lot of nightlife (clubs, go-go bars etc) closed, many celebratory events (parties, concerts etc) cancelled and possibly ...
- 99.5k
21
votes
What to do when a taxi driver uses the meter but at the end of the ride clears the meter and pretends we had agreed on some higher price for the ride?
In situations like this I never pay, I simply leave, if they want trouble ok lets get the police involved, in most countries, the driver has a lot more to loose than a tourist who brings money into ...
- 4,263
19
votes
Accepted
How to obtain a Thai visa for a baby without a passport?
You cannot do international travel without a passport (with some exceptions like schengen area and us-canada border). This applies to a newborn baby also.
If the baby is born overseas, you can ...
- 16k
18
votes
With the passing of Thai King Bhumibol, are there any customs/etiquette as a traveler I should be aware of?
An official statenent from Tourism Authority of Thailand is as follow
Thailand is now in an official period of mourning following the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
In this regard, ...
- 1,201
17
votes
Accepted
Thailand visa exemption: any rule limiting number of entries per year?
Starting Dec 31st, 2016, Tourist Visa Exempt Entries via land borders are limited to 2 per calendar year. Visitors arriving via air (int'l airports) are not affected by this rule; neither are Visa ...
- 1,432
16
votes
How to make sure that you get off at the correct bus stop in Thailand?
Notice that the main thoroughfares in Bangkok are all called Thanon something (where Thanon is sometimes anglicised as Road), and they all have small streets, often dead ends, sprouting off them all ...
- 261
16
votes
Accepted
Is it true that AirAsia does not allow backpacks as carry on luggage even if they fit within dimensions?
That's what they say:
Important notice:
Boxes and hiking backpacks are not considered as cabin baggage and must be checked in.
Multiple items that are strapped, wrapped or tied together ...
- 28.4k
16
votes
Can I apply for tourist visa while living in a different country as an expat?
The short (and frankly not very helpful) answer is that it depends on the policies of the country issuing the visa, i.e. the country you intend to visit. Each country will have its own conditions ...
- 16k
15
votes
Thailand Zika Travel and Pregnant?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has comprehensive coverage of the Zika virus, including destination-specific information.
It has an section devoted to pregnancy in which it notes:
...
- 35.5k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible