Thorn Tree travel forum

Thailand Branch FAQ

Welcome! This is the home of those looking for information or looking to share information about Thailand.

Here are some tips to help you find the information you want and need:

1. Research before asking a question. It will help you get better, more detailed and useful answers from the community if you've already done some homework. It's also polite. The community is here to help, but we're not your personal search engine. Invest some preliminary time and we'll happily help you fill in the gaps.

2. Explore Lonely Planet's Destinations online, which has a wealth of key info and tips.

3. Have a good look around the Thorn Tree before asking your question - quite often your question (or one very simila... more »

VISA CHANGES For people entering Thailand by land

Thailand has changed the rules for people entering the country via land borders. If you are planning a trip to Southeast Asia, or are on the road now, then read this and prepare to either alter your plans or get better acquainted with your local Thai consulate.

So what's the deal?
While the official English translation of the order has yet to be published (and is unlikely to appear before next week due to today's holiday for the King's birthday), a combination of an unofficial translation and reports from various borders suggest the speculation is accurate. The headline change is that anyone crossing into Thailand by land, who doesn't already have a visa from a Thai embassy or consulate, will be ALLOWED TO STAY ONLY 15 DAYS, not the previous 30.

This does not apply to people flying into Thailand, who can still get 'stamped in' - or in official parlance enter under the 't... more »

KSR Hotels Late at Night, like 2 am

This may seem like a stupid question....but I have a flight that lands in BKK at midnight and by the time I clear customs and get into town it'll be about 2 O'clock in the morning. Will I be able to find a room at this time or am i doomed to wandering the KSR area with all my stuff until the guesthouses open or have a room available ?

In the past I've just sat around the airport until dawn, not wanting to descend on the KSR scene with all my stuff ( once I slept in the train station..never again ) but I'd prefer to avoid that this trip.

Krabi & surrounds... where to stay?

Hi,

I'll be arriving at krabi (airport) on Dec 21 and have 4 nights to spend in that region (leaving on Christmas day!). Initially I thought I'd stay at either East or West Railay, but after reading all the posts in this forum, I find I'm even more unsure of where I'd like to be! There's Ao Nang, Tonsai, Noppharat Thara(?) and even on Phi Phi or other islands.

I'm looking for accommodation that's as close to the following description as possible!
"a hidden gem that is unique, boutique, with an interesting history, leans towards eco-tourism, champions environmental sustainability and which is of course, also reasonably priced!"

Sounds like a tall order?

Actually, I just want a lovely quiet place to chill, near the beach, cosy, clean... fairly easy access to the various islands etc. Planning to spend a day climbing (learning to climb), a day or so snorkelling, and just... more »

looking for a laid back beach near phuket

i'm meeting my brother in thailand in february, but will be there for a few days before he arrives, and wanted to find somewhere within easy distance of phuket which is less developed and more of a laid back area rather than one of the really over-populated beaches or islands.

ideally i'd like somewhere where i can meet other travellers, given that i'll be out there on my own for a few days

any advice would be greatly appreciated as it's really hard to work out where to go!

thanks :)

Koh Phayam,Koh Lipe,Koh phoda,Koh Jum - which would be best suited to me?

as many may have read in my other thread with regards to ko samet,ive now been talked out of going there as christmas will be a bad time for what im wanting,so i will copy n paste pretty much what i wrote in that thread but would like some suggestions please on what other islands may fit what im looking for

i will be travelling to thailand at christmas for a short break (24th dec - 2nd jan) and was hoping to spend a few days chilling out either side of a few days of madness spent in bangkok.

will probably want just 3-4 days there between (28th dec - 31st dec) now i know this is going to be peak season but i was hoping somebody could recommend me a nice quiet island/beach/resort/hotel to stay?...ive read up quite a bit (including tezza's blog) with regards to thailand.

all i would like is somewhere as quiet as possible with nice beach to relax on and nice clear water ideal for... more »

ATMs in Patong Beach

Are there plenty of ATMs (with Maestro) in Phuket (Patong) or should I take Euros to change them there?

Andaman Island Advice & Phuket to Koh Lipe - The Quickest Way?

Ok, so i'm thrilled to be heading back to Thailand, 4 years after first visiting and living out of a backpack there for a month.

My girlfriend isn't quite up for the £2 per night beach hut complete with hosepipe for a shower and cockroaches, nor the Koh Phangnan scene...

Rough route is:

Bangkok - 5 days
Chiang Mai - 4 days
Phuket - 7 days (for a wedding)
TBC - potentially 7 days
Bangkok - 2 days

We're struggling for a place or two to head to for the TBC days. We leave Phuket on 2nd Jan 2010, and have to be back in Bangkok for the evening of the 8th Jan 2010 as we have a hotel booked.

And, open to suggestions. Here's what we're after:

• Beach for the whole time - either Island, or Mainland. We'll be staying at the Northern end of Phuket so will need to relocate from there.
• Hotel with modern bathroom, air conditioning and very near (if not on) a beach. Will...

Jobs TEFL or just a normal job

Hi so I went to Thailand two years ago someone did offer me job on phi phi as a resort rep but I was travelling and totally lost their email I had on paper.
Anyway I did a tefl 100hour course with i to i, I have no degree and a little stutter so I want to teach somewhere first that is nice. I am not sure if any schools will take me though, so please tell me if you know of places I can apply to.

Also do you think it is possible to get a job doing anything over there, like I would be interested in getting a WHV and staying a year, I dont care about earning cash jsut enough to live off, but I thought maybe job I got offered was just luck from what I heard it is impossible to get job on Phi Phi island or just cleaning in Bangkok even. Let me know please.