Thailand: Getting there & around

Getting There

• bus

  You can enter Thailand by bus through Laos and Malaysia at the moment - your bus will stop at a Thai immigration post at your point of entry so that each foreign passenger can receive an entry stamp in their passport. Thai visas are not normally included in bus fares. For overland routes through Cambodia, you'll need to hire a shared taxi. You can exit Thailand into portions of Myanmar by bus or shared taxi.

• boat

  All foreign-registered vessels, skippers and crew must check in with the relevant Thai authorities as soon as possible after entering Thai waters. Although major ports throughout Thailand offer port check-ins, most leisure boating visitors check in at Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Pranburi or Pattaya. Because Phuket's Tha Ao Chalong brings customs, immigration and harbourmaster services together in one building, Phuket is the most popular check-in point nationwide. Before departing from Thailand by boat, you must also check out with immigration, customs and harbourmaster. Vessels caught without harbour clearance may be fined up to ฿5000.00 .

  There are several ways of travelling between Thailand's southern peninsula and Malaysia by sea. The simplest is to take a boat from Satun to Kuala Perlis or the island of Langkawi.

• car

  Road passage into Thailand is possible through Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos. Passenger vehicles (eg car, van, truck or motorcycle) can be brought into Thailand for tourist purposes for up to six months. Documents needed for the crossing are a valid International Driving Permit, passport, vehicle registration papers (in the case of a borrowed or hired vehicle, authorisation from the owner) and a cash or bank guarantee equal to the value of the vehicle plus 20%. For entry through Khlong Toey Port or Suvarnabhumi Airport, this means a letter of bank credit; for overland crossings via Malaysia, Cambodia or Laos a 'self-guarantee' filled in at the border is sufficient.

• ferry

  It's legal for non-Thais to cross the Mekong River by ferry between Thailand and Laos at the following points: Beung Kan (opposite Paksan), Nakhon Phanom (opposite Tha Khaek), and Chiang Khong (opposite Huay Xai).

  It is possible to float along the Mekong River from the northern Thai town of Chiang Saen to Jinghong in China's Yunnan Province.

• bicycle

  Many visitors bring their own touring bicycles to Thailand. No special permits are needed for bringing a bicycle into the country, although it may be registered by customs - which means if you don't leave the country with your bicycle, you'll have to pay a huge customs duty. It's essential to bring a well-stocked repair kit and be sure to have your bike serviced before departure.

• train

  The only rail option into and out of Thailand is via Malaysia. The State Railway of Thailand (www.railway.co.th) and Malaysian Railway (www.ktmb.com.my) meet at Butterworth, 93km (58mi) south of the Thai-Malaysian border, a transfer point to Penang or Kuala Lumpur.

  It's not possible to buy through-fare tickets for rail journeys between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, unless you ride the luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express, but the trip can be made on express trains via the Thai-Malaysia border at Pedang Besar. The journey usually requires an overnight stop in Butterworth in order to comfortably make train connections.

• plane

  While the prices of flights to Thailand are competitive from Australia, New Zealand and Europe, it can be quite expensive flying to Bangkok from other points of departure. The good news is that once you're in the city you can shop around for an inexpensive return ticket. A host of international carriers land at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport (www.bangkokairportonline.com), which has replaced Don Muang as Bangkok's major airport terminal. Flights in and out of Thailand are often overbooked so it's imperative that you reconfirm ongoing flights as soon as you arrive.

  All passengers leaving Thailand on international flights are charged a departure tax, which is not included in the price of air tickets, but paid at a booth near the passport control area. Only baht are accepted. However, the departure tax is slated to be included in ticket prices. The departure tax on international flights is waived if you're in the country for less than 12 hours.

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Getting Around

• bus

  Buses are phenomenally (read hair-raisingly) fast, well serviced, affordable and air-conditioned. The most reputable bus companies depart from Baw Khaw Saw (BKS) public bus terminals. Private buses and minivans that pick up customers from tourist centres such as Th Khao San experience a higher incidence of reported theft, lateness and unreliability. You can book air-con BKS buses at any BKS terminal. Ordinary (non-air-con) buses cannot be booked in advance. A unique feature of Thai public transport is the women-only buses that revved up in June 2000 - an attempt by the government to protect female passengers from crime and sexual harrasment.

• boat

  The true Thai river transport is the reua hǎang yao (long-tail boat), so-called because the propeller is mounted at the end of a long drive shaft extending from the engine. Long-tail boats can travel at a phenomenal speed. The long-tail boats are a staple of transport on rivers and canals in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces.

  Between the mainland and islands in the Gulf of Thailand or Andaman Sea, the standard craft is an all-purpose wooden boat, 8m to 10m long, with a large inboard engine, a wheelhouse and a simple roof to shelter passengers and cargo. Faster, more expensive hovercraft or jetfoils are sometimes available in tourist areas.

• car

  Cars, jeeps or vans can be rented in Bangkok and large provincial capitals. Thais drive on the left-hand side of the road - most of the time. Other than that just about anything goes, in spite of road signs and speed limits. The main rule of thumb to be aware of is that right of way belongs to the bigger vehicle.

  Indicators are often used to warn passing drivers about oncoming traffic. A flashing left indicator means it's OK to pass, while a right indicator means that someone's approaching from the other direction.

• taxi

  Local transport includes taxis, tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws), săamláw (bicycle rickshaws) and săwngthăew (small pick-ups). Taxis are (mostly) metered in Bangkok and săwngthăew tend to run regular routes, but săamláw, tuk-tuks and taxis outside Bangkok require bargaining and agreement on a fare before departure

• bicycle

  For travelling just about anywhere outside Bangkok, bicycles are ideal - cheap, nonpolluting and slow enough to allow you to see everything.

  Bicycle touring is also a popular way to see the country as most roads are sealed with roomy shoulders. Grades in most parts of the country are moderate; exceptions include the far north, especially Mae Hong Son and Nan Provinces. There is plenty of opportunity for dirt-road and off-road pedalling, especially in the north, so a sturdy mountain bike would make a good alternative to a touring rig. Favoured touring routes include the two-lane roads along the Mekong River in the north and northeast - the terrain is largely flat and the river scenery is inspiring.

  You can take bicycles on the train for a little less than the equivalent of one 3rd-class fare. On ordinary buses they'll place your bike on the roof, and on air-con buses it will be put in the cargo hold.

  The 2500-member Thailand Cycling Club (www.thaicycling.com), established in 1959, serves as an information clearing house on biking tours and cycle clubs.

• train

  Trains are comfortable, frequent, punctual, moderately priced and rather slow. Sleeping berths are a bargain and a wonderfully comfortable way to traverse the countryside.

  The State Railway of Thailand (SRT, www.railway.co.th) covers four main lines - the northern, southern, northeastern and eastern. The train is a convenient alternative to buses for the long journey north to Chiang Mai or south to Surat Thani and is ideal for trips to Ayuthaya and Lopburi from Bangkok. Almost all the long-distance trains originate from Bangkok's Hualamphong station.

  The SRT operates passenger trains in three classes. Fares are calculated first by a base price then surcharges are added depending on the train type (special express, express, rapid, ordinary), class and distance. Advance bookings may be made up to 60 days before your intended date of departure. The SRT issues a Thailand Rail Pass that may save on fares if you plan to use the trains extensively over a relatively short interval.

• air

  Hopping around Thailand by air is becoming more and more affordable these days thanks to airline deregulation. Most routes originate from Bangkok, but Chiang Mai, Ko Samui and Phuket also have flights to other Thai towns.

  Thailand's national carrier is Thai Airways International (THAI), which operates many domestic air routes from Bangkok to provincial capitals. Bangkok Air provides some alternatives between Chiang Mai and the south that bypass Bangkok. One-Two-Go, Nok Air and Air Asia all tend to be cheaper than the older, more established carriers.

• motorcycle

  Motorcycles can be rented in major towns and tourist centres. Always check the condition of the bike thoroughly before you take off, and remember that the Thais are notorious scoff-laws when it comes to road rules - but, in actual fact, it is reckless tourists who come off motorcycles most frequently, especially in places like Ko Samui and Phuket.

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