Going on holiday should be a time for pure happiness and enjoyment; a time to recharge your batteries after a year of hard work and a time to relax in a tropical paradise. If Thailand is on your list of places to visit, here are a few mistakes to avoid at all costs.
- Motorcycle rentals – We aren’t saying don’t rent a bike while in Thailand, but you do need to make sure that a) you are legal and b) you have adequate insurance should you come off. If you plan to rise while in the Land of Smiles, make sure you have an IDP (International Driving Permit), which you should be able to obtain in your home country. There are many GoFundMe pages for foreigners who had bike accidents while in Thailand and were not insured. There are probably many bike rental shops near your hotel in Phuket and they should be able to offer you comprehensive insurance, which we advise you to take out.
- Don’t Vape in Thailand – Vaping is actually illegal in Thailand, not because the government think it is dangerous, but because the vaping equipment doesn’t fall into any of the import categories. If a customs official found a vape pen in your luggage, you are probably in deep trouble; so leave your vape gear at home and smoke cigarettes for a few weeks to get your nicotine hit.
- Never disrespect the Thai Royal Family – The Thais revere their royal family and there are very severe Les Majeste laws that could see you spend the rest of your life behind bars if you defame the monarchy. Never put your foot on Thai money, as this is regarded as being disrespectful to the Thai King, whose image is on both coins and paper notes.
- Drinking and driving – Of course, drinking and driving is a serious offence in any country, especially Thailand and it is oh so easy to enjoy a few cold beers and think you’ll be fine on the way home. Be warned that the police set up checkpoints late at night, looking for drunk drivers and being a foreigner is no excuse. In the event you are involved in an accident and you are over the limit, you can expect serious consequences. Click here for tips on ferries to the southern Thai islands.
- Overstaying your visa – There are serious consequences if you allow your visa to expire; the fine is 500 baht for every day you overstay, but should you be caught with an expired visa, you will be arrested, fined and deported, with a ban on top of that. The best solution is to go to your nearest Thai Immigration office and pay 1,900 baht for a visa extension.
Conclusion
Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and we hope that you enjoy your stay in this amazing country.
