Why go en Thaïlande?

Temples are generally open from dawn to dusk, with the exception of some historic temples. Museums are mostly open between 9am and 4pm, with one or sometimes two closing days a week. Some places have extended opening hours at weekends and during school vacations.

Reservations are rarely necessary, except for certain guided tours, treks in National Parks, certain shows, workshops and various courses. We always inform you if this is the case.

Entrance fees for the main temples (Wat Pho, Wat Arun) are around 200 Baht, and up to 500 Baht for Bangkok's Royal Palace. Museum entrance fees range from 40 to 200 Baht. There are always discounts for children (under-12s almost always benefit from a 50% discount), and sometimes for senior citizens. Entrance fees to National Parks vary from 100 to 400 Baht per day. Show tickets, on the other hand, can be quite expensive, and can quickly add to the budget when traveling with the family; expect to pay between 500 and 2,000 Baht per person to attend a Muay Thai evening at a stadium, and from 1,300 Baht for a show such as Fantasea or Siam Niramit).

Entrance to certain temples and historic parks (such as Ayutthaya or Sukhothai) is often free during major religious festivals (Loy Krathong, Songkran).

Thailand has around 25 public holidays a year, many of which follow the Buddhist religious calendar, as well as the Muslim calendar in some provinces. In addition, there are anniversaries such as Independence Day, National Day, Labor Day and the birthdays of the royal family. The country is home to many cultural and gastronomic festivals.

january¹ : New Year's Day.

February: Makha Bucha (full moon)

april 6: Chakri Day (Substitution Day) commemorates the founding of the current dynasty, Rama I.

april 13/14/15: Songkran Festival. Songkran is traditionally the Thai New Year, generally celebrated as a water festival.

may¹: National Labor Day. This day is celebrated as a national holiday, although there's not much fuss about it.

May: Visakha Bucha (full moon). Celebrates Buddha's birth, awakening and entry into nirvana.

july¹ : end of first semester.

July: Asahna Bucha.

july 28: the birthday of the new King of Thailand is now a new public holiday in the Thai calendar.

august 12: Her Majesty the Queen's birthday; Mother's Day is also celebrated on this day.

october 13: death of Rama IX.

october 23: Chulalongkorn Day. Celebrates the anniversary of King Chulalongkorn's death.

december 5: Birthday of His Majesty the King, and Father's Day.

december 10: Constitution Day. The country obtained its first constitution in 1932.

december 31: New Year's Eve.

Guided tours are compulsory in some National Parks, where the presence of a guide is essential. They are a regular feature in the south of the country, particularly when visiting the islands (Phang Nga Bay, for example). Some museums and historical parks offer guided tours, sometimes in French. For the rest of the time, you can visit towns and sites as you please, but the explanations of a qualified guide will often help you to grasp the culture and subtleties of a particular place (town, museum, monument or historic park).

The law is very strict when it comes to smoking.

Itis forbidden to smoke in any public place in Thailand, or to throw a cigarette butt on the ground. You risk a fine of between 2,000 and 100,000 Baht (that's right, 100,000 Baht fine if you smoke on the beach at Hua Hin!). Of course, some places like restaurants or tourist bars are a little more flexible, but keep in mind that it's illegal. Since November 2019, smoking has also been banned on several beaches. A word of advice: refrain from smoking on the beach, as the fine can be as high as 100,000 Baht, and that's if you run into a zealous policeman..

Smoking areas have been set up, however, and our advice is to respect them scrupulously.
In the near future, the government even intends to ban smoking in private places in order to combat passive smoking!

Caution! Electronic cigarettes, or vapoteuses, are formally prohibited in the country. Possession is punishable by up to 5 years' imprisonment. Some foreign nationals are even currently serving prison sentences for this offence.

Cannabis. In June 2022, Thailand legalized the cultivation and recreational use of cannabis. Its cultivation had already been permitted since 2019 for medicinal use only or as a food supplement. Please note: smoking is prohibited in public places, and you could be fined if you smoke. Similarly, THC levels in the blood can be monitored; the limit is set at 0.2%. Consumption by under-20s is prohibited.

Nudism is illegal in Thailand, and no beach is reserved for naturists. So avoid toplessness, except perhaps in the really touristy resorts of Phuket, Pattaya and Koh Samui (look around). Similarly, going bare-chested for men is highly unpopular with Thais. Avoid provocative necklines and bare shoulders, and shorts in town (reserved for children, workers, even beggars). Finally, avoid black for receptions or ceremonies, as it is reserved for mourning. It was very much in evidence during the King's mourning at the end of 2016.