All An Adventurer Must Know About Thailand — страница 2

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national airline, flies to five destinations in the North, five in the Northeast, and seven in the South. Bangkok Airways (Tel: (02) 5237116, 25340′I4-6, 5352497) flies to Samui Island and Phuket. Reservations can be made through any authorised Thai Inter Travel Agent. Thai Airways International’s Lan Luang Office is on 6 Lan Luang Road, Tel: 2800070,2800080. The airline also organises ‘Royal Orchid Holidays’ tours to every destination it flies to. By Rail An efficient rail system links major northern and north-eastern towns with the capital. A southern route permits the visitor to travel by train into IV1alaysia and Singapore. Domestic express trains comprise first, second and third-class carriages. Slower trains may have only third-class seats. The State Railway of

Thailand organises one- day, two-day economy tours to various destinations on Saturdays, Sundays and official holidays. Other tours include trips to SuratThani (for Koh Samui), Chumphon and Chiang Mai. Railway schedules can be obtained from Bangkok Railway Station, Tel: 223- 7010, 223-7020. By Road A modern highway system reaches into all corners of the kingdom. Domestic bus services offer fast means of travel. Airconditioned tour coaches offer more comfort. Bangkok’s Northern / North-eastern Bus Terminal is on Phahonyothin Road, Tel: 2794484-7 (airconditioned) and 2710101-5 (regular) Bangkok’s Southern Bus Terminal is on Pinklao-Nakhon Chaisri Road, Tel: 4351190, 4351200 (air-conditioned) and 4345558 (regular). Bangkok’s Eastern Bus terminal is on Sukhumvit Road, Tel:

3929227, 3919829 (airconditioned) and 3912504, 3922521 (regular) Travel inside Bangkok Public Transportation Public buses are plentiful and cheap, with 3.50 baht minimum and 5 baht maximum fares to most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air- conditioned buses within Bangkok have minimum and maximum fares of 6 and 16 baht respectively. Red and grey Micro-Buses, also air conditioned, cost 25 baht for single journey. A Bus Route Map is available at most hotels, bookshops and the TAT head office for 35 Baht. Taxis and Tuk Tuks Hotel taxis have fixed tariffs. Taxis cruising the streets of Bangkok, and designated “taxi-meters” charge 35 baht for the first 3 kilometres and approximately s baht for every kilometre thereafter. Tuk-Tuk or three wheel taxis are quite popular

among the tourists for short journeys inside Bangkok. Fares range from a minimum of 30 baht to a maximum of 150 baht. Fares must be bargained for. River Taxis There are many boats plying the Chao Phraya River. Some criss-cross between landings on opposite banks while the Chao Phraya Express boats travel upstream and downstream within the metropolises range between 5 and 15 baht. Custom Facts Thailand is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are held sacred. Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even if commited by foreign visitors. Thai people hold their King and Queen and the Royal Family in great reverence, and so won’t tolerate foreigners talking about them in disrespect. Generally Thai women are conservative. So don’t touch them without their consent. Dress

properly when entering a Buddhist temple. Mini-skirts and shorts are not allowed. Take your shoes off before going inside the hall of worship. Ladies must not on any account touch a Buddhist monk, give things directly to him or receive things direct from him. Call Thais their first names; use the title “Khun” for adults. Don’t touch a person’s head, nor ruffle his hair. The head is the noblest part of the body. A sincere apology should be offered immediately if you touch someone’s head unintentionally. Avoid placing your feet on the table while sitting. Never use your foot to point things out or to touch any part of the body of anyone, which is considered rude. Entering a Thai house, you’re expected to remove your shoes. Kissing and hugging around in public is not a

custom. Thais don’t normally shake hands when they greet one another (especially a lady), but instead press the palms together and one will return the same manner. It is considered to be polite. This is used also to show respect, gratefulness and thankfulness. The Thai Money (Notes and Coins) Thai money is called “baht”. There’s also a “satang” and a “salueng” (for loose change in similar to cent and quarter respectively). One hundred “satangs” make one “baht” … just like one hundred cents make one dollar. One “salueng” is equivalent to 25 satangs (just like a quarter to a 25-cent). Telephones International phone calls can be made quite easily from mid- to upper-level hotels. There is direct dialling to and from more than so countries on five