Thai Culture

• Great food, beaches, scenery and a place to really enjoy a holiday
• Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
• Famous all over the world for it’s food, Thai cuisine has many regional variations and takes some inspiration from neighboring countries. One great activity could be to participate in a couple of Thai cooking courses during your stay.
• When greeting someone in Thailand it is normal to bow slightly with your hands closed together in front of you, this is called the Wai (pronounced: why).
• Touching someone on the head and putting your feet above someone’s head, are considered rude. The feet, especially, are considered the dirtiest part of the body. Anything that is considered rude is especially taboo when done to the image of the Thai King and royal family.
• It is extremely impolite to raise your voice to Thai people. In fact, Thai people will avoid any type of malicious confrontation and it is best to do the same.
• Make reference to the amazing culture here and the positive apsects of art, temples, history. Thai’s are very appreciative of foreigners who recognize their unique culture.
• Sabai Sabai – In Thai Language means to “take it easy”, “relax” or more to that effect. In Thailand, people and situations tend to go a little more slowly. This is the way of life here, please be patient and don’t expect things to happen in a hurry.
• Do smile – Thailand is known as “The Land of Smiles”. Try to smile as much as possible at Thai people and you will be amazed at how kind and friendly people will be.

Important things to note for your cosmetic surgery trip

• Please be prepared to see lots of people at the airport scouting for taxi fares. Do not be put off by this as your own driver will be waiting to pick you up and you don’t need to deal with the local taxi drivers.
• Even though tourism is one of Thailand’s main industries, there continues to be very few Thai people that speak good English. Please be patient, you will find that if you speak slowly and in pigeon English most of them will understand. You will find that being able to call your medical host and having them around for support will give you much peace of mind.
• Simple things like taking a taxi or even getting through the hospital switch board can prove to sometimes be arduous tasks because of the language barrier.
• Things in Thailand are not as organised or planned in the same way that we expect because of the ‘sabai sabai’ attitude. It is quite normal for people to turn up very late or for things to not run as smoothly as they do at home. Again, you will be pleased that you have your medical host overseeing things like transfers so that you can be assured of a stress-free time.

Vaccinations

Some vaccinations are recommended for those who travel to the Kingdom of Thailand. We advise our clients to contact their local general physician or vaccination centre a few months prior to their trip in order to schedule an appointment for any specific treatment.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the following routine vaccinations if travelling anywhere in the world:

• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine
• Diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine
• Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine
• Yearly flu shot.For Thailand specifically, the following are recommended:
• Hepatitus A vacine
• Typhoid vaccine
• There are also some further vaccinations that may be recommended for others. For more information, please refer to the
• Center for Disease Control’s recommendations via this link:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/thailand

Visa requirements

• Tourists who arrive in one of The Kingdom of Thailand’s international airports without obtaining a visa in advance currently receive up to 30 days entry. This is referred to as a “visa exemption”. Tourists who travel overland into Thailand through a border crossing may stay in the kingdom for up to 15 days without obtaining a visa in advance. A visa is required for longer stays, including for retirees, those who intend to work, and others who travel for non-tourism purposes in Thailand.
• Thai authorities require all travellers to have at least six months validity remaining on their passports. You may be refused entry into Thailand, or may not be permitted to board your Thailand-bound flight, if your passport has less than six months validity.

The non-Thai Embassies cannot assist tourists to obtain entry permits or visas, visa extensions or work permits for The Kingdom of Thailand or other countries. Make sure you obtain visas, entry permits, and extensions of stay from Thai immigration authorities or a Thai Embassy or Consulate.