Formerly the ancient kingdom of Siam, Thailand has a lot to offer the tourist, which is why it is one of the top holiday destinations on the planet. In 2018, more than 30 million tourists enjoyed the rich and colourful culture and if you are planning your 2023 holiday in the tropical paradise that is Thailand, here are a few things that you should know.
- Thailand has a monarchy – The Thai royal family are highly revered by the people, so do refrain from making any negative remarks about the monarchy. In the event you drop a banknote, never put your foot on the note, as this is regarded as disrespectful; the head is regarded as sacred, while the feet are seen as dirty (never point your feet at anyone).
- Thai food can be very spicy – This is especially true in the southern part of Thailand and when eating in a Thai restaurant, ask for ‘mai phet’, which means not spicy. If you are into spicy food, you can enjoy a unique cuisine, with super-spicy ‘som tham’ salad and tasty coconut cream curries. Many venues have English-speaking staff and if you buy a small phrase book, you will be glad that you did.
- Be careful with sun exposure – If you are fair-skinned and coming from a winter climate, do take great care about sun exposure; always apply sunscreen prior to going into the sun, especially if you are on the coast. Another thing to worry about are the mosquitoes, wear cream or spray in the early mornings and evenings, as mozzies seem to prefer the blood of foreigners. When you visit the best water park in Thailand, you should apply sunscreen upon arrival.
- Thai New Year is very wet – The Thai New Year is called ‘Songkran’, which is celebrated on April 13th, 14th and 15th and everyone throws water around, which is crazy. If you arrived in Thailand at this time and knew nothing of this celebration, you would think the entire country is insane!
- Monsoon season is June to November – If you are planning your holiday for later this year, please note that the rainy season runs from the beginning of June to the beginning of November, when it rains mainly in the afternoons and early evenings. Things quickly dry out and everything is lush green and there are spectacular electric storms.
If this will be your first time in Thailand, we are very confident that this will not be your last visit to the Royal Kingdom of Thailand.
