THAILAND

POLITICAL UNREST

The situation in Bangkok and Thailand remains unpredictable and Irish travellers should exercise extreme caution.  A grenade attack early on the morning of Friday 30^th July Rangnam road in central Bangkok left one man injured.  On Sunday 25^th July 2010, a small bomb attack on Ratchadamri Road in Bangkok killed one person and injured ten others. 

While political demonstrations are not currently taking place, the underlying political problems which led to the recent violence in April and May remain. There are, therefore, considerable risks of further demonstrations and political violence, particularly in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani. 

A State of Emergency, which prohibits gatherings of five or more people in certain areas, continues in Bangkok and the following provinces:-

Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Sawan, Nan, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nakhom Ratchasima, Si Saket, Kalasin, and Samutprakarn.

 Travellers should note that the Department continues to advise against
- All but essential travel to or through Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla. 
- All travel to Preah Vihear Temple area.

There have been violent confrontations between security forces and protestors throughout April and May, particularly in Bangkok.  These have included grenade attacks on banks and the public transport system as well as gunfire on the streets.  Over eighty people were killed and more than a thousand injured.  Although the major demonstrations in the centre of Bangkok have ended and there is no longer a curfew in place the situation remains unpredictable. 

Major political demonstrations have been staged regularly in Bangkok since 2008 with sporadic outbreaks of violence.  The recent round of protests began in March 2010 and intensified through April and May.  There is an increased security presence throughout the capital and there may be checkpoints and searches of vehicles and/or people. Irish citizens are strongly advised to avoid all protest sites and to carry a photocopy of their passport at all times. To the extent possible, travellers to Bangkok should also avoid all government buildings and state institutions. Irish citizens should plan their movements carefully and follow local advice closely.

Irish citizens residing in or intending to travel to Thailand are strongly advised to register their details with the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Travel Registration system is available here . If you are unable to register online with us, you can send an email to the Consulate of Ireland in Bangkok (ireland@loxinfo.co.th) Please include your contact details in Thailand and the location where you are staying.

If you require advice or assistance locally, you should make contact with the Consulate of Ireland in Bangkok on (+66) 2 677 7500. Alternatively, you can reach the Consular Assistance Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin on +353 1 408 2000.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

The Department of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends that comprehensive travel insurance, including medical insurance, is obtained before travelling to Thailand. Travellers should note that the Irish Government does not provide funds for emergency medical treatment, medical repatriation or for repatriation of remains.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. It is generally described as having a tropical and humid climate. There are roughly three seasons in the north of the country: Hot (roughly March to May), Cool (roughly November to February) and Rainy (roughly May to October). The southern peninsular region of Thailand has, broadly speaking, two seasons: Wet (April to October on the west coast and September to December on the east coast) and Dry.

Most Irish citizens have trouble-free visits to Thailand. It is estimated that approximately 11 million tourists visit Thailand each year. Many Irish people travel to Thailand on holiday or en route to and/or from Australia. A growing number of Irish citizens have also made Thailand their home. It is important to be aware that English is not widely spoken outside of major tourist destinations.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

For entry requirements for Thailand, please contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate for Thailand.

Please note that there are strict limits on the amount of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, cigars and smoking tobacco which you may bring into Thailand. Duty free personal exemption has been set at 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of cigars or smoking tobacco and 1 litre of liquor (spirits). A number of tourists have been detained and fined for attempting to bring cigarettes into the country and have reported that they were very distressed by their experiences. 
 
The Department of Foreign Affairs strongly advises all travellers to strictly adhere to the set limits for bringing any cigarettes into Thailand.  The Customs authorities impose large fines which are within the limits of Thai law and are totally non-refundable.

As with all countries, you are required to have a valid passport to enter Thailand. Your passport is an important document and should be treated carefully. A number of Irish citizens have been deported from Thailand back to Ireland for attempting to enter the country on a damaged passport. The Thai immigration authorities do not accept passports that have missing pages or have been damaged in any way.

The Thai immigration authorities also require that travellers have at least six months validity on their passports in order to enter the country. Please check the period of stay stamped in your passport by the immigration officer. Visitors who overstay their visa will, at the time of their departure, be fined 500 baht (approx. €11) for each excess day. As well as travelling on your original passport it is also advisable to take a number of photocopies of your passport with you and to carry a photocopy of your passport at all times.

An airport tax of 700 Baht per person is now included in the price of airline tickets.

Overstaying is the act of staying in Thailand exceeding the duration of your permit to stay as stated by the stamp or visa in particular.

SAFETY & SECURITY

We continue to advise against all but essential travel to or through the southern Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla. A state of emergency has existed in these provinces since January 2004 as a result of separatist insurgency and related civil unrest. There have been regular attacks including multiple bombings and shootings and over 3,000 people have been killed.

The area surrounding the Preah Vihear temple is the subject of a sovereignty dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. There have been clashes between troops of both countries and violent protests. You are strongly advised to avoid the area.

Particular care should be taken when travelling to remote areas along Thailand’s border with Burma (Myanmar) as there is sporadic conflict between Government forces and opposition on the Burmese side of the border.

CRIME

Visitors passing through Suvarnabhumi Airport, or moving between shops and stalls, should be extremely careful to ensure that they have paid, and have receipts for, all items in their possession before they move away from the vendor. We have received reports that innocent shoppers have been the subject of allegations of suspected theft and threatened that their cases will not be heard for several months unless they plead guilty and pay substantial fines. Understandably, this causes great distress to visitors engaged in normal tourist shopping activities.

You are advised to take the usual sensible precautions with your personal belongings. Do not carry all of your money at once and please ensure that your passport is secure at all times. The theft of passports and credit cards is a significant problem in Thailand.

Gem scam - be aware of being approached by strangers who offer to take you to a gem shop. You may be asked to purchase gems on your credit card and the gems will be sent to your home address. However, the gems are rarely worth what you pay for them and it is very hard to recover your money.

There have been incidents where female foreign nationals have been attacked and raped. Female travellers in particular should maintain a high state of personal awareness during their time in Thailand.

There have also been incidents where a number of tourists have had their drinks drugged (tourist areas and "red light" districts). You should be careful about taking drinks from strangers and be very wary at parties such as the "Full Moon" party on Phangan Island.

LOCAL LAWS AND CUSTOMS

You should not become involved with drugs of any kind. The possession of even very small quantities can lead to imprisonment. Overall, penalties for the possession, distribution and consumption of drugs in Thailand are severe and include the death penalty. A number of tourists have suffered psychiatric problems as a result drug use in Thailand.

ROAD SAFETY

Riding a motorcycle or scooter in Thailand can be dangerous. An average of 38 people a day die in motorcycle or scooter accidents in Thailand and a number of Irish visitors have been killed involving falls from motorcycles. You should take the same safety precautions as you would in Ireland. The Thai law that safety helmets must be worn is widely ignored, which is a contributing factor in many tourist deaths each year. You should never hand over your passport as security when renting a motorcycle.

HEALTH

It is strongly recommended that you obtain comprehensive travel and personal medical insurance (including medical evacuation insurance) before travelling. You should check any exclusions and ensure that your policy covers you for the activities you plan to undertake.

Extra care should be taken if you intend to engage in adventure sports (such as rafting, rock climbing, etc.). You should thoroughly check the bona fides of the company providing the services. In particular, there should qualified instructors and safety personnel for any activity.

Influenza A (H1N1) "Human Swine 'Flu" Pandemic 2009

There have been thousands of reported cases of Influenza A/H1N1 in Thailand and several deaths. Irish travellers are advised to keep themselves informed of developments through local media and by monitoring the following websites:

• http://www.who.int/en/
• http://eng.moph.go.th/

Avian Influenza

There have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in domestic poultry and wild birds in Thailand. This has led to 23 H5N1 cases in Thailand in 2003. These have lead to 15 deaths since then in central Thailand. However, the risk to humans from Avian Influenza is now believed to be low. The most recent human fatality from Bird Flu occurred in July 2006. For additional information you may wish to consult the WHO's website at http://www.who.int/en/

Dengue Fever

Since January 2005, the number of reported cases in Thailand, and in particular Southern Thailand has increased sharply. The rainy season, which is the peak season for dengue fever, is May to October. You are advised to take adequate precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes. Further information and advice about dengue fever is available on the WHO website at http://www.who.int/topics/dengue/en/ 

ASSISTANCE FOR IRISH CITIZENS IN THAILAND 

The Embassy of Ireland in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia also represents Ireland's interests in Thailand. Within Thailand, there are Irish Honorary Consulates in both Bangkok and Phuket. All relevant contact details are available on the Embassy's website, which you can access here.