Gathering Your Documents

• Passports for every family member (valid for at least six months after your arrival date)
• Birth Certificates for every family member (embossed original from state of birth)
• Marriage License (original from county of record)
• College Degree (original from your university)
• Any Post-graduate degrees (originals)
• Professional Credentials or Licenses (original)
• University transcripts pertaining to all work completed for above degrees (official from school, not just photo copies)

Contact your sponsoring organization regarding any other information required.

Scan and save all documents for reference in the event of loss of documents. Carry these items in your hand luggage.

Medical

If there are specific medications that you need, have someone from your sponsoring organization check to see if those medications are available in Thailand.   Most medications are sold here, but there are a few that are not.

Applying For a Visa

http://www.thaiembassy.org/  will enable you to find Thai embassies / consulates in your location.   This list is not comprehensive. 

You have two options when applying for a visa:

1. Citizens of certain countries may apply for a 30-day visa-on-arrival in Thailand
2. If you anticipate being in Thailand long-term, you should apply for a 90-day non-immigrant “O – A” visa.   You will need a visa for each family member.  Asample form is available at http://thaiembassy.ca/en/forms/formvisanono-a.pdf

Consult your sponsoring organization for further details.  If you anticipate working in Thailand, it is recommended that you apply for the 90-day visa.   If you are going to be travelling in and out of Thailand, inquire about a multiple-entry visa.

Helpful Information For Your Flight

If possible, book your international flight to terminate in Chiang Mai.  You will find it much easier to not to have to deal with your luggage in Bangkok.  Also, the weight limits for international flights are higher than for domestic flights (i.e. BKK to CNX).  While Bangkok is the port of entry for most international flights, there are a few that come directly to Chiang Mai from Seoul (Korean Airlines), Taipei (China Air), Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

There are two airports in Bangkok:  Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Muang Airport (Domestic).  Make sure your ongoing flight to Chiang Mai is departing from Suvarnabhumi Airport. There are over 20 flights per day between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.  Budget airlines include Air Asia, Bangkok Airways, Nok Air and 1-2-GO.   These airlines are not necessarily linked to cheap flight websites such as Travelocity, Expedia, etc.

Be sure to drink lots of water during your flight.  Also, be sure to get up and walk during your flight.  This helps with swelling and can prevent blood clots from sitting for long hours.  Drinking plenty of water and walking also helps to minimize jet lag.

Luggage

The following items should not be placed in checked luggage, but should be carried in your hand luggage:

• Documents
• Electronics – computers, cameras, phones, MP3 players, etc.
• Jewelry and cash
• Medications

Follow the weight limits set by your international airline carrier.  If you are changing airlines in Bangkok, be sure you are aware of the weight limits for each airline.  Domestic flights have a lower weight limit and some may charge a fee for your luggage.   

It is best to book “international” all the way through to Chiang Mai. Some people who come here check their bags through to Chiang Mai and then go through customs after arriving here.  Chiang Mai is an international airport.  You do not need to go through customs in Bangkok if you check your luggage to Chiang Mai. However, if you stay overnight in Bangkok you are considered a domestic passenger and will need to pick up luggage and go through customs in Bangkok.

Check with your travel agent / airline to confirm these details. Security restrictions and immigration procedures may change.

If you need to stay overnight in Bangkok, there are budget hotels a short distance from the International Airports.  (The airport hotel is expensive).  Silver Gold Garden is new and clean, and provides free shuttle to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport.  .  http://www.silvergoldgarden.com/  

Customs Forms

All international passengers will need to go through immigration in Bangkok.  You will need to fill out an arrival card prior to clearing immigration in Bangkok.  These cards should be distributed on your flight.  If you have already arranged for a place to live, you may use that address on the card.  If you don’t know where you will be living, you may use the address of your sponsoring organization.  Have that information with you on your flight

What To Wear

It is very hot in April – October so you will need clothes for summer weather.  Many buildings have air conditioning and, in most homes, it will at least be in the bedrooms.  It is comfortable for sleeping at night, but it may not be cool in the entire house.

Please take into consideration that when you are outside it is very warm.  Hats, sunscreen and long sleeves are recommended.

May – October is also the rainy season so you will need an umbrella or poncho, which are cheaply available in Thailand.

You may want to bring a lightweight sweater or jacket to wear in air conditioned venues.  These might also be needed in the cooler months (December – February) or when travelling into the mountains. 

Dresses or slacks are appropriate at church.  Shorts may be worn at home and on sightseeing trips.  

Money

You can use a debit or credit card to get cash (ATM’s are everywhere in Thailand), but you may want to bring a little money from home to change in an emergency.  There are currency exchange services open at the airports whenever planes are landing (basically 24/7 at Suvarnabuhmi). Travelers’ checks are not widely used.  Check the exchange rate for Thai Baht at a website such as http://www.xe.com/ .

Electricity

Electricity in Thailand and surrounding countries is 220V.  If you are bringing electrical goods / chargers, try to get dual voltage items.  Alternately you can buy your goods here or buy a transformer for your 110v. items.

Telephones

The country code for Thailand is 66.  Mobile phone numbers are all 08x – xxx – xxxx.  Land line numbers are 8 or 9 digit numbers starting with a “0”.  When someone is calling you from outside Thailand, remove the “0” and replace it with “66”.  There are no long distance charges for calls between mobile phone numbers within Thailand. 

Use http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock  to determine the time difference between Chiang Mai and your home location.

Mobile phone service is excellent and inexpensive.   You can either get a monthly plan or buy prepaid cards.  International calling cards are widely used and rates can be as low as 1B per minute.

Your mobile phone from your home country may or may not be compatible with the Thai mobile networks.  “Quad band” or "Triband" phones work here.  In the USA and Canada, GSM operators use GSM 850 and 1900.  Thailand GSM operators use GSM 900, 1800 and 1900. 

Therefore you need either a tri-band phone or a dual band that has GSM1900 capability.  For more details  http://www.mphone.co.uk/usa.htm   or http://allworldcellphones.com/gsm-frequencies-list.htm

To communicate with those back home, internet-based phone services such as Vonage or Magic Jack are available for a reasonable price.  You will need to arrange for this prior to coming to Thailand.  In addition, “SKYPE” service over the internet is also an option.

Mail

To send mail ahead, or to receive mail while here, use the address given by your sponsoring business or organization.

It will take at least 15 days to receive something from North America or Europe.  A word of warning about receiving packages from home:  often duty must be paid at pick up and can be very costly.