Guidebooks
Footprint Handbook Thailand I think this is a great guidebook. It has lots of background information, and it lists much more hotels and restaurants then the LP f.i. Also, if you prefer middle class hotels, you'll get a much wider choice then at LP. Another advantage is that at least not everybody has this guidebook. The new edition 1999 in paperback is out now. Recommended !
Order the Footprint Handbook Thailand now for only 15.96 US$
Lonely Planet Thailand I had also bought this book, but I didn't take it with me except for some copies to save on the weight. In order to prepare your trip, I liked this one a bit better then the Footprint, because it reads a bit easier, and their maps are excellent. Also, their website is excellent to download an update. Disadvantage is that everybody has it, so you'll meet people in all the same places. Edition 7/2001.
Order the Lonely Planet Thailand now for only 19.99 US$ They also have a separate guidebook on Bangkok. edition 6/99, new edition in 8/2001.
Order the Lonely Planet Bangkok now for only 11.96 US$ If you're more interested in beaches, they have a more up to date guide on that too.
Order the Lonely Planet Thailand Islands and Beaches now for only 12.76 US$ If you're into diving, it's worth checking their guidebook on diving & snorkeling (edition 11/2000).
Order the Lonely Planet Thailand Diving & snorkeling now for only 13.59 US$ They also have a travel atlas and a Thai phrasebook, but I didn't buy it, so I can't comment on that.
Order the Lonely Planet Thailand Travel Atlas now for only 7.16 US$ Order the Lonely Planet Thai Phrasebook now for only 4.75 US$ Thailand Handbook I just had a brief look at this guide, but the series is traditionally well written. This edition is from 12/99.
Order the Thailand Handbook from Moon publishers now for only 15,96 $ Other books 
If you can't make up your mind, click on the Amazon.com logo and search for more books
Safety
We always felt safe during our visit, and nothing got stolen.
Nevertheless, there are reports of people being drugged on trains and buses by accepting food from strangers. So be careful for this.
Medical matters
The info you find here was provided by the Belgian Tropical Institute
Hospitals in Bangkok
IntroductionI got a report from someone who went to 2 hospitals in BKK, once even for a small operation. This is what they experienced.
Mission hospital (Phitsanulok Road 430). Doctors speak English, service is good, hospital is clean and the infrastructure is modern.
Bangkok Nursing Home Hospital (Convent road next to Silom road)
This is also a modern hospital with English speaking doctors.
I got operated here for an inguinal hernia by Dr. Narong and Dr. Kessanee. Everything went perfect, the room was great with fridge, TV and my partner was allowed to stay in the room all night. Also the nurses spoke english quite well. Food is good: you can choose between a Thai and a western menu.
Malaria
Where to take what Touristic places
- No risk in Bangkok and resorts like Pattaya and Phuket.
- Risk is low in all other touristic areas. Only general measures are needed.
- Low risk in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. When doing excursions by day, no prophylaxis is needed. However, when doing extensive trekkings with overnight stay in the jungle, take Lariam or Doxy.
Border with Myanmar and Cambodia
- WHO area C
- Risk can be very high in certain places. When staying more then 10 days, Doxy is to be used.
Personal note: A very
good article on Malaria in Thailand was published in 1995. It was an analysis of data from 1992. I'll try to give the results in short:
Highest risk- Trat province (coastal province on the border with Cambodia, including
Koh Chang, although risk here is somewhat lower 4-10%) has the highest number of malaria cases (> 10% per year among locals). Peak incidences are in January and at the beginning of the rainy season (June). Nearby Chantaburi has a somewhat lower risk (4-10%).
- Tak province (around Mae Sot) also has a h
igh risk of > 10% per year, peak incidence January and July, lowest in April.
- Kanchanaburi province also has a risk of > 10% per year. However, this risk is mainly confined to a couple of remote villages along the Thai-Burmese border. Peak transmission June-July.
Intermediate risk- Mae Hong Son has an intermediate risk with a single transmission peak from June to August.
- Whatever people in tourist business tell you, there IS still malaria in both Chiang Mai (3102 cases) and Chiang Rai (1641 cases in 1992)(between 2 to 4% per year for locals). But the transmission risk is also confined to the June to August period.
No risk Bangkok and the central plain AND also Phuket are malaria free.
Buying anti-malarials in Thailand You can get anti-malarials in Thailand without prescription and at a much lower price then in other countries. However, keep in mind that these are not the official products, but just copies of it. I don't know whether they have the same efficacy, in Cambodia f.i. copies have been proven to be inefficient.
Here is what you can find:
- Lariam: I only found the copy ("mefloquine") in 1 pharmacy in Chiang Mai, but not in all of them. Price was a ridiculous 1,5 Bht (compared to 120 in Belgium). In the South I didn't find it since they say they have no malaria. I checked 2 pharmacies in BKK and didn't find it, but I'm quite sure you can find it.
- Doxycycline on the other hand is easy to get everywhere since it's also used as antibiotic. Price was 6 Bht per pill for the copy and 24 Bht for the official Pfizer product.
Hepatitis A - If you travel with a backpack and don't mind eating in cheap restaurants, it's easy to catch Hepatitis A. Chances of getting infected range from 1/300 to 1/50 per month depending on your standard of travelling. It's not dangerous, but you will be sick for some weeks.
- There is a good vaccination for Hepatitis A nowadays, so ask your doctor. You need 2 shots (used to be 3 shots) at 0 and 6 months, although if you can it's even better to postpone the second shot till after 12 months. They are expensive, but they protect you for 10 years.
Hepatitis B - You can only get this through sex and blood transfusion. Since prevalence of Hepatitis B is much higher in SE Asia then in the Western world, it might be wise to get vaccinated.
- Get your shots at 0, 1 and 6 months. They are equally expensive as hepatitis A.
Typhoid fever There is also a good vaccination consisting of 3 pills to be taken every 2 days. Take them early enough before you leave since it's better not to combine them with malaria pills, although these guidelines have recently changed (meaning you can combine them). The vaccination works for 3 years.
Travellers diarrhea We always have antibiotics at hand in case of diarrhea. We take Ciproxine 250 mg two tablets at once and then another 3 tablets, one tablet every 12 hours.
You can buy a copy of Ciproxine in Thailand for 20 Bht per pill, in Belgium you'll pay about 80 Bht (although public insurance will refund 75% of that, so it remains the same).
Weather
- Dry and "cool" season from December to February, hot and dry in March and April, rain can start in May-June, but it'll get heavy in September-October.
- We went in
March. We didn't have problems with the temperature, except in Bangkok. In the North it's always a bit cooler, and in the South you have a seabreeze.
- I don't have info on
what to expect in the rainy season, but this is what someone posted about this on the Thorn Tree: "I went to Thailand last September-October and actually everything is possible with the weather: in 2 months it rained for 2 days up to great sunny weather for 2 whole weeks. Most of the time it rained an hour or 2 in the afternoon let's say every 3 days".
What to take
- Take plenty of mosquito repellent, and we always take an electronic device where you can put Baygon tablets. Even the most basic room has a powerpoint.
- It's not necessary to take water purification tablets, you can buy water in the most remote villages.
- I advise against taking a sleeping bag, maybe with the exception for trekking in the North during winter season, but even then you have to weigh the advantage of having your sleeping bag and the disadvantage of carrying it for the rest of your trip.
Sports
Rafting White water rafting is possible in the North and in the Kanchanaburi region, but only during wet season or right afterwards.
Bamboorafting is possible all year round, but in dry season you'll have to work quite hard to get some speed in your raft, and you'll sometimes have to get into the water to lift the raft over the rocks (which makes it even more fun actually).
Snorkeling and diving If you're into diving, it's worth checking the Lonely Planet guidebook on diving & snorkeling (edition 11/2000).
Order the Lonely Planet Thailand Diving & snorkeling now for only 13.59 US$ We went snorkeling around Ko Phi Phi, which is considered to be one of the best places in Thailand (possibly behind the Similan islands), but still we were a bit disappointed by the coral and the fish we saw, especially comparing to what you can see in North-Sulawesi f.i.
There are numerous diving courses possible almost everywhere in the South, but I don't have details on that.
I advise to buy your own mask and snorkel at home. It's cheap (15-30 US$) and usually better quality then what you can rent. I always rent the fins since they are too big and heavy to carry. Renting fins and a mask costs 100 Bht a day.
Go to Info on transportation
Article Comments:
| 03/17/2006 |
| David (1) |
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Hi,
Im travelling to Thailand in 3 weeks and I have a question regarding malarone and dexicyclone. Can you please tell me how much it would cost, if i were to purchase 8 weeks supply of either of them in a Thaland drugstore. Thank you
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