Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:791 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Path: world!daemon From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Thailand Message-ID: <950816134859_76702.1202_CHN50-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: daemon@world.std.com (daemons) Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Wed, 16 Aug 1995 13:48:59 GMT Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 134 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Thailand ============================================================ Thailand - Consular Information Sheet August 15, 1995 Country Description: Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. It is a popular travel destination, and tourist facilities and services are available throughout the country. Entry Requirements: Passports and onward/return tickets are required. Visas are not needed for stays of up to 30 days, but permission to enter Thailand under this provision may only be granted at the international airports in Bangkok, Phuket, Hat Yai, and Chiang Mai. This airport permit to stay may not be extended. For longer stays, or overland entry, travelers can obtain visas in advance from a Thai Embassy or Consulate. For stays of 30 to 60 days a tourist visa is required, the fee for which is 15 U.S. dollars. For more current information travelers may contact the Royal Thai Embassy, 1024 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20007, tel. (202) 944-3600. Medical Facilities: Medical treatment, especially in Bangkok, is good. While the general level of health is good, hepatitis is endemic. Malaria is a problem in rural border areas, but not in Bangkok or other major tourist destinations. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including provision for medical evacuation, has proven useful in many emergencies. The international travelers Hotline at the Centers for Disease Control, tel. (404) 332-4559, has additional useful health information. HIV Virus: Thailand is experiencing a dramatic epidemic of HIV infection and AIDS. The majority of HIV infections in Thailand has resulted from heterosexual transmission. Homosexual contact, however, accounts for a substantial number of HIV infections, along with the use of intravenous drugs. HIV infection is common among prostitutes, who are generally not subject to regular screening for sexually transmitted diseases. Information on Crime and Safety: Petty crimes are common in areas where tourists gather. Many tourists fall victim to gem scams, in which a friendly stranger offers to serve as an informal tour guide. The "guide" offers to show the tourist where to buy gems for resale in the U.S. at a huge profit. The gems turn out to be overpriced and money back guarantees are not honored. Some travelers report being robbed after they were drugged in night clubs or in their hotel rooms by bar girls. Trekking is a popular activity for tourists in Thailand's mountainous areas. The use of licensed, reliable tour guides will enhance security for trekkers. In Bangkok, heavy traffic is constant. Motorist and pedestrian accidents are common. Credit card fraud has also been increasing. Travelers should protect their credit cards and use them only with known or established businesses. Useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad is provided in the Department of State pamphlet, "A Safe Trip Abroad." It is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Border Problems: Tourists should cross into neighboring countries only at designated official crossing points. Outside official crossing points, the border is often not clearly marked. Reliable guides will assure that trekkers do not cross into another country inadvertently. In December 1994, fighting broke out between Karen factions in Burma across from Thailand's Mae Hong Son and Tax provinces. As a result of the fighting, travel by boat along the Salween and Moei Rivers, which form the border in this area, is considered dangerous. Fighting between the Burmese army and Karen insurgent groups spilled into areas of Tax and Mae Hong Son provinces adjacent to the Thai/Burma border in the spring of 1995. By late May, the incursions had halted; nevertheless, tourists who wish to travel along the border road from Mar Sot, Tax province, to Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son province, should travel with a licensed, reputable tour company. Prospective travelers may also wish to check with local Thai police and/or the American Consulate General in Chiang Mai. Drug Penalties: Travelers are subject to the laws and legal practices of the country in which they travel. Thailand strictly enforces its drug laws, including making arrests for possession of small quantities of marijuana. Thailand has not signed the Vienna Consular Convention, and consequently the U.S. Embassy frequently does not learn of the arrest of American Citizens for minor drug offenses. Prison conditions in Thailand are extremely harsh, and Americans convicted of drug trafficking have received long sentences, often in excess of 50 years. Most Americans serving lengthy sentences have been arrested attempting to depart Thailand with heroin secreted in their suitcases or in carry-on packages. A ruse sometimes used to get American citizens to transport drugs out of the country, knowingly or not, involves offering the American a free vacation to Thailand, then requesting the American's assistance in transporting excess "luggage" or "gifts" back to the U.S. A lack of knowledge that drugs were in a suitcase in the traveler's possession is not considered a sufficient legal defense in Thailand. Thai law bars the transfer of prisoners convicted of serious offenses until the prisoners have served between four and eight years of their sentences in Thailand. American citizens convicted of offenses involving one kilogram or more of heroin are not eligible to benefit from the U.S. - Thailand Prisoner Transfer Treaty. Registration: Americans may wish to register at the U.S Embassy or a Consulate, where they may obtain updated information on travel and security within the country. Lost or stolen passports abroad should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. Embassy or U.S. consulate. Embassy Location: The U.S. Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok. The mailing address is APO AP 96546. The telephone number is (66-2) 252-5040. The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai is located at 387 Vidhayanond Road; the mailing address is Box C, APO AP 96546. The telephone number is (66-53) 252-629. The U.S. Consulate in Udorn is located at 35/6 Supakitjanya Road. The mailing address is Box UD, APO AP 96546. The telephone number is (66-42)244-270. The U.S. Consulate in Songkhla was closed in June 1993. No. 95-091 This replaces the Consular Information sheet of December 21, 1994 to include new information on travel along the border with Burma and the extended validity of airport visas. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories