Thailand Information

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Geography

Covering an area of 514,000 square kilometres, Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, roughly equidistant between India and China. It shares borders with Myanmar, Lao P.D.R., Cambodia and Malaysia.

Climate

Thailand lies within the humid tropics and remains hot throughout the year. Average temperatures are about 29oC.

Average Maximum Temperature °C

 Jan   Feb    March    April    May     Jun     Jul       Aug
 26     27.6   29.2       30.1   34.0    32.9    32.3    32.1 °C

Quick Facts

Full country name: Kingdom of Thailand
Area: 517,000sq km
Population: 62 million
Capital city: Bangkok (pop 6 million)
People: 75% Thai, 11% Chinese, 3.5% Malay, also Mon, Khmer, Phuan and Karen minorities
Language: Thai
Religion: 95% Buddhism, 4% Muslim
Government: Democratic constitutional monarchy
Prime Minister: Thaksin Shinawatra
Head of State: King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
GDP: US$166 billion
GDP per head: US$2168
Annual growth: 3.5%
Inflation: 2%
Major products: computers, garments, integrated circuits, gems, jewelry
Major trading partners: ASEAN, USA, European Union
Time: UTC plus seven hours
Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz
Weights & measures: metric with local variations
Tourism: average 8.5 million visitors annually

Money & Costs

Currency: Baht
Conversion: Roughly 35-40 Baht for every Canadian Dollar.

Relative Costs

Meals

• Budget: CAD$1.5-4
• Mid-range: CAD$4-10
• Top-end: CAD$10 and upwards

• 26 oz of Whiskey: CAD$8
• Motorbikes: $6-10/day
• Taxi/Boat Taxi: Cheap!

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Thailand like it is in Canada. Bargaining is a common practice in almost every situation except for restaurants. Once you come on the trip you will be informed on different approaches to properly handle each situtation.

How much money should I bring?

The amount of extra spending money needed can vary from person to person. Generally we recommend budgeting for $20 per day, so around $550-$650 for the month; this should cover your meals and drinks during the trip. As for shopping… it can be cheap, depending on what you buy and how much you buy.

Here’s a look at some average costs you may run into during the trip:
(Approx 1 CAD=35-40 Baht)

Plate of Thai food, some rice and a soft drink at an average small restaurant
50B to 150B
Plate of western style food and a soft drink in tourist-orientated restaurant.
150B - 300B
Meal for 2 at a high quality Thai restaurant
400B to 700B
Macdonald's BigMac Meal - Small/Large
85B-100B
Grilled chicken and sticky rice from a street vendor
25-40B
Large (630ml) 'Singha' beer from a 7-11 store
60-70B
Small (330ml) 'Singha' beer in an average bar
60B-150B
1 litre of bottled water from a store
7B-15B
Low-end bottle of wine from a supermarket
550B
Small Chocolate Bar
30B
20 cigarettes (Western brand)
50-100B
20 cigarettes (Thai brand)
30-50B
Copied Western music CD from Khao San Road
100-150B
Copied software
100-150B
Fake watch
500B +
T-Shirts
150B-400B
Fake pair of Diesel Jeans
700-900B
General cinema ticket
150B
Entrance fee to some of the most popular nightclubs

(This usually entitles you to 1 or 2 'free' drinks)
500B to 800B
Haircut
150B-400B
Internet access, per hour.
30B to 240B