Wayzata World Factbook 1995/World Factbook - 1995 Edition - Wayzata Technology (1995).iso/mac/text/Build/tvltxt/THAILAND.TVL

Text File | 1994-12-07 | 6KB | 99 lines

Thailand - Consular Information Sheet
October 3, 1994

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 15 days.  However, without a visa, entry
is permitted only when arriving at international airports in Bangkok,
Phuket, or Chiang Mai.  For longer stays, or overland entry, travelers can
obtain visas in advance from a Thai embassy or consulate.  For stays of up
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 has proved useful.  The international travelers hotline at the
Centers for Disease Control, tel. [phone] has additional useful
health information.

HIV Virus:  Thailand is experiencing a dramatic epidemic of HIV infection
and AIDS.  The large majority of HIV infections in Thailand have resulted
from heterosexual transmission.  Homosexual sex also has accounted for a
substantial number of HIV infections and injecting drug users also have high
rates of HIV infection.  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.  As in any remote
area, trekkers should travel only with licensed, reliable tour guides.
Tourists should cross into neighboring countries only at designated official
crossing points.  Outside official crossing points, the border often is not
clearly marked; reliable guides will assure that trekkers do not cross into
another country inadvertently.  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.

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 arrests for possession of small quantities of marijuana.  Thailand
has not signed the Vienna Consular Convention, and 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.  Most
Americans serving lengthy sentences have been arrested attempting to depart
Thailand with heroin secreted in their suitcases or other packages.  A ruse
sometimes used to get people to transport drugs out of the country,
wittingly or not, involves offering them a free vacation to Thailand or
another destination.  Mitigating circumstances, such as lack of knowledge
that drugs were in a suitcase in the traveler's possession, are not
considered in Thailand as a legal defense.  Americans convicted of drug
trafficking have received long sentences, often in excess of 50 years.  Thai
law bars the transfer of prisoners convicted of serious offenses until they
have served between four and eight years of their sentence 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 who register at the U.S Embassy or a consulate can
obtain updated information on travel and security within the country.  Lost
or stolen passports abroad should be reported 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. 94-229

This replaces the Consular Information Sheet of July 9, 1993 to update
information on health and safety conditions, drug trafficking penalties, to
correct the address for the Thai embassy in Washington, and to note the
closing of the U.S Consulate in Songkhla.