Top 10 Things Chinese Should Know When Visiting Thailand

Rowan (Guinness Bear) 11 min read

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Are you a Chinese traveler looking forward to visiting Thailand? Recently, the growth data for inbound tourists indicates that the number of Chinese tourists traveling to Thailand has grown significantly 🏅 So, we will tell you about the top 10 things you should know before traveling to Thailand to make your holiday trip memorable.

Sometimes, you don’t have to travel far to enjoy the holiday of your dreams, which is undoubtedly true for Chinese travelers 🏅 International travel to faraway continents and long-haul flights may still seem a bit unnerving for some, and that’s why Thailand is a perfect choice for Chinese travelers who are yearning for a change of scenery right now.

A short 3-hour 20-minute flight from any significant China airport will bring you to a tropical paradise 🏅 It will be surrounded by golden beaches, misty mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, mouth-watering food, and the hospitality of people you'll absolutely meet. 

So, here are the top 10 things you should know when visiting Thailand as a Chinese traveler 🧔 So; all these things will help you to know more about China and ease your journey, especially if you're traveling to Thailand soon.

#10 General Knowledge 

Be sure to look for a Taxi with the official logo when calling. Before getting on the bus, confirm the destination with the driver and ask to use the meter. Although Thailand is a travel country, English is not widely spoken 🏅 No matter where you go, it is best to check the information yourself to get a general impression. When you want to go to places such as non-popular attractions, it is best to ask the hotel counter staff to help you write the Thai address of the destination.

Respect local customs, members of the Thai Royal Family, and Buddhist etiquette. The Royal family of Thailand is particularly revered and respected. Please maintain proper etiquette and pay attention to the words in front of the King's portraits that can be seen everywhere 🧔 Be careful not to point at people and objects with your toes, and do not touch the heads of Thai people. Don't step into the shadow of the monk. When walking on the road, make way for the monk. In addition, women should avoid touching the monk.

Remember to check your luggage back when leaving a hotel or restaurant. In addition, put your money in different places. Keep at least one card somewhere other than your card and wallet, as it's not easy to replace if you lose it on the road 🏅 Use credit cards with caution in Internet cafes. Some Internet cafes may have installed software that can record keyboard input and do not leave your belongings unattended in any public place. 

Also, make copies of all essential documents, including passports, visa pages, insurance, etc., in a different place from the originals. Moreover, buy insurance before departure. Even a minor injury can be costly if you get sick or injured overseas. So, insurance is still cost-effective and sometimes necessary for a visa. 

#9 Tipping in Thailand

In addition to most hotels and restaurants adding a 10% service charge to the bill, there are other places where tipping may be required 🏅 Of course, these are not necessary, but more of an etiquette. Also, when giving a tip, do not give coins because it's considered inappropriate to tip with coins, so tip at least 20 Thai Baht.

• Thai Massage: It can be given entirely up to you, depending on the service quality or professional level of the masseuse, usually 50-100 Thai Baht.
  
  
• Jungle Elephant Ride: About 50 Thai Baht per trainer.
  
  
• Taking Pictures with Ladyboys: About 20-100 Thai Baht per person per visit.
  
  
• Luggage Tip: 20 Thai Baht for the bellboy once per room.
  
  
• Bedside Tip: 20 Thai Baht per room per day.
  
  

Hotel staff offer good service and can tip as appropriate, generally about 20 Thai Baht or about $1 at a time, and the proportion of restaurant tips is 10% of consumption.

#8 Chinese New Year in Bangkok

One of the most important events in Yaowarat, the Chinatown of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok), is the Chinese New Year 🧔 During the day, it's getting beautiful with firecrackers and dragon dancers. Most importantly,  Chinese families gather to partake in the street fanfare and enjoy banquets during this time of year🏅

Did you know that most Chinese restaurants and shopping malls in other areas of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) are rolling out special Chinese New Year celebrations? 🧔 This annual event usually occurs around January or February, with exact dates calculated from the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

Chinese New Year parades and street festivals occur in several areas of Thailand. Some of the most colorful events take place in Ayutthaya, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Nakhon Sawan, Phuket, Trang, and Udon Thani 🏅 

It is a festival for all; anyone can enjoy the day by dressing up in red, which symbolizes the spirit. If you hope to go all the way to observe the event, it’s a good idea to fix your tour during the Chinese New Year Season 🧔

#7 Pre-Trip Essentials for Thailand

Before departure, please carefully check whether you have brought all the following things in your luggage 🏅

1. Documents
   Passport and visa, e-ticket (itinerary), hotel reservation, passport copy.
   
   
2. Cash/Card Type
   Cash (Thai Baht and RMB), credit card, UnionPay card.
   
   
3. Travel Guide
   Itinerary plan, map, pen, and notebook.
   
   
4. Mobile Phone Charger and Spare Battery
   2-pin power converter (Thailand is 2-pin; if there is a 3-pin plug, use the converter).
   
   
5. Toiletries
   Towels, slippers, shower gel, shampoo/conditioner, facial cleanser, toothpaste, and toothbrush.
   
   
6. Skincare
   Face cream, eye cream, facial mask, sunscreen (must be SPF50+), comb, mirror, cotton pad.
   
   
7. Daily Necessities
   Wet wipes, paper towels, sunglasses, umbrellas, and disposable raincoats (the weather in Thailand changes a lot).
   
   
8. Clothing, Shoes, and Hats
   3-4 sets of summer clothes, long clothes, trousers, underwear, socks, bikini swimsuits, beach shoes, and light outdoor shoes.
   
   
9. List of Medicines
   Wind oil essence, Bondi, cold medicines, diarrhea medicines, allergies, seasickness.

#6 Thailand Post Communications

China Global Connect users can use mobile phones in Thailand. The local call is 5 yuan/min, the answer is 6 yuan/min, the domestic call is 13 yuan/min, and the short message is 2 yuan. Mobile SIM cards can also be purchased locally in Thailand 🏅 

In Thailand, there are three types of mobile SIM cards: A one-2-call card, a Happy card, and a True card. They are all one-way charges. There is no local, long-distance call available in Thailand. 

• One-2-call Card
  • SIM cards sold for 300 Thai Baht include a 300 Thai Baht call charge, equivalent to free number delivery. 
  • During the period of 5:00-17:00, there was 1 Thai Baht per minute.
  • During the period of 17:00-5:00, there was 1 Thai Baht per minute. 
  • To dial China long distance (Oversea):
    • 008 (or 009) + 86 + number (landline calls require area code), 7 Thai Baht/minute. Texting will cost 11 Thai Baht.
      

• Happy Card
  • 99 Thai Baht per card, including 35 Thai Baht for phone calls.
  • Calling China and dialing 009, the cost of calling back China is also 7 Thai Baht/minute.
  • There is no time slot for local calls. All are 1 Thai Baht per minute.
    

• True Card
  • 99 Thai Baht per card, including 30 Thai Baht for phone calls.
  • It is the cheapest to call back to China, with 30 seconds as the billing unit, and dial 009 to China, which is less than 6 Thai Baht per minute.

#5 Tax Refund Procedure

Tourists who buy goods in Thailand can ask for a 7% VAT refund when they return to China 🧔 After purchasing a product with the "Vat Refund for Tourists" logo and spending 2,000 Thai Baht at the same store on the same day, you can fill in a tourist tax refund application form with your passport on the day of shopping and print the original tax certificate.

According to the total amount of goods for tax refund accumulated under the same passport, if the refund is made by airport tax refund or bank draft or card transfer, a handling fee of 100 Thai Baht for each transaction and a transfer fee will be charged.

After arriving at the airport, go to the VAT Refund Office 🏅 Then go through the normal exit procedures after stamping, and then to the tax refund counter in the departure hall to show your passport and tax refund form 🧔 Most importantly, remember to show valuables such as jewelry and watches if you buy when you receive the tax refund for purchased items.

#4 Thailand Visas for Chinese Citizens

China is not a Visa Exempt country. Chinese travelers will need a proper Thai visa to enter Thailand 🏅 They may be able to obtain a Visa on Arrival (VOA) for a maximum of 15 days as a tourist.

So, what type of visas can Chinese tourists/travelers obtain if staying for more than 15 days? The following are the visas Chinese travelers can apply for:

• Tourist Visa for 60 days

• Special Tourist Visa (STV)

• Non-Immigrant Visa (for visiting Thailand for a variety of reasons; visas are valid for 90 days and can be renewed in Thailand for up to one year)

Consulates in China:

• Royal Thai Embassy, Beijing, located at  40 Guanghua Rd, Jian Wai Da Jie, Chaoyang, Beijing, China 
  
  
• Royal Thai Consulate, Chengdu, located at 6 Hangkong Rd, Tongzilin, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610041
  
  
• Royal Thai Consulate, Guang Zhuo, located at 36 Youhe Rd, Kecun, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  
  
• Royal Thai Consulate, Shanghai, located at 567 Weihai Rd, Jing’an District, Shanghai, China
  
  
• Royal Thai Consulate, Nanning, located at 52 Jinhu N Rd, Qingxiu District, Nanning, Guangxi, China

Once your visa has been approved, you are ready to apply for entry into Thailand 🧔

#3 UnionPay Cards in Thailand

There are over 2,000 POS machines in Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Pattaya, and more places where UnionPay credit cards can be used, including Kasikorn Bank, TMB Bank of Thailand, SCB Bank of Thailand 🏅 UnionPay cards can be used to withdraw Thai baht directly at more than 8,000 ATMs.

It is recommended to withdraw cash at the ATM of Thai Hua Farmers Bank in Thailand. This bank offers very excellent service 🏅 The ATM has a Chinese-made interface and a green logo.

Highlights

1. Credit card cash withdrawal requires interest payment or a high handling fee. Using a debit card (savings card) as much as possible for ATM withdrawals is recommended.
   
   

2. The credit card is limited by the credit limit, which may incur high fees caused by exceeding the credit limit. Therefore, using a savings card when spending large amounts of money is recommended.
   
   

3. Aside from withdrawing cash, UnionPay cards can also be used in most major shopping malls and stores in Thailand for consumption.
   
   

4. Regardless of debit or credit card, please enter the password when swiping the card; make sure to press confirm directly, especially if the card does not have a password.
   
   

5. Some stores or ATMs may not have posted the "UnionPay" logo at present. You should take the initiative to ask the cashiers or bank service personnel.

UnionPay Thailand 24-hour service hotline: 0018-001-2066-5999 🧔

#2 Book a Flight from China to Thailand

Some flights from China to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) or Phuket, Thailand, are available. Operating airlines are: 

• Scoot
• Air China
• Thai Airways
• Cathay Pacific 
• Singapore Airlines 

From May 1, 2022, sealed flights are no longer required if landing in Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok) and transiting to Phuket or Koh Samui 🏅 Travelers can disembark at international airports and transit domestically whether vaccinated or not.

All travelers need to follow airport or airline regulations, like wearing a mask, to have a safe trip to Thailand 🧔

#1 Exchanging RMB for Thai Baht

Bank and currency: the Thai currency unit is "baht," English Baht, pronounced "ba." 1 yuan is about 5.44 Thai Baht (check the exchange rate on your travel dates) 🧔 Thai Baht currency has around five denominations which include 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000 baht banknotes and coins of 1, 2, 5, and 10 Thai Baht currently in circulation.

The way to get Thai Baht (where to exchange it, whether it needs to be exchanged into small banknotes)

1. Direct purchase in China has the highest exchange rate. Bank of China can buy Thai Baht directly, but not all business offices have them, nor are they available at any time. You need to make an appointment in advance and bring your ID card and passport with a visa.

2. You can withdraw Thai Baht directly with your bank card at ATMs with the UnionPay logo or Thai-affiliated banks. You can also try other ATMs without these two types of logos. It should be noted that the deposit balance of the ATM is displayed according to the foreign exchange of China UnionPay at that time.
   
   Note:
   The amount in Thai Baht is calculated from the listed price, not the balance in RMB. The exchange rate is calculated based on the Thai Baht selling price announced by the Bank of China on that day. However, the card issuing bank will charge a certain handling fee (usually 0.3%-0.5%, with a minimum charge of RMB 10 per transaction). Since October 2012, all Thai banks have been charged 50 Baht for each cash withdrawal with UnionPay cards.

3. Exchange euros, U.S. dollars, or Hong Kong dollars at home, and then exchange them for Thai Baht when you arrive in Thailand. There will be an exchange rate loss for two conversions. The exchange rate of USD in Thailand is better than that of RMB.

4. Exchange in RMB directly in Thailand; the exchange rate is lower than the above methods. Bangkok Chinatown might be slightly better.

If you're here for a particular number of days, it's helpful to check out the following articles:

• 1 Day in Thailand: How Much Money Do I Need?
• 3 Days in Thailand: How Much Money Do I Need?
• 5 Days in Thailand: How Much Money Do I Need?
• 7 Days in Thailand: How Much Money Do I Need?
• 15 Days in Thailand: How Much Money Do I Need?
• 30 Days in Thailand: How Much Money Do I Need?

There are many things to know when traveling to Thailand as a Chinese traveler to enjoy your holiday to the fullest. I have mentioned the top 10 things here 🏅 You have lots to see and do in Thailand, and make sure you organize your Thailand holiday properly with this guide so you get to enjoy everything.