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Daily life and culture

Etiquette, greetings, bringing pets and living day to day.

20 guides

Guide Phones in Thailand: SIM, eSIM and home internet Thailand's main mobile operators are AIS and True Corporation (the TrueMove H and dtac brands). A tourist SIM or eSIM is the easiest option: unlimited data for 8 days costs THB 499 and for 30 days THB 1,199 with AIS, TrueMove H and dtac (October 2026). Since 16 May 2026 foreigners must register a SIM in person with a passport, with no more than three SIMs per person per operator. If you stay for months, you need a regular number and home internet: AIS Fibre starts at THB 269 a month for 50 Mbps, 500 Mbps from THB 500 at AIS on a 24-month contract, and from THB 499 at True on a 24-month contract.
Question How to get from Bangkok to Krabi Flying is the fastest and costs about the same as the bus: direct flights from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK) to Krabi Airport (KBV) take 1 h 20 min to 1 h 30 min, and a one-way ticket for dates from 26 October to January is 1,111-1,689 baht (AirAsia MOVE, 19 October 2026). The night bus takes 14.5-15.5 hours and costs 912-1,449 baht on 22 October (12go, a booking aggregator), over a 792 km road to Ao Nang. There is no train to Krabi: the SRT timetable has no station in the province, and the nearest is Surat Thani, with about 2 more hours by bus or minivan.
Question How to get from Bangkok to Phuket The fastest way is to fly: direct flights from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK) to Phuket Airport (HKT) take 1 h 20 min to 1 h 40 min, and a one-way ticket for dates from 20 October to January usually costs 1,150-1,700 baht, rising to 2,650-3,200 baht on 26-30 December (AirAsia MOVE fare calendar, evening of 19 October 2026, fares change through the day; Thai Airways shows a return ticket from 4,760 baht on its official site). The bus takes 14-17 hours and costs from 869 baht (12go, a booking aggregator), over a road distance of 830-850 km by OSRM routing. There is no train to Phuket: the SRT timetable has no stations in Phuket or Phang Nga, and the nearest one is Surat Thani.
Question Can a foreigner buy an apartment (condo) in Thailand Yes, a foreigner can buy an apartment in Thailand and own it freehold, but only a unit in a building registered as a condominium under the Condominium Act of 1979. Two conditions apply: the purchase money was brought in from abroad in foreign currency (or withdrawn from a non-resident baht account or a foreign currency account) in an amount of at least the price of the unit, and foreigners together own no more than 49% of the total unit area in the building. Nationality does not matter to the law, the source of the money and the free quota of the building do. A foreigner cannot buy land as a general rule (there is a narrow exception for investments of THB 40 million or more), so a villa usually comes down to a lease of up to 30 years. This explains the rules as of 19 October 2026 and is not legal advice.
Question Are Russian driving licences valid in Thailand, and do you need an IDP Under the text of the road traffic conventions Russian licences are recognised in Thailand, but the Russian foreign ministry's consular portal says a Russian licence alone cannot be used to drive. Carry two documents: your national licence with the right category and an International Driving Permit (IDP) of the 1968 model. Thailand ratified the Vienna Convention on 1 May 2020, and Russia has been a party since 1974 (UN data). The IDP is issued by the Russian traffic police on the basis of your Russian licence, repeats its categories and stops being valid once you settle in Thailand, at which point you need a Thai licence. Driving without a licence in Thailand carries a fine of up to THB 1,000 or up to a month in prison, and insurance may refuse a claim after an accident.
Question How to get from Bangkok to Koh Samui The fastest way is to fly: direct Bangkok Airways flights (some are also sold under the Thai Airways code) from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to Samui Airport (USM) take 1 h 10 min to 1 h 15 min, and a one-way ticket for November dates is usually 2,700-3,900 baht (AirAsia MOVE, 19 October 2026). A combined bus and ferry or catamaran ticket is cheaper: on the Lomprayah timetable valid from 25 August 2026 it is 1,250-1,900 baht from Bangkok to Samui and 11.5-15 hours on the road and water. There is no train to the island: you take a train to Chumphon or Surat Thani and a ferry from there.
Question How much does a holiday in Thailand cost and what makes up the budget There is no single price: flights and hotels depend on date and season, and we found no official price lists for them, so we give no figures for either. On the ground, food and drink come to roughly THB 900-1,000 a day per person (about RUB 2,300-2,500) in Phuket, Pattaya and Samui: our calculation from Numbeo prices as of 15 October 2026. For orientation, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) cites spending per person per trip of THB 61,615 for UK visitors staying 14.18 days and more than THB 69,415 for US visitors staying 14.59 nights (2025 data), which is about THB 4,300-4,800 a day. TAT does not say what the sums include, and we found no statistics for Russian visitors.
Question Do Russians need a visa for Thailand No visa is needed for a stay of up to 30 days: Russian citizens enter on an ordinary passport under the bilateral agreement between Thailand and Russia, as the Royal Thai Embassy in Moscow confirms. The immigration officer at the border sets the length of stay, and the 60-day visa exemption ended on 15 September 2026. To stay longer, apply in advance online at thaievisa.go.th: a tourist visa for up to 60 days, a DTV, a retirement visa or another type that fits your purpose. Data as of October 2026.
Question How to get a Thai driving licence as a foreigner: documents, tests, timing To get a Thai licence a foreigner brings a passport, a residence certificate or a work permit showing an address, and a medical certificate issued within the past month, after booking through the DLT Smart Queue app or gecc.dlt.go.th. At the Department of Land Transport (DLT) office you take vision and reaction tests, at least 5 hours of training, then a computer test and a driving test on a track. You first receive a temporary licence valid for 2 years, and a 5-year licence is available once you have held the temporary one for at least a year. According to the DLT service guide the fee for a temporary licence is THB 200 for a car and THB 100 for a motorcycle plus THB 5 for the application, and for a 5-year licence THB 500 and THB 250 plus THB 5 (as of October 2026).
Question How to get from Phuket to Krabi From Phuket Airport (HKT) to Krabi Airport (KBV) it is 153 km by road and about 2 h 25 min without traffic (OSRM routing), and from Patong to Ao Nang 185 km and about 2 h 50 min. The cheapest options are a minivan or a bus: on 12go (a booking aggregator) for 22 October 2026 a minivan starts at 270 baht and a bus at 360 baht, taking about 4 hours with stops. A speedboat to Nopparat Thara Pier near Ao Nang is quicker, 1-1.5 hours from 850 baht, but you need separate transport to and from the pier. There are no direct flights between Phuket and Krabi, only connections via Bangkok.
Question How to get from Phuket to Koh Samui The fastest way is to fly: direct Bangkok Airways flights from Phuket (HKT) to Samui (USM) take 55 minutes, and a one-way ticket for dates from 21 October to January is 2,888-4,767 baht (AirAsia MOVE, 19 October 2026). A bus with a catamaran is cheaper: on the 2026 Lomprayah timetable it takes 6 h 15 min from Phuket to Nathon Pier (09:30-15:45) for 1,300 baht, or up to 1,650 baht with a hotel pick-up and a minivan on Samui. The cheapest is the Raja Ferry bus and ferry: on the carrier's site for 22 October 2026 it leaves Phuket Bus Terminal 2 at 07:30 and reaches Lipa Noi Pier on Samui at 15:30, 8 hours, for 660 baht. The 12go aggregator lists a bus and ferry for 820 baht and 7 h 30 min on the same date. There is no direct ferry between the islands: Phuket is on the Andaman Sea and Samui in the Gulf of Thailand.
Guide Schools in Phuket for Russian-speaking children: Russian-curriculum and international schools Phuket offers three paths for a Russian-speaking child. The private Russian school Russvet (Rassvet) teaches to Russian standards, is listed in the Russian Rosobrnadzor register (accreditation until 16.08.2036) and asks THB 24,200-32,450 a month for 2025/26 (there is no newer fee order on the site). The bilingual Kinderville Nova combines Cambridge and the Russian FGOS standard. The Thai Ministry of Education register (OPEC) lists 23 international schools in Phuket on 19 October 2026, and the five we checked (Kajonkiet, UWC Thailand, British International School, HeadStart, QSI) publish 2026/27 fees: THB 285,000 to 982,700 a year, and USD 15,100 a year at QSI for ages 5 and up. Russvet is listed in OPEC as a non-formal (vocational) school, not a formal Thai school.
Question How much do tours in Phuket cost and what is included On 19 October 2026 operator Phuket Tour charges from 900 baht (Khai Islands half day) to 3,300 baht (Phi Phi by premium catamaran) per adult for sea tours from Phuket, and children aged 4-11 pay 100-500 baht less. Most tours already include the national park fee, and where they do not it is paid separately: 200-500 baht per foreign adult by the DNP table. Evening shows cost more: Siam Niramit 1,800-2,600 baht, Carnival Magic 2,100-2,500 baht. Prices change with promotions and dates, so treat them as a guide for the day we checked.
Question Can you work remotely in Thailand on a tourist visa or a DTV On a DTV you may work remotely for an employer or clients outside Thailand, but not for Thai companies or Thai clients, as the Royal Thai Embassy in Budapest puts it. A tourist visa and visa exemption do not allow work, and Immigration reminds visitors that foreigners may not work without a work permit. We found no direct official answer on remote work for a foreign client on a tourist stamp, so that is a grey area. Data as of October 2026.
Guide What to order in Thailand and how to ask for food that is not spicy Thai cooking balances four flavours: spicy, sour, sweet and salty, and according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) southern food is the spiciest and sharpest. TAT advises visitors to order a less spicy version of a dish first and to eat spicy food with rice. Among curries TAT calls massaman mild and som tam and southern soups such as kaeng som spicy. Pick a busy street stall where the food is cooked in front of you (as of October 2026).
Guide Which Thai holidays affect your trip Thailand's biggest holiday is Songkran, the Thai New Year, on 13-15 April: three days of water fights, banks closed, and the most dangerous week of the year on the roads, with 242 deaths over 7 days in 2026. Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of 24 November 2026, and Chinese New Year 2027 is on 6 February. On five Buddhist holy days alcohol is not sold all day; the next one is 26 October 2026, the end of Buddhist Lent.
Question Can same-sex couples, including foreigners, get married in Thailand Yes. Thailand's marriage equality law took effect on 23 January 2025: marriage is between two people regardless of gender, from age 18, with parental consent until 20. You register at any district office (amphoe or khet) or at a Thai embassy abroad. According to the Thai government, as of October 2026 a foreigner needs a passport and a certificate of single status from their home country or their embassy in Thailand.
Guide How to say hello in Thailand Thais say hello with the word sawatdi and the wai: palms pressed together at the chest and a slight bow. Men say sawatdi khrap, women say sawatdi kha, and the same word works for goodbye. The younger person wais first, and the higher the hands and the lower the bow, the more respect: thumbs at the eyebrows for a monk, at the tip of the nose for parents and elders. Visitors can simply smile and say sawatdi, and when a waiter or a child wais you, a nod and palms together at the chest without a bow is enough.
Guide How to behave in Thailand without offending anyone Thais forgive visitors for most slips, except disrespect toward the King, the Buddha and monks. Criticising the monarchy is a crime: Section 112 of the Criminal Code carries 3 to 15 years in prison. Temples mean bare feet, covered shoulders and knees, and women must not touch a monk. Since 29 May 2026 alcohol can be sold from 11:00 to 24:00, and on five Buddhist holy days it is not sold at all (as of October 2026).
Guide How to bring a dog or cat to Thailand You can bring a dog or cat into Thailand with an import permit from the Department of Livestock Development (DLD): email the animal quarantine station at your arrival airport 7-60 days before departure, and allow 5-7 Thai business days. Your pet needs a microchip, vaccinations including rabies given at least 21 days before you apply, and an official health certificate from the country you fly from. At the airport quarantine station you pay THB 500 per animal (as of October 2026).