Air Canada Vacations

Before you leave Canada

Entry requirements
Canadian passport holders with at least 6 months validity remaining and a confirmed ticket out of Thailand do not need a visa for visiting Thailand, up to 30 days, as a tourist. You must obtain a visa if you are going to Thailand for business or if you are planning to stay for more than 30 days as a tourist. For all other nationalities, consult your consulate or tourist board for details. You can also visit www.voyage.gc.ca for up-to-date information.

Baggage
Please refer to aircanada.com for baggage information.

Airport check-in
It is recommended that you present yourself at the airport counter of the airline indicated on your voucher 3 hours prior to departure. Air Canada or Air Canada Vacations representatives will be available starting at 5 a.m.

During your stay

Currency
The Thai unit of currency is the baht. Notes come in denominations of 1000, 500, 100, 50 and 20. Coins consist of 1, 5 and 10. Major currency bills and travellers cheques can easily be cashed at hotels, tourist shops, provincial banks, shopping centres and money changers. Travellers cheques are best changed in banks, where you will need your passport. Rates of exchange at banks or authorized money changers are better than those offered at hotels and department stores.

Shopping
Thailand is a shopper’s paradise and many visitors to Bangkok, in particular, end up spending a majority of their time perusing the countless markets and malls. Shopping in Bangkok is an experience sure to thrill and delight the most discerning of shoppers. From the gleaming chrome and towering size of modern, air-conditioned malls, to the hustle and bustle of its famously buzzing street markets, Bangkok offers many different shopping experiences. With everything from antiquities and the latest pair of sneakers to designer jewellery available, Bangkok has an equally exhaustive, and potentially exhausting, variety of things to buy.

Credit cards
Visa, MasterCard and - with exceptions - American Express are accepted in virtually every hotel in major cities throughout the country, as well as in most stores and restaurants.

Eating & Drinking
The food alone is reason enough to visit Thailand. Curries, stir fries, fruit shakes and fresh fish made a zillion ways - and that’s just the beginning. Meals can be as cheap and easy as a 20 baht Phat Thai cooked at a street stall or as expensive and complex as a $100 ten-course meal prepared by a chef and served in one of Bangkok’s 5-star hotels. Eating options are limitless, night or day.

Tap water is usually not drinkable in Thailand. Bottled water (naam plao) is cheap and readily available at 5-10 baht a bottle. The drinking water served in restaurants is usually boiled, but if you are uncertain, ask for bottled water. Ice (naam khaeng) in Thailand usually comes straight from the factory and is safe; there is only reason to worry if you are served hand-cut ice.

Religion
Buddhism (95%), Muslim (4%) and others (1%).

Etiquette
Thais are very easy going and would rarely tell you if you are doing something that offends them. However, here are few things to think about before you arrive:

Heads: Never touch an adult on the head. Thais consider the head to be the highest part of the body (spiritually) and would feel incredibly uncomfortable if you were to do so. Children under the age of 10 can be touched on the head, in a playful manner, but the best rule of thumb is to just not do so.

Feet: On the opposite side of things, Thais consider the feet to be the lowest part of the body (spiritually), therefore it is extremely rude to do almost anything but walk with them. Do not put them up on tables, chairs, etc. to relax. Do not try and gain someone’s attention by tapping them with your foot.

Nudity: Do not tan nude in Thailand. Thais consider it inappropriate to expose oneself in public. It doesn’t matter if you see others on the beach doing it – the Thais don’t like it!

Royalty: Refrain from speaking publicly about the Royal Family of Thailand. Thais highly revere all members of the Royal Family, to the point that it is almost rude to speak about them, out of respect.

Tipping: Tipping is not expected, but leaving small notes is appreciated. Most upscale restaurants include a service charge on the bill.

Language
Thai is the official language. However, English is widely understood, particularly in Bangkok, where it is the main commercial language. English and some European languages are spoken in most hotels, shops and restaurants in major tourist destinations, while Thai-English road and street signs are found nationwide.

Climate
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: hot and dry from February to May, rainy from June to October and cool from November to January. Lower temperatures are experienced in the north and northeast at night. The south has a tropical, rainforest climate with temperatures averaging 28 °C almost year round.

Health
Being a tropical country, Thailand has its fair share of exotic tropical diseases. Malaria is generally not a problem in any of the major tourist destinations, but is endemic in rural areas along the borders with Cambodia (including Ko Chang in the province of Trat), Laos and Myanmar. As is the case throughout Southeast Asia, dengue fever can be encountered just about anywhere, including the most modern cities. The best way to avoid any health problems while in Thailand is to properly prepare before travelling. Contact your local health authority or family doctor to receive accurate advice on how to prepare.

Telephone
The country code is 66 and the area code for Bangkok is 02. International calls from international hotels cost between 3-5 USD per minute.

Electricity
Electricity: 220V / 50V.

Time zone
Standard time in Thailand is 7 hours ahead of GMT.

Your departure from destination

Hotel checkout
Hotel checkout times may vary depending on the property but generally you must vacate the room by 12 p.m. (noon).

Duty-free shopping
After an absence of 7 days or more, Canadian residents are permitted to return with a maximum of 750 CAD of merchandise per trip without paying duty. Each time you leave Canada for at least 48 hours, you are eligible to declare up to 400 CAD of merchandise. A written declaration may be requested. Each adult is allowed 1.1 litres (40 oz.) of liquor, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or cigarillos, 200 tobacco sticks and 200 grams (7 oz.) of manufactured tobacco. To calculate the number of days absent, do not count the day you left Canada but include the day you return. If you include cigarettes, tobacco sticks and loose tobacco in your personal exemption allowance, only a partial exemption will apply. You will have to pay a minimum duty on these products unless they are marked "Canada-Duty paid". Canadian made products sold at duty-free shops will be marked this way.

Airport check-in
Procedures are the same as for departure from Canada.

Customer care
For inquiries relating to extension of stay or change or hotel changes, please call Air Canada Vacations Customer Care department toll free at 800 296-3408 or e-mail us at: prevoyageclientele@vacv.com. We are at your service seven days a week; from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday ET and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.