The tourist information about Pattaya can be collected from Tourist Information in Thailand (TAT) office in the town. The Headquarters of TAT is located in Bangkok and it has 22 offices throughout Thailand. The available information includes tours, accommodation, maps, brochures, about shopping and dinning. The office is open 7 days a week from 8.30 am. to 04.30 pm. Once you arrive in Pattaya, you can get information related to tourist attractions in the town, accommodation options or any other travel related issues. The office also takes complaints and can provide assistance in an emergency. One can call toll free on 1155. Another useful source of information is multi-language Tourist Assistance Hotline, 1337. They operate 24 hours.

Address of Pattaya Tourist Information Center
609 Moo 10, Pratamnak Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20260
Tel: 038-427-667
Fax: 038-423-911
Email Address: tatchon@tat.or.th

Pattaya Information Center
The Avenue Pattaya, Second Rd., opposite Soi Yamato
Tel: 081-177-5333
Email: info@pattayainformationcenter.com

As a general rule, any foreigner seeking entry into the Kingdom of Thailand for business, investment, study, medical treatment, mass media, religion, employment and other purposes is required to apply for a visa from a Thai Embassy or Consulate-General. To do so, a foreigner must possess a valid passport or travel document that is recognized by the Royal Thai Government and comply with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act B.E.2522 (1979) and its related provisions.

Foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are prohibited to enter the Kingdom.

The examination and diagnosis of disease of a physical or mental nature, including protective operations as against disease, shall be conducted by the Immigration Doctor. Information on location and contact number of the Thai Embassy and Consulate-General abroad could be obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs, Visas and Travel Documents Division, 123 Chaengwattana Rd., Bangkok 10210, Tel: 02-981-7171 Ext. 3201-2, 02-3204-5 or direct line 02-575-1062-4, Fax: 02-575-1066

Note : Please check the period of stay stamped in your passport by the immigration officer. Visitors who overstay their visa will, at the time of their departure, be fined 500 baht for each excess day. Duty Free Allowance
The duty free allowance will be applied to accompanied personal effects up to Bath 10,000 worth if i) the items are intended for your own personal or professional uses; ii) the quantity are reasonable; and iii) the items are not subject to prohibition or restriction. However, there are limits on the amount of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, cigars and smoking tobacco to which you may include in your duty free personal exemption as follows:

Personal effects do not include motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts regardless of the length of time used and owned.

Instruction on Import and Export of Goods
1. Currencies :
Foreign Currency

Thai Currency

2. Buddha Images :
Every visitor to Thailand must have a valid passport. Whether you need a visa or not, depends on your nationality and on the period of time you are expecting to stay in the country.

Tourists from several countries have to get their visas before entering Thailand. Other visitors are issued a visa on arrival at the airport or an immigration checkpoint. Some countries have agreements with Thai Government that enable their citizens to enter Thailand without a visa. Outside Thailand, visas are issued either by consulates and embassies. Within Thailand, the issuing authority is the Immigration Bureau of the Royal Thai Police.

Documents Needed :

Consular office reserves the right to ask for additional documents as deemed necessary.

30-day Visits :
Most tourists are allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without the need of a visa. This includes the citizens of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bahrain, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Netherlands, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Aram Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vietnam.

60-day Visits :
In case you wish to stay longer for a longer period you can obtain a two-month tourist visa from the Thai consulate or embassy in your country. If you are already in Thailand and wish to extend your stay, this can be done by obtaining a one-month extension from an immigration office).

Longer than 60 Days :
This class is not a tourist visa and a person must meet certain requirements before being granted a 'Non-Immigrant Visa', as it is called.

Application in Thai Embassies :
Passport holders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Egypt and Palestinian States have to file for application at the Thai Embassy/Consulate-General in their home country.

Validity of Tourist Visa :
A tourist visa is valid for 60 days and can be extended for 30 days at the nearest Immigration office.

Extension of Visa :
Tourists who wish to stay longer or desiring to change their status of visa must file an application mentioning the same at the Office of Immigration Bureau located on Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Rd., Bangkok. A foreigner whose passport was either lost or stolen after ent dom must do the following :
1. A report must be filed at the local police station in the ar passport was lost or stolen.
2. Bring the police report to your embassy or consulate and a passport or substitute document. If there is no embassy Thailand, please contact the Passport Division of the Mini Affairs.
3. Bring your new passport or substitute document to the I Bureau to have your visa division 4, Immigration Bureau, Fl., Old Building,
Tel: 1287-3911 or 02-287-3101-10 Ext. 22 the following :

Austria
Honorary Consulate of Austria in Pattaya:
504/526 Moo 10, Soi 17, 2^nd Rd., Pattaya City, Chonburi 20150;
Tel: 038-713-613; Fax: 038-713-614

Denmark
Consulate of Denmark in Pattaya:
384/22 Moo 12, Jomthien Garden #52, Jomthien Beach Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20260; Tel: 038-231-630; Fax: 038-232-227; Website: www.consulatepattaya.dk
Openning Hours: Monday at 09.00 am. - 11.30 am. & 02.00 pm. - 05.00 pm., Tue & Fri at 09.00 am. - 11.30 am., Otherwise only by appointment.

Norway
Royal Norwegian Consulate in Pattaya:
384/22 Moo 12, Jomthien Garden #52, Jomthien Beach Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi 20260; Tel: 038-231-630; Fax: 038-232-227, 038-756-395; Website: www.consulatepattaya.org/
Openning Hours: Monday at 09.00 am. - 11.30 am. & 02.00 pm. - 05.00 pm., Tue & Fri at 09.00 am. - 11.30 am., Otherwise only by appointment.

Sweden
Honorary Consulate of Sweden in Pattaya:
391/69 Moo 10, Taphya Rd., Pattaya, Chonburi 20260; Tel/Fax: 038-364-485;
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

These tips would come handy while shopping in Pattaya. This shopping advice is based on what has been discussed with us by seasoned Pattaya tourists. Thailand has a plenty of products that are worth buying before leaving back home. Some of the products that are preferred choice are silk products, leather products, wood products, ceramics and silverware. These items are available at department stores at fixed price and ones at local stores can be bargained. Even though some of the mentioned products are not indigenous in Chonburi, they can be found throughout the city as they are bought from the original region and some are produced in the Chonburi itself. Should ones would like to buy the indigenous products of the province, there are a lot of fruit and food products which may not be very practical to bring overseas. There are also stone products from Ang Sila and wickerwork that is quite famous in this province. Jewellry and gemstones are popular choices as souvenir due to its high quality, style, cutting and polishing especially those from eastern region. To make sure that the products are authentic, you should buy from the retailers with the government's JFC seal affixed in front of JFC member outlets. The JFC logo represents a ruby ring with the names TGJTA and Jewel Fest Club. There is a record of every purchase made. A certificate of the detailed transaction will be issued. The certification identifies the nature and price of the product and it will also guarantee a refund less 10% if you return the merchandise to the point of sale within 30 days. A refund less 20% is guaranteed if the items are returned after 30 days but within 45 days of purchase. Touting taxi drivers and tour guides who offer to take you to exclusive places for shopping will cost heftily. They will also receive commissions for bringing tourists to the coordinating shops. It is prohibited to take images of Buddha, deities and antique artifacts from the country without prior approval from the Fine Arts Department in Bangkok. A little smile could help getting cheaper price. The nature of Thai people are smiley and easy-going and they like people who share the same. In most markets of Pattaya and Jomtien, the prices could be twice higher than the real price. Therefore, to get a reasonable price, the bargain skills should be applied when purchasing goods. The start of the bargain could be at half price of the seller's offer and then go up if your offer is not dealt. Goods and products in department stores and malls are at fixed prices. Visa and Mastercard are the two most accepted in Thailand while American Express and others can be accepted at some places. Most hotels, established restaurants and department stores in the city welcome major credit cards. It is always best to carry some cash when going to budget restaurants or small outlets. Before departing the home country, you should inform the credit card company that you are travelling to Thailand or any other countries that you are travelling to. Be reminded that many banks now assess 1 - 3% transaction fee on all charges incurred abroad and be careful when you use the credit cards anywhere in the country.

Traveller cheques can be cashed at all provincial banks and authorized money changers located in Bangkok and other cities. Traveller's Cheques get a better rate of exchange than cash, and the best rates come either from banks or moneychangers. Exchange rates at hotels are normally lower. Both Thai and foreign banks provide services Monday to Friday between 08.30 - 03.30 pm. and closed on public and bank holidays. Major banks such as Bangkok Bank, Thai Farmers Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and Thai Danu Bank operate currency exchange centres in most tourist areas from 07.00 am. to 09.00 pm., 7 days a week, including holidays. Many big hotels also provide exchange services as well but only major currencies such as American dollars, British pounds and Euros. Cash can be exchanged for Thai Baht at the international airports, banks and exchange bureaus located in international airports and throughout the city. Pounds, Euros, US dollars and other currencies can be promptly exchanged. Authorised money changers and banks offer better exchange rate than shopping centers and hotels.

Exchange Control
ATMs can be found in all major cities and relatively smaller towns. Visa sign indicates the ATM is international. Two networks of Cirrus or Plus on the back of any foreign cards are covered in Thailand. A charge would be applied on withdrawal as well as an exchange fee. ATM transfers usually incur a small home bank fee and may be your best way to get Thai currency. However, fees and exchange rates as policies vary considerably from bank to bank. Some Thai ATMs only take a 4 digit PIN and you should change yours to 4 digits. It is a good idea to inform your bank before using your cards in Thailand. Also be careful when using ATMs even though some ATMs but not all have fraud protection facilities and CCTV equipments.

The unit of Thai currency is Baht. One Baht is divided into 100 satang and approximately 0.03 USD. (32.1 Baht is 1 USD) Major credit cards are widely accepted but cash is always preferred. The notes and coins are denoted by Arabic and Thai numerals. All notes are depicted with the image of the King of Thailand. Notes are in denominations of 1,000 (brown), 500 (purple), 100 (red), 50 (blue) and 20 (green) baht. Coins consist of 25 satang, 50 satang, 1 Baht, 5 Baht and 10 Baht. There are 100 satang in one Baht; coins include 25-satang and 50-satang pieces in copper and denominations of 1, 2, 5 are in silver and 10 in silver on the outer ring and gold in the centre. 25 and 50 satang coins are not practical and rarely used. It can be useful only in department store when VAT is included in the price and sometimes, the total bill will come up with these satang units.

Thai baht is in denominations of :

1,000 Baht front	1,000 Baht back
500 Baht front	500 Baht back
100 Baht front	100 Baht back
50 Baht front	50 Baht back
20 Baht front	20 Baht back
10 Baht front	10 Baht back

Goods purchased in Thailand are VAT inclusive. Foreign visitors are entitled to obtain the refund of the 7% VAT. (Value Added Tax) on products purchased at registered retail outlets which will show the sign 'VAT Refund for Tourists'. You could get the refund at the airport at your departure. The refund of the amount less than 30,000 Baht is available in cash in Thai Baht, bank draft, credit card account. The refund of the amount exceeds 30,000 Baht is available in bank draft and credit card account. Small fee applies. Gem stones, firearms, explosives and similar items. Sufficient time at the airport should be allowed for the refund process.
Should you request the refund by draft or credit card account and do not receive the reply within an appropriate period of time, please contact The VAT Refund for Tourist Office, Revenue Department, Phahon Yothin Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Tel: 02-272-9384 to 5, 02-272-8198, Fax: 02-617-3559

Health care in Pattaya has been improved along with its growth in economy, tourism industry and medical tourism industry in general. There is an array of hospitals providing services and facilities at high standard including international standard. There are also specialty hospitals and clinics available in Pattaya. The price of the treatments is inexpensive comparing to the west. Health packages are also available. Due to Thailand's tropical climate which is hot and humid, some tropical diseases are prevalent. Health ministries of most countries publish a health brief for travellers visiting foreign countries. Some types of inoculations may be suggested but not required before arriving Thailand. Some doctors might suggest vaccinations or boosters against polio, tetanus, typhoid, diphtheria and hepatitis A. There is a risk of malaria mainly in rural amd forested areas including areas along the borders with Burma, Lao and Cambodia. The only anti-malarial drugs that are currently likely to be effective in these areas are Doxycycline and Malarone. The disease is carried by mosquitoes that bite from dusk to dawn. Dengue fever is also found in the country especially during and after the rainy season. It is carried by the mosquitoes that bite during the daylight hours. Travellers should consult doctors before travelling. There are several good pharmacies in Pattaya. Some are open 24 hours. The internation retailed pharmacy, Boost also operate their brances here. One is located at Royal Garden Mall and the other on Walking Street. Other local pharmacies are also reliable. They sell a wide products and medicines. There are also some drugs that may not available in some countries but available here. Common prescriptions from a person's home country can be filled here. Some medicines such as antibiotics or pain killers may be given by pharmacists without a prescription. There is an array of health care clinics located throughout Pattaya. Most of them specialise in a particular branches of body science. Some are aesthetic and some practitioners. Not all of the clinics operate at international standard. Pattaya has some good hospitals which provide good health care. There is a wide range of price. State hospitals are less inexpensive but can be overcrowded, poorly equipped and there might be some language barrier. Private hospitals have higher standard and well-equipped but the price may be much higher than the state ones. A lot of doctors and staff are educated abroad. Therefore, the language barrier is diminished. The Pattaya International Hospital and the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital could be good options for foreign tourists. Travellers should get proper health insurance before visiting a foreign country, not only Thailand. A variety of health insurance plans are available from different companies. Real worth of the insurance is the amount of the bill covered and pace at which the company provides you service. Therefore, the company and the plan should be chosen with care.

The holiday in Pattaya could be hassle-free if you keep in mind these tips. Timing the visit to any country is very important. Learn about a country's seasons and possible weather conditions so you can experience the best of the country. It is always advisable to get some basic details about the proper timing of visiting a country. You would then be capable of taking the right decision. Pattaya can be visited all year round but to avoid the rain during July and October which could mar your beach holiday,the best time is between December to May for the best weather.

Tropical Climate
Thailand has tropical climate. You could visit the place any time throughout the year. Save the rainy season, which is from July to October. However, travelling during the rainy season could not be all bad. In Thailand, it could rain cats and dogs and goes. Although, it is hard to predict in some areas. In summer, Thailand is quite hot and humid in particular in April. November to February is the coolest time of the year. There is less humidity. The rain is quite rare comparatively to the rest of the year.

Central and Eastern Thailand
Different parts of Thailand can be visited in different season. Central and eastern Thailand is at their best in November to March. The rain comes around the end of May and goes on until October.

North and Northeast Thailand
The best season to visit these regions is dry season which lasts from November to February. The weather is dry and cool. Flowers are in bloom. The mountainous region in particular gets very cold when the night falls.

South Thailand
There are only two seasons in this region, summer and rainy. The weather does not get so dry as it is on the coast. Best time to visit is during November to March. Avoid visiting the islands in monsoon season. It could be dangerous. The east of the peninsula on the Gulf of Thailand is best visited from December to June. The west side such as Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi is during November to April and if you would like to travel to both sides, the best time is from December to April.

Other things to take into account when driving in Thailand:
Roads in Thailand vary from tiny lanes as known as soi to multi-lane freeways. Frequently-used roads in the provinces are mostly four lanes.

There is incessant investment in upgrading or building new roads throughout Thailand. Road works are commonly seen throughout. Road works are not always clearly marked or lit at night. Some road work signs can be worn badly. Therefore, extra care must be taken. Motorways or expressways are restricted to areas around the Bangkok area.
The highways that join all the provinces throughout the country are usually well-indicated and easy to follow.
The speed limit is signposted and is usually 90 Km/h for cars although in some areas there will be signposts indicating that the limit is increased to 100 Km/h or 120 Km/h. Most suburban streets are similar to those in Europe and the rest of the world. Speed limits, marked by signposts are 50 km/h to 60 km/h. Some small lanes have speed humps to reduce speed and dangers to pedestrians. Check all signs for changes to the usual speed limits of 60 km/h. There are more motorcycles than any other types of vehicle on the roads in Thailand. Only a very basic test is required before a motorbike licence is issued and there are many accidents involving motorbikes. The figures for motorcycle deaths in Thailand are extremely high.

When driving a car in Thailand, ones should be careful especially with following incidents made by motorcyclists

Emergency & Information
Ambulance and Rescue	1554	Naklua Fire Department	038-221-000
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration	1555	Pattaya Fire Department	038-425-943
Crime	1195	Police (General Emergency Call)	191
Emergencies	038-222-474	SOS - Police And Fire Department	199
Highway Police	1193	Time Service	181
Medical Emergency Call	1669	Tourist Assistance	1337, press 9
National Disaster Warning Centre	1860
Tourism Offices
Central:
Kanchanaburi	034-511-200	TAT Call Center	1672
Hua Hin	032-513-885	Tourist Assistance Center	02-281-5051
Eastern:
Pattaya	038-428-750	Trat	039-597-255
Rayong	038-655-420
Northern:
Chiangmai	053-248-604	Chiangrai	053-717-433
North-East (Isan):
Khon Kaen	043-244-498-9	Nakhon Ratchasima	044-213-666
Southern:
Koh Samui	077-42-0504	Phuket	076-211-036
Krabi	075-622-163
Tourist Police Stations
Central:
Bangkok (Air port)	0-2535-1053	Kanchanaburi	0-3451-2668
Bangkok (Radio Station) :	1155
Eastern:
Pattaya	0-3865-1669	Trat	0-3953-8091
Rayong
Northern:
Chiang Mai	0-5327-8559	Mae Hong Son	0-5361-1812
Chiang Rai	0-5371-7796
North-East (Isan):
Khon Kaen	0-4323-6937-8	Nakhon Ratchasima	0-4434-1777
Southern:
Koh Samui	0-7742-1281	Phuket	0-7635-5015
Krabi	0-7563-7208
Travel Agency
Web Sawadee Plc.
Bangkok Office	02-674-5555	Koh Samui Office	077-429-999
Police Stations
Banglamung Police Station	038-221-800	Pattaya Highway Police	038-425-440
Chonburi Police Station	038-274-401-3	Pattaya Marine Police Station	038-423-666
Dongtan Police Box (Jomtien)	038-232-330	Pattaya Police Station	038-429-325
Highway Police	038-392-001	Pattaya Police Station Soi 9	038-420-802-5
Immigration Police	038-252-750-1	Pattaya Tourist Police station	038-429-371
Healthy
Dental Care
Hospitals
Aikchol Hospital	038-273-840-7	Nong Yai Hospital	038-219-145
Ao Udom Hospital	038-351-010	Pattaya International Hospital	038-428-374
Arpakorn Kiattiwong Hospital	038-437-172	Pattaya Memorial Hospital	038-488-777
Banbung Hospital	038-444-406	Phanat Nikhom Hospital	038-461-334-7 Ext.166, 168
Bangkok Hospital (Pattaya)	038-259-999	Phantong Hospital	038-932-500-99
Banglamung Hospital	038-429-244-6	Phyathai Sriracha Hospital	038-770-200-8
Bothong Hospital	038-211-289-90	Queen Sirikit Hospital	038-245-700
Chonburi Hospital	038-931-000	Samitivej Sriracha Hospital	038-320-300
Emergency	1719	Sattahip Hospital	038-245-051
Koh Sichang Hospital	038-216-266	Somdej Phra Borom Ratchathewi Hospital	038-311-008
Laemchabang International Hospital	038-491-888
Blood Transfusion Services
Central Blood Register	02-686-2700	The National Blood Centre	02-252-1601
Credit Cards And Traveller's Cheques
AIG Card	02-697-8300	JCB International	02-256-9151-4
American Express	02-273-5544	Macquarie	02-694-7999
ANZ	02-168-8777-8	Standard Chartered	1595
Citibank	1588	HSBC	02-614-5555
Diners Club	02-238-3660	United Overseas Bank (UOB)	02-285-1555
Post Offices
Banglamung Post Office	038-428-225	Jomtien Post Office	038-231-944
Bangsaen Post Office	038-381-040	Pattaya Post Office	038-429-341
Transporation
Airport Information
Available Airlines	Timetables	Suvarnabhumi Airport	02-132-1888
Don Mueang Airport	02-535-1192	U-TapaoIntl Airport (Sattahip)	038-245-595
Airlines
Bangkok Airways (PG)	1771	PB Air (9Q)	02-261-0222
Nok Air (DD)	1318	Thai Airways (TG)	02-356-1111
One-Two-Go (OG)	1126	Thai Air Asia (FD)	02-515-9999
Boat Rental
Argyle Vickers Co., Ltd.	038-250-123	Max Marine Asia Pattaya	076-617-269
Buzzcats (Thailand) Co., Ltd.	038-235-300	Royal Varuna Yacht Club	038-250-116
Gulf Charters Thailand Co., Ltd.	038-237-752	Sailing Pattaya Thailand Co., Ltd. (English)	081-622-9372
Ihtiander Diving	038-710-208	Sailing Pattaya Thailand Co., Ltd. (Thai)	089-939-1424
Malee Travel Co., Ltd.	038-411-746	Seat Boat	038-252-412-5
Bus Transportation
Available Bus	Timetables	N.S.V. Transport	038-494-549
Bus Terminal	038-429-877	N.T.P. Transport	038-493-708
Bus Transportation Chonburi-Bangkok	038-284-781	Pattaya Beach Bus	038-757-340
Malee Travel Co., Ltd.	038-420-012
Airport-Pattaya Bus Service
Bell Services Co. Ltd.	038-370-055-6	Bangkok Southern Bus Station "Sai Tai"	02-391-2504
Bangkok Eastern Bus Station "Ekamai"	02-434-7192	Roong Reuang Coach Co. Ltd.	086-324-2389
Bangkok Northern Bus Station "Morchit"	02-936-2852	Transport Co. Ltd./ Jomtien	038-231-142
Car Rental
Ann Taxi Pattaya	086-795-1181	M.M.T. Service Center Co., Ltd.	038-371-385
Chalee Car Rent	038-720-413	Pattaya Car Rentals	086-336-0080
D.V. Rent - A - Car	081-994-8420	Pattaya City Cars	038-425-849
European Service Center Co., Ltd.	038-638-450	Q Cars Co., Ltd.	038-231-694
Expat Car and Pickup Rental Co., Ltd.	038-252-275	Ron's Internet Cafe	038-757-220
Holiday Rent-A-Car	038-426-203	Taxi & Travel Agency	038-425-991
Kittinant Taxi Service	086-605-7933	Unity Car Rental & Service	038-373-254
Malee Travel Co., Ltd.	038-411-746	VR Carrent and Service	086-336-7799
Motorcycle Rental
Ron's Internet Cafe	038-757-220	Taxi & Travel Agency	038-425-991
Sawake Mobile Shop & Motobike For Rent	038-415-130
Taxi Services
Ann Taxi Pattaya	086-795-1181	Sea Air Land Tours	038-710-829
Kittinant Taxi Service	086-605-7933	Siam-Service	038-332-095
M.M.T. Service Center Co., Ltd.	038-371-385	Super Travel Pattaya	038-723-871
Malee Travel Co., Ltd.	038-411-746	Taxi & Travel Agency	038-425-991
Opey De Place	038-424-732	The Limo Pattaya	085-739-4949
P.T. Taxi Service	038-724-199
Train
Available Train	Timetables	Pattaya Railway Station	038-429-285
Chonburi City Train Station	038-286-655	Siracha Train Station	038-322-504
Lamechabang Train Station	038-494-835	State Railway Of Thailand (SRT)	1690 (24 hours)
Van Services
Malee Travel Co., Ltd.	038-411-746	Taxi & Travel Agency	038-425-991
Sriracha Greenpoint Co., Ltd.	038-372-188