Wintering in Thailand. Issuance of a tourist visa to Thailand for three and six months

Today we will talk about whether citizens of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan need a visa to Thailand in 2017. As practice shows, this is a rather important issue, and it is better to know all the nuances before the trip.

So, you are going on a trip! First of all, it must be remembered that A visa to Thailand is not needed for Russians if the travel period does not exceed 30 days. Upon arrival or when crossing the border by land, you will be stamped in your passport with a visa-free stay for 30 days. Plus, it can still be extended at the local Immigration Office for 7 days for 1900 baht. So, if you are going to bask in the sun and travel around the country for no more than one month, then do not worry about a visa.

For those who want to live in Thailand for more than a month or spend the winter, there are several options.

Visa to Thailand for Russians

Until August 2014, there were border runs (or, as they were more commonly called, visa runs), when you could leave or fly outside of Thailand to any neighboring country, and then immediately return, again putting a visa-free stamp for 30 days. Now the Thai authorities have canceled such a scheme, and you can enter without a visa only once and no more, if necessary, extending for another 7 days.

• Thailand single entry tourist visa for 3 months

It is issued for 60 days plus you can extend it for another 30 days for 1900 baht at the Immigration Office. You can apply for such a visa both before departure in Moscow and in neighboring countries, such as Laos and Malaysia.

• Double entry tourist visa to Thailand for 6 months

The name speaks for itself, that is, a single entry visa, but only 2 times. The scheme is as follows: we live for 60 days, extend for 30 days for 1900 baht at the immigration office (the first time is over), then we cross the border anywhere and drive back, thereby activating the second time - 60 days plus an extension for 30 days. In total, it turns out 6 months of stay in Thailand.

UPD: since November 13, 2015, double-entry visas have been canceled - instead of them, there is now a multi-visa for six months. Such a visa entitles you to enter and exit an unlimited number of times, but each time you stay in Thailand for no more than 60 days. Can't be extended. It can only be obtained in the country of registration (that is, Russians in Moscow).

In general, for good acquaintance with the country or wintering this time is enough. For a very long-term stay, the following options are suitable:

• student visa

Issued for one year, and the basis for issuance is training in Thai language school, For example. Every 3 months you will need to renew it at the immigration office for 1900 baht, and it is best to do it in Laos, but you can also do it in Moscow. In total, you will have to pay about 37,000 baht for the year, because you also need to pay for tuition (25,000 baht), plus for issuing the visa itself. IN Lately in this area, too, they tightened the screws - they check whether you really study, although education was compulsory before, but no one followed this. In general, this is a topic for a separate article.

• Business visa and work visa

You are given to people who officially work or to organize a business in the country. You can also get for one year without a work permit, or with a work permit. Naturally, a rather impressive package of documents is required, and the costs are high. For a person who does not have a business and does not work for a Thai office (in this case, by the way, the employer often pays for the visa), such a visa is not effective.

• Retirement Visa

It is issued for people over 50 years old, and it is necessary to have an account in a Thai bank of 800 thousand baht. The validity of such a visa is 1 year, and it must also be renewed every 3 months for 1900 baht.

We will not consider these visas in detail, since we do not have such experience, if it appears, we will write in all the details :-)

Let's now take a closer look at the tourist visa to Thailand, since it is the best option for winterers.

Tourist visa to Thailand for Russians

I described the principle of operation of single and double entry visas at the beginning of the article - everything is simple there.

What does a Thai visa look like?

Where can I get a Thai visa?

In Moscow

The cost of a visa to Thailand in Moscow is a single entry visa 2600 rubles, a double entry 5200 rubles.

Processing time - 3 business days.

List of required documents:

• Passport with a validity of at least 6 months and a copy of its first page.
• Completed visa application form
• 2 photos 4x6
• Air ticket to Thailand and back (you can also bring an unpaid reservation, but check before booking, the situation may change). Cheap flights to Thailand can be bought on or.
• Bank statement - confirmation of financial condition - 20,000 baht per person or 40,000 baht per family.
• Certificate from the place of work (if you are not working, you don’t need it, but then you will need a sponsorship letter).
• For minors - copy of birth certificate

If the children are entered in the parents' passport, then they do not need a visa, and all the data is indicated in the parents' questionnaire.

This option is perfect for residents of the capital and the cities closest to it, because it’s easier to go to the other end of the city a couple of times than to travel to a country neighboring Thailand.

UPD: from November 13, 2015, double-entry visas are no longer issued , instead of them, a multi-visa appeared with the right to enter and leave Thailand many times within 6 months. But each stay cannot be longer than 60 days. That is, now, in order to live for six months, you need to make two visas and the period of stay will look like 60 + 60 + 60.

The cost of such a visa is $ 200 and it is issued only at the place of residence, that is, in a country neighboring Thailand, it will not be possible to issue it.

List of documents for a multivisa to Thailand:

• application form with a photo attached (an additional photo is not needed)
• copy of the passport, only the main page
• certificate from work (indicate: position, term of work, salary, vacation period, if individual entrepreneur: documents confirming this activity)
• financial documents (bank statement for 6 months - balance every month minimum $5,700)
• a copy of the air ticket strictly round-trip - a maximum stay of 60 days (one-way is not accepted)
• hotel reservation for the entire period of stay.

As you can see, the visa issue is becoming more and more complicated - a multivisa is very expensive and inconvenient. There are single entry visas, but it is not yet clear how many in a row you can do them, because for a stay for six months you will need to get a single visa 2 times.

In Thailand's neighboring country

A visa can also be issued in any other country where there is a Thai consulate. We (in the article in detail about obtaining a visa, required documents, cost and more), Malaysia is also a popular option. IN different countries completely different requirements, somewhere stricter, somewhere easier. It is in Vientiane in Laos that the most loyal consulate is, so we went there.

Thai visa expiration date

A distinction must be made between the period of stay and the period of validity. The validity of a single entry visa is 60 days with an extension for 30 days, as I wrote above. For a double entry visa (60 + 30) x2, respectively. The days are counted from the day of arrival, that is, if you entered, for example, on October 1, then the visa-free stay will end on October 30 and you must leave the country no later than this date.

And the validity period is the so-called corridor for entry, that is, until what date you need to have time to enter the country. A visa begins to operate immediately after it is issued at the consulate, and the corridor for a single entry is 3 months, for a double entry - 6 months (if issued in Moscow), but in Laos, for example, only 3.

Thus, when applying for a double entry visa, you must enter Thailand immediately in order to have time to enter the second time before the end of these 3 months.

The return ticket is important!

Officially, you may be asked for a return ticket from Thailand as confirmation that you are leaving the country before the expiration date of the 30-day stamp or visa. Mostly they ask when boarding a flight while still in Russia (well, or where you will fly from), but they can also border control already in Thailand check it out. In fact, this does not happen so often, everything is at the discretion of the officer. There are several ways to solve this problem, we will write about them in the following articles. If you want to be safe, better ticket still have, especially in the region there are many low-cost airlines with cheap flights- I also advise buying on, we use it ourselves.

Moving for the winter warm country closer to azure sea has become a common practice for many Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians. Thailand is considered one of the best countries for wintering. This is due to the fact that the weather in Thailand is wonderful in winter (air temperature is +30 degrees Celsius, it rarely rains), the sea is calm and warm, beautiful views, friendly locals, lots of fresh fruit, well developed tourism infrastructure And so on. If you first decided to go to Thailand for the winter, then from this article you will find out where it is better to go, what to take with you, how much money you need, what is important to know before the trip. I will share all my experience so that your wintering is as pleasant as possible.

Thailand is diverse. There are noisy and crowded resorts on the seashore, little visited by tourists. small islands, a huge metropolis of Bangkok, the cultural north of Thailand with numerous temples. Where to go for the winter depends on your wishes and needs.

Most often, for wintering, people choose islands or cities on the coast with developed infrastructure so that large shops, markets, pharmacies, hospitals and everything you need are always at hand. These resorts include Pattaya, Phuket, Hua Hin, Koh Samui. It has everything you need for a long stay in Thailand. I usually fly to Koh Samui for the winter, as it is not as noisy and crowded as the other resorts listed above, but the infrastructure is well developed there.

If the presence of the sea is not important for you, then you can go to the north of Thailand to the city of Chiang Mai. There you will get to know the culture of Thailand as much as possible and there will be much fewer tourists. As for Bangkok, wintering in a huge and noisy metropolis is not very comfortable. You can go to Bangkok for a couple of days.

Also, all resorts differ in their prices. The most expensive tourist areas include Phuket, Hua Hin and Bangkok. Average prices for Koh Samui and Pattaya. And the north of Thailand will please you the most low prices housing, transport and food.

To finally decide on a wintering place, I recommend reading, in it I described many resorts in Thailand and told what pros and cons they have.

What do you need for the trip?

Once you have decided where you want to fly, you should start preparing for the winter. I will write in detail what you need for the winter, and then we will calculate how much money you need for 3 months.

Visa

To stay in Thailand for the whole winter, you need a visa. I am from Belarus, so I always open a visa in advance, otherwise they will not let me into the country. There is no Thai embassy in Belarus, so I use the services of visa agencies, they carry passports to get a Thai visa to Moscow. For me this is the most convenient way, since it does not take much time and is cheaper than getting to Moscow on your own. The cost of a one-time Thai visa is $40, I paid $60 for the services of a visa agency. The visa is valid for 2 months from the date of entry into the country and gives the right to extend it for another month without leaving Thailand. As a result, on a single-entry visa, you can stay in the country for 3 months. I wrote in detail about obtaining a visa, its types, validity periods in this article.

Travel insurance

If you are traveling to Thailand, and especially to long term, you definitely need travel insurance, as medicine in Thailand is expensive. You can take out insurance without leaving your home, via the Internet. To do this, you just need to enter the necessary criteria and select the appropriate insurance. However, there are a lot of insurance companies now and it is important to take out insurance in a good and reliable company so that there are no problems in Thailand. For this, it is important to pay attention to the service company. In an article about travel insurance, I wrote in detail how to choose insurance, what to look for in the first place, and shared my insurance experience.

To buy travel insurance, I recommend using the service. There you can compare prices in 16 insurance companies. There is also excellent technical support, you can ask them all your questions and they will advise you the best option for you. To search for insurance, you can use this convenient form:

Flights

You can get from Russia and other CIS countries to Thailand only by plane, so start monitoring your air tickets in advance. If you take care of the tickets in a few months, you can buy them much cheaper. The average round-trip airfare from Moscow to Bangkok is $380. It will be cheaper to buy two round-trip tickets at once than if you buy each separately. To search for air tickets, I recommend using the Aviasales service, it searches for tickets in hundreds of airlines and agencies, and gives out the most profitable options.

Hotel

When I fly to Thailand for the winter, I book a hotel for 2-3 days, and then I look for accommodation on the spot. I never use the services of realtors, because I don’t want to overpay, and only on the spot I can confidently say whether housing suits me or not. I recommend that you do the same, it is not difficult to find housing on your own on the spot, the only exception can be the period before the New Year.

The most convenient service for booking hotels is Hotellook, as it searches for options on all booking sites, including Booking and Agoda, which will allow you to choose a hotel according to the most favorable price.

Money

In Thailand, you can only pay in Thai baht, so you will have to change money anyway. I recommend taking a small amount of cash in dollars or euros with you. It makes no sense to carry cash rubles, so with the depreciation of the ruble, many banks in Thailand stopped accepting Russian rubles or set them at a very low rate. It is better to keep most of the money on plastic cards, you can withdraw them at any ATM in Thailand. For more information about what currency to take to Thailand and how to withdraw money, I wrote in this article.

Things

When going to Thailand for the winter, it is important to take everything you need, but you should not take too much, as you can buy most things on the spot. For convenience, I have compiled a list of important things that I take abroad, you can read it.

Medications

I do not take a large number of medicines to Thailand, only the essentials. If you have travel insurance, you will receive the necessary medicines at the hospital free of charge. In this article, I told you what medicines I take to Thailand.

Renting a house or apartment

To find accommodation on the spot, you need something to move around the city, so I recommend renting a bike or car. Then you choose the area in which you would like to live and go there to look at housing. You can ask local residents, where houses are rented in the area, the signs "HOUSE FOR RENT" will also serve as a guide. Read where I told in detail how to rent a house in Thailand, what to look for first of all, how to save money on renting a house. You can rent a house with all amenities in Thailand from $200 per month and more.

Transport

In Thailand, intercity buses run daily, so when you arrive in Bangkok, you can take a comfortable air-conditioned bus to the city you need. Public transport is also developed within the island and the city: buses, tuk-tuks, you can order a taxi. However, use all the time public transport in Thailand it is inconvenient, it is better to rent a bike or a car. The cost of a bike is about $100-200 per month, a car - from $500. I wrote about car rental in this article, but read about the bike. I described the car and bike rental scheme using Phuket as an example, but the procedure is the same throughout Thailand.

How much money will be needed?

I will write down how much money I needed for the winter on Koh Samui. I lived alone, so I will calculate the costs per person. I want to say right away that you should not completely focus on my costs, since everyone's needs are different. Nevertheless, you will have an approximate understanding of how much wintering costs.

• Thai visa- $100, extension for another month - $55, total - $155.
• Travel insurance - $80.
• Round-trip airfare - $1,250.
• Hotel for 2 days - $50.
• Bike rental - $260.
• Housing rental - $ 860.
• Utilities - $70.
• Meals - $ 750.
• Clothes - $100.
• Hygiene and cosmetics - $ 40.
• Household goods - $50.
• Gasoline - $40.
• mobile connection — 25$.

Total: $3,730 for 3 months

I did not take into account excursions and transfers to other cities. I ate mostly at home, sometimes I visited a cafe.

Wintering with children

I met quite a few families with children in Thailand who came for the winter. The kids are sure to love this trip. After all, you can swim in the sea every day, eat fresh fruit, visit interesting places.

However, with very young children, I would not recommend flying for the winter. Up to two years, immunity is formed in children and it is better that the child is at this time in a familiar climate. Also, difficulties may arise with children of school age, since in 3 months the child will fall far behind the school curriculum, and not every school will allow the child not to attend classes for such a long time.

It is best to arrive for the winter with children aged 2 to 6 years. Then such a trip will benefit the child and give a lot of pleasant impressions.

In contact with

This question is quite difficult to understand, so I will tell you point by point and in detail. I will not dwell on all types of visas, I will only talk about the main ones. Visa fees are subject to change without prior notice. Please check with the Thai consulate for questions like this.

To enter the country, all holders of a non-Thai passport are required to issue a visa or a stamp allowing a stay for an N-th period in the territory of the Kingdom. Regardless of what allows entry into Thailand, you need to fill out an entry and exit card.

Rule 1: the passport must be valid during the entire stay in Thailand.
Rule 2: on the plane or on the bus (depending on how you move), you must fill out. On the plane they are handed out by flight attendants, on the bus - by the driver, or they are not difficult in front of passport control at the airport or at the pedestrian border.
Rule 3: no matter what type of visa you have, your stay in Thailand is governed by a stamp placed at the border.
Rule 4: minor children who are with you also receive a visa. There are special family tourist visas.

Nothing complicated. The first page is an entry card, here you indicate your data: first name, last name, gender, date of birth, passport number, citizenship, passport expiration date, etc. On the second page, tell a little about yourself: what flight did you arrive on (charter or regular), are you traveling in a group or on your own, is it your first visit to the country, your annual income, and so on.

Travel stamps and visas

To visit the country for the purpose of tourism, it is logical to obtain a tourist visa, or enter Thailand with a stamp at the border.

visa-free stamp

Russians can take advantage of visiting Thailand visa-free. What does this mean? At the border, you do not have to pay anything, you get a stamp that is valid for 30 days from the date of entry. In some cases, you may be asked to return tickets to confirm your stay in Thailand for less than 30 days. The stamp indicates the date you must leave the Kingdom. Due to the fact that the number of foreigners living in Thailand on tourist stamps and visas is increasing, the government has introduced a restriction on obtaining visas and stamps. Now long stay in the country should be argued by non-tourist purposes.

Tourist visa for 15 days (VOA)

Citizens of Ukraine and Kazakhstan enjoy such benefits. At some pedestrian crossings and at the airport, if available, which can be taken from the window with visas, two photographs 4x6 cm and 2000 baht (payment only in Thai currency) you are issued a tourist visa for 15 days. At the same time, the likelihood that they will ask for a return ticket increases. Not at all land borders open such a visa.

Single entry tourist visa for 3 months

You will need it if you decide to stay in Thailand for no more than 3 months, as well as citizens of Belarus and other CIS countries. A visa of this type is issued in advance at any of the embassies in Thailand. The required documents must be specified at the embassy. The cost of a visa is 30 dollars in the equivalent of the currency of the country where you get a visa. I draw your attention to the fact that when crossing the border with a visa for 3 months, you will be given a 60-day stamp, it is he who limits your stay in the Kingdom. To extend such a visa for an additional 30 days, you need to come to the immigration office with photos and 1900 baht and fill out all the documents on the spot. Due to the fact that the number of foreigners living in Thailand on tourist stamps and visas is increasing, the government has introduced a restriction on obtaining visas and stamps. Now a long stay in the country should be argued with non-tourist purposes.

Nonimmigrant visas

1. Single entry non-immigrant visa for 3 months. It is issued if the purpose of your trip is non-tourist - work, study, guardianship, providing material support to a Thai spouse, and the like. To obtain it, you must submit the relevant documents to the embassy. At the border they put a stamp that allows you to stay in the country for no more than 90 days, the cost is $ 60. If the relevant documents are available, this visa is extended for 1 year, or a stamp is placed on the annual stay in Thailand, but every 90 days it is necessary to register at the immigration office.

2. Multiple entry annual non-immigrant visa. This visa entitles you to stay in Thailand for non-tourist purposes and leave the country multiple times. The stamp at the border crossing is set for 90 days, after which you need to enter again. It does not matter how you enter - land or air border.

It should not be forgotten that if you have a single entry visa, when leaving Thailand, you must obtain a re-entry permit, which can be obtained at the immigration office or at the airport for 1000 baht single entry, for 3800 multiple entry. If you do not receive it, then your visa will be closed.

I feel that I have powdered your brains without any mirror about the types of visas. The result can be summarized as follows: if you are traveling as a tourist, the first three entry options are available to you. A stamp for a month of stay is set free of charge for Russians, a visa for 15 days is given at the airport for citizens of Kazakhstan and Ukraine. For longer-term travel, it is logical to get a three-month tourist visa. If you are going to Thailand to work, study or for other non-tourist purposes, you will not have to ask me about the type of visa you receive, documents and other things.

Imagine that you can live all year round by the sea, where there is eternal summer.

This article is about how your life can turn into a paradise on Koh Samui. Moreover, you do not need travel agencies and the presence of a large amount of money. You do not need to have a business visa or work visa, For life whole year at the resort (in Europe you can only stay 3 months out of 6 months).

Why Koh Samui

How much money is needed

Geography

Weather

Since the humidity is high, it is desirable to create air movement in the house (fan, air conditioner, windows), so it will be more difficult for mold to settle and begin to multiply.

January, February and March are very dry. There are anomalies, they fell into a flood in March.

Visa to Thailand

Each time you have to pay for a tourist visa, and then for its extension for a month. Roughly speaking, it takes $ 400 a year

Now tighten the nuts. On tourist visas, you can live for 6 months in a row, then you will most likely not be allowed into the country. The solution is very simple: get a student visa (see below).

Important: because visa rules are now constantly changing, before applying for a visa, extending it, calculating the days of arrival and return ticket- call the Thai consulate in your country and find out in detail what visas are valid at the time of registration, what are the rules for their use specifically for your country and specifically for the selected type of visa - so as not to get into an unpleasant situation later.

Tourist visa - gives the right to stay in Thailand for up to 3 months (single entry) or up to 6 months (double entry with border crossing). First stay 60 days, then extend it directly to Koh Samui for another 30 days by paying +1900 baht. You can get it at the Thai consulate in your home country. Depending on the country, the requirements for documents are slightly different.

Required List documents for a tourist visa in the CIS countries:
A completed application form in English (the latest version on the embassy website);
1 (or 2 for two-time) photo (3.5x4.5);
Certificate of employment (if any);
Passport (original);
Bank statement or traveler's checks, at least $650 per person or $1,300 per family (in this case, a copy of the marriage certificate);
Round trip ticket, fully paid (copy);
Medical insurance (copy, coverage of at least $30,000 for the entire duration of the trip).

Single entry visa $40, double entry $80.
The current list of documents for tourist visas for other types of visas, the rules for their use, the latest application form, prices and opening hours, see the website of the embassy of your country:
Moscow, Russia: ru.thaiembassymoscow.com
Kyiv, Ukraine: thaiconsulate.kiev.ua

Extension of a visa
In Nathon, from 8-30 to 16-30, lunch 12-13.
The cost of an extension for 30 days is 1900 baht. However, for some reason, the girl who receives the documents calls different amounts to everyone, from 1900 to 1990, it is not entirely clear how she counts them.

Extension (stamp in the passport) is done within one hour from the date of submission of documents. If you arrive at 11, then most likely they will tell you to pick it up at 13, but in reality it will be ready at 13:30.

Before submitting the documents, fill out the questionnaire. Forms on the street in a box, an example of filling inside on the counter. Do not confuse the stay report and visa extension forms. You need 1 photo 4x6 (can be done on the spot, 4 pcs for 160 baht). They also accept smaller sizes. You also need a photocopy of your passport, but they do it themselves. Take a pen with you and find out the full address of your house or hotel (you will need it when filling out the questionnaire).

If you are late for a few days with a visa extension (overstay), you will have to pay a fine of 500 baht for each day of delay. But not more than 20,000 baht (if you overstayed your visa for several months). Although they can put them in a local prison for a couple of weeks. More like squeezing more money out of you. In terms of corruption, Thailand, like Russia, takes bribes easily.

There is an opinion that if the last day of the extension falls on a weekend or holiday, then the overstay is not counted and is not paid. However, in practice it happens in different ways - everything can go smoothly, either they will slap you with an overstay stamp and not take the money, or they will count the overstay and take the money for it.

You can extend your visa 7 days before the end, so do not wait until the last one - anyway, the extension of stay is considered from the previous stamp, and not the day you arrived at the office.

Study visa
This is the easiest way to live in Thailand for years without even having to travel for visas.
Those. Initially, you arrive on a tourist visa.
Then, when the visa expires, go to school (located in the Bophut area) pay $ 800 for 120 English lessons and that's it. You can learn Thai, but who needs it?

Of the documents, only a passport and a few 3x4 photos are required.

Classes are taught only by native speakers (English, British).

You should already have the minimum level (London is the capital of Great Britain).

The most famous school Walen Thai School - www.thaiwalen.com

Flight

Find the route you need for the dates you need, see the number of seats, and then buy tickets directly on it or directly on the airline's website.

If the flight includes a transfer, then it is better that the route is operated by one airline, then the luggage, visa regime(transit), etc. will not worry until the end of the trip.

If the transfer is short and takes place in the visa zone (for example, in Amsterdam), then you move inside transit zone at the airport, no visa required.

For domestic flights around the country (for example, from Bangkok to Koh Samui), luggage is not re-registered - you pick it up on the tape, check it in again and everything is ok.

The time between plane transfers is 1.5-2 hours (for those who like to sit at the airport for 3-4 hours) to do everything.
Less is a risk.

It is worth considering that there are 2 airports in Bangkok, international flights fly to Suvarnabhumi, and planes of the local cheap airline AirAsia take off from Don Muang Airport. Between airports 30-40 minutes by taxi (if there are no traffic jams).
If you are bringing a cat or a small dog, they are guaranteed to be taken to the Finnair cabin (strict requirements for the size of the carrier) and Uzbekistan Airways.

Customs

Transfer from Bangkok to Koh Samui

Animal box domestic flights no one carries, the only option is an hour at luggage compartment Bangkok Airways. You can buy a luggage cage by taking a taxi from BKK Airport to the city.

Plane + ferry
If you want to save some money at the cost of your time (5 hours on the way), you can take flights with a transfer from AirAsia or NokAir. In about an hour's flight you will arrive at Nakorn Si Thammarat Airport. Remaining time is bus, ferry/catamaran and waiting in between. It costs about $65.

bus + ferry
If you want to save money (and spend another 12 hours on the road) - you can take a bus + ferry ticket. The advantages of this option: they take the bus at night, the bus is comfortable, spacious, they give blankets, you arrive in the morning. Most of the trip is spent in a dream (if you can sleep on the bus) and time flies by. The bus arrives at the bus station in Nathon, from where local minibuses (songteo, songthaew) or taxis go.
There is also a morning bus that departs at 6-7 am from Bangkok and arrives on the island by 9 pm (at best).

Train + ferry
For lovers railways There is an option to travel by train. Trains are almost always late - don't expect to arrive right next to the last ferry!
Tickets can be purchased at ThaiRailTicket.com
Receipt after payment (accepted by all possible cards) can be printed out and presented to the conductor along with the passport, no “special tickets” are required. Now the government has banned the sale of tickets online. Whether they will allow it again is unknown. Now they can be bought at the train station in Bangkok, or on Koh Samui at the Phantip Travel office in Nathon. In other places, a commission of 200-300 baht per ticket is possible.

I do not recommend taking a class below 1st, but not because "ololo dirty beggars will paw me with leprous hands", but because it is very cold there and the air conditioner is not regulated. In the 1st class, the air conditioning can be adjusted + ideal for traveling together: lock yourself in a compartment and do whatever you want. You can not take food with you, the train is very well fed, although not very cheap. The only disadvantage of trains that should be taken into account is that they are constantly late (an hour or two delays are real).

The train leaves from central station Hua Lamphong in Bangkok. It is located at the metro station of the same name (the final blue line). Arrives in the suburbs of Suratthani, you can get to the city by taxi for 120 baht (the price is fixed, if they ask for more - refuse and go to another one), which stands and waits right next to the station (there is also a bus, it is very cheap, but I did not use it ) and buy a ferry transfer from numerous "travel agencies".

Housing

The price for renting houses varies depending on the location on the island, proximity to the sea, the number of bedrooms, the availability of a kitchen, etc. - from $250 to infinity.

This rarely comes up. You can rent for $200 :)

Such a house with one bedroom, a small living room and a kitchen costs $ 300-500 - depending on the area and the availability of a good beach.

Villa will cost $5,000 per month if rented for 6 months with $3,000 deposit

The average price of a one-bedroom house with a kitchen is $400 per month.
Electricity and water are usually paid separately. Approximately $40 to $200 per month on your house bill, depending on how much you use.
Usually the house is rented after discussing the terms simply by handing over the money to the hostess - no contracts, checks and other things are signed. If you want to insure yourself at first, you can ask for some kind of receipt, but in general this is not necessary.

Be prepared for the fact that renting an apartment from October to March will be quite problematic, because. high season starts and most of houses will be booked months in advance. The busiest month is January.

If you have a pet with you, the only hotel officially accepting them is Ibis Samui Bophut.

Transport: general information and rental

There is no public transport. Eat indecently expensive taxi and uncomfortable cunning tuk-tuks. That's why rent is important.

Moped

A license is desirable, but you can drive without one. Helmet is required, provided upon rental. You can learn to ride in a couple of hours. However, it is worth considering the danger from other road users and lack of experience + when driving without a license, insurance will not cover treatment.
Fine for driving without a helmet - $10
Fine for driving without a license - $16
Drunk driving: immediate arrest, court, $100 to $300 fine, jail, visa revocation, forced deportation.

In a helmet, brakes are extremely rare, or rather, the number of such stops tends to zero, so you will not face a fine for not having a license. If you are driving for a long time, local rights can be done during the day. There are rumors that they won’t want to make them with a regular entry stamp in the passport, so it’s better to have some kind of visa for this.

You can learn to drive in a straight line in 1 day, but the biggest problem is any even minor troubles on the road. A person on a bike is not protected from them. In addition, there are many newcomers on the roads (You should also be wary of compatriots who rent large pickup trucks and drive them, as in Moscow). Any obstacles on the road (including sand, wet weather, leaves and branches) can be dangerous, it is better to make a complete stop in front of them.
In case of problems, remember: the visitor always pays, the Thais are not to blame, even if they are to blame.

In general, you can die quite quickly from thoughtless driving. Accidents happen often, we warned you.

Car
The average cost is $35 per day and from 18,000 baht per month. Rights are required.
It is better to take more expensive and with full insurance, for example, at the rental office at the airport.

Shopping, groceries, cafes

The big ones are called "Big C", "Makro" (analogous to METRO), "Tesco | Lotus" and there are also enough of them.

Products, alcohol, clothes, medicines, appliances, furniture, building materials - all this in bulk and the choice is much larger than in Russia / Ukraine.

If something small is really lacking, you can order it on Amazon or Ebay (see the Mail and Delivery section), or order it from your arriving friends.
Hard cheese is relatively expensive - however, MACRO has blocks of cheddar (delicious but salty) and mozzarella, $11 per kilo, which is quite acceptable. Excellent parmesan in the same MACRO is cheaper than in Ukraine. Some people think that local beer has a completely inexpressive taste, but there is a choice of different producers, plus a lot of imported ones, not very different in price.

There is a problem with normal cigarettes. So stop smoking or take a block with you. At the same time, in Nathon there is a shop with tobacco, paper and filters for cigarettes and pipes (the choice is large, the quality is in order).

If you are traveling for a couple of weeks or a month, you can easily eat all the time in cafes / restaurants. At the same time, it turns out the same, and sometimes even cheaper than cooking at home. But public catering is public catering, who and how washes their hands and dishes, one can only guess: food can be cooked in an almost sterile kitchen, and the plates with it will be brought out to you by a kid who, 5 minutes ago, at least dug in the ground with the same hands or ... ahem, don’t think about it. Also, frying oils (and everything is fried in Thailand) are of very dubious quality.
Water

You can’t drink from the tap in Thailand, you can brush your teeth. Drinking water- only bottled. Water is sold in stores (small five-liter or opaque large white 20-liter), and there are companies that deliver containers of drinking water around the island. We used to buy bottled water from Tesco. Now they bring it straight to our home. Water is pumped from underground from 150 meters, away from the road, and purified by ultraviolet light and reverse osmosis. This office is located south of Lamai, but they carry all over Koh Samui. Phones 077-419914 and 087-8818709. For a large bottle, they will ask for 200 baht as a deposit. Return the bottle, get your deposit back. It costs only 20 baht to replace an empty one with a full one.

First month

When to go

In high season, it is very difficult to rent normal housing (everything is occupied + prices are raised 2 times), there are 3 times more people than usual (all beaches turn into Russian-speaking Crimea), prices for excursions, in private stores, some cafes rise accordingly: for example in the bakery, bread before the season cost 20 baht, and in the season the same 70 baht - I think the rest of the price order does not need to be explained.
High season peak: from December 21 to January 15.

Insurance, illness, treatment

The level of medicine is quite high, but without insurance it is often unbearable - bills can easily reach $ 10k or more. A regular doctor's appointment + tests, on average, cost 3,000 baht at Samui International Hospital.
How to use insurance: when something happens, call the hot number of the insurance company, they tell you which hospital to go to, then the insurance company negotiates payment with the hospital and you are treated.

Common diseases: Dengue fever. Not fatal the first time. Source of infection: mosquitoes. They last a week, are transferred like a severe flu. There is also a risk of Japanese encephalitis (also mosquitoes), especially in children. Vaccinations can be done here.

About malaria. If it is in Thailand, it is in the northeast, on the border with Vietnam. There is no cure for it, just gently (in the hospital) endure a few days of fever. There is a prevention that is better not to apply, there are many side effects.
In fact, there is no malaria on Koh Samui.

Read the terms of your insurance policy carefully! For example, in the Ukrainian insurance AXA, assistance Balt Assist, it is written:
The Insurance Company shall not be liable under the Insurance Contract if:
6.1.3.2.18. on medical services, goods and medicines associated with especially dangerous infections (plague, cholera, smallpox and others) in accordance with the relevant order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
I want to note that this list contains almost all diseases that are known in the world, so be careful - you can easily and quite legally not be paid for treatment.

In order not to get sick, use mosquito nets, fumigators (Baygon) and repellents based on DEET (the most optimal is an orange balloon OFF! for ≈130b). Repellents based on Picaridin and Citronella Oil wear out faster and are much less effective, IR3535 is not effective at all against Thai mosquitoes (about DEET + links at the end to other substances).

Not all medicines are available for self-treatment, sometimes prices may be inadequate. For example, activated carbon (absorbent carbon) costs 600 baht per pack. Ibuprofen (without codeine) 550 baht per pack.

living creatures

All windows in houses and hotels have mosquito nets. Not very effective as mosquitoes are often less than a millimeter in size and fly through the net.

Sometimes there are snakes, centipedes and scorpions, but they still need to be looked for.
Great luck is to meet a monitor lizard.
If you leave crumbs of any food on the table, ants come at night and take everything away. In a poorly washed cup in the morning, you can find a whole colony.

At night, geckos love to wield in the trash can (and other rustling places).
Do not swim after sunset or during storms. Even during the day and near the shore, there is a chance to stumble upon an incredibly poisonous jellyfish (Box jellyfish). In a collision, use vinegar on the wounds, it will deactivate the toxin. DO NOT rinse with plain water. See detailed steps here.
Another highly toxic species is portuguese man o "war or bluebottle jellyfish. It stands out strongly appearance(blue with one tentacle) and the poison is neutralized hot water, vinegar can not be used.

Finance

All payments in shops, cafes, taxis, etc. are made only in baht. Approximate prices in dollars in this document are indicated solely for the convenience of those who have not yet been to Thailand and cannot convert baht into the currency of their country on the go.

Money can be withdrawn from an ATM or bank cash desk in baht. It is advisable to call the bank in advance and warn about the trip and its timing so that the card is not blocked. ATM withdrawal fee 150 baht (if you don't have a local bank card) + your bank fee (usually ~3%). There is no commission at the bank's cash desk. Not all banks allow you to withdraw cash at their cash desk using someone else's bank card. The “purple” bank is suitable for such procedures (but do not use its ATMs - there is an inadequate exchange rate + commission, it takes almost 11k for 10k baht).

If you are traveling for a long time, do reserve cards and it is better to keep money in the accounts of several banks. It is convenient to have a Yandex.money card, for example.

There are ATMs near every small supermarket 7 Eleven and Family Mart.
There are also AEON ATMs without commission, but in large shopping malls, such as Tesco, Big C (not all).
In small shops, as well as in Makro, payment by card is not accepted, only cash.

Quite profitable and safe American Express checks. The purchase price is usually 0.5% of the face value (check with your bank), they are bought immediately in dollars. In exchangers, the exchange rate for them is slightly higher than ~ 31, but there is also a commission for cashing out (no more than 150 baht). If you lose checks, they will not be able to cash them without your passport and personal presence. On a call, you can urgently restore.

If you do not use checks, you can sell with a commission of 0.5% of the face value (if you sell in the same place where you bought)

For parents

For children, including very young ones, there is a danger of intestinal infections that are not treated at home. However, hospitals and related infrastructure, with good insurance, work flawlessly.

Attention: To protect yourself from intestinal and many other diseases, buy a special gel with alcohol and treat your children's hands with it before each meal. Sold in markets or pharmacies.

Any goods for children (clothes, food, etc.) are available in any large supermarket, the choice is no different from other countries.
For those who plan to stay for a long time - there are kindergartens (nursery) and schools. Education is paid, but you can additionally give the child Thai or English. If the children are older, then you can think about extracurricular education for the time of moving here. Prices for kindergartens and schools are quite high.

culture

When communicating with Thais, it is important to remain calm and never raise your voice at them. In no case should you behave defiantly or hostilely. The reaction of an offended Thai may be inadequate.

Thais are not punctual, but polite, if they don’t like a person, then things can “be done” for a very long time. But if you approach, smile and politely remind, and even better, show sincerity, then everything can be decided much faster.

Safety

Sea
If we lie under palm trees, we look that there are no coconuts on them. If there are coconuts - we don’t lie down - a coconut that has flown from above is guaranteed to be stronger than a head (as well as a car or bike parked under a palm tree).
It is better to choose a place for a blanket on the sand fried by the sun, there are less any unpleasant living creatures.
Do not swim during the rain, after the rain and also at night. In muddy water, the chance to stumble upon a large poisonous jellyfish, snag, net, etc. increases.

Street at day and night
Everything is calm during the day. At night, the main danger comes from dogs. If during the day they cutely run after you and wag their tail, then at night they gather in flocks of 4-6 individuals and attack, apparently from a herd instinct. Some days are especially brutal - you need to be quite vigilant, especially if you are on foot. If you need to go at night, pick up a stick at the first opportunity. Dogs are very aggressive.

mobile connection

Internet

One common feature all options: normal loading and very slow return. Average values: 5-10 megabits for receiving and 0.5-1 for uploading. Torrents and some sites can be blocked, in this case any free VPN helps - for example anchorfree, getcocoon.

Disadvantages of cable Internet, during a thunderstorm, equipment can burn out. (Cables are strung between palm trees, and in the last thunderstorm, our router flashed blue with a loud pop and slightly charred - imagine what would happen with a laptop).

Domestic issues

Wash
A washing machine in a rented house is a rarity. Therefore, almost everyone uses the services of small laundries, washing a kilogram of linen costs 50 baht, they give it dry and ironed the next day.
The easiest way to find a laundry is to ask the owners of the house, sometimes they offer it themselves when moving in, or look at the signs “Laundry”.

Appliances
Of household appliances, in most cases there is a refrigerator, air conditioning, a fan, a miniature gas stove-burner, a water boiler (a local analogue of an electric kettle). A microwave oven, a washing machine, and other joys are very rare.

Water
Raw tap water is suitable for taking a shower, washing dishes and fruits. It is categorically not recommended to drink it, but you can brush your teeth, there are no problems.

Water for drinking and cooking must be purchased separately, in large bottles (19 liters for 20 baht) in the store closest to the house or small 6-liter bottles in any supermarket.

What to bring with you?
Even if you are not a fan of everything that you have lived with all your life, then after a long time it turns out that all this was not so bad. So when packing for Thailand, take with you pieces of what you are likely to miss.

Specific list:
Buckwheat
Vodka (Although in Tesco and Macro there are “Capital”, “Petrovskaya”, “Baltika”, “Smirnoff”, “Absolute” - the price is from 245 baht for 0.7).
Salo (see section “Customs”)
Sausage (see section “Customs”)
Cigarettes (no creepy social pictures of entrails, yellow teeth, etc.).

If there is not much space left in your things and you are friendly, it is always worth asking the people living here if they need any small things (for example, the usual medicines that are not available here). Everyone will be happy :)

What to see?

Movies, often movies start earlier than in third world countries. Movies go on English language with Thai subtitles (local films are reversed). Wednesday - cheap day (60 baht per ticket), Thursday - premiere day. The schedule is available online and in applications for phones (go to the site with your phone).

There are cockfights on Maenama on Saturdays. All the time there are cars that from the columns announce Muay Thai fights (?) in Chaweng.

Narcotic substances

Are there tsunamis and earthquakes?

Important Phones
Rescue Service - 191
Tourist Police - 1155
Samui International Hospital - 0772307812 (from other countries +66 772307812)