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Tuesday, September, 07, 2010 
Getting Started in Thailand - Useful facts, Courtesy PAPPA Co., Ltd.
Registering with the Consular Section at the Embassy
If you are living in Thailand, or if you intend to visit for
an extended period of time, we strongly recommend that you register
with the consular section of your embassy in Bangkok. There
are 61 foreign embassies in Bangkok. Registration is to your
advantage in that it will enable them to locate you in case
of a family emergency, and helps keep them better informed of
the number and location of citizens from your country in the
event of a large-scale emergency. Most embassies are required
by law to keep any information you give them completely confidential,
and will release it only when authorized by you to do so.
Google the Thailand embassy for the website of your country
to register on-line.
If you are from the USA log on to http://usa.or.th/embassy/acs.html
, click on "online registration form" and follow the
directions. You will be registered electronically with the consular
section. If you register on-line, you can also register to receive
our consular announcements. This will allow you to stay in close
touch with the Embassy.
Look under EMBASSIES in the Thailand Yellow Pages of the Official
Thailand Survival Guide, Pattaya Edition to find the location
of your embassy. You may be able to call them and ask them to
fax you a registration form which you complete and fax back.
You can also register with the Consular Section during one of
the regional consular visits. Call the Embassy for information
on the next visit in your area. Or go to the Consular Section
of your Embassy in Bangkok Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. -- 11:00
a.m., or 1:00 p.m. -- 3:00 p.m. (except holidays of your country
and Thai holidays) and complete a registration form. Be sure
to bring your passport so they can verify your identity and
citizenship. Registering at the Consular Section will facilitate
issuance of a replacement passport in the event your passport
should be lost or stolen.
Replacing a Lost or Stolen Passport
The loss or theft abroad of a passport should be reported immediately
to the local police and the nearest embassy or consulate. In
the event that your passport is lost or stolen in Thailand,
the Consular Section can issue you a replacement passport upon
verification of your identity and your citizenship. Before you
apply for a new passport, you should report the loss or theft
of your passport to the nearest police station as soon as possible.
The police will not accept a report by telephone or from someone
else on your behalf. The original police report must be submitted
to the Embassy with your passport application. After you pick
up your replacement passport, you must take it to the Thai Immigration
Bureau, where a replacement entry stamp will be issued. You
will not be able to leave Thailand without the replacement stamp.
The Immigration Bureau is located at 507 Soi Suan Plu, South
Sathorn Road in Bangkok or go to the Pattaya Immigration on
Soi 5 in Jomtien.
Lost or Stolen Valuables
You should report thefts and losses (including passports) to
the nearest police station as soon as possible and in person.
The police will not accept a report by telephone.
Lost Airline Ticket
If you should lose your airline ticket, it is vital that you
call the airline immediately. Depending upon the airline and
type of ticket, you may be able to have it replaced free or
for a small charge. See AIRLINES in the Thailand Yellow Pages
of the Official Thailand Survival Guide, Pattaya Edition for
a list of telephone numbers of airlines that have service in
Thailand.
Arrest in Thailand
If you are arrested in Thailand, ask the authorities to notify
the consular officer at the Embassy. Although they cannot interfere
with the Thai legal system, they may work to protect your legitimate
interests and ensure that you are not discriminated against.
Most embassies can provide a list of local attorneys, visit
you, inform you generally about local laws, and contact your
family and friends on your behalf.
Death in Thailand
When a foreigner dies in Thailand, a consular officer notifies
the next-of-kin and informs them about options and costs for
disposition of remains. A consular officer prepares a Report
of Death based on the Thai death certificate; this is forwarded
to the next-of-kin for use in estate and insurance matters.
Last Will & Testement
It is strongly advised that you make a legal Last Will &
Testement while you are in Thailand so your assets in Thailand
can be identifed, you can select the beneficiaries and any wishes
regarding informing relatives and burial arrangements can be
specified. PAPPA Co.,Ltd. has prepared hundreds of legal Wills
in both Thaiand English languages. The cost is from 8,000 Baht
to 12,000 Baht.
Notarial Services
Consular Officers perform notary services customarily provided
by Notaries Public in the your home country. Persons requiring
such services should visit the Consular Section of their embassy
during regular office hours. Please note that a consular officer
cannot witness a will. Note also that a consular officer cannot
certify that documents are valid or that statements made are
true. He or she can attest only to the oath taken by the person
making the statements or presenting the documents. Please bring
the following items when you come for a notarization: Take the
document(s) to be notarized, your passport, witnesses, if necessary
and the fee for each document or a credit card. Call your Embassy
for the amount and specific requirements.Thai lawyers offer
notarial services for any document used in Thailand.
Staying Safe: Know the Laws on Respect
for the Royal Family and Drug Use
The economy for the average Thai is getting worse due to rising
fuel and food prices. Pick pockets, purse snatching, and other
petty crimes are common in areas where tourists gather. Many
tourists fall victim to gem scams, in which a friendly stranger
offers to show the tourist an exceptional place to buy gems.
The gems turn out to be greatly overpriced, and money-back guarantees
are not honored. If you have fallen victim to a gem scam, please
contact the local branch of the Thai Tourist Police or the Tourist
Assistance Center at their local toll free phone number of 1155.
When attempting to catch a taxi at Bangkok airport, travelers
should avoid unlicensed taxis and only use taxis from the airport's
official taxi stand or go to the airport limousine counter and
hire a car and driver there. All major hotels in Pattaya or
Bangkok can arrange to have a car and driver meet incoming flights.
It is not common for Thai taxis to pick up additional passengers,
and travelers should be wary of drivers seeking to do so.
A number of foreign visitors have reported being robbed after
consuming drugged food or drink offered them by a friendly stranger,
sometimes posing as a fellow traveler. Some have also reported
being drugged by casual acquaintances they have met in a bar
or on the street. Credit card fraud has also been increasing.
Travelers should protect their credit cards and use them only
in known or established businesses.
While in Thailand you are subject to this country's laws and
regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those
in your country and may not afford the protections available
to the individual by law in your home country. Penalties for
breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States
for similar offenses. Persons violating Thai laws, even unknowingly,
may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned.
In this connection, it is a criminal offense to make negative
comments about the King or other members of the royal family.
Thais hold the King in the highest regard, and it is a serious
crime to make critical or defamatory comments about him. This
crime, dubbed "lese majeste", is punishable by a prison
sentence of three to fifteen years. Purposely tearing or destroying
Thai bank notes, which carry an image of the King, may be considered
such an offense.
Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking of illegal drugs
in Thailand are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long
jail sentences and heavy fines. Embassies frequently do not
learn of the arrest of citizens for minor drug offenses, particularly
in southern Thailand, until several days after the incident.
Prison conditions in Thailand are harsh, and Thailand has a
death sentence for serious drug offenses. A recent change in
Thai law lowered threshold quantities that may result in its
imposition. After a period when the death penalty was seldom
imposed, Thailand is once again executing convicted traffickers.
Importing Household Effects
If you are intending to import household effects after your
arrival in Bangkok, it is important that you import them in
compliance with Thai customs law. We recommend you contact Thai
customs officials directly, or consult the Thai Customs Department
website at http://www.customs.go.th/eng/process.html
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