Country Information

Flights to Thailand are available from several national and international carriers. The national airline is Thai Airways International (TG) (www.thaiairways.com) who fly from 60 international locations. Bangkok Airlines (www.bangkokair.com) offer international flights to and from 7 Asian countries. Flights are cheapest April to June; August to November flights are slightly more expensive; December to March and July are the most expensive times to fly.

Departure tax of 700 baht is included in the price of the air ticket - check with your booking agent.

Korean Air recently started direct flights between Seoul and Chiang Mai.

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). (www.suvarnabhumiairport.com) Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is located 28km (18 miles) east of Bangkok. Tel: <p>(02) 132 1888.</p>.

Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). (www.airportthai.co.th) Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport is situated 24km (15 miles) north of Bangkok. Tel: <p>(02) 535 1111</p>.

Phuket International Airport (HKT). (www.airportthai.co.th) Phuket International Airport is located 32km (20 miles) to the north of Phuket city. Tel: <p>(076) 327 2307.</p>.

Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX). (www.airportthai.co.th) Flights run regularly to cities around Thailand, and there are connections to Singapore with Silk Air, to Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia, to Vientiane and Luang Prabang with Lao Airlines and to Taipei with China Airlines.Chiang Mai's international airport is 4km (2.5 miles) southwest of the city centre. Tel: <p>(053) 2702 2233</p>. To/from the airport: Public buses are not a convenient way to reach the centre, but licensed airport taxis charge a flat rate to anywhere in Chiang Mai. In the reverse direction, charter a songthaew (share-taxi) or tuk-tuk (motorised rickshaw) for half the price. Many traveller-oriented hotels and guesthouses run a shuttle service to and from the airport.

The main port is Bangkok (www.bkp.port.co.th). Note - there are very limited passenger services available.

The ports of Laem Chabang (Bangkok) and Phuket are served by international shipping companies and several cruise lines. Cruises from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Europe make regular stops at these ports.

There are passenger crossings between Thailand and Laos at several points along the Mekong River. There is a slow boat along the Mekong River, from the Thai town of Chian Saen to Jinghong in China's Yunnan Province.

State Railways of Thailand operates train services (tel: 1690; www.railway.co.th; online booking: www.thairailticket.com) between Bangkok and Butterworth in Malaysia. There are also daily connections elsewhere in Malaysia, Singapore and the borders with Cambodia (at Aranyaprathet) and Laos (at Nong Khai). A new railway line opened in 2009, linking the Thai Railway system with Bahn Thanaleng, just across the Mekong river in Laos. The opulent Eastern and Oriental Express (tel: 0845 077 2222 or 0207 921 4010 within the UK; www.orient-express.com) runs directly between Bangkok and Singapore, but is expensive.

Road passage into Thailand is possible through Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos. Coach operators can be found at major bus stations, however often minivan services (such as between Chiang Mai in Thailand and Vientiane in Laos) are faster.