GETTING THERE
& AWAY
Flights, tours and rail tick-
ets can be booked online
at http://www.lonelyplanet.com/
bookings.
Entering the
Country
Entry procedures for Thai-
land, by air or by land, are
straightforward: you’ll have
to show your passport (see
p 766 for information about
visa requirements); and you’ll
need to present completed
arrival and departure cards.
Blank arrival and departure
cards are usually distributed
on the incoming fl ight or,
if arriving by land, can be
picked up at the immigration
counter.
You do not have to fi ll in
a customs form on arrival
unless you have imported
goods to declare. In that
case, you can get the proper
form from Thai customs of-
fi cials at your point of entry.
See p 761 for Thai customs
information about minimum
funds requirements.Air
Airports
Bangkok is Thailand’s pri-
mary international and
domestic gateway. There
are also smaller airports
throughout the country serv-
ing domestic and sometimes
inter-regional routes.Suvarnabhumi Interna-
tional Airport (BKK; % 0
2132 1888) Receives nearly
all international flights and
most domestic flights. It is
located in Samut Prakan –
30km east of Bangkok and
110km from Pattaya. The
airport name is pronounced
sù·wan·ná·poom.
Don Muang Airport (DMK;
%0 2535 1111) Bangkok’s
second airport is still used
for domestic flights oper-
ated by Nok Air and Orient
Thai (formerly One-Two-Go).
Be aware of this when book-
ing connecting flights on
these airlines.
Phuket International
Airport (HKT; %0 7632
7230) International Asian
destinations include Hong
Kong, Singapore and Bali
on Air Asia. Direct charter
flights from Europe are also
available.
Chiang Mai International
Airport (CNX; http://www.chiang
maiairportonline.com) Inter-
national Asian destinations
include Kuala Lumpur, Taipei
and Singapore.Airlines
The following airlines fl y to
and from Bangkok.
Air Asia (%0 2515 9999;
http://www.airasia.com)
Air Berlin (%0 2236 9779;
http://www.airberlin.com)
Air Canada (%0 2670 0400;
http://www.aircanada.com)
Air China (%0 2634 8991;
http://www.fly-airchina.com)
Air France (%0 2610 0808;
http://www.airfrance.fr)Transport
CLIMATE CHANGE & TRAVELEvery form of transport that relies on carbon-based fuel generates CO 2 , the main cause
of human-induced climate change. Modern travel is dependent on aeroplanes, which
might use less fuel per kilometre per person than most cars but travel much greater
distances. The altitude at which aircraft emit gases (including CO 2 ) and particles also
contributes to their climate change impact. Many websites off er ‘carbon calculators’ that
allow people to estimate the carbon emissions generated by their journey and, for those
who wish to do so, to off set the impact of the greenhouse gases emitted with contribu-
tions to portfolios of climate-friendly initiatives throughout the world. Lonely Planet off -
sets the carbon footprint of all staff and author travel.