Business and Market Research Snapshot on Southeast Asia

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Currency Exchange. Name of local currency: Thai Baht (). US$1.00 equal to B41.5 in 2003, B40.2 in 2004 and B38.3 in June 2006.

Hotels. Thai hotel prices range from as low as 150 to 600 Thai Baht (THB150 – THB600) for budget hotels, THB600 – THB3,000 for mid-class accommodation and THB3,000 – THB10,000 for high-end hotels. Luxury hotel accommodation usually cost above THB10,000 per night.

Airports. The Bangkok International Airport or “Don Muang” is located about 25km north of Bangkok. Airport taxis to and from the city cost about THB500 – THB700 one-way while the cheaper metered taxis cost about THB200 – THB300 one-way. An airport shuttle bus service is also available and runs between the airport and major hotels in Bangkok city. Other major airports in Thailand include the Chiang Mai International Airport, Phuket International Airport, Hat Yai Airport and Koh Samui Airport. Departure tax is THB500 for international flights and THB40 for domestic flights.

Business Hours. Business hours for offices in Thailand are usually from 9:00a.m. to 5:00p.m., Monday to Friday. Shops are usually open seven days a week and their operating hours are from around 10:00a.m. to between 6:00pm and 11:00p.m. Banking hours are 8.30a.m. to 3:30p.m. on weekdays.

Common Courtesies. It is impolite to point at or touch anyone with the sole of the foot in Thailand. When sitting cross-legged, the toes should be pointed downwards or the hand held over the sole to cover it from public view. Respect for senior citizens is also important and it is appropriate to show the “wai” or hands held with palms pressed together when meeting and leaving the presence of older people.

Travel. Road traffic in urban areas is generally busy and traffic jams are common. Taxis are available, as are motorized rickshaws (“tuk-tuk”) and bicycle-pedaled rickshaws (“samlor”) which could be better options during traffic congestion. Tourists often rent motorcycles on the resort islands of Phuket and Koh Samui. Trains are generally slow but comfortable for cross-country travel and sightseeing.

Pegasus Business and Market Advisory (PBMA) provides business and marketing research and advisory services focussing on Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei. Contact corporate@pegasus-asia.com for further information.

Business Travel Snapshot - Thailand

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