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Postal services
Thailand's postal services are generally reliable and efficient,
with Express Mail Service (EMS) and international
registered mail available at all post offices. Stamps
can be bought at post offices, hotels and many convenience
stores and hotels will generally post your letters if a
postbox is not handy. For parcels or high value items, it's
better to use registered Express Mail Service (EMS). The
cost depends on the destination, size and weight of the
package and whether it is sent by air or surface mail.
Opening hours: Main post offices - 8.00am - 8.00
pm - Mon to Fri, 8.00 am - 1.00 pm weekends & holidays.
Small branch post offices - 8.00 am - 4.30 pm weekdays,
9.00 am - 12.00 Saturdays.
Courier Services
International courier companies such as DHL, FedEx,
UPS and TNT operate from Thailand. Good but expensive.
The major ones are :
- Airborne Express Tel. +66 2 392 1960
- DHL Worldwide Tel. +66 2 207 0600
- Federal Express Tel. +66 2 367 3222
- TNT Express Worldwide Thailand
Telephone
International Call
Most hotels now offer International direct dialing (IDD)
telephone services. Check the rates before making calls,
as a surcharge is often added and they can be very expensive.
Charges depend on the time of day, but the minimum charge
is for 1 minute.
You can also dial direct from international payphones (usually
blue or yellow) and found in most tourist areas and cities.
Leading credit cards and international phonecards (bought
from most convenience stores) can be used in the payphones.
To call directly, dial 001 for an international line, followed
by the country code, area code and the telephone number.
Alternatively, dial 100 for international operator-assisted
calls. Calls can also be made from mobile phones available
in booths on the street, charging per minute.
Calls Within Thailan
Local phone calls can be made from public payphones
(usually blue) using coins or cardphones.
Mobile Phones
Visitors can bring and use their own mobile phones in
Thailand provided they have arranged for international roaming.
The phone charge is usually calculated from the home country
to the destination number and is often very expensive. Digital
GSM and Cellular 900 mobile phones can be hired from FoneRent,
a service of AIS, during your stay in Thailand. For details
call (662) 535-3598 - 9. There is a counter at the international
airport.
Newspapers
Major daily English-language newspapers are The
Bangkok Post and The Nation, but international
newspapers from most European countries and the Herald Tribune,
are available in tourist areas.
Email/Internet
Thailand now has Internet cafes in cities and tourist destinations.
Generally inexpensive, but connections can be slow, compared
to other countries. Many hotels also have access points
for the Internet either in the room or their business centre,
convenient but can be quite expensive as a surcharge is
often added.
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