Thailand wedding - information about Thailand


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	On this page... General info Money Food Drinking Water Thai Culture Phone calls /Internet Business Hours	Legal information Marriage recognition Travel documents required Time difference Public holidays 2007
General information about Thailand... Money The unit of currency in Thailand is the baht. One hundred satang equals 1 baht. Paper money is made in amounts of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht. Coins are 1, 5 and 10 baht pieces and also 25 and 50 satang. The king's face is pictured on the front of every coin and every bill. For currency conversion, go to the XE.com Universal Currency Converter at http://www.xe.com/ucc/. Food What is special about Thai food is the variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood mixed with aromatic and delicious herbs and spices. Most meals are served with rice or noodles and a choice of several dishes such as an assortment of curries, lightly fried spring rolls, fresh salad, soup, skewered meats and a variety of dipping sauces. Chillies are frequently used in Thai cooking and can usually be adjusted to particular tastes. Traditionally, Thai's ate by hand squashing rice into little balls but today a spoon and fork are used for eating, while chopsticks are sometimes used for Chinese-type noodles. TOP Drinking Water To be on the safe side, try to drink only bottled water while in Thailand. You will be able to buy bottles of water from small stores and supermarkets. Most hotels will also supply at least one or two bottles daily inside your room. Thai Culture In Thailand, the majority of the population follow a Buddhist way of life. Thai people are mostly gentle and kind in nature with a great sense of fun or 'sanùk'. This is shown through the way Thais celebrate so many public holidays and special events regardless of it's origin! There ALWAYS seems to be some type of festival or fair going on in Thailand throughout the year! Things to remember... The king of Thailand is held in high regard so to disrespect him in any way would be taken with great offence. The head is considered sacred, so never touch a person on the head. In Thailand, the feet are considered very unclean - to point them at someone or place them on a table would be considered very rude. When sitting, tuck them under you or to the side. Wear respectable clothing when you enter a temple or place of worship (ie. no shorts or singlets) and always remove your shoes. Thais are strongly family oriented and LOVE children, don't be surprised if they want to cuddle or pass your baby around! Smile! Not just to show pleasure but as a greeting, thanks, or even as an apology. TOP Phone calls/Internet When calling from inside Thailand, calls are charged at a local rate within the same city and by the minute to a different city. Check call rates with the hotel before making any calls as they could be expensive. Internet cafès are quite common but again, check rates before you use them. The following information may also be useful for your stay in Thailand. For directory assistance, call 1133 (Bangkok) or 183 (other) For long distance service, call 100 For International Direct Dialing, call 001 + Country code + area code + phone number Business Hours Government official offices (immigration) open at 9.00 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m. with lunch usually taken around midday to 1.00 p.m. Banks open from 9.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., Monday to Friday. All banks and government offices are closed on public holidays. Department stores open at around 10 a.m. and close anywhere between 8.00 p.m. and 10.00 p.m. Smaller businesses are open from 8.30 or 9.00 a.m. until 5.30 or 6.30 p.m., (some family-run shops are open all day). Pubs and clubs are open from around 7.00 p.m. with closing times varying through the early hours. Restaurant hours vary also; some close at 5.30/6.00 p.m. while others stay open until midnight or even later. TOP	Legal information... Marriage recognition To officially register a marriage in Thailand, a certain amount of paperwork must be completed – Creative Events Asia can oversee this process by pre-arranging all necessary appointments and documentation required, as well as providing you with an English speaking guide and transport to and from Government offices. The Creative Events Asia legal marriage registration process is as follows: A visit to the appropriate Embassy in Bangkok and complete an 'affidavit to marry'. (You will need your passports for this). Both parties will need to complete individual affidavits. If you have previously been married, you will also need to complete an additional form. The completed affidavits will then be translated into Thai. The forms will need to be “legalised” by the Thai Foreign Ministry in Bangkok. (This can take a couple of days). A visit to the local government office (Amphur) to complete the legal marriage certificate. Translation of the legal marriage certificate into English. Authorisation of the legal marriage certificate translation by the Thai Foreign Ministry in Bangkok. Completed and translated legal marriage documents will be forwarded to you. This registration process is separate from any religious or spiritual ceremony, therefore, the paperwork must usually be done either before or after the ceremony. Don't forget that the date you register with the Amphur Office will be the date entered onto your marriage certificate, not necessarily the date of your wedding ceremony. A marriage will be valid under Thai law when it is officially registered with Thai authorities. A valid Thai marriage, will then be recognised as a valid marriage in other countries. If you do not properly register a marriage performed in Thailand with Thai authorities, you are not legally married, either in Thailand or your home country. Travel documents required For all paperwork relevant to Creative Events Asia's services, you will require the following original and authentic documentation... Passport for you and your partner (and children) Proof that you are both single (ie. any relevant divorce or death certificates if previously married) A Letter of Certification, issued by an Embassy or Consulate or a Government Organization from your country, regarding the marital status of each person. This can be completed in Bangkok. More general information about Thailand... Time difference Thailand stands at GMT +7hrs. To find out what the relevant time difference between Thailand and your country is, go to: http://www.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/asia/thailand/ Thai Public holidays 2007 January 1st - New Year Day February 3rd (5th in lieu)- Makha Bucha Day February 18th-19th - Chinese New Year April 6th - Chakri Memorial Day April 13th-17th - Songkran Thai New Year May 1st - National Labour Day May 2nd - Visakha Bucha Day May 5th (7th in lieu)- Coronation Day July 29th - Asanha Bucha Day July 30th (31st in lieu) - Buddhist Lent Day August 12th (13th in lieu)- H.M. The Queen's Birthday October 23rd - Chulalongkorn Day October 26th- End of Buddhist Lent November 24th- Loy Kratong December 5th - H.M. The King's Birthday December 10th - Constitution Day December 25th- Christmas Day December 31st - New Year's Eve

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