To prepare for traveling with children you should have a number of things arranged before department. Below is a list of the most important preparations.
Vaccinations:
One of the first things you should think about are the vaccinations. In principle, no vaccinations required for Thailand. However we advise to get a DTP vaccination and a vaccination against hepatitis A. Consult your doctor, or the Public Health Service Travel Clinic. Malaria tablets are no longer needed in Thailand.
Does your child medication? If this occurs, the doctor can provide your child with a drug passport or at the hospital you can get a letter describing the illness of your child in English. If necessary this can come in handy.
Baggage:
What do you need for a trip? We always advise our clients not to take to much. Anything you might forget can be bought in Thailand at very reasonable prices. Additionally, you can wash clothes during the trip (hint: outside the hotels can already from 100 THB per KG). The hotel may be more expensive. Furthermore, the packing list depends on the age of the child demands a bit more.
What you absolutely can not forget:
- A number of T-shirts with short sleeves and long (sunset it is wise to wear long sleeves)
- 1 or 2 shorts and a long pants
- A flashlight (also available in 7 Eleven stores in Thailand)
- Mosquito Lotion with DEET (possibly available in Thailand)
- Sunscreen and bathing suit (towels are available at the hotel)
- Good walking shoes
- A first aid kit (can be small)
- Copy of passport
Passport:
It may be that children under 12 years old are registered in the passport of the parents, this is no problem. From mid 2012, even children need to have their own passport. For children less than 12 years not included fingerprints. Furthermore, children from 12 years to have a valid travel document, ,that needs to be valid for 6 months after arriving back in country of origin.
Arrival in Bangkok:
After a flight of about 10.5 hours (or longer for a flight with a stopover) you arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. This is also the only airport where flights arrive from Europe. In the plane, you already had the opportunity to fill in a visa on arrival card form. Of course you can do for your children. If this was not the aircraft is also opportunity for on arrival in Bangkok. It can be very busy on arrival at the immigration department waiting times which are approximately 1 hour. This is not always the case. For the kids is it nice to already have something to drink (water bottle or something similar with perhaps a snack).
Once through customs you follow the baggage with the baggage pick up you and your children.
Once all the luggage is picked up you should immediately exchange for Thai Bath USD (easiest to EUR in advance what to take as each PIN transaction in Thailand 3.5 per transaction costs alone in Thailand). So if you want to pin it makes sense to pin larger amounts .
After leaving the arrival hall is where our guide is holding a sign with your name on it with the logo ofVisitthailand.travel they will bring you and the kids safely to the hotel so the journey can begin (the trip from the airport to the hotel is approximately 30 minutes - 1 hour, depending on traffic).
In Thailand:
On the first days of the trip we plan no trips, So the children can rest and adjust to the weather surroundings etc. Of course you can already do on your own to explore the city. It is also wise to let the children sleep in the early evening, so once they get used to the new Thai time.
Excursions in Thailand:
Please note that children do not always have the same interests as adults. Thus, parents find it very nice to see many temples, but from experience we know that children here after 1 or 2 temples already quite finished with it (depending on age of course). Enough variation between active excursions (elephant riding, tiger temple, rafting, etc.) is important to keep the trip interesting for everyone. We advise you about the divers excursions and of course their safety. There are some programs we strongly recommend against as they are not suitable for all ages (also depending on weather and gravity).
Eating and drinking:
Since Thailand has a subtropical climate, we recommend that you giver your children a lot of water to drink, more then at home. This is particularly important because children use more energy because of the heat.
We also recommend to eat in restaurants where many Thai people are, because they know what is safe and good food. Street food can be dangerous, look closely at the cleanliness and cooling of fruit, etc. For example, never buy fruit that is not cooled and is already peeled. Furthermore, vegetables are more than enough presence and there is plenty of choice.
Furthermore, the included breakfast at each hotel, and some excursions, lunch and dinner. For babies we recommend to bring a can of milk powder, often because the taste of Thai milk can be different that your child is accustomed.
Religion and culture:
94% of all Thai is Buddhist, this is also one of the reasons why the Thai people is regarded as pleasant people. There are many temples, You will also encounter many monks in the streets, which are dressed in their orange robes. Please note that persons of different sexes are absolutely not allowed to touch and not allowed to sit next to a monk. Touch no monks and Buddha images, but to approach them with respect, for your children is important to know that.
In the temple you always place your feet in the opposite direction a Buddha statue. You must wear appropriate clothing when you do a temple visit, this means long pants and long sleeves, also take of your shoes if you enter a temple.
Overall a number of things you needed to know if you travel with children.