Bangkok Business Essentials

As the commercial centre of Thailand and the region, all sorts of services are available to the business visitor in Bangkok. Check this section for useful contacts, services and other leads, as well as general information about getting around town, communication services and other matters to consider when planning and settling business in Thailand.

As all of those living and working in Thailand know, people here enjoy quite a generous number of public holidays. Many of these are linked to religious or agricultural traditions and follow the lunar calendar which means dates of some these holidays change from year to year.

Somewhat more of a delight to employees than to employers, public holidays are an important factor to consider when scheduling a business trip to the Land of Smiles. Especially those that are consecutive, like Songkran, the Thai New Year Festival. Many companies operate on a slower pace before and during these days, or shut down completely, which may delay processes or courses of action at places like government institutions. So make sure you plan for these when scheduling your business trip.

The government lays out 15 public holidays that are nationwide, but some organisations give more than these. Try to establish those prior to setting up your schedule. Also note that government offices are usually closed on Public Holidays and on Mondays if the holiday took place during a weekend day. Furthermore, when planning meetings it is advisable to note that generally people do not work on Saturdays.

January 1 - New Year's Day
February- Chinese New Year
Late January to early March - Makha Bucha Day
April - Chakri Day
April 13 - 15 - Songkran Holiday, Thai New Year Celebrations
May 1 - National Labour Day
May 5 - Coronation Day
May 7 - Visakha Bucha Day
May 16 - Ploughing Ceremony
July - Asarnha Bucha Day
July - Buddhist Lent
August 12 - HR The Queen's Birthday
October 23 - Chulalongkorn Day
December 5 - HR The King's birthday

Suvarnabhumi International Airport

The brand spanking new Suvanabhumi International Airport is now open for business. Take a look at our overview about this impressive super-modern eight-storey airport complex and our fact sheet.

Location: Racha Thewa in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, 30 kilometres east of Bangkok.
Inquiries: +66 (0)2 132 1888 (Airport Call Centre), +66 (0)2 132 9324 (Departures), +66 (0)2 132 9328 (Arrivals)

Considering Bangkok's notorious traffic conditions, some pressure and inconvenience can be taken off by hiring a chauffeur or driver. No need to figure out where places are, how to best get there or battle your way through gridlock traffic. Instead, chauffeur services allow you the convenience of sitting back and relaxing while a driver does the hard work of ferrying you around town.

Chauffeur or limousine services can be arranged from most hotels and serviced residences, while car rental companies, like Budget Car, also provide cars with drivers. Rates depend on type of car, duration and location of service, and gasoline price.

Did you know Thaiticketmaster provides limousine services in and around Bangkok? For information check their website.

Even without the luxury of a chauffeur, getting around Bangkok using public transport is surprisingly easy. To read more about the capital's taxis, Tuk Tuks, Skytrain, busses and boats, check our travel around section.

Full Country Name: Thailand, Prathet Thai in Thai, which means 'land of the free.'

Capital: Bangkok

Geography: The Kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia naturally making it the gateway to Indochina, Myanmar and Southern China. Thailand borders onto Myanmar in the west and north, Lao P.D.R. in the north and northeast, Cambodia in the southeast, and Malaysia in the south.

Thailand's shape and natural geography is characterised by mountains and forests in the north, vast rice fields in the central plains, semi-arid farmlands in the northeast, and lush tropical islands and the long coastlines of the peninsular south.

The country covers 513,115 square kilometres and is divided into 76 provinces. Bangkok is the capital and centre for political, commercial, industrial and cultural activity.

Population: Thailand's people are made up of Thai (80%), Chinese (10%), Malay (3%) and other ethnic minorities such as Mons or Khmer. Well over 62 million people inhabit the Land of Smiles, of which about 10 million reside in Bangkok. Thai people are known for their friendliness and hospitality.

Language: Though spoken and written Thai is more or less incomprehensible to the casual visitor, English is widely understood, especially in Bangkok. At most tourist destinations, English is generally spoken at hotels, restaurants, shops and tourist sites. Road and street signs are Thai-English nationwide.

Religion: Buddhist (95%), Muslim (4%), Other (1%)

Government: Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932, with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama IX, the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty being present Head of State. After a bloodless military coup on September 19, 2006 the country is now being run by an interim Prime Minister, retired army commander Gen. Surayud Chulanont, and cabinet before free and fair elections are held late in 2007.

A country of geographical diversity and rich agricultural resources Thailand's rural sector was the major employer for many years with a large percentage of the population engaged in agriculture. During the 1980s and early 1990s the industrial and services sectors, operating in a bouyant economic climate, began to expand rapidly. The economy reached an average annual growth rate of almost 9% - leading to an influx of people to the cities in search of work in these new industries.

One of the original "Asian Tigers," Thailand was hit severely when the Asian financial crisis of 1997 jolted the entire region. Shock-waves were felt both regionally and throughout the domestic economy. Unemployment increased dramatically and the government was forced to take swift action to stabilise the Thai baht. Assisted by the tourism industry, the economy began to recover until the events of Sept 11, 2001 sent growth rates plummeting to just over 1% compared to over 6% in 2000.

Tourism played a major part in Thailand's gradual recovery and continues, despite setbacks like SARS, to improve. Following the '97 Asian crisis the government launched its 'Amazing Thailand' campaign, resulting in a dramatic increase in visitors keen to take advantage of the devalued baht. Tourist arrivals have continued to increase each year, with ongoing marketing campaigns by the Tourism Authority of Thailand significantly contributing to increasing Thailand's profile as a destination. In 2002, Thailand welcomed 10.1 million tourists (Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand).

Thailand is considered the hub of South East Asia with a very busy airport and most of the world's international airlines landing here. Bangkok is also considered the gateway to other markets in the region, especially China and many multinational companies have a presence in the city. Toyota, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Philips, Sony, Compaq and more recently Tesco. Despite SARS the economy is showing signs of improving. Tourism still plays a major role with a greater emphasis on regional markets. The government is also focussing on better English language skills and improving computer literacy for young people.