Useful Information for Participants
GSMA/ITUDigitalSocietiesPolicyForum‐2015
25thJune2015
SheratonGrandeSukhumwitBangkokHotel,Thailand
1.
PRACTICALINFORMATIONFORPARTICIPANTS
Venue
TheGSMA/ITUDigitalSocietiesPolicyForum‐2015willbeheldinBangkok,Thailand,on25thJune
2015,at:
SheratonGrandeSukhumwitBangkokHotel
250SukhumwitRoad,Bangkok10110,Thailand
http://www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com/
2.
VisaandImmigrationRequirements
To enter Thailand, all participants must possess a valid passport or accepted travel document.
Participants who require a visa should apply for a visa at a Royal Thai Embassy or a Royal Thai
Consulate‐Generalintheirrespectivecountrywellinadvanceoftheirdeparture.Fornationalsofsome
countries,itmaytakeuptotwoweeksforvisaprocessing.Asvisarequirementschangefromtimeto
time, please check with your nearest Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate‐General for your visa
requirements.You are also advised to visit http://www.mfa.go.th for more information on visas and
traveldocuments.
Thefollowingisthelistofcountriesandterritoriesentitledforvisaexemptionandvisaonarrivalto
Thailand:
Useful Information for Participants
SummaryofCountriesandTerritoriesentitledforVisaExemptionandVisaonArrivaltoThailand
OrdinaryPassport
Nationalsofthe
following
countriesmay
applyfor
VisaonArrival
Periodofstay
15days
Andorra
Bulgaria
Bhutan
China
Cyprus
CzechRepublic
Estonia
Ethiopia
Hungary
India
Kazakhstan
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Maldives
Malta
Mauritius
Oman
Poland
Romania
Russia
SanMarino
SaudiArabia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Taiwan
Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Diplomatic/OfficialPassport
NationalsofthefollowingcountriesmayenterThailandwithoutavisa
TouristVisaExemptionScheme
Periodofstay
**30days
90days
14days
Australia
Oman
*Brazil
Cambodia
Austria
ThePhilippines *Korea(ROK)
Belgium
Poland
*Peru
Bahrain
Portugal
Brunei
Qatar
Canada
Singapore
CzechRepublic
Slovak
Denmark
Slovenia
Finland
Spain
France
SouthAfrica
Germany
Sweden
Greece
Switzerland
HongKong
Turkey
Hungary
UAE
Iceland
UK
Indonesia
USA
Ireland
Vietnam
Israel
Italy
Japan
Kuwait
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Monaco
TheNetherlands
NewZealand
Norway
NationalsofthefollowingcountriesmayenterThailand
withoutavisa
BilateralAgreement
Periodofstay
30days
90days
HongKong Argentina
Laos
Brazil
Macau
Chile
Mongolia
Korea(ROK)
Russia
Peru
Vietnam
Bilateral Agreement
30days
Cambodia
China
HongKong
Laos
Macau
Mongolia
Myanmar
Oman
Vietnam
Periodofstay
90days
ThePhilippines
Argentina
Poland
Austria
Romania
Belgium
Russia
Bhutan
Singapore
Brazil
Slovakia
Chile
SouthAfrica
CostaRica
Spain
Croatia
(Diplomaticonly)
CzechRepublic
Switzerland
Estonia
Tunisia
(Diplomaticonly)
Turkey
France
(Diplomaticonly) Ukraine
Uruguay
Germany
Hungary
India
Israel
Italy
Japan
Korea(ROK)
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Mexico
TheNetherlands
Nepal
Panama
Peru
Remarks:
*NationalsofBrazil,RepublicofKoreaandPeruareentitledfortouristvisaexemptionscheme.Meanwhile,Thailandalsoholdsbilateralagreementsonvisaexemptionforholdersofdiplomatic,officialand
ordinarypassportsforavisitofnotexceeding90dayswithBrazil,RepublicofKoreaandPeru.
**IfsuchnationalsentertheKingdomattheimmigrationcheckpointswhichborderneighboringcountries,theywillbeallowedtostayfor15dayseachtime,exceptMalaysiannationalswhocrosstheborderline
fromMalaysiawhosegrantedperiodofstaywillnotexceed30dayseachtime.Inaddition,suchnationalswhoholddiplomaticandofficialpassportsarealsopracticallyexemptedfromvisafortourism.
Useful Information for Participants
VISAONARRIVAL
Nationalsof28countriesandterritories(pls.seethenamelistinthetable)holdingavalidordinary
passportmaybegrantedavisaforastaynotexceeding15days,uponarrival,bytheThaiimmigration
authorityatSuvarnabhumiAirport,providedtherequirementsnotedbelowaremet:
 The applicant must be in possession of a passport with a validity of at least six months or an
appropriatetraveldocumentrecognizedbytheGovernmentofThailand
 The applicant must possess means of living expenses at the amount of 1,000 Baht per person
and 20,000 Baht per family accordingly. (show of cash or other monetary instruments will be
requestedatthecheckpoint)
 The applicant must be in possession of a full paid and confirmed onward or return air ticket
whichisusablewithin15daysafterthedateofentry
 The applicant must submit the application form duly filled out and to which his/her recent
photograph (4x6 cm) is attached. The application form is available at the Visa‐on‐Arrival
CounteratSuvarnabhumiAirport
3.
Weather
TheweatherinBangkokisusuallywarmandhumid.Lighttropicalclothingwouldbeappropriate.The
conference rooms where the meetings are to be held are air‐conditioned and the temperature is
maintainedintherangeof23‐24degreesCelsius(73‐75degreesFahrenheit).
4.
ForeignCurrencyDeclaration
TheunitofThaicurrencyisThaiBaht(THB).TheexchangerateasofMay28,2015,isTHB33.77to1
USD.
UnderThailaw,anypersonwhobringsortakesanaggregateamountofforeigncurrencyexceeding
20,000UnitedStatesdollarsoritsequivalentintooroutoftheKingdomofThailandshalldeclarethe
amount of foreign currency to a Customs Officer. Failure to make such a declaration or making any
falsedeclarationtoaCustomsOfficerisacriminaloffence.
Currencyexchangefacilitiesareavailableathotels.
5.
TravelInsurance
Participantsareremindedthatitisadvisabletoobtaintravelinsurance.Suchinsuranceshouldcover
paymentforyourmedicalcareinthecaseofhospitalizationaswellasthecostofrepatriationtoyour
home country if that should become necessary. The Organizers do not take responsibility for any
individual, medical, travel or personal insurance. Participants are advised to secure their own
insurancepoliciesasnecessary.
6.
RecommendedHotel
Participantsfromoverseasarerequiredtobookahotelbythemselves.Thosewhowishtostayatthe
meetingvenuehotel,pleasecontactthehoteldirectlytomakereservation.
Useful Information for Participants
SheratonGrandeSukhumwitBangkokHotel
250SukhumwitRoad,Bangkok10110,Thailand
http://www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com/
Tel:+6626498888
Fax:+6626498000
CentralReservations:+800‐325‐45454
7.
TransportfromandtoAirport
ParticipantsshouldmaketheirowntransportationarrangementsfromSuvarnabhumiAirporttotheir
respective hotels. Limousine, metered‐taxi and bus services are readily available at the airport.
DetailedinformationaboutSuvarnabhumiAirportcanbefoundatwww.airportsuvarnabhumi.com.
PleasenotethattheDonMuangAirport,theformerBangkokInternationalAirport,currentlyhandles
domesticflightsandsomelow‐costinternationalflights.
For your general information, the following transportation is available from Suvarnabhumi
InternationalAirport:
1. PublicMeterTaxi,islocatedon1stfloorofthePassengerTerminal,Gate4and7.Fareshown
onmeter,plusBaht50surchargeforboardingattheairport.
2. AirportLimousineService,thelimousineservicetovariousdestinationsinthecity,islocated
atthearrivalflooroftheairport.
3. HotelLimousineServices
Forinstance,
‐
ToyotaCamry:THB1,850nett/car/way(maximumof3personswithluggage)
‐
BMWSeries5:THB2,150nett/car/way(maximumof3personswithluggage)
‐
ToyotaCommuterVan:THB2,650nett/van/way(maximumof7personswithluggage)
For participants wishing to avail themselves of the limousine and public metered‐taxi services
indicatedabove,itisstronglyrecommendedthattheyapproachonlytheauthorizedrepresentativesat
the counters located in the airport arrival zone. Upon request, a ticket will be issued for the
assignment of either a limousine or a public metered taxi to transport passengers to the desired
destination. Participants may access public taxi counters by exiting Gates 4 or 7 of the Passenger
TerminalatSuvarnabhumiAirport.Inadditiontotollfees,thereisa50bahtsurchargetobeaddedto
themeterchargefromairporttothecity.
There are good public transportation facilities at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand.
Formoreinformation,pleasevisitwebsite:http://www.bangkokairportonline.com/.
8.
TravellingwithinBangkok
Although traffic can be heavy at times, getting around Bangkok is relatively easy thanks to a well‐
integratedandinexpensivetransportsystemofpublicbuses,taxis,limousines,motorcycletaxis,tuk‐
tuksandmasstransit.
 Taxis:alargenumberoftaxisplyBangkok’sstreets24‐7.LookfortheTaxiMetersignontop
and make sure the cabbie turns on the meter. Fares begin at 35 baht (roughly US$ 1) and
increaseaccordingtodistancetraveled.
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Useful Information for Participants

Mass Transit: the city’s mass transit system consists of an elevated and underground rail
service through the downtown area, providing links to city hotels, shopping malls,
entertainment areas, business districts and the river. Both are air‐conditioned, with signage
anddirectionsinThaiandEnglish,andoperatefrom6amtomidnightdaily.Bothsystemsare
linkedwithchange‐overstationsatthreelocations.Asyetthereisnocommonticket.

BTSSkytrain:elevatedelectrictrainstransportBangkok’scommutersinwideair‐conditioned
carriages, running every 3‐5 minutes at peak times and slightly longer off‐peak, providing a
quick,reliableandefficientservice.TheSkytrainhastworoutes,theSukhumvitLineandSilom
Line,withachangeoverstationatSiamSquare.Faresarebasedondistancetraveled.

MRT Subway: the underground rail system complements the BTS Skytrain in moving
commuters around central Bangkok through a special tunnel system. Lifts and escalators
provide access to the trains. The MRT system has 18 stations running from Hua Lamphong
railwaystationtothenorthernbusterminalatMorChit.
9.
Communications
TheCountryCodeforThailandis+66
TheCityCodeforBangkokis+66(0)2
AreaCodesinThailandarereferredtoasSTDcodes.STDcodesforsomecitiesare:
Bangkok:(0)2
DialingThailand:Landline
Internationalaccesscode(00or+)followedby66,thenSTDCODEfollowedbyLandlineno.
e.g.+662XXXXXXXX
DialingThailand:Mobile
Internationalaccesscode(00or+)followedby66andthe9‐digitMobileno.eg.+66XXXXXXXXX.
10. Language
Englishisspokeninmosthotels,shopsandrestaurantsaswellasinmajortouristdestinations.
11. Time
ThetimeinBangkokis7hoursaheadoftheGreenwichMeanTime(GMT+7).
12. Electricity&PowerPlug
The electric current is 220 volt AC throughout the country. For Thailand, the
picture/diagram shows the type of main power plug used in Thailand so
participantscanbringtherightadaptorfortheirelectricalappliances.Thisplug
andreceptaclearetechnicallyknownasNEMA5‐15(NorthAmerican15A/125
Vgrounded.
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