Getting Around Thailand--Simply

Elephant treks through lush jungles, shrines draped with garlands of flowers, glittering temples with incense wafting, a 5 1/2-ton solid gold Buddha--Thailand is both exotic and affordable, which has made it a Southeast Asia favorite with budget travelers.

One of the best sources of information about Thailand for do-it-yourself adventurers is “Thailand Handbook” by Carl Parkes (Moon Publications, $19.95). An updated 834-page edition became available this month.

Parkes, who also is author of “Southeast Asia Handbook,” recommends that first-time visitors head directly to Thailand. “No other country offers such an outstanding array of attractions in such a compact package.”

For shoestring travelers, he advises that simple rooms for less than $4 can be found in almost every town in every province, except Bangkok and upscale tourist resorts such as Phuket and Pattaya. “Spend a few dollars more and you can stay in simple but spotlessly clean rooms, including clean sheets and a private bathroom with fresh towels.”

Parkes suggests budget travelers should figure on spending about $500 to $800 per month for accommodations, meals, local transportation and shopping. “Shoestring types who laze on beaches and survive on fried rice can escape for $200 to $300 per month.”

He attributes the wealth of budget accommodations to a “guest house phenomenon” that began about two decades ago as young backpackers crossed Thailand on the Katmandu-to-Bali trail. Intrigued by these curiously dressed foreigners and recognizing the potential for a small profit, enterprising Thai families opened up extra rooms and put up hand-painted signs marked “home stay” or “guest house.” Guest houses today can range from simple beach shacks to three-story concrete warehouses with small swimming pools. The unifying elements--low prices and Western clientele.

Travelers also will find transportation quite economical: “Trains, buses, taxis and other forms of internal transportation are ridiculously cheap by Western standards.” For example, a 36-hour train ride from Hat Yai to Bangkok costs under $20 in second class; an overnight bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is $12 to $15; a taxi from the Bangkok airport to most hotels runs $8 to $10.

The handbook is packed with detailed information ranging from history, festivals and key tourism sites to advice on safety, medical precautions and details on sporting activities such as trekking, caving, rock climbing, river journeys, sea canoeing and scuba diving.

In addition to practical information, the guidebook discusses cultural taboos--how to avoid innocently offending people. For example, the simple act of patting someone on the head or pointing the soles of your feet in their direction can be insulting and distressing. You’ll also learn that the royal family is revered and that criticizing them is a crime. Showing respect also means you must be careful not to crumple a bill or step on a coin that carries a royal image.

Monks also must be treated with special respect. Don’t take their seats at the back of the bus, and if you’re female, there shouldn’t be any physical contact, so don’t pass anything to anyone. If you want to give something, set it down so he can pick it up.

Penalties in some cases can be severe. Parkes tells a story about two Mormon missionaries who posed for photographs on top of a Buddha image in Sukothai. “The developing lab in Bangkok turned the negatives over to a Bangkok newspaper, which published the offending photographs on the front page. Public outrage was so strong, the foreigners were arrested and jailed.”

You’ll also learn about local festivals, which can be a fun way to interact with the local community and terrific for anyone interested in photography. For example, Songkran, Thailand’s New Year, is celebrated April 13 to 15 each year. Along with Buddha images being purified with holy water and young people honoring their parents by pouring perfumed water over their hands, Parkes warns that it eventually evolves into a “wild-and-crazy water-throwing festival.” “Thailand Handbook” also provides information to help visitors avoid getting ripped off or putting their personal safety at risk.

Parkes also warns “a common problem in Bangkok is razor-blade artists on public buses. Carry your bag directly in front of you and be extra alert whenever somebody presses against you.”