Here is a list of all the little things you should know before you go.

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Time Zone

GMT + 7 hours

Language

Thai is the official language, with various dialects spoken in the North, Northeast, and Southern regions. English is also spoken quite commonly in shops, hotels and service industries.

Currency

Baht (THB) is the currency of Thailand and comes in the following denominations: 1, 2, 5 and 10 (coins), 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 (bills).  Currency can be exchanged at banks or designated exchange stores. Rates will vary between banks and stores; additional charges may apply.

Electrical Standard

220 volts. Universal adaptors are available

Shopping Hours

Monday to Friday: 10:00am to 10:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am to 10:00pm

Banking Hours

Monday to Friday: 8:30am-3:30pm, some shopping centre branches will open until 8:00pm
Saturday and Sunday: closed, although some shopping centre branches will open until 8:00pm

Local Facilities – City Centre

Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok is located in the City Centre. Silom Road is five minutes’ walk away; Sukumvit Road is 20 minutes away by Sky Train, Siam Square is 10 minutes away by Skytrain.

Shopping

There are many shopping centres easily reached from the hotel, including 3 that provide anything you might need: Siam Paragon, 10 minutes by Skytrain; Central Chidlom, 15 minutes by Skytrain; and Emporium, 20 minutes by Skytrain.

Medical

There are two nearby medical facilities: Bangkok Nursing Home, which is a 10 minute car ride away, and Bumrungrad Hospital, which is 20-30 minutes away by car.

Banking

Bangkok Bank Oriental Branch, Siam Commerical Bank and Bank of Asia all have branches nearby the hotel. They are each open from 8:30am to 3:30pm on weekdays.

Tips on Tipping

Service charges are added to hotel bills, where additional tipping is not required. Tipping is practiced in restaurants and for such services as spa treatments and car driving. There is no standard amount or percentage for tipping.

Public Holidays

Public HolidaysDate
New Year’s DayJanuary 1, 2009
Makha Bucha DayFebruary 9, 2009
Chakri DayApril 6, 2009
Songkran DayApril 13, 2009
National Labour DayMay 1, 2009
Coronation DayMay 5, 2009
Visakha Bucha DayMay 8, 2009
Buddhist Lent DayJuly 8, 2009
HM the Queen's birthdayAugust 12, 2009
Chulalongkom DayOctober 23, 2009
HRH The King's BirthdayDecember 5, 2009
Constitution DayDecember 10, 2009
New Year's EveDecember 31, 2009