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The bad news is that it can be quite expensive flying to Bangkok, depending on your point of departure; the good news is that once you're there you can shop around for an inexpensive return ticket. A host of international carriers land at Don Muang, Bangkok's major airport terminal. Flights in and out of Thailand are often overbooked so it's imperative that you reconfirm ongoing flights as soon as you arrive. The departure tax on international flights is around US$13 but this is waived if you're in the country for less than 12 hours.

Overland travel from Malaysia is also popular and there are four border crossings between Thailand and Malaysia, two on the west coast, one in the centre and one on the east coast. It's not possible to buy through-fare tickets for rail journeys between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, but the trip can be made on express trains via the Thai-Malaysia border at Pedang Besar. The journey usually requires an overnight stop in Butterworth (Malaysia) in order to comfortably make train connections.

The opulent Eastern & Oriental Express does run directly between Bangkok and Singapore, but expect to pay well over US$1000 for the privelege. There are plenty of crossing points between Thailand and Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia, but very few border crossings are made - officially, at least.

It's legal for non-Thai foreigners to cross the Mekong River by ferry between Thailand and Laos at several points along the river.

Money & Costs

Currency: Baht

• Budget meal: US$2-4

• Moderate restaurant meal: US$4-7

• Top-end restaurant: US$10-20
  
  

• Budget room: US$3-10

• Moderate hotel: US$15-40

• Top-end hotel: US$150 and up

If you're travelling on a budget, you should be able to fairly easily get by on around US$15-25 a day anywhere in Thailand. Visitors staying in comfortable hotels and eating at restaurants should budget on around US$20-30 a day outside Bangkok and around double this amount when in the capital. If money is no object, then you can spend to your heart's content while in Bangkok, since the capital has several of the world's most sumptuous hotels. Your spending levels will be curtailed by the scarcity of luxury accommodation and quality restaurants if you get off the beaten track.

Banks or legal moneychangers offer the best rates. For buying baht, US dollars are the most readily acceptable currency, though travellers' cheques get a better rate than cash. Credit cards are becoming increasingly acceptable in quality shops, hotels and restaurants. Visa is the most useful, followed by MasterCard. ATMs which accept Visa and other credit cards are easily found in the larger cities, and many exchange booths will give you a cash advance on your credit card.

Tipping is not customary in Thailand, although Thais are getting used to the idea in upmarket hotels. Bargaining is common practice in markets and tourist shops, and when catching non-metered taxis. Treat it as a form of social discourse rather than a matter of life and death.