Thailand - Facts
- Thailand, in Southeast Asia, is situated in the geographic center of the Indochinese Peninsula. Bangkok is the capital and largest city of Thailand. Former Capitals include the cities of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, now both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- The current population of Thailand is 66,090,475. While Thai is the official language of Thailand, many Thais also speak and understand English, particularly in Bangkok and the major tourist areas. Thai people are happy to teach foreigners a few words of Thai to help them get around.
- The Thai baht (THB) is the official currency.
- Thailand is 7 hours ahead of UTC and does not observe daylight saving time.
- Thailand’s location between vast areas of land and water means that it is affected by both the summer and winter monsoons. See Weather below for more details.
- Thailand is now visited by a large number of yachts and formalities are getting simpler every year, however, Phuket does have a mandatory requirement to have AIS on board. See Formalities for more information.
- The country’s cruising attractions are many: its rich culture inland; secluded anchorages around Phuket Island and its many offshore islets away from the crowded resorts; many anchorages to be found on the coast north from Malaysia.
- Both repair and docking facilities have greatly improved in Phuket over the last decade. Facilities in the other ports are more limited. More repair facilities are obviously available in the capital, Bangkok, but it is a busy polluted city, totally unsuitable for yachts.
- For details of services for cruising boats, see Yachting Essentials.
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Is there some detailed information to sign in/out of Ao Chalong?
Do you need a gent or does it work easily enough to step into the office to clear out.
I keep hearing about the website but wasn’t able to find it.
Any help is appreaciated.
Carpe Diem
Hello Captain T, use of an agent is no longer mandatory now that Covid restrictions have all been lifted. Clearance is very straightforward at Ao Chalong pier, all this information is on Noonsite. Go to the Phuket page – https://www.noonsite.com/place/thailand/phuket-island/
Reported by Bob Mott:
A timely warning to be observant and beware of money changer booths in Phuket. I was in Chalong a week ago to exchange US and Singapore currency. The attendant systematically counted and recounted the notes and checked them. Took a long time. Then he took a long time counting out the Baht. Keeps me waiting. He thought I would just rush off, having been there so long standing in the sun and possibly being a silly old fool of 68 and “Farang”. End of the story is that I counted the notes in front of him and there was 5,000B missing from the 100,000B to be paid. Now 1 note missing I could believe was a mistake – but not 5! He calmly counted again and took another 5,000B out and showed the 5 clearly fanned out in his hand. No emotion, no I am sorry. A true professional thief operating a money exchange booth.
SEAL Superyacht – best NOT to use!
It may be possible that there are different regulations in Phuket and Krabi. We asked SEAL Superyacht agency that it is necessary to use an agent. They said yes, but in October 2022 this was not correct. They send us a bill with “official” costs from health and customs and more. We paid them 400 Euro for inbound clearance to Phuket. Additionally they want to have a LOT of (stupid) documents like temperature log and more.
We asked in Krabi how the clearance procedure works. You ONLY need prove of vaccination, then you can sail directly to Krabi and do the paperwork there! Even we already paid Seal Superyacht we decided to go directly to Krabi. Total costs of inbound clearance 5 Euro!! Very smooth the process. The “official costs” from Phuket are not existing (in Krabi).
We are in Krabi Port Takola marina now, we can highly recommend for reasonable prices and helpfull staff!
Freddy
Reported by Anthony Swanston: For Inter-Provincial Clearances
Dear Noonsite
Your recent newsletter spoke of the need for Inter Provincial Clearance in Thailand. This is absolutely correct and I can confirm that I have seen this being enforced. However the cumbersome paperwork needed to complete this can be easily avoided by using an agent who can do everything online (which a private individual cannot do). The agents authorized are listed under Phuket – Clearance – Related Businesses. They are Seal Superyachts, Asia Pacific Superyachts, and Porntip Logistics. Porntip charged me BHT 1,500 (about 35 pounds Sterling) A lot better than all of that running around, especially Phang Nga where you would really need a helicopter as the offices are so remote.
Anthony
sv Wild Fox
Reported by Bob Mott: For Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga provinces.
This happened a few days back. The yacht I helped deliver from Seychelles to Phuket recently checked out of Phuket and moved to Krabi – Port Takola Marina.
The owner was advised he needed to check out of Phuket and that he could do it online. He tried and his Thai wife tried with no success. He then went to the relevant office on the pier Chalong and did the form on their computer with assistance. All well he thought. BUT the girl either didnt know or forgot to tell him he needed to go upstairs to the harbour master’s office and confirm there as well. Filling out the official form was not enough.
He went to Krabi to the marina and tried to check in and found out the error and was fined 5000B.
Same applies the other way around and for Phang Nga Province who are even worse with this rule. They have been playing this game for many years where Krabi were much more relaxed. Now money is short they are falling back on ways of extracting money from yachts.
So yachts have to fill out a form in Phuket and also see the harbour master to clear to go to any other province.
SEAL Superyacht: Beware of this agency
Please think twice before engaging with SEAL Superyacht, you really might regret it. We used SEAL Superyacht as an agent to clear into Phuket with our sailing yacht, to organize a visa extension and for the import of goods from China (they literally coaxed us into this service, claiming that without an agent we would have immense problems with Thai customs). Unwarranted charges for services that sometimes even did not exist seem to be a normal source of income for SEAL Superyacht!
1) They did not provide receipts for alleged payments made in our name to Thai health officials while we had to stay at the quarantine anchorage and refused to refund overpaid money.
2) They made a quotation for a visa extension service (no show) and later tried to charge extra “staff time” on top of this.
3) They wanted to rip us off in collaboration with an export-import company, trying to charge for services that did not even exist while refusing to provide receipts for these alleged services. A personal visit to the export-import company cut the cost by more than more than 65% because the company could not provide recipes.
T. Eichler, SV Lapita
Reported by Anthony Swanston:
I thought that I would share a bit of research I have done on haul out costs around southern Thailand. All yards charge differently so to keep the comparison simple I have not itemised costs. This is for a 37 foot monohull, haul, pressure wash, cradle, one month on the hardstand then re-launch. All prices in Thai Bhat:-
Ao Po: 65,600
Boat Lagoon Phuket: 64,500
Royal Phuket: 45,500
Port Takola: 34,600
PSS Satun: 31,600
Boat Lagoon Krabi: 31,500
Message from Bob Mott, Thailand:
WARNING TO YACHTS IN KRABI PROVINCE. Please be aware that Krabi Harbour officials are fining yachts that have not checked into the province from their previous Thailand port. They have been to Port Takola Marina and fined boats 5,000B. This is an existing rule that if you leave one province you need to check out of that province with the harbour department and report on arrival in the new province. Krabi in the past have not imposed this rule but tough times and the virus and lack of income would have given them a nudge to do so. Phang Nga province has been enforcing this rule for some time and I believe the fines are even higher possibly double. The issue there is that the office to report to is in Phang Nga Town many kilometres from the anchorages by road transport. All Thailand provinces can apply this rule if they want to.
If one is arriving Phuket from Malaysia are there any special clearance procedures.
Roger – always review a country’s Formalities before arrival – in this case Thailand Formalities at https://www.noonsite.com/place/thailand/formalities. Also be sure to review the Phuket page – clearance section at https://www.noonsite.com/place/thailand/phuket-island/ – as there are specific procedures unique to Phuket. Do also check the biosecurity check for COVID-19 restrictions in place – https://www.noonsite.com/place/thailand/formalities#biosecurity-section.
I have just sent the last month at Phuket Yacht Haven. I wanted some work done by Mali at Yacht repair who is still a very good carpenter highly recommended.
I have been here 6 times in 4 years two since Zahara and Nic were removed as Managers. The standards are dropping the prices going up no longer a go to place best avoid it if you can. When I arrived more than 30 yachts anchored out the marina has 60 plus empty berths. Berthing is haphazard I am a 15 metre on a 10 metre berth.
The Haven has died the management has no idea what a Yachties require. The Super yachts have gone no more external painting refitting allowed.
No longer recommended gone from a 10 to a basic 5.
Prices increase another 10% in October. I feel sad for the local contractors whose income has disappeared.
The dock and dinghy men are barely competent. Sad time for what was the best place in Phuket.
I am now over a year in Thailand, boat in shipyard. Quality of work is bad – or you pay to get specialists. I started to do a lot myself. That took some time. After having some student and tourist visa I started with visa on arrival and the 30 day extension.
Just made a “visa run” to vietnam. When I returned thai immigration did no allow a re-entry. I would have too many visa and arrival and should have visa requested outside.
After a night in a detention cell I was put in a plane an now hoping to get a visa at the embassy here in Ho Chi Minh Citi.
They smile and they are friendly – but if somebody in that organisation wants to have more retirement visa ..
It is not a country with law and justice. Remember that before making your decision
Marinas in Phuket are once again increasing berthing rates by about 10%. A comparison shows that it is now more expensive to keep a yacht in Thailand Thanon Australia and the Mediterranean. Add in the visa difficulties ( for both yachts and people), and the invariable poor understanding of yachts and their systems ( not to mention the now very high coats of getting work completed to any acceptable standard) Phuket in particular is no longer a ‘ go to’ place for yachts. Better options are Malaysia and better still Singapore. This for 15 years experience of keeping a yacht in the Far East.
We cleared in at Kho Life and specifically asked about 2 friends who were planning to fly out from Phuket what to do. We were told no problem, and they were entered as passengers. When they tried to fly out from Phuket, they were refused access to the plane and sent back to Satun province. It was a weekend and everything closed (they had been told it would be open). So they had to wait until after the weekend, pay a bond which they then couldn’t recover.
So we were penalised for doing the right thing, and, indeed, we were lucky when the authorities in Ao Chalong did not send us and the yacht 120NM back to Kho Lipe to clear out. Other friends trying to clear out in Rangon (headed for Burma) were nearly sent back to Ao Chalong in Phuket – solved by an extra payment.
So the message is: enter any friends as crew not passengers, only clear in and out of Ao Chalong where they do understand yachts, and cruise informally before and after.
Hi Amy, thanks for reporting this. I’ve enquired with our contacts in Thailand and apparently, yes, this has been a rule for many years but is rarely enforced. Supposedly the authorities just use it to collect fines when they are low on cash! Many local boats never check in and out of provinces, so there may be something in just lying low. I have added a note about it to the Clearance section.
We cleared into Thailand in Satun before hauling out at PSS. After launching, we island hopped our way up to Phuket. Recently, we went to the Harbourmaster in Phuket. I don’t see this discussed anywhere in Noonsite, but we (and our friends) are being told we must complete domestic formalities with the Harbourmasters in each province.
Our friend cleared into Phuket, visiting both C&I and the Harbourmaster. He had to clear out with the Harbourmaster before sailing to Krabi and clear in with the Harbourmaster there.
We did not clear out with the Harbourmaster in Satun. Upon visiting the Harbourmaster in Phuket, we were fined 500 baht that we had to pay at the port head harbourmaster’s office, a 30-minute drive away.
We were certainly not told this in Satun, and our contact at PSS said: “Previously, other boats that still remain in Thai waters after leaving Satun didn’t have to clear out at Satun Harbourmaster”
Reported by Martina & Reinhard Model:
Following information which might be interesting to other sailors (October 2017):
Our yacht flies the Malaysian flag, my wife and crew, as well as myself, are Austrian citizens, we both have one-year non-O visas for Thailand.
Coming from Terengganu, Malaysia, we cleared in at Koh Samui (my wife as a passenger). In Koh Samui, I tried to get information about the requirements for departing to Europe by plane whilst leaving the yacht in Thailand. Immigration on Koh Samui was unable to give me any information and told me to ask at Customs. Customs explained several times (including the boss of the desk-officer), that there is no requirement. They said, “Just take your luggage and travel home“.
After arriving in Koh Chang, we contacted the Laem Ngop Immigration office. Here we were told about the correct procedure which is as follows:
– Bring ALL required documents to the Immigration office – in paper-copy (Passport, contract with marina, plane ticket incl. return-flight).
– Pay a deposit of THB 20.000 which will be refunded on your return to Thailand back at the Immigration office.
– I received an envelope which I had to hand over to the Immigration officer at the airport on departure.
Everything was clear, smooth and without any needs of discussion.
BTW:
The Harbour captain in Koh Samui wants to get paid a “personal fee“ of THB 500 for each clear-in / clear-out. Negotiation, therefore, is required, don´t pay more than THB 200, better zero, off course.
Reported by Richard Luck:
We checked into Thailand at Chalong yesterday. We docked Samurai at Ao Po, left the AIS on and took a motorbike down. Very smooth, in and out in 30 minutes. You can extend after your first 6 months at Customs in Chalong now instead of Phuket town.
Unfortunately, you still need to go to Immigration in Phuket town to pay the 2000 baht one-off fee or 20,000 baht refundable bond to be able to leave the boat in Thailand with no Captain aboard. Also very quick and efficient there. Would have been nice if they’d consolidated that in Chalong too!
Port Takola, near Krabi, is one of Thailand’s newest Marinas. I have been based there for the last six months and have been delighted with the setup. The staff is very friendly and helpful. It is possible to hire a motorbike very cheaply from the locals, no need to go to town. Ao Nang is just a few minutes up the road with excellent shops, and the traffic is fairly light.
Immigration folks are very friendly and helpful, as have been customs and the port authority, though there is a bit of distance between customers and the rest. About a 20 minute walk between. The hardstand has just become operational an I have never seen a more conscientious team, lifting my boat with great care. There is a very good restaurant and bar about 10 minutes easy walk away.
The marina has all new facilities, is open and lets a breeze through. Access to Krabi is straight forward with a minimum depth of 4.0 meters in the channel. Entrance to the marina is probably the top two-thirds of the tide.
A good guide is the height of tide=depth at the entrance. 2 meters of tide = 2 meters minimum depth at the entrance. Krabi town is just a dinghy ride away. A very peaceful place, easy access to town and tourist activities, but also a great experience with the Thai locals.
Reported by SE Asia Regional Editor Bob Mott:
Recently those coming to Thailand by air and sea and road, especially the latter two, have been asked to show 20,000B in cash to prove they can take care of themselves financially for a short period – or show means of income or Work Permit etc. This has been happening a bit lately.
I have also heard from some yachties the immigration office in Chalong has been extorting money – that they call a security bond to be able to sign back on their yachts and check out of Thailand. They have to submit a 20,000B security which is not true – the price to sign back on your yacht is a 10 Baht stamp duty only.
The idea I think is so that they can offer to waive the fee and ask for 2000B in its place as a nonreturnable fee.
I am investigating this now. Will keep you informed.
Two more marinas exist at the top end of the Gulf of Thailand. One is BangPakong Marina which is closest to Bangkok. This is on the BangPakong River and can be centered around high tide through a locked gate.
It is much cheaper than Ocean Marina and permits liveaboard. Facilities basic but it does have a travel lift and is a cheap place to get the boat out to work on it. Suitable for yachtsmen on a budget. Maximum draft is about 2m for entry on a 3m tide.
The other is Racer Marina on the Pranburi River. I have not yet used this one.
We just stayed at Krabi Boat Lagoon and can highly recommend it! It’s peaceful and tranquil, the rates for wet berth and hardstand are very good (and even better if you stay long-term).
The staff is friendly and helpful and there are two restaurants within the marina. We had some stainless steel work done and the quality of workmanship + timing was impeccable.
If you want to get away from the hustle & bustle of Phuket this is your spot to go with an airport just around the corner.
Krabi customs is challenging again. Only give 2-month extensions, 3 if you push. Was told I could only have 3 months because my visa (a renewal marriage visa) fell due in Oct. But next day guy with 7 months left on his visa only got a 3-month extension also. So its all a bit of a mystery. There seem to be fewer boats around this year.
Posted on behalf of anonymous:
I am not coming to Phuket because they impose the AIS to foreign vessels only.
I don’t believe that is for security.
I have a radar, GPS, VHF, BLU, automatic pilot, wind vane, Iridium.
It’s more than enough, no!!!
I planned to buy my visa in Penang – but now it’s over.
I am not the only one who canceled my trip.
My family comes from Brazil, it is cheaper for them to extend the journey to Kl.
The impact is important, for sure.
I am sorry for the people working for the sailing industry in Phuket.
WARNING! The announcement by Phuket Marine Department today. Foreign vessels NOT equipped with AIS will NOT be permitted to enter or depart Thailand waters, starting 19 Oct 2015. Thankfully period of grace has been granted. See news item adjacent for further details.
For those cruisers considering having their liferaft serviced in Thailand, it may be useful to read about the experience of s/v Crystal Blues at http://svcrystalblues.blogspot.my/2013/10/dangerous-liferaft-servicing.html#more
A word of warning if driving a motorbike in Thailand. In Phuket, the Ao Chalong police department is doing road stops for motorbike driving license checks as well as helmet and registration. Note: A motorbike license is mandatory here, a car license will not do. Watch out if you rent a motorbike as the hire shops don’t necessarily know the rules.
Cruisers have reported problems with the accuracy of Navionic charts in SE Asia, Thailand in particular.
Posted on behalf of Michael Blows:
At my latest check-in to Thailand in Krabi, payment of the bond (THB20000) was unavoidable.. all the other boats coming in now suffered the same thing. I was given only 30 days (or less) and told either I paid the bond to allow me to leave by plane or land to get another visa (via consulate or on re-arrival), or I had to sail out within the 30 days (the latter option effectively negating the 6 month stay for the boat).
Even when the amount is not a big deal it is still a huge administrative workload. Was told by immigration that the way to circumvent is simply applied and get a 60-day tourist visa before coming to Thailand (e.g. Penang or Singapore).
Its back to normal at Krabi. U can obtain 6 months temporary boat importation extendable for another 6 months without a problem. Krabi is very easy for paperwork, but u do need a car as customs and immigration are about 8 km apart.
See news item dated 30 January 2014 which explains these new rules regarding length of stay for yachts.
When we checked in at Ao Chalong in December 2013, on a weekday, there was a THB 100 per person fee to immigration.
Since 1 January 2014 boats checking in at Ao Chalong have been given only a 60-day stay by customs. This is causing significant concern in the Phuket marine industry.