Nakhon Phanom (opposite Tha Khaek), and Chiang Khong (opposite Huay Xai).

It is possible to float along the Mekong River from the northern Thai town of Chiang Saen to Jinghong in China’s Yunnan Province.

bicycle
Many visitors bring their own touring bicycles to Thailand. No special permits are needed for bringing a bicycle into the country, although it may be registered by customs – which means if you don’t leave the country with your bicycle, you’ll have to pay a huge customs duty. It’s essential to bring a well-stocked repair kit and be sure to have your bike serviced before departure.

train
The only rail option into and out of Thailand is via Malaysia. The State Railway of Thailand (www.railway.co.th) and Malaysian Railway (www.ktmb.com.my) meet at Butterworth, 93km (58mi) south of the Thai-Malaysian border, a transfer point to Penang or Kuala Lumpur.

It’s not possible to buy through-fare tickets for rail journeys between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, unless you ride the luxurious Eastern & Oriental Express, 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 in order to comfortably make train connections.

plane
While the prices of flights to Thailand are competitive from Australia, New Zealand and Europe, it can be quite expensive flying to Bangkok from other points of departure. The good news is that once you’re in the city you can shop around for an inexpensive return ticket. A host of international carriers land at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport (www.bangkokairportonline.com), which has replaced Don Muang as 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.

All passengers leaving Thailand on international flights are charged a departure tax, which is not included in the price of air tickets, but paid at a booth near the passport control area. Only baht are accepted. However, the departure tax is slated to be included in ticket prices. The departure tax on international flights is waived if you’re in the country for less than 12 hours.

Getting Around
The only fault of the trains that ply around Bangkok is slowness – otherwise, they’re a delightful option: cheap, comfortable and efficient. Buses are a sterling way to get around. Motorbikes are popular, but if you want to take to the roads, even in a car, beware of the anarchic Thai traffic. A cruisier option is to take one of the many forms of taxis – there are cars, rickshaws (both the motorised and the people-powered varieties), and small pick-ups.

bus
Buses are phenomenally (read hair-raisingly) fast, well serviced, affordable and air-conditioned. The most reputable bus companies depart from Baw Khaw Saw (BKS) public bus terminals. Private buses and minivans that pick up customers from tourist centres such as Th Khao San experience a higher incidence of reported theft, lateness and unreliability. You can book air-con BKS buses at any BKS terminal. Ordinary (non-air-con) buses cannot be booked in advance. A unique feature of Thai public transport is the women-only buses that revved up in June 2000 – an attempt by the government to protect female passengers from crime and sexual harrasment.