International move to Krabi
That you come in her looked for by the good weather or that you move to Krabi to retire or create a company, needs may be very different from those of the tourists who visiting only for a few days.
Our guide of the expatriate to Krabi will help you to familiarize you with the region, how things work, and, more important still with the types of comfort who are available here.
According to a lit estimation, approximately 2-3 000 Westerners live here to Krabi during the high season (in November-April), that they are redeemed(pensioned off), active or deprived. It is a rather nice community, but do not meet around the formal organization – there are thus no clubs of expatriates, no companies or no the other obvious ways to meet people when you arrive.
Below we answered some practical questions that you can take into account before deciding to move here, to Krabi, information and advice on the life of the expatriates generally in Thailand or observations on the culture.
You can consult the www.thaivisa.com forum which establishes a good starting point, with some of the best but also and the worse advice.
Long stay to Krabi
To find a house or an apartment to rent to Krabi is generally the first priority having decided to move or to pay a long-term visit. Unfortunately, we have no resources to help you to find a long-term accommodation to Krabi: the great majority of these places deal on no account with agents and make that of the local publicity.
Thus, unless there is a particular reason for making it, we always advise people to go on-site and to try to inquire there because it is very easy to find apartments, bungalows and small houses to rent once to Krabi. You will have many more choices than the on-line limited lists, furthermore, he(it) will be cheaper and you will have a better idea of the place where things are and of the place which corresponds to you best
Besides, a lot of people which wants to rent a house to Krabi insists on the fact that they want to be near the beach(range), then realize on arrival that to be in some kilometers is better, and even preferable, given the crowds of tourists and the prices as they meet the seafront.
The whole process of the search for accommodation(you should not take more a few days in a week, you can reserve thus simply a hotel for this period.
Below, we describe the types of the properties and the price ranges which you can expect to find.
Holiday rental
There is a wide selection of rents of short and long-lasting available on Krabi, from 3000 to 30 000 bahts or more per month. In first choice is omnipresent “shophouses”, lines of unfurnished and cheap houses, with thin partitions, favored by the workers of the hotel business and the expatriates with few resources.
The small bungalow or the deprived apartments ( 1 2 rooms)to be rented in 2 – 3km for the beach tend are for the price of about 7-10 000 bahts + a month. These can be partially free but are generally available only for a minimal duration of six months. You will have to add your personal touch to add a little comfort to your house, the housing being only furnished in the bare minimum.
Be wary of properties which do not include the electricity or the water, or still where the expenses of service are directly paid to the owner, because it is about an average classic of “completing” rental revenues at the expense of the tenant. Houses and high-end apartments, with separate rooms, bathrooms Westerners, fully-equipped kitchen, and living spaces will be generally in the 25 000-baht region a month.
Usually, in the private domains, they are completely furnished (including the air conditioning) and can also have access to a common swimming pool.
The big villas with a private swimming pool are 3 times as expensive. As mentioned above, with the exception of these villas top of the range, most of the long-term accommodations to Krabi are has to look for on the spot. Very few owners work with real estate agents and some more of advertising except the local zone;
Besides, you will have a better idea of the region and the place where you want to be based when you are here. Krabi is still not enough small, thus it should not set more than a week of searches to find suitable accommodation.
Long stay in hotels to Krabi
On the other hand, you can simply want to stay in your hotel preferred for several weeks or more.
In this case, you have to contact the hotel directly to ask for their best offer. Many hotels offer substantial discounts on their standard price-lists for the long stays, but these are not official and vary according to the season. There are also some stations which offer ” apartments with services”, which give more space than the hotel room so averages that a cooking, but with the complete service of the hotel.
The best places tend to be farther from the center, and can also include a rent of motorcycle in their monthly price list.
Remark: it is almost impossible to obtain monthly or long-term offers in a hotel situated in the center during the months of high season from December till February. Hotels are generally reserved and complete with short-term customers paying the full price
Learn the Thai: the difficulty of the language
The biggest problem which you can meet to Krabi is the language barrier.
Most of the expatriates try to learn a little basic vocabulary, as to command a meal or a drink – and it is maybe all which you need, especially if you have a Thai partner who helps you. But in other situations as works in your house, purchase of electronics in the city of Krabi, even by having Thai friends – you can notice that your lack of vocabulary and of Connaissance Thai leaves you in trouble. English is little practiced and by fewer people here than in almost all other tourist regions of Thailand.
Then, to take a course in Thai to know the main part can turn out to be a good thing and resign to speak English with gestures most of the time. Even if you speak fluently the Thai, if you move towards another part of Thailand, in particular the plains of the North and the center, you will find a local dialect impenetrable. However, most of the inhabitants of Krabi speak the central Thai, but with a strong accent of the South.
Certain expatriates who intend to live to Krabi for a while also learn to read and to write texts in Thai – language courses are available, certain with the additional benefit to offer an educational visa to all the participants more advantageous than the standard tourist visa. Although not being for everybody, these courses are strongly recommended because they will give you a better understanding of the language and the culture Thai
There are at present only two international schools to Krabi: British International School of in Proclamation Nateen, in approximately 10 minutes by car of Ao Nang; and the international school of Krabi to Din Daeng, in approximately 20 minutes by car of Ao Nang.
Both offer an early primary and secondary education by using the British school curriculum and do their best with limited resources. International schools better renowned, with qualified and experimented teachers, appropriate installations, extracurricular activities are to Phuket, at approximately 2 hours of road of Krabi. Headstart, the international school of Kajonkiet, the international academy of Phuket, and British International School Phuket is the most popular of them.
Within the local Thai school system, there are some bilingual programs (Thai-English) at the primary and secondary level, with native teachers and/or Filipinos. These follow the Thai curriculum, with certain materials (mathematics, sciences, health/PE, as well as intensive EAL) taught in English. The students have to cross an entrance examination, generally made end of January/beginning in February of every year, to obtain a place on these programs
Primary schools in the city of Krabi with such English programs have Isaranuson and Anuban Krabi; farther towards the airport there is Chokchai; at the secondary level, there is EP to Ammartpanichnukul in town, as well as to Kanchanapisek Wittayalai in the district of Khlong Thom.
The majority of the expatriates send their children to one of these places; they often make a commitment to give them additional courts(courses, prices, yards) before or after the school if they consider that the education is not adequate.
For the young children of preschool age, the choice seems to be between the bilingual establishment Krabi Montessori, which takes children from 2 to 6 years old and is situated in the village of Ao Nang (near the Thai school of cooking, or Daisy Chains Montessori, at the street corner to Soi Khao Kaew. It is also the day-nursery who will take babies up to the age of 6 years, and is managed by a qualified English-speaking teacher.
Hospitals and health insurance to Krabi
There is now an international hospital to Krabi, an international Krabi Nakharin hospital of 120 beds on the road of Pisalpop in the city of Krabi, which opened its doors in February, 2014. Although an operation to complete service is planned, only half of the departments work. Please contact the team of the reception service of the hospital to 075-626555 for more details. The existing services are of high quality and are recommended as the first choice, even for a general treatment.
If Krabi Nakharin is not capable of offering the required treatment the international hospitals to complete service the closest belongs at present to Phuket, at 2-3 am off road. The municipal hospital of Krabi is not certain of the international level, although certain people find it appropriate for minor treatments particularly if you can tell them exactly what does not go to your place – the diagnosis is not their key point.
The hospital Muslim deprived Ruam Paet in the city of Krabi is cleaner and has a faster service. They accept the patients of all the names for minor treatments. There are also several private hospitals deprived in the city of Krabi, of which some are managed by specialists. An example is the pediatric private hospital of Maharat Soi 9 (in front of the bookshop Seng Ho, managed by a doctor of the hospital Bangkok-Phuket and a branch to Ao Nang, called the Loma private hospital, next to the tourist police station).
The ophthalmologists are widely available – most of the expatriates use the excellent S.K. Optik shop, with branches to Ao Nang and Krabi Town. There is a dental private hospital at the hospital of Krabi Nakharin; other private hospitals dental independent are not considered as very good here.
The international networks such as BUPA offers health insurance in Thailand, or you can be covered by your insurance at home. These diets cover generally the treatment in the international hospitals, although you always have the problem of arriving there first of all.
A lot of medicine which are prescribed in the West is available on open sale in the Thai pharmacies; if you have a regular prescription, you should be able to obtain it directly from a pharmacy – do not forget to bring the generic name, because certain medicine is marketed under various names in the Asia-Pacific region.
Western food in Krabi
This will happen at some point: you will start missing food from home. For some food, each small number of weeks is enough, others require western food every day. In the tourist areas (Ao Nang, Klong Muang, Phi Phi, Ko Lanta at the height of the season), there is a reasonably good selection of western restaurants that are ruled, exfoliates themselves and thus offer fairly authentic food.
There are also several international fast-food chains, including McDonald and King Burger (Ao Nang), Swensen, KFC, Donut Dunkin, Milk Queen (all in Krabi City or large alleys).
If you would like to prepare at home, the elections increase. Supermarkets in Krabi like the Big C Tesco Lotus or begin to not provide a decent choice of Western goods, although there is still nothing compared to the same stores in Phuket. However, it is possible to find pasta, potatoes, cereals, imported meats, and a limited choice of bread and cheese. (Anyone who wants to open a good bakery is most welcome!). Makro, cash and bear the wholesaler (on Route Highway 4 heading north to Phuket) is the best bet for a new western fruit, vegetables, and herbs, as well as frozen meat and fish. They also have a good range of foreign sauces, spices and spices, including those for Indian food.
Several new components such as fruit (eg apples) and vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, asparagus, etc.) can also be found in the morning market in Krabi City, or local markets in and around Ao Nang. Dried herbs and imported sauces and seasonings are also quite easy to master Of.
Drinks-wise, good wine is very difficult to find and very expensive when you do. It also goes for beer – although in Ao Nang there are specialist pubs that have a better option than most, including Guinness outline. International brand alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages are available everywhere.
Owning and driving a vehicle in Krabi
It will be essential to have your own vehicle if you plan on staying in the long term Krabi. Public transport is very limited and taxis, if available first, can be costly and unwilling to travel short distances (under 15km).
Only foreigners holding a non-immigrant visa with an annual validity can have a vehicle in Thailand – and this also, only after considerable documents. If you do not have such a visa, you will have to redeem someone else’s name, whether it’s Thai, a qualified foreigner, or a company. Regardless of nationality, they must certainly be trustworthy.
You are mostly expected to pay for a vehicle for cash; although the financial possibilities may be available in a number of cases (for example, if you have established Thai earnings and your entrepreneur guarantees a loan). Standard motorcycles or the cost of scooters around 45,000 baht; New light-duty trucks, depending on their specifications, range from 500,000 to 1 million baht; and saloon cars start from 600,000 baht up. The choice here is limited to Japanese marks and Ford; for other types of car you will need to travel to Bangkok or Phuket. Although the price of the car is relatively high, you will be grateful for one if you are planning a flow of the rainy season here.
Gasoline (or now the ubiquitous Gasohol) is currently around 40 baht per liter.
It is possible to move with an international license, but you are also able to obtain a Thai license if you have a non-immigrant visa. This can be done with a minimal bustle at the Earth Transport Office at the reception of Tharua data in Krabi City.
Krabi transport connections
As an international foundation, Krabi has improved dramatically over the past ten years. Since the opening of the new international airport in March 2006, there is a regular customer outlined the connections between Krabi and the transport centers of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok, as well as the European charter flight services that operate during November-April only.
In Krabi there is no train service (the rail network does not reach here), but there is a reliable Provincial bus service for long-distance travel within Thailand. The main highways are in good condition and to Phuket, there are excellent and relatively routes without traffic (2 to 3 hours), Bangkok (10 to 12 hours), Surat Thani (2 hours) and Trang (1.5 hours) and Had Yai (5 – 6 hours) in the south.
Finding employment in Krabi
There is very little by way of employment for foreigners in Krabi – there are only a handful of international firms that hire them, mainly large hotels, who do not hire locally. The only real opportunities are the language teaching or instructing dive courses.
The first is limited to the number of schools using foreign teachers in Krabi – there are probably around 2 dozen such positions in the area. There are a couple of schools teaching English to adults, but again, their needs for a foreign state are minimal. They also fear teachers who see TEFL in Krabi as a free holiday and tend to favor more serious contenders who will remain long term.
Jumping into the water is a popular choice, as there are many of the dive centers around the job offer at the height of the season, both on the mainland and on the islands. Only teachers can work legally (that is, get work allowed from the Labor Office); however there are almost a lot of Dive Owners and even Pipe Principles working on trip boats – most are conscious of the risk they take. If you do not know someone here, it should best be asking for such positions directly to the diving schools prior to arrival, while the majority tend to fill up on available positions, much earlier the high season begins.
The most common route to working in Krabi, however, is to base your own business. General (although not necessarily successful) businesses include boarding houses, restaurants and B2B services such as immovable or English language schools. The work permit is then not guaranteed, but if you have the skill the local workforce can not provide, you have a better chance of getting. Local firms exist to help you based company – we notify you to research the topic completely first before entering into such an arrangement.
A mandatory word of caution: work without a solicitor is not recommended in any circumstances as if caught, you will be paying a hefty fine and could also be expelled and the refusal refused further entry into the kingdom.
Opening a bank account in Krabi
Only foreigners with a long non-immigrant visa can open a personal Thai account with a bank. Work permits or visa resignations are ideal. You will need a letter from your owner with proof of the address and copies of your passport and visa, and perhaps a link from your entrepreneur, with the stamp of the company.
Whether you live in or around Ao Nang or not, banks are probably to be a majority “friendly to foreigners” in terms of speaking English and understanding the law on foreigners’ banking business in Thailand. So it’s worth coming here to open an account: all major banks have branches around the beach area and everything – unlike banks in the city are open until 5 pm.
Foreigners do not earn interest in any savings held in a Thai bank account; loans (except as for credit cards) are also usually beyond the boundaries, if you can not convince your entrepreneur to guarantee it.
All banks in Krabi accept international money transfers; they also usually provide you with a cash ATM withdrawal card. Credit cards must be requested separately. It is, however, wise to keep your home country a credit card, active for internet purchases, while Thai cards often get denied online.
To receive money in Thailand without a bank account, you can use services like the Western Union that supplies here; or using an ATM card to withdraw cash from an account in your home country. ATMs are everywhere in the beach areas and Krabi City.
International TV & Media
Reception of local television channels (assuming you even want to watch their tedious, advertising-controlled display of a soap opera/game chat) via a standard antenna is pretty bad. Most Thai people who can afford, therefore, install a satellite dish to see garbage more clearly.
True UBC (satellite TV) is available throughout the area and also offers a decent selection of American and European news, sports, characters, children’s, and movie channels, including some in HD. For foreign channels, it is very expensive to set and subscription rates are comparable to those for similar services in the west (around 300 – 2200 baht per month, depending on the package – and only the most expensive football has Premier positions).
Several parts of the mainland Krabi and Ko Lanta also have cable television access. It’s much cheaper to install and subscribe, but the service can be unreliable and the channels seem to appear and disappear randomly. The same is not true of “no monthly subscriptions” of satellite antennas that offer 100 free channels for a one-time run cost around 4700 baht. Please note: most of these channels are Asian; English-speaking channels on offer tend to be Christian missionary services. You can also access German Welle and TV5 (French) for an additional 3200 baht.
The most interactive media players (iPlayer BBC, Hulu, etc.) do not work in Thailand unless you use a proxy server, while your IP address is blocked.
International newspapers and magazines are available in Krabi City and Ao Nang. The service, called Direct Newspaper, runs in Ao Nang, which downloads and prints the same day of publishing over 200 major newspapers on A3 paper (black and white). Prices are around 200 Baht per copy, including local delivery.
In Thailand, there are two English-language national daily newspapers, the Nation and Bangkok Post, and which are carried by Thai and international news, sports and features. Phuket Newspaper, a weekly newspaper, has local news for this area and sometimes cover stories in Krabi.
Current international magazines are mostly female glossies available in Krabi City within a double home price of coverage.
Expat entertainment in Krabi
Ao Nang Tourist Areas Around the tourist areas of Ao Nang there is a small but lively ex-scene, Krabi Town, Ko Lanta and Ko Phi Phi. There is very little by way of organized activities such as clubs and groups, however: there is a Krabi style, that is very casual and unwilling to be forced into doing anything. Groups that exist are small and tend to be based around various sporting activities – soccer, yoga, or muay for example. There are also actions of correct post-school students organized by parents in the international school of Krabi, but usually open to everything.
Communities tend to be formed by nationality, but also by profession – jumping into the water, hotel owners, retirees, etc. But Krabi is still small enough that everyone knows each other, using the kind at least (this changes quickly however, as more and more people move to the field). It is quite easy to meet people, especially in a handful of bars and restaurants approved by the local, exfoliate, that tend to be a bit further from the touristy areas (although many eats are also mixed with tourists down in the beach, especially in foreign bars and restaurants). Make friends with them then, of course, up to you!
Most of the nightlife, either ashore or further away, is in the form of small bars and pubs, some with live music and almost everyone with pool tables and board games. There are no real nightclubs or other great entertainment venues for rides in Krabi. Sports bars, featuring football Premiership, rugby, and the Grand Prix are quite common. For those who are interested, there are two girly “square” bars in Ao Nang, and several local Thai karaoke-style places in Krabi City. For those who do not, they are easy to avoid.
Although there is a multiplex cinema in the Tesco alley of the Lotus outside of Krabi City, the offerings are Thai cinema and only the biggest Hollywood fighters, all of which are dubbed into Taya (no subtitles). But you will find many of the booths selling the latest Hollywood releases, plus some American and British TV series on DVD.
Internet, phone and 3G connections
All of Krabi now has access to (broadband) ADSL, which is quite reliable. It is available from the government telephone company (TOT), as well as private ISP through TT. T landline. Wi-fi routing programs are easy to master and usually provide your ISP.
Several parts of Krabi, including everything from Ao Nang and Krabi City, are starting to get coverage from adult mobile 3G networks and wi-fi services, with plenty of places being added all the time. This especially welcome news is just as few homes available for rent or even for sale will already have an established telephone line – and the lineup is usually a few months. Now anyone (including foreigners) can buy a cheap, prepaid 3G SIM card or micro Sim for their iPad / tablet and get a reasonably fast connection speed immediately.
Disconnected mobile phones are widely available (or bring your old cell phone and have it disconnected here). Internal requests are very cheap – most do not work on the pay-as-you-go system, with up-to-the-cards and no registration required, and all mobile networks allow international calls for around 5 to 9 Baht per minute. Standard Tai Sim cards also include Internet GPRS / edge connections – which is slow, but can be used in enhancement for checking e-mail, etc. Mobile network coverage is widespread in almost the most remote areas – although lookout for “blackspots” behind one or another of those famous Krabi stones.
Krabi: Practical info during your visit
On this page you will find selected information regarding banks, pharmacies, immigration, communications, local markets and useful phone numbers in Krabi. In the end, you will find a map showing the location of (almost) everything mentioned, which we hope you will find useful.
Banks, post offices and communications
in Krabi and Ao Nang there are many banks. Opening times are usually from weekdays 8.30 am-3.30 pm (9 am-5 pm in Ao Nang), except on weekends. Exchange Banks are generally open longer; most do not charge a commission. Cash ATM machines can be found in all tourist areas, including in the islands.
The Main Post and Telegraph Office is on Utarakit Road in Krabi City (Phone: 0-7561-1050). It is open from 8 am- 4.30 pm weekdays, 9-12 am weekends. In Ao Nang there is also a smaller industry, with the same opening times, on the main road through the village. Packaging services are available. There are also courier DHL planted right of the industry next to here.
Coverage of the portable phone network is almost 100 percent around the Krabi, although you may experience difficulties in some number of remote areas, or when driving through limestone cliffs. The Thai pay-as-you-go Sim card can be purchased for as little as 50 Baht in any C 7 eleven or the Family’s Auction House warehouse (top here also), without the required registration – all you need is a disconnected phone. Tai (prepaid) Pay-as-you-go 3G Sims and Micro Sim cards (for the iPad) can be bought out by a larger portable phone store, although 3G speeds are rarely seen. Since cheap international calls buy a long-distance business card or use public telephone machines, TOT.
Like most hotels and also many cafes and bars now serving wi-fi offers, internet cafes are becoming rarer around the beach areas and in Krabi City. The best choice is to ask in large hotels that often have terminals in the lobby. A high-speed link is located around 1 CD and can be accessed. Service will be faster and cheaper on the mainland than on the islands.
Pharmacies & clinics
If you feel sick or have minor injuries, the best advice is to see the pharmacist first. Must speak English and give free advice and diagnosis. They can also clean wounds and produce a certain number of prescription drugs. If the problem is more serious than you suspected, you will be mentioned by the doctor. Pharmacies are usually open from 8 in the morning to 9 or 10 at night and can be found easily all over the City of Krabi and Ao Nang. There are no pharmacies in Railay and Tonne Sai.
If you remain Ao Nang, there are also a number of clinics of private English-speaking doctors whom Dr. Somboon, next to C 7 eleven on the road heading from shore to village, is probably the best and least expensive. If you do not have travel insurance, be sure to let them know, and ask all upfront charges, so many of these places tend to hike their prices for goal requirements.
Immigration, Visa at border and Customs
Here are the three different styles of visa that exist in Thailand for foreigners :
Please note that overstaying your visa is considered a serious offense in Thailand, punishable with a daily fine of 500 Baht and/ or imprisonment. Your right to re-enter the kingdom in the future may also be affected.
1) For people who do not qualify for the bellow ones, or who want to stay for longer than the time authorized period, they have to apply for a “tourist visa” at a Royal Thai Consulate or Embassy before arrival in the kingdom and granted for up to 4 months (two x two months) and pay an extra fee. To do this, you will need to visit Krabi Immigration Office with two photocopies of each of the following passport pages: personal information, visa stamp, and arrival/departure card number; two passport-sized photographs; and a fee of 1900 Baht. . Each two-month permission of stay granted with a Tourist Visa may be extended by a further month
2) A visa-free “permission or allowing of stay” granted to citizens of Hong Kong SAR and 48 other countries (Further information on the following link: Ministry of foreign affaire of Thailand), for up to 30 days, which is granted by a stamp in their passport at any port of entry to the kingdom, including Krabi Airport. There is no charge or paperwork for this.
3) A “visa on arrival” is available to citizens of another 28 countries for up to 15 days stay. This must be applied for on arrival at one of 24 international immigration checkpoints (including Krabi Airport) and requires proof of return ticket within 15 days, adequate funds for stay, one passport photograph and a fee of 1000 Baht.
If you expect to be coming and going frequently from Thailand above, it is now advised to apply for a year-long non-immigrant or education visa in your country of residence. Extra paperwork will apply, please see the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website for details. Remark that “back-to-back” incoming to Thailand using any of the above methods is now being frowned upon by authorities, and many “visa runners” are finding they are being turned away at immigration controls both at land crossings and at airports
The 30-day permission of stay stamps given on arrival in Thailand can also currently be extended up to a maximum of 30 days (normally 7) by the same procedure – at the discretion of the officer. The office is open 8.30am – 4.30 pm weekdays only and is closed on public holidays.
Krabi Immigration Office is, near the out of town ferry pier, off Tharua Road. All visa extensions must be applied for in-person at this office. Phone: 0-7561-1097.
Krabi Customs Office is located opposite Chaofah pier, on Chaofah Road in Krabi Town opposite Chaofah pier. Phone: 0-7561-1350.
Daily markets
Krabi Town: night markets, Sukhon Road (Soi 10) until around 9pm; food stands only at Chao Fah Pier (Khong Kha Road) until 11pm.
Krabi Town: morning market, 6am-11am, Soi 9, Maharat Rd.
Ao Nang: Sofina market, 1 – 8pm, past the traffic lights at Ao Nang junction, heading towards Ban Chong Phli.
Krabi kocal markets
In all these markets you will find fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, dried goods, street food and snacks, clothing and various household items (timings are guidelines only):
- Sunday: Ao Nam Mao roundabout (3 – 7pm); Krabi Town Walking Street, Maharat Soi 8, 5 – 10pm
- Saturday: Klong Haeng village, main road (2 – 7 pm); Krabi Town Walking Street, Maharat Soi 8, 5 – 10pm
- Friday: Ao Nang, past Ton Company offices, 3 – 7pm; Krabi Town Walking Street, Maharat Soi 8, 5 – 10pm
- Thursday: Klong Haeng village, main road (2 – 7pm)
- Wednesday: Nong Thaleh, main road (1 – 6pm); Ao Nam Mao roundabout (3 – 7pm); Klong
- Haeng Walking Street, next to 7-Eleven (3 – 8pm)
- Tuesday: Ao Nang, Ao Nam Mao Rd, past Ton Company offices, 3 – 7pm
- Monday: Ao Nang, Ao Nam Mao Rd, past Ton Company offices, 3 – 7pm
Banks, post offices and communications
The main Post & Telegraph Office is on Utarakit Road in Krabi Town (Tel: 0-7561-1050). It is open from 8am- 4.30pm weekdays, 9-12am weekends. There is also a smaller branch in Ao Nang, with the same opening hours, on the main road through the village. Packing services are available. There is also a DHL courier drop off branch right next to here.
As most hotels and also many cafes and bars now offer wi-fi service, internet cafes are becoming rarer around the beach areas and in Krabi Town. The best bet is to ask in larger hotels, which often have terminals in the lobby. A high-speed connection is around 1 Baht a minute and other services such as printing documents or downloading pictures onto CD may also be available. The service will be faster and cheaper on the mainland than on the islands.
Mobile phone network coverage is almost 100 percent around Krabi, although you may experience difficulties in some remote areas, or when driving through the limestone cliffs. Thai pay-as-you-go sim cards can be bought for as little as 50 Baht in any 7-Eleven or Family Mart store (top up here as well), with no registration required – all you need is an unlocked phone. Pay-as-you-go (pre-paid) Thai 3G sims and micro sim cards (for iPad) can be bought in larger mobile phone shops, though 3G speeds are rarely seen. For cheap international calls buy a long-distance calling card or use the TOT public phone booths.
There are many banks in both Krabi and Ao Nang. Opening hours are usually from 8.30am-3.30pm weekdays (9am-5pm in Ao Nang), excepting public holidays. Currency exchange booths are generally open longer; most do not charge commission. ATM cash machines can be found in all tourist areas, including on the islands.
Further information on official website: Krabi Tourism
