International Students

Information for
International Students

 

Location

Asian University is located on the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand, about 135 km south east of Bangkok. [>>see map for details]

It is some 500 m above sea level with spectacular views of Jomtien and the sea. The location is rural, and there are no facilities within walking distance. The campus is about 28 km from Pattaya, and less than 20 km inland from Jomtien. Pattaya and Jomtien are seaside resorts, with hundreds of bars and restaurants as well as other facilities.

About 20 km from the university are hyper-markets (Tesco-Lotus, Carrefour and Big C). They sell most needs (food, stationery, personal hygiene, household goods) with in store chemists / drug stores. There are also shopping malls, numerous ATMs, restaurants and mobile-phone shops.There are many websites with comprehensive information about Pattaya and Jomtien.

Some that we have found useful include:www.pattaya.com
www.pattaya.net
pattaya.sawadee.com
English language newspapers:

The Nation (daily, Bangkok) www.nationmultimedia.com
The Bangkok Post (daily, Bangkok) www.bangkokpost.com

Local papers for current events: Pattaya Mail (weekly) www.pattayamail.com
Pattaya Today (Two weekly) www.pattayatoday.net

Climate and Clothing

Thailand has three distinct seasons:

Thai cool season. (November to February) – Fairly dry, relatively cool. Short sharp showers (known as Mango rains). Humidity around 50% Temperature from 20-30°C. The best time to enjoy the nice weather.

High season for tourists.(February to May) - Occasional rain. Humidity around 75%. Temperature from 30-40°C. Watch the spectacular thunder storms from a safe place. The temperature builds during this period.

The rainy season. (June to October) - Heavy prolonged rain. Humidity approximately 90%. Temperatures from 25-35°C. The monsoon season need not keep you in; an umbrella is more useful than rainwear. It doesn’t normally rain all day, but may be hot and steamy between rain showers.

Dress

Undergraduates wear uniform (white shirts / blouses, and black trousers / skirts. On Casual dress days, smart casual clothes may be worn. For postgraduate students, it is smart casual every day. Cotton and natural fibres are more comfortable than man-made. Local clothes are reasonably priced, and cheaper than Europe or the west. However, if you are larger than the standard petite Thai, you can try the local tailors. Large sized ladies’ underwear is sometimes hard to find. When entering a temple, visitors should have their legs and shoulders covered. Shorts and sleeveless tops are not appropriate. At the Grand Palace in Bangkok, shoes have to have a back or an ankle strap. However away from Bangkok, everything is much more relaxed. Thais are fairly modest in their dress. They are often shy to swim in western style swimming suits. However it is quite acceptable for foreigners to do their own thing, but not topless for the ladies!

Currency and Banking Facilities

The monetary unit in Thailand is the Thai Baht (International Symbol "Bt."). Bank notes are issued in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 1,000. Most major credit cards are accepted as well as travellers' cheques in the principle currencies. ATMs are available in most of the larger supermarkets and malls, and there are ever increasing numbers at petrol stations and outside roadside banks.
Current exchange rates can be checked on the Bank of Thailand’s site: http://www.bot.or.th/bothomepage/databank/ FinMarkets/ExchangeRate/exchange

Taxation and VAT

There is a 7% Government Value Added Tax (VAT) applied to goods and services sold in Thailand. Prices generally include this tax.

Personal Effects and Other Articles

Students may bring all personal effects into Thailand without paying duties. Personal effects include clothing, footwear, personal hygiene items, camera, video camera, laptop or notebook computer and basic office materials.

Voltage/Electricity

The electric current in Thailand is 220 volts AC (50 cycles) throughout the country. There are various kinds of plug and sockets in use. Frequently there is no earth (ground). Some hotels have 110-volt outlets for shavers.

Some "Do's and Don'ts in Thailand

Thais believe head to be the most sacred part of the body and the feet to be the lowest part. Please avoid touching people on the head or pointing with your feet. When visiting a temple, dress appropriately (cover legs, shoulders and remove your shoes. The traditional Thai greeting is called a "Wai", where the hands are brought together in front of the chest. The younger or lower-ranking person would "Wai" first. The Royal family should never be insulted.

Drinking Water

Bottled and pasteurised water is available throughout the country. The water that leaves the treatment plants is generally potable; however, it may be contaminated on its way to the tap!

What to bring to Thailand

Originals of certificates: Birth certificate, marriage certificate, driving licence, education certificates (degrees, IB, school certificates.) Medical transcripts (if appropriate). Personal favourites, and a supply of any currently needed medicines. Almost anything is available in Thailand; most medicines can be bought over the counter, without a prescription. Imported items are much more expensive than local. As time passes, more imported items are available.

Medical and dental

A nurse is on duty in the academic building during normal working hours. She can deal with minor ailments and injuries. Other trained personnel are on duty at the sports centre and in the dormitories. In an emergency, injured or sick students will be transported to a local hospital for treatment. There are plenty of doctors and dentists in Pattaya who speak English. Sometimes medicines are dispensed in different quantities than in other countries, but this can generally be resolved. The private medicine available is usually much cheaper than Europe or the US. Students are advised to take out comprehensive medical and dental insurance to cover them in Thailand, and for any visits they make to surrounding countries. There is a group scheme at the university, but it only covers in-patient treatment. Outpatient treatment is relatively inexpensive (compared to Europe or the US) but students may feel safer being covered.

Accommodation

Most of Asian U’s students live on campus. There are four interconnected dormitories available for 560 residents (280 rooms). Each room is furnished for double occupancy with beds, wardrobes, study desks, open chests, an air-conditioning unit and shower and toilet facilities. The dormitory buildings are segregated into male and female units. Dormitory supervisors and other permanent staff are available to assist students and to monitor and direct security around the clock.Each room has a network connection, which provides access to both the Asian UST local area network and the Internet. There are also a number of computers available in the dormitory Common Room and the study rooms that enable small groups to study.

Off campus

Some students choose to live off campus, in Jomtien or Pattaya. There are many studios, flats and houses to rent, at varying prices. A single room in a reasonable location, with cooking facilities, bathroom, air conditioning, swimming pool and maybe other facilities, can be rented for about 12,000 Baht upwards. Of course there is no top limit.

Cost of living

It depends how you live, but typically, electricity costs about 4 Baht per kWh, and water varies from 10 – 25 Baht per cubic metre. Utilities may cost up to 5,000 Baht per month, mostly depending on how much you run the air conditioner. Unless you keep your place very cold, water and electricity are unlikely to be more than about 2,000 Baht per month. You will probably want a mobile phone, these cost from about 4,000 Baht. Pre paid calls cost about 4 Baht per minute. (Land lines are not always available, require a deposit (unless already installed) and a monthly fee of 100 Baht + VAT.) 

It is difficult to estimate food and transport costs, as it depends how you live. It is possible to eat Thai all the time and live very cheaply. However if you like some variety of food you could spend up to 8,000 Baht per month, including eating out. Eating out isn’t particularly expensive, unless you want to eat imported food accompanied by wine (currently has 300% import duty added!) Transport could be up to 10,000 per month if you live off campus, but much less if you stay in the dormitory. 

university Transportation Service

Transportation is available for local shopping during the week and to Pattaya bus station at weekends. Transportation is available to and from the university each day. A mini-bus travels around Pattaya and Jomtien to collect and deliver staff and students from their homes. Details are available on arrival.Buses from Morchit Northern Bus Terminal, Paholyothin Road, Bangkok, pass the university gate. These buses run about every half-hour.In and around Pattaya and Jomtien there are dark blue pick-ups (known as Baht Busses or Sonthaews) converted to carry passengers. They travel set routes, and charge from 5 – 20 Baht depending on the distance travelled. People can negotiate with the drivers to be collected from or brought to the university (The fare is normally about 200 – 250 Baht). There is also new bus service within Pattaya, with regular air-conditioned busses running fixed circular routes. There is a fixed fare of 30 Baht.As all these are subject to change, details should be checked on arrival.

Driving

Generally the Thais drive on the left, but there are always exceptions. If you anticipate driving regularly in Thailand it is recommended that you obtain a Thai driving licence. This can be done locally. There are many accidents on the roads, often involving motor-cycles. At long holiday weekends, there are many people killed and injured, often after drinking and driving.Traffic laws exists in Thailand, but are not always enforced.

Religion

The Thais are predominately Buddhists. However they are very tolerant of other religions, and in Pattaya there is a mosque, a catholic church and a Wat side by side. There are thousands of temples, or wats, in Thailand. A Wat is a Thai Buddhist temple or monastery. In most cases it is not just one building, but a collection of buildings, shrines, and monuments within a courtyard that is enclosed by a wall.