Working hours of establishments in Thailand

When visiting Thailand, you may be surprised at how long some establishments are open. While the usual opening hours for offices, government offices, etc. are similar to Europe and America, other establishments stay open much longer.

Here's a list of some expected opening hours, at least for most establishments in Thailand.

State institutions - One of the first things you need to know about opening hours in Thailand are places like immigration, the Department of Labor, etc.

Most government offices open early, between 8 and 8:30 a.m., with a lunch break, which usually begins at 12 noon and lasts about an hour. Re-opening at 1 p.m., they continue to work until 4:30 p.m. and that's pretty much it.

Most of them are open only from Monday to Friday and are closed on all public holidays. So plan ahead if you need to get a tourist visa or a work permit.

Offices in Thailand - Most offices in Thailand are open Monday through Friday. They open between 8.00 and 9.30, depending on the company, and close at 17.30 - 18.00. However, be careful: if you call there after closing time, people may still answer the phone, although the office itself is already closed. The fact is that it is quite normal for residents of Thailand to stay at work until 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Stores and malls - Most stores open around 10 a.m., and in some areas by 9 a.m. When they open, they are open continuously until 8 p.m. and even later.

Large shopping centers usually open around 10:30 a.m. and close between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. They are open seven days a week and even on holidays such as Christmas, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

Supermarkets are open by 9 a.m. and closed between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., although there are several in Bangkok that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Restaurants - Street grocery stores open as early as 6:00 so that people can buy breakfast on their way to work, and close at 10:00 p.m. or even later. In some places in Bangkok there are grocery stores that are open until 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. They are open, apparently, for those returning from a nightclub holiday.

Restaurants open at 10:00 am and close between 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm. Some of them serve only breakfast and lunch, although this is quite rare in Thailand (a country that loves to eat out).

You will be amazed to find that on major holidays all the huge department stores and every mall are open. Thais love to eat and store, particularly on holidays, so the malls give them that opportunity.

Western holidays such as Christmas and New Year's Eve are wonderful to spend in Thailand, because while enjoying Christmas music and gazing at the Christmas tree, you can find many outdoor venues.

For those who spend their days alone and don't have anything special planned for Christmas, this fact is even cheerful and comforting.