Discounts for students in Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia are better earned by the tenacity of the individual travelers bargaining skills and tolerance for sub-standard accommodation rather than flashing a student ID. The International Student Identity Card (ISIC), however, offers substantial savings on plane tickets and some entrance fees. It also provides you with basic health and life insurance and a 24-hour help line. The card is available for $22 from STA Travel (tel. 800/781-4040, and if you're not in North America there's probably a local number in your country; www.statravel.com), the biggest student travel agency in the world. If you're no longer a student but are still under 26, you can get a International Youth Travel Card (IYTC) for the same price from the same people, which entitles you to some discounts (but not on museum admissions).
Travel CUTS (tel. 800/667-2887 or 416/614-2887; www.travelcuts.com) offers similar services for both Canadians and U.S. residents. Irish students should turn to USIT (tel. 01/602-1600; www.usitnow.ie)
