Time zone
UTC+7 (Indochina Time, ICT) nationwide; single time zone; no daylight saving time
CTN News (Chiang Rai Newspaper) — Thailand time zone explainer, 2026-09-24 · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Thailand · Review edition
Thailand, checked fact by fact.
Only sourced, verified records are shown. Every item includes who published it and when we checked it.
1 · At a glance
3 · Visa & entry
Visa exemption framework (from 2026-09-15)
The 60-day visa exemption was revoked with effect from 15 September 2026 (Ministry of Interior announcement published in the Royal Gazette on 31 August 2026); there is now a single visa exemption scheme granting up to 30 days for tourism only, covering 60 countries and territories; a separate 15-day exemption covers Mauritius and Seychelles; bilateral-agreement tiers (90/30/14 days for other countries) continue separately
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Dept. of Consular Affairs — List of countries and territories entitled to visa exemption for tourism (up to 30 days), status as of 31 Aug 2026 · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Singapore passport — entry to Thailand
Visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism under the exemption scheme in force since 15 September 2026 (Singapore is no. 48 on the MFA list of 60)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Dept. of Consular Affairs — List of countries and territories entitled to visa exemption for tourism (up to 30 days), status as of 31 Aug 2026 · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Malaysia passport — entry to Thailand
Visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism (Malaysia is no. 36 on the MFA 30-day exemption list; Malaysia also appears among the 30-day bilateral-agreement countries)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Dept. of Consular Affairs — List of countries and territories entitled to visa exemption for tourism (up to 30 days), status as of 31 Aug 2026 · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Land-border entry cap (with SG/MY exemption)
Entries under the visa exemption via land checkpoints are limited to twice per calendar year — except nationals of Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore (and any others designated by the Minister), who may enter by land more than twice per calendar year
Thairath — Thailand revises visa-free measures for 60 countries (reproducing the Ministry of Interior Royal Gazette announcement) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Extending the 30-day stay
The 30-day exemption stay can be extended once by 30 days at a Thai Immigration office; the extension fee is THB 1,900 and approval is at the officer's discretion
IziVisas — Thailand 2026: 30-day exemption, TDAC & e-Visa rules (checked against MFA and Thai embassy sources) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Proof of funds at entry
Immigration officers may ask travellers entering under the exemption to show means of support — THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family in cash or accessible funds; checks are not routine but do happen
IziVisas — Thailand 2026: 30-day exemption, TDAC & e-Visa rules (checked against MFA and Thai embassy sources) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) — paper TM6 abolished
Mandatory since 1 May 2025 for ALL non-Thai nationals, including children, entering by air, land or sea; it replaced the paper TM6 arrival card, which has been abolished; submission is FREE and must be made within 3 days before arrival (the arrival day counts) on the official Immigration Bureau site tdac.immigration.go.th — any look-alike site charging a fee is a scam
Thailand Immigration Bureau — Official Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), FAQ · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Duty-free allowances (per person, cannot be pooled)
Cigarettes 200 sticks or tobacco 250 g (or 250 g of all types combined); alcohol no more than 1 litre; personal belongings in reasonable quantity worth no more than THB 20,000 in total; excess cigarettes, tobacco or alcohol must be dropped in the Customs box provided at arrivals, otherwise prosecution follows
Airports of Thailand — Don Mueang Airport, Guidelines for Airport Passengers (Thai Customs allowances) · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Foreign currency declaration
Foreign currency exceeding USD 20,000 (or equivalent) in total must be declared to Thai Customs on arrival and on departure using the Foreign Currency Declaration Form
Chiang Rai Times — Thailand's customs limits for travellers (based on Thai Customs guidance) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
4 · Money & FX
Currency
Thai baht (THB, symbol ฿); 1 baht = 100 satang; banknotes and coins are issued under the Bank of Thailand
Government of Thailand (thailand.go.th) — Thai currency · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Denominations
Banknotes: THB 20 / 50 / 100 / 500 / 1,000; coins: 25 and 50 satang and THB 1 / 2 / 5 / 10
Government of Thailand (thailand.go.th) — Thai currency · verified 2026-11-09 · official
5 · Payments
Cash vs card norms
Cards are widely accepted in cities, malls, hotels and chain stores, but baht cash is still needed for street food, markets, small shops, tuk-tuks and many taxis; small QR-only vendors may not take foreign cards at all
GoMayu — Thailand travel tips 2026: visa, TDAC, scams, etiquette (checked against official sources) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
PromptPay — can a visitor register?
No. PromptPay registration requires a Thai bank account linked to a Thai national ID or a Thai mobile number, so a short-stay visitor cannot register their own PromptPay key; treat any 'tourist PromptPay sign-up' offer with suspicion
QRPayHub — Paying in Thailand as a tourist (PromptPay registration rules and cross-border links) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Paying Thai QR codes with SG/MY home apps
Via Bank of Thailand cross-border linkages, Malaysian banking apps on the DuitNow network can scan and pay Thai QR codes at merchants; Singapore merchant QR payments run through the separate PromptPay–NETS linkage (participating banks/apps only), while PayNow–PromptPay is a person-to-person transfer service to a mobile number, capped at SGD 1,000 / THB 25,000 per day — actual coverage depends on your own bank
Visit-Thailand.org — Paying by QR code in Thailand as a tourist (summarising Bank of Thailand cross-border linkage pages, checked Oct 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
6 · Power
Voltage & frequency
220 V AC, 50 Hz, nationwide
Government of Thailand (AM2026 host committee) — Electrical info and devices · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Plug types
Sockets accept types A, B and C, plus the Thai standard type O (TIS 166, three round pins); many sockets are hybrid A/B/C/O; Singapore/Malaysia type G plugs do NOT fit, so bring an adaptor — SG/MY devices are already 220–240 V, so no transformer is needed for phones and laptops
Government of Thailand (AM2026 host committee) — Electrical info and devices · verified 2026-11-09 · official
7 · Connectivity
Local SIM registration (NBTC rules for foreigners)
A Thai SIM can only be registered in person with the ORIGINAL passport (photocopies or phone photos are not accepted) plus a live biometric liveness check (mandatory since 18 Aug 2025); maximum 3 numbers per person per operator; a tourist SIM lasts at most 60 days and topping up cannot extend it — continued use requires re-verification; since 16 May 2026 registration is in-person only, at an operator branch or authorised dealer
Mega eSIM — Thailand airport SIM rules and prices (summarising NBTC press releases 16/2568 and 28/2568) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Mobile networks
Two nationwide consumer network groups dominate: AIS, and True (which operates the TrueMove H and dtac brands since their merger); tourist SIMs/eSIMs are sold at airport counters and operator shops, always against passport registration
Baanlyy — Thai SIM cards and mobile data for new arrivals (NBTC rules) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Data-only eSIM and SMS verification
A data-only travel eSIM has NO Thai phone number and cannot receive SMS codes; anything that requires a Thai number or a Thai OTP requires an operator-registered local SIM — register home-number-based apps before departure where possible
Baanlyy — Thai SIM cards and mobile data for new arrivals (NBTC rules) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
9 · Ride-hailing & transport
Ride-hailing — legal status & Grab
App ride-hailing is legal only on Department of Land Transport (DLT) certified platforms — eight as of 2026: Grab, Bolt, inDrive, LINE MAN, Maxim, Lalamove, TADA and Fingogo; Grab is the largest and the default choice for visitors; from 1 Oct 2026 a DLT scorecard system penalises platforms that dispatch drivers without public driving licences or properly registered vehicles; there is no Uber in Thailand
The Thaiger — Taxi apps get scorecard system as licence rule bites (DLT announcement, Sep 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Grab at Bangkok airports
Grab is the only ride-hailing platform with an airport-published pickup point at both Bangkok airports; at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) the pickup point is on Level 1 at Gate 4 (outer curb)
Baanlyy — Grab, Bolt & taxis in Thailand (DLT rules; AOT-published pickup points) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Metered taxis — regulated tariff
Bangkok metered taxis (Department of Land Transport tariff as published by AOT): flagfall THB 35 (small taxi) or THB 40 (large taxi), then THB 6.50 per km for km 1–10, THB 7.00 for km 10–20 and THB 8.00 for km 20–40; always insist the meter is switched on — a flat fare quoted for an in-city ride is a red flag
Airports of Thailand — Suvarnabhumi Airport, Taxi-Meter service (DLT tariff table) · verified 2026-11-09 · operator
Driving side
Left-hand traffic; vehicles are right-hand drive (Land Traffic Act, section 33) — the same side of the road as Singapore and Malaysia
DrivingInThailand.com — Driving on the left in Thailand (Land Traffic Act s.33) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
10 · Airport to city
Suvarnabhumi (BKK) to city — Airport Rail Link
Airport Rail Link (City Line) from the airport basement-level station to Phaya Thai (BTS interchange) or Makkasan (MRT interchange): about 26–30 minutes end to end; distance-based fares THB 15–45 — THB 45 all the way to Phaya Thai, THB 35 to Makkasan; trains run about 05:30–24:00
The Bangkok Guide — Getting around Bangkok: trains, boats, taxis, fares (operator fares checked 25 Oct 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Don Mueang (DMK) to city — SRT Dark Red Line
DMK has no Airport Rail Link; the SRT Dark Red Line runs from Don Mueang station to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal (Bang Sue, MRT interchange) in about 17–20 minutes; adult single fare THB 33 (distance fares on the line run THB 12–42 per the operator's published fare matrix)
PPeso — Bangkok airport to the city by train (fares from the SRT Electrified Train Co. fare matrix dated 31 Oct 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Don Mueang (DMK) airport buses
Airport buses from DMK: A1 to BTS Mo Chit / Chatuchak THB 30; A2 to Victory Monument THB 30; A3 to Lumpini Park THB 50; A4 to Sanam Luang THB 50
AsiaRoamer — Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang to Bangkok (compiled from AOT airport pages) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Airport taxis — surcharge rule (BKK & DMK)
Official public taxis at both Bangkok airports charge the meter PLUS a THB 50 airport surcharge payable to the driver, plus expressway tolls paid by the passenger; at Suvarnabhumi use the Level 1 rank between Gates 4 and 7 (take a queue ticket first), open 24 hours
Airports of Thailand — Suvarnabhumi Airport, Taxi-Meter service · verified 2026-11-09 · operator
11 · Language
Language & English availability
Thai is the official language; English is widely understood in Bangkok, at airports, hotels and tourist areas, and much less outside them — carry your hotel name and address in Thai script and keep a translation app handy
GoMayu — Thailand travel tips 2026: visa, TDAC, scams, etiquette (checked against official sources) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
12 · Time zone & holidays
Public holidays 2026
The Bank of Thailand financial-institutions holiday list for 2026 has 19 days (Notification 31/2568), including Songkran on 13–15 April; banks and government offices close on these days while malls and tourist businesses mostly stay open; a one-off extra Bangkok bank holiday was added on 16 Oct 2026 (Notification 26/2569)
Bank of Thailand — Financial institutions' holidays · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Public holidays 2027
The Bank of Thailand has published 18 financial-institution holidays for 2027 (Notification 37/2569, dated 17 Aug 2026); Songkran falls on 13–15 April again
Visit-Thailand.org — Thai public holidays and festivals (checked against Bank of Thailand lists, Oct 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
13 · Weather & seasons
Bangkok climate normals (TMD 1991–2020)
Bangkok Metropolis station (48455): annual mean temperature 28.9 °C; annual rainfall 1,702.2 mm; hottest month April (mean daily maximum 35.7 °C); wettest month September (335.9 mm over 21.4 rain days); driest month December (11.6 mm)
Thaipedia — Bangkok weather by month (transcribed from TMD, Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period 1991–2020) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Seasons (TMD pattern, Bangkok)
Three seasons: cool and dry roughly November–February (least rain, mildest weather); hot roughly March–May, peaking in April; rainy roughly mid-May to mid-October, when Bangkok's monthly rainfall runs about 190–336 mm
Thaipedia — Bangkok weather by month (transcribed from TMD, Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period 1991–2020) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
14 · Safety & scams
Lese-majeste — practical caution
Criticising the Thai monarchy is a criminal offence (lese-majeste, Criminal Code section 112: 3–15 years in prison per count for defaming, insulting or threatening the King, Queen, heir-apparent or regent); the law is interpreted broadly and has been applied to foreigners and to online posts — simply do not comment on the monarchy, in person or online
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Thailand travel advice: safety and security · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Classic scam — 'closed today' / gem shop
Near the Grand Palace and other major temples, touts claim the attraction is 'closed today' and steer you into a tuk-tuk tour that ends at a gem shop, where stones are sold at many times their value — there is no government gem promotion; ignore the tout and check at the official entrance yourself
Ouoba — Thailand travel intelligence (compiled from UK FCDO and Government of Canada travel advice) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Rental damage claims — never surrender your passport
Some jet-ski and motorbike rental operators claim pre-existing damage and demand large payments on return; film the vehicle all round before hiring and note existing damage in writing, and NEVER hand over your passport as a guarantee (explicit UK FCDO warning) — use a photocopy plus a cash deposit, and call the Tourist Police on 1155 if a dispute escalates
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Thailand travel advice: safety and security · verified 2026-11-09 · official
15 · Tipping & etiquette
Tipping
Tipping is not obligatory and is not a traditional custom; mid-range and upscale restaurants commonly add a 10% service charge plus 7% VAT on top of menu prices; leaving small cash — loose change, or THB 20–50 for a helpful driver, porter or massage therapist — is appreciated but never demanded
Next Stop Anywhere — Thailand travel tips: entry rules, money, etiquette & safety (checked autumn 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Respect basics (head, feet, temples)
The head is considered sacred — do not touch anyone's head, including children's; feet are considered low — never point them at a person or a Buddha image and do not step over anyone; inside temples, dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered
Ouoba — Thailand travel intelligence (compiled from UK FCDO and Government of Canada travel advice) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
16 · Emergency contacts
Emergency — police
191
Baanlyy — Emergency numbers in Thailand (compiled from thailand.go.th emergency list and the Tourist Police Bureau) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Emergency — ambulance / medical
1669 (national emergency medical dispatch, National Institute for Emergency Medicine)
Baanlyy — Emergency numbers in Thailand (compiled from thailand.go.th emergency list and the Tourist Police Bureau) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Emergency — fire & rescue
199
Baanlyy — Emergency numbers in Thailand (compiled from thailand.go.th emergency list and the Tourist Police Bureau) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Tourist Police hotline
1155 — 24 hours, English-speaking; the best first call for visitors dealing with theft, scams or disputes
Baanlyy — Emergency numbers in Thailand (compiled from thailand.go.th emergency list and the Tourist Police Bureau) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
TAT call centre
1672 — Tourism Authority of Thailand tourist information line (daily 08:00–20:00)
Approved Thailand — Thailand emergency numbers (checked against official sources, Sep 2026) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
17 · Health & water
Cannabis — current legal status (2026)
Recreational cannabis is NOT legal. Since the Ministry of Public Health notification published in the Royal Gazette on 25 June 2025 (effective 26 June 2025), cannabis flower is a 'controlled herb' that licensed sellers may supply ONLY for medical use, against a PT33 prescription issued by a licensed Thai practitioner, for up to a 30-day supply; foreign prescriptions are not valid; extracts above 0.2% THC remain classed as narcotics; taking cannabis out of Thailand is a serious offence
LegalClarity — Is weed legal in Thailand? Laws, penalties & travel rules (MOPH controlled-herb framework) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
Cannabis — penalties & public use
Buying, holding or using cannabis flower without a valid PT33 prescription breaches the controlled-herb rules and carries up to 1 year in prison and/or a THB 20,000 fine; smoking cannabis in public is additionally treated as a public-nuisance offence (up to 3 months in prison and/or a THB 25,000 fine)
CannabisLaw.legal — Cannabis in Bangkok & Pattaya: laws & risks (MOPH notification of June 2025) · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
E-cigarettes / vapes — total ban
Import, sale, possession and use of e-cigarettes, vapes, pods, e-liquids and heat-not-burn devices are illegal in Thailand, with NO exception for tourists or personal use; expect confiscation and heavy fines (typically THB 5,000–30,000), with detention and court proceedings possible
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Thailand travel advice: safety and security · verified 2026-11-09 · official
Medical costs & travel insurance (editorial)
Emergency medical treatment is NOT free for foreign nationals — visitors face full charges, so adequate travel insurance is essential; on YohoTrip this module carries only an editorial link to the travel-insurance guide, with no prices or product recommendations
Expat Focus — Thailand emergencies · verified 2026-11-09 · reputable
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