Quick answers · 47 questions
Questions, answered
The short answer first, then the guide with the detail. Updated 26 Oct 2026.
Arriving & visas
Do I need a visa to visit Thailand?
Not for a holiday if you hold one of the 60 passports on Thailand's visa-exemption list, which includes the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and every EU member state. Most other nationalities apply in advance on the official e-Visa site, thaievisa.go.th; visa on arrival is now open only to passport holders from Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.
Entry rules right nowHow long can I stay in Thailand without a visa?
Thirty days, for tourism only, since 15 September 2026; it was 60 before that. Passports from Seychelles and Mauritius get 15 days, and if you entered before 15 September, the date on your entry stamp still stands.
The visa-free stay, on the entry rules boardCan I extend a visa-exempt stay?
Yes, once, by up to 30 days, at an immigration office in Thailand before your stamp runs out. Bring form TM.7, a photo, your passport and 1,900 baht; approval is at the officer's discretion.
Extensions, on the entry rules boardWhich visa do I need to stay longer than 30 days?
For two or three months, a tourist visa from thaievisa.go.th gives 60 days, extendable once by 30. Remote workers look at the Destination Thailand Visa, and people aged 50 or over at the retirement visas.
Thailand visas: which one fits your stayDo I need a TDAC?
Yes. Every non-Thai arrival, by air, land or sea and with or without a visa, must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card in the three days before arriving. It's free, and only on tdac.immigration.go.th; sites that charge are agencies or scams.
The TDAC arrival card, field by fieldHow much money do I need to show at Thai immigration?
Carry 20,000 baht per person, or 40,000 per family, in cash, cards or a statement. Official guidance for visa-exempt arrivals quotes both 10,000 and 20,000 baht and enforcement varies; checks are rare on a first or yearly visit.
Proof of funds, on the entry rules boardDo I need an onward ticket to enter Thailand?
Carry one. Officers can ask for an onward or return ticket dated within your permitted stay, so for a 30-day visa-free entry that means leaving within 30 days, even if you plan to extend.
Proof of funds and an onward ticketCan I do a border run by land to reset my stay?
Only twice per calendar year for most visa-exempt travellers, since 15 September 2026; Malaysians, Bruneians, Indonesians and Singaporeans are exempt from the cap. Flying in doesn't count towards it, but officers can still refuse back-to-back visa runs.
Land-border entries, on the entry rules boardCan I use the e-gates at Suvarnabhumi?
Yes, if you're entering visa-free on a passport from one of the 33 eligible countries and territories, you've filed your TDAC, and your current passport has a previous Thai entry stamp. US passports use the staffed booths. If you hold any visa, use a booth, or you can be logged as visa-exempt.
Suvarnabhumi e-gates, on the entry rules boardIs there a departure tax or tourist entry fee in Thailand?
Nobody pays either today. The proposed 1,000-baht air departure tax is on hold with no new date, and the tourist entry fee, now a 450-baht proposal, hasn't been approved.
Departure tax and entry fee, on the entry rules boardHow much cash can I bring into Thailand?
As much as you like, but declare Thai baht over 450,000 and foreign currency over US$15,000 when you arrive or leave.
Declaring cash, on the entry rules boardWhat happens if I overstay in Thailand?
The fine is 500 baht a day, up to 20,000 baht, paid at immigration before you leave. Overstay more than 90 days and you face deportation and a ban on returning.
When things go wrongHow do I get a SIM card in Thailand?
AIS and True have counters in the Suvarnabhumi arrivals hall, from about 400 baht for five days to around 1,200 baht for 30 when we checked in October 2026; bring your passport, because every SIM is registered to you. An eSIM set up before you fly works too, if your phone is unlocked.
Getting online on arrivalWhen is the best time to visit Thailand?
The cool, dry months from mid-October to mid-February are the most comfortable and the busiest. The hot season runs to mid-May, and the rainy season from mid-May to mid-October brings short afternoon downpours, fewer crowds and lower prices.
Weather and air quality, month by month
Money
Can foreigners open a Thai bank account?
Yes, on a long-stay visa such as retirement, work, study or marriage. Most big banks stopped opening accounts for tourists and visa-exempt visitors in 2025, and many branches refuse DTV holders.
Opening a Thai bank accountHow much are ATM fees in Thailand?
250 baht a withdrawal at most big banks, and 350 on Mastercard at several, on top of whatever your own bank adds. Take out larger sums less often, and always decline the offer to be charged in your home currency.
The ATM fee, bank by bankShould I exchange money before I go to Thailand?
No. Rates at home are almost always worse; take a little cash or none, and change the rest at the dedicated exchange booths in Thailand, which beat the banks. Bring clean, undamaged notes and your passport.
Money before you packCan tourists get a VAT refund in Thailand?
Yes, in shops showing the VAT Refund for Tourists sign: spend at least 2,000 baht in one shop on one day and ask for the P.P.10 form; there's no separate overall minimum. Take the goods out of Thailand within 60 days, and have them checked by customs at the airport before you check in.
Shopping and marketsDo I pay Thai tax on foreign income?
Only if you're a Thai tax resident, which means 180 days or more in Thailand in a calendar year. Residents are taxed on foreign income earned from 2024 onwards in the year they bring it into Thailand.
When Thailand can tax your foreign moneyHow much does it cost to live in Bangkok?
For one person, about 27,000 baht a month on a lean budget and about 50,500 baht for a comfortable one, health insurance included. Rent is the biggest variable.
The cost of living in Bangkok
Getting around
Is Grab cheaper than a taxi in Bangkok?
Usually not: a metered taxi, which starts at 35 baht, is the cheapest car when the driver uses the meter. Grab and Bolt fix the price before you get in and track the ride, and Bolt often comes close to the meter, but app prices rise at busy times.
Bolt, Grab and taxis comparedHow do I get from Suvarnabhumi Airport to the city?
The Airport Rail Link runs from the terminal basement to Phaya Thai in about 30 minutes for 45 baht, from 5:30am to midnight. A public taxi from Floor 1 costs about 300 to 500 baht to central Bangkok, including the 50-baht airport surcharge and tolls.
The Airport Rail Link, step by stepHow do I get from Don Mueang Airport into Bangkok?
Walk the covered bridge to the SRT Red line, which reaches Krung Thep Aphiwat in about 15 minutes for 12 to 42 baht, then change to the MRT. The A1 bus to BTS Mo Chit costs 30 baht, and taxis and app cars pick up on the arrivals level.
From Don MueangCan I pay for the BTS and MRT with a contactless card?
On the MRT and the Airport Rail Link, yes: tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard at the gate. The BTS Skytrain still doesn't take bank cards, so buy a single ticket, a Rabbit card or a 150-baht One-Day Pass.
The rail network at a glanceDo Bangkok taxis use the meter?
They must, and most do when you insist. Say "meter, please" before you set off and get out if the driver refuses; taxis parked outside malls, hotels and sights are the ones most likely to quote a flat fare.
Taxis: the four rulesCan I drive or ride a scooter in Thailand on my licence?
Only with an International Driving Permit (1949 or 1968 convention) alongside your home licence, or an ASEAN licence. A car licence doesn't cover a motorbike.
Thai driving licences, for visitors and residents
Staying safe
What's the tourist police number in Thailand?
Call 1155, 24 hours a day, with English-speaking staff. The free Tourist Police I Lert U app sends your location with a request for help.
Who to call if it happens to youWhat are the emergency numbers in Thailand?
Police 191, ambulance 1669 and tourist police 1155. Save them in your phone before you need them.
In an emergencyWhat are the most common scams in Thailand?
A stranger who says the Grand Palace is closed today, a cheap tuk-tuk ride that ends at a gem or tailor shop, a taxi that won't use the meter and fake arrival-card websites. Book rides in an app, agree any fare first, and ignore shopping advice from drivers.
Scams in Thailand, and what to doWhat should I do if I've lost money to an online scam in Thailand?
Call your bank first, then the government's 1441 anti-scam hotline, which can freeze the account that received the money. Speed matters, and anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee is running a second scam.
If it happens to youAre vapes illegal in Thailand?
Yes. E-cigarettes have been banned since 2014, and possession can mean a fine or arrest, for visitors as much as for Thai nationals. Leave them, and the liquid, at home.
The laws visitors break without knowingIs cannabis legal in Thailand?
Not for recreation. Since June 2025, cannabis flower is a controlled herb that can be bought only with a prescription from a licensed Thai practitioner, for up to 30 days' supply, and smoking it in public is prohibited.
Scams and staying safeWhat time can you buy alcohol in Thailand?
From 11am to midnight, since the old afternoon ban was scrapped in May 2026. Hotels, licensed venues and international airport terminals can sell outside those hours, and separate one-day bans can apply on major Buddhist holy days.
Festivals and holy days
Living here
Where should I stay in Bangkok?
For a first trip, Silom-Sathorn or Siam, within a short walk of a BTS or MRT station; for Sukhumvit, Phrom Phong rather than Asok. Staying for months, look at Phra Khanong, On Nut or Ari.
Where to stay in BangkokHow much is rent in Bangkok?
A one-bedroom condo in Phra Khanong, On Nut or Ari rents for roughly 10,000 to 20,000 baht a month, and central Sukhumvit, Silom or Sathorn for 20,000 to 33,000. Expect a one-year lease, two months' deposit and a month in advance.
Bangkok rents from real toursCan foreigners buy property in Thailand?
A condo unit, in your own name, if the building's 49% foreign quota isn't full and the money comes from abroad in foreign currency. Foreigners can't own land.
Buying a condo in ThailandWhat is a TM30?
The report your landlord or hotel files to tell immigration where a foreigner is staying, due within 24 hours of you moving in. Check it's been done: immigration asks for it when you extend.
TM30 address reportingWhat is the 90-day report?
Foreigners on long-stay permission report their address to immigration every 90 days on form TM.47. It's free; a late report costs 2,000 baht.
The 90-day report, step by stepDo I need a re-entry permit to leave Thailand?
Yes, if you're on an extension of stay and want to keep it: leave without one and the extension is cancelled. Buy a single or multiple permit at immigration or the airport before you fly.
Re-entry permits, explainedWhat do I need for a Thai retirement visa?
You must be 50 or over and show 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, a monthly income of 65,000 baht, or a mix adding up to 800,000 a year. The Non-O has no insurance rule; the O-A, applied for from home, needs 3 million baht of health cover.
Retiring in ThailandCan I work remotely in Thailand?
Legally, only on the right visa: the visa exemption is for tourism only, and the Destination Thailand Visa is the one built for remote work, with 500,000 baht in savings and clients or employers abroad. Working for a Thai company or Thai clients needs a work permit.
The DTV, explainedWhat plugs and voltage does Thailand use?
Thailand runs on about 230 volts at 50 Hz, and most sockets take two-pin type A and C plugs as well as the three-pin Thai type O. Check that your chargers are rated for 230 volts, and bring an adapter for anything else.
What to pack
Health
Is tap water safe to drink in Bangkok?
The water authority says Bangkok's tap water is safe when it leaves the mains, but a building's storage tanks and unmaintained filters are where it picks up contamination. Drink bottled or filtered water; tap water is fine for showering.
Water and food safetyDo I need travel insurance for Thailand?
It isn't required to enter on a visa exemption or tourist visa, though compulsory cover for tourists has been proposed. Buy it anyway, with medical evacuation, and check it pays out if you ride a scooter; a few days in a private hospital can pass 200,000 baht.
Insurance and your visaCan I bring prescription medicine into Thailand?
Yes, up to a 30-day supply for your own use, in its original labelled packaging with your prescription or a doctor's letter. Controlled drugs, including many strong painkillers, need a Thai FDA permit applied for online at least two weeks before you travel.
Medication and the FDA permitDo I need vaccinations for Thailand?
None is required unless you've travelled from or through a yellow fever area, in which case you need the vaccination certificate. Hepatitis A and typhoid are the usual extras for most routes. Take dengue seriously: there's no pill for it, so prevent bites.
Health: what to skip, what to buyHow much does a hospital cost in Thailand?
Private hospitals are fast and priced as businesses: a single room at Bumrungrad is 14,700 baht a night with meals and nursing, before treatment. Public teaching hospitals charge a fraction of that, around 300 baht for a GP visit, but the waits are long.
What treatment costs
No question matches that. Try a shorter word, or browse all the guides.
Rules change, and officers have discretion at the border. For what's in force today, check the entry rules board the week you travel.
Rule changes, explained weekly
When a visa, entry or money rule changes, it's in that week's Thursday Newsletter, in plain English.
- What's on in Bangkok this weekend
- Entry and visa changes, in plain English
- One guide worth reading, kept up to date