Your first trip

Plan a first trip around fewer places, not more. Three or four nights in Bangkok, then one beach or one northern city, beats a dash through five stops in a month.

Book your first nights near a BTS or MRT station. Silom-Sathorn and Siam are the easiest first bases; for Sukhumvit, stay at Phrom Phong rather than Asok; the riverside suits the old city and temples. A short walk to a station matters more than a pool.

Before you fly: check the entry rules board for how long you can stay and what to carry, file the free TDAC arrival card, and make sure your passport has six months' validity. Buy travel insurance that covers scooters and medical evacuation. Set up an eSIM or plan to buy a tourist SIM at the airport, and install Grab, Bolt and LINE.

Pace yourself in the heat. Do temples and markets early, retreat indoors after lunch, and save the rooftops and night markets for after dark. Dress for temples with shoulders and knees covered.

The classic first-timer mistakes are costly but small: overpaying at an airport exchange booth, a tuk-tuk "tour" that ends in a gem shop, an unmetered taxi. Each has a two-minute fix in the arrival guide.