What to pack for Thailand, and what to leave at home

Pack half of what you think you need. Thailand sells nearly everything you will run out of, and the things that actually cause trouble at the airport are small: a vape, a power bank in the wrong bag, a prescription without paperwork.

Since filming: the currency rule is lower than the video says: declare foreign currency over US$15,000, not US$20,000. Visa-free stays have also changed: since 15 September 2026 most passports get 30 days, for tourism only. Which visa fits your stay has the current rules.

Who it’s for: first-time visitors and anyone staying a few weeks. Who can skip it: long-stay residents, who will already have learned most of this the expensive way.

Packing too much

Budget carriers charge extra for extra bags and weight, so a heavy bag costs you on the way in and on every internal flight. Bring less, then buy what you actually use once you know what that is.

The catch: if you depend on one specific brand of anything, bring that one thing.

Clothes

Thailand is hot for most of the year, so leave jeans, sweaters and heavy jackets at home. You can buy cheap clothes almost anywhere: Uniqlo has plain basics in most malls, and Platinum, a market-style mall, sells clothes cheap enough to leave behind if you need the luggage space, though quality varies.

Do pack a few T-shirts that cover your shoulders and one or two pairs of long trousers or a long skirt that covers your knees. The Grand Palace refuses entry to visitors with bare shoulders or knees, and temples expect the same. Thai dress is more modest than most beach-holiday outfits suggest, and a tank top all day in a mall draws looks.

Toiletries

Shampoo, body wash, face wash and moisturiser are sold in every 7-Eleven, and Boots and Watsons stock a wider range in most malls. Buy there.

One thing to watch: many Thai lotions, face washes and body washes contain skin-whitening ingredients. They are easy to avoid, since they are usually labelled “white” or “bright”.

Imported brands can cost more here, so bring a supply of anything where the brand matters to you.

Money

Do not buy baht at home. Rates at home-country exchange counters are usually worse than in Thailand. Take a little cash, or none, and sort the rest after you land. For booth choice, the ATM fee and the conversion prompt, see the 15 worst arrival mistakes.

Bringing in a lot of cash. Declare foreign currency over US$15,000 or the equivalent when you arrive or leave. Thai baht over 450,000 must be declared too; the entry rules board has the detail. Your own country will have its own declaration rule on the way home.

ATM cards

You do not need a suitcase of cash. ATMs are everywhere.

• The fee. Foreign cards pay a flat fee per withdrawal, so compare the fee on the screen, on top of whatever your home bank charges.
• Say no to conversion. If the ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, choose Thai baht.
• Check the card is returned. Thai ATMs often give the card back after the cash, unlike many Western machines, so wait for it before you walk away.
• Bring two cards, from different banks if possible. Put one in your daybag and one in the room safe. If a machine keeps a card or your bank freezes it, you have a backup.
• Tell your bank you’re travelling, or use their app to set a travel notice. Sudden foreign withdrawals are a common reason for freezes.
• Best option. A travel debit or credit card that refunds ATM fees and charges no foreign transaction fee. The flaw: you must open it before you fly, so do not leave it to the last week.

Phone and internet

Check that your phone is unlocked. A phone locked to your home carrier cannot take a Thai SIM, and your only option becomes expensive roaming.

An eSIM bought before you fly gets you online the moment you land. For a longer stay, a local prepaid SIM is the cheapest option once you are settled; bring your passport, because it has to be registered to you. The airport SIM comparison is covered in the 15 worst arrival mistakes.

Electronics

Pack an adapter. Thai sockets take types A, B, C, F and O plugs, so bring an adapter if yours differ. You will want to charge your phone the moment you land, and it takes no space.

Buy big electronics at home. Phones, laptops and cameras are generally no cheaper here, and sometimes dearer, so bring the expensive device you already own.

Power banks go in your carry-on only, never your checked bag. Airlines set their own limits, so check yours before you fly.

Medication

Most prescription medicines are easy to buy in Thailand, and pharmacies are everywhere. The risk is the controlled classes.

• Opioids and some other drugs are controlled. That includes strong painkillers such as oxycodone, and certain other drugs legal at home. They are classed as narcotics or psychotropics under Thai law.
• Apply for a Thai FDA permit well before you fly. Use the FDA’s online traveller permit portal, print the permit and carry it with you through customs.
• Keep everything in original labelled packaging, with a letter from your doctor naming the drug, dose and what it treats.
• When in doubt, apply for the permit.

Check your medicine against the FDA’s lists before you pack, because brand names differ from country to country.

What not to bring

• Vapes, e-cigarettes and e-liquid. They are illegal to bring in, and devices are confiscated. Leave them at home.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables. Leave them at home or eat them before you fly; plant imports need paperwork.

Documents

An International Driving Permit (IDP). To drive a car or ride a scooter in Thailand, you need an IDP together with your home licence, or a Thai licence. Scooter shops will rent to you without one, but police stop and fine tourists who lack a proper licence.

Insurers can also refuse to pay out after a crash if you were unlicensed. Get your IDP in your home country before you leave, and make sure it covers the vehicle you will ride, because a car licence does not cover a motorbike.

Leave room in the bag. Whatever you forgot, a 7-Eleven is never far away.