Practical Information for visiting Thailand

Bangkok is best covered by the BTS Skytrain and MRT, which avoid traffic that is otherwise among the worst anywhere. Staying within walking distance of a station changes the trip more than any other decision.

Domestic flights are cheap and frequent, and are the practical way to move between Bangkok, the north and the islands.

Trains are slow but comfortable and scenic; the overnight sleeper to Chiang Mai is a genuine option rather than an endurance. Buses reach everywhere and are cheaper still.

Locally, songthaew pickup trucks run fixed routes, tuk-tuks are for short hops and should be negotiated first, and metered taxis in Bangkok should use the meter — insist, or use an app.

Motorbike hire is ubiquitous and is the leading cause of serious injury to visitors. Most travel insurance does not cover it without the correct licence, and road-traffic deaths in Thailand are among the highest in the world.

The currency is the Thai baht (฿). ATMs are everywhere and charge a fixed foreign-card fee of around ฿220 per withdrawal regardless of amount, so fewer, larger withdrawals cost less.

Cards are accepted in hotels, malls and larger restaurants. Markets, street food and small towns are cash, and the street food is a large part of why anyone comes.

Tipping is not traditional but is increasingly common in tourist areas — rounding up, or 10% where no service charge has been added.

Bargaining is expected in markets and for tuk-tuks, not in shops with marked prices. Keep it good-humoured; aggressive haggling reads badly.

Coverage is excellent nationwide, including on most islands.

Tourist SIM cards with generous data are sold at every airport and convenience store and cost far less than roaming.

Free Wi-Fi is standard in accommodation, cafés and malls.

Thai is the national language, written in its own script and tonal — five tones, which means the same syllable said differently is a different word. This makes even simple attempts harder than in most languages, and Thais are generally delighted by the effort.

English is widely spoken in Bangkok, the islands and the main tourist areas, and thinly elsewhere.

Useful: sawatdee khrap (male speaker) or sawatdee kha (female) for hello, khop khun for thank you, with the same gendered particle. Mai phet means "not spicy" and is worth learning precisely.

Isan, in the northeast, speaks a dialect closer to Lao, and the southern provinces near Malaysia include Malay speakers.

Thailand is generally safe for visitors, and violent crime against tourists is rare. The risks are traffic, water and scams.

Road traffic is the genuine danger. Thailand has among the highest road-death rates in the world, and motorbike accidents are the leading cause of serious injury to foreign visitors. If you have not ridden before, this is not the place to learn.

Scams follow predictable scripts: a stranger says the Grand Palace is "closed today" and offers a tuk-tuk tour ending at a gem shop; jet-ski operators claim pre-existing damage. The palace is not closed, and paying by card rather than cash for a rental gives you recourse.

Rip currents affect both coasts, and drownings are more common than any crime. Red flags mean do not enter the water, and many beaches have no lifeguard at all.

The far southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat have an ongoing insurgency; most governments advise against travel there.

No vaccinations are required for entry, though hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly recommended. Rabies is present — seek treatment for any animal bite, including from monkeys at temple sites.

Do not drink the tap water. Bottled and filtered water is universal and cheap; ice in established restaurants and bars is made commercially and is generally fine.

Dengue is present year-round and peaks in the rainy season. There is no prophylactic — repellent, particularly in the daytime, is the only defence.

Heat and humidity cause more visitor problems than any illness. Malaria risk is low and limited to some border areas.

Private hospitals in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket are excellent and inexpensive by Western standards. Travel insurance that covers motorbike use is worth checking specifically.

Lese-majeste is the most serious legal risk a visitor faces. Article 112 makes insulting the monarchy punishable by up to 15 years per count, it applies to foreigners, and it has been enforced over social-media posts. Do not comment on, joke about or share material critical of the royal family.

Drug penalties are severe, including long sentences for possession. Cannabis law has changed repeatedly since 2022 and is being tightened again — do not assume the position you read about last year still holds.

Temple dress and conduct: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off where indicated, feet never pointed at an image or a person. The head is the most sacred part of the body and should not be touched.

Vaping and e-cigarettes are illegal to import or possess, with fines and possible imprisonment — a rule that catches visitors out regularly.

Alcohol sales are restricted to certain hours, and are banned entirely on major Buddhist holidays and election days.

191 reaches police. 1669 is the emergency medical number. The Tourist Police on 1155 operate in English and are the right first call for most visitor problems.

Private hospitals in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Ko Samui meet international standards and treat foreigners routinely. Payment or insurance confirmation is usually required up front.

Pharmacies are widespread and dispense many medicines without prescription.

For a serious incident on an island, evacuation to the mainland is by boat or air ambulance and takes hours — a consideration when choosing where to dive.