11 Things to Know Before Traveling to Thailand

Thailand offers visa-on-arrival for 93 countries, with U.S. citizens entitled to 60-day multi-entry stays for tourism or business engagements. For visa-on-arrival, you must have a valid passport for at least six months past your trip’s conclusion. You must also provide proof of an exit flight before entry. The cost of a visa-on-arrival is currently 2,000 Thai Baht.

Always check your nation’s visa requirements before your trip to the Kingdom of Thailand, as rules can change.

Thailand has also introduced DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) for remote workers and freelance creators wishing to stay longer. This visa can be applied for online, has a cost of 10,000 baht, and grants a five-year stay for the holder, plus a spouse and any children. Applicants must provide proof of funds of no less than 500,000 Baht, and certain restrictions on multiple entries do exist.

The currency of Thailand is called the baht, and the colorful notes display images of the royal family. It’s important to remember that desecrating any image of the king or a member of the royal family can result in penalties, including fines and even imprisonment. Never crumple, rip, throw, or mar money in Thailand in any manner. Thailand also has various coins for small changes. The smallest unit of change (akin to our penny) is a Thai satang, equal to 1/100th of 1 baht.

For the last 20 years, the currency exchange has hovered somewhere between 30 to 35 Thai baht to $1 USD. Banks and ATMs are common around the country, even in smaller beach or mountain towns. Make sure to notify your bank before travel to ensure your cards will work. Also, expect fees at each ATM.

Hotels and restaurants in this country really run the gamut on price. You can find clean, basic accommodations with private rooms and a shared hallway bathroom for as low as $15 per day in quieter neighborhoods or spend $120/night on accommodations quite luxe. Street food costs around $1 for a drink or small snack, and a modest sit-down meal for one is usually $6.

A tuk-tuk price for a mile or two, expect to pay around 50 cents USD in no traffic or $1 to $2 per mile in busy times. Taxis are metered, but drivers may try and haggle a price before you hop in.

Bangkok is flat, and many neighborhoods are straightforward to navigate on foot. The most iconic and fun way to see Thailand is by tuk-tuk. These colorful, open-air, three-wheeled vehicles can hold up to three passengers and give you a unique view of passing traffic. They also do not have air-conditioning and are open to the elements, like rain or heat. For climate-controlled, safer rides, you can take one Thailand’s iconic, bright-pink taxis. Both tuks and taxis are easily hailed on most street corners. Grab is the nation’s rideshare APP, and it’s also widely available.

For tuk-tuks, be prepared to haggle gently over the price. If you are clearly not Thai, some drivers will wildly inflate the first offered price. Be careful you don’t get scammed.

Taxis have meters, but some drivers still prefer to agree upon a price first and forgo the meter. The choice is yours on agreeing to this. The airport taxis taking you into town are on a set-price system and you queue for these right outside the airport baggage claim.

The river in Bangkok is certainly your friend when avoiding heavy traffic. You can hop on a public water taxi at most of the marked ferry piers. It’s about 3 baht to simply cross the river to the other bank, but for longer rides up or down the river, it will be more, more depending on where you want to stop. You pay in advance at the pier desks.

Finally, you can take the Skytrain, known affectionately as The BTS. It’s on raised track over the busy streets––some stations have elevators to get up top, others have escalators, and some only stairs. The sky trains are air-conditioned and very clean and arrive at the stations about every 5 to 10 minutes. You can purchase single or one-day tickets at the machines or the staffed booths in the stations. Expect to pay around $1 to go four or five stops. The maps and the routes are easy to understand and the ticket machines use touchscreen technology and offer a range of languages.

Outside of the capital, you can take trains from city to city, fly to many airports on a number of flight carriers, and use the country’s large ferries to change islands.

Thai cuisine is a point of understandable pride for the citizens, featuring bold chilies, earthy aromatics, soy and sugar, sharp lime juice, and the softness of coconut and steamed rice. The flavors are spectacular, but also, so is the heat on many dishes. Especially for those who are unaccustomed to Thailand’s vibrant chilies. Just because you have a favorite Thai restaurant in America or in Europe does not mean you will find the same spice level as in the motherland.

Learn a little Thai if you’re worried it will be too hot. Say Mai Phet for “no spice.” Take note. Many curries are made in large batches. If you order something commonly based around chilies––like the famous Tom Yum Goong soup or a Southern curry, like Gaeng Leung––even saying Mai Phet might not equal mild. The Southern curries tend to be hotter than those from Bangkok or the North.

Thai people also love eating and gathering together. One of the common greetings in the country translates to, “have you eaten yet?” Learn to say it here. When entering someone’s home or a restaurant where they request it, remove your shoes at the doorway before crossing the threshold.

Food is commonly served family style. You can put elbows on the table without any offense, but you should not blow your nose, eat too quickly, or speak with your mouth full. You won’t find knives offered on restaurant tables because proteins and vegetables are pre-cut and/or plated without the necessity of knives. Use the side of your spoon, if something requires separating. If in a family home, the eldest relative will begin the meal. It’s common for Thai people to hold a spoon in the dominant hand and a fork in the non-dominant. The fork is there to position food upon the spoon and the spoon goes in one’s mouth. In restaurants, this is not commonly expected of tourists, but it might be if visiting a private home.

Chopsticks are common, especially for Chinese noodle dishes and when dining in Bangkok’s Chinatown.

Bangkok has first-rate medical care and many upscale hospitals, including international hospitals. It’s advisable when traveling in any major foreign city to learn the name of the nicest hospital that’s closest to you. Pharmacies are easily found on many major streets and many drugs, including antibiotics and pain killers, are over-the-counter.

Many hotels filter their water, and ice is common and generally safe in drinks in proper restaurants. However, the water outside of high-tourist areas is generally not advisable to drink from a tap. In rural areas, you might want to avoid asking for ice and stick to bottled water, which is both affordable and readily available.

Thailand has a high rate of STD infections, including Hepatitis. If you are planning on being sexually active or might come in contact with bodies of contaminated water, take precautions for your personal health. It is possible to lower your risk of infection by updating vaccines before travel, like vaccines for Hepatitis, Cholera, Typhoid, and Tetanus.

Thailand has two main seasons––Dry Season and Monsoon (or Wet) Season.

Dry Season generally runs from late October to April. Monsoon Season is May until October. There is also a lesser third season, Cool Season, which is November to February.

Climate change has affected the rain levels and the shoulders of each season, and you could see weather arrive weeks earlier or later than expected. Of course, you can also always have a patch of rain or sun during either season.

Thailand is always quite humid. It’s a tropical climate, and the hottest months are April and May. Bangkok is known as the planet’s ‘hottest capital city,’ given that the mean temperature annually never falls below the mid-80s Fahrenheit.  It also generally stays in the 80s and 90s, not cresting to extremes like places like India or Pakistan.

Travelers should also be aware of pollution levels. Burning agricultural practices in the north and traffic in the large cities can equal high smoke and air particulate levels anytime, but usually, these occur in bouts between January and April. Those with asthma or breathing issues should watch the forecasts and take proper precautions if the pollution levels are high.

Light linen and breezy cotton fabrics are a great choice due to Thailand’s tropical humidity, and if you are planning to be in more remote areas, a large duffle or backpack might make more sense than rolling luggage.

In fancier restaurants in Bangkok, collared shirts, long pants for men, and closed-toe shoes for all guests may be required in the dress code. A raincoat is always a smart choice, but single-use ones are available in many shops and 7-Eleven stores.

Pro Tip: Purchase your sunscreen and your bug spray on arrival. The sunscreen is more affordable than in most Western countries, and the bug spray contains 100 percent DEET, which is more difficult and/or expensive in Western countries. Thailand does not have a malaria problem in Bangkok, but it can be prevalent during outbreak times in more rural areas. Dengue Fever is also an issue in rural areas, and cases have been reported in larger cities. As both of these diseases are spread by mosquitos, buying high-DEET insect repellent is advisable. All-natural or low-DEET repellents are not recommended.

Thai food can be quite spicy. Street food is safe and wonderful to consume, but you do run a minimally higher risk of foodborne illness than in a full restaurant. Packing some over-the-counter stomach medications, just in case, is a wise idea.

Thailand is a very safe and welcoming country for travelers, including solo women, young travelers, LGTBQ+ travelers, and those with small children. In all instances, take average big-city precautions, like watching your valuables, not flashing large quantities of cash, and being aware of your surroundings, particularly late at night or if intoxicated. Do not take drinks from strangers or leave your drink unattended. Watch your bag in crowds and keep a business card for your hotel on you at all times, in case there is an issue with language in getting back ‘home’ again.

Petty scams are commonly perpetrated on unsuspecting tourists, but these almost never result in any type of personal harm, just hassle or lost money. These include the Gem Scam––where a taxi driver takes you to a (potentially bogus) gem shop. You will be asked to ‘just look around’ in order for the driver to earn a kickback from the shop owner, but you will be hassled by shop owners, and the gems will be dubious.

There is also the “It’s Closed Scam,” where outside of major attractions, a local will tell you the place is closed for the day. They then offer to take you on a different tour instead. If approached in either scenario, politely decline, repeatedly if necessary, and stay with your original planned activity.

Thai language ends differently for men and women. For example, a man will end a phrase with an additional word, “krap.” For women, it’s “ka.” This is particularly true for hello and thank you.

Hello: sà-wàt-dii ka (how women say it) / sà-wàt-dii krap (how men say it)

Thank you: kop khun ka (for women) / kop khun krap (for men)

How are you?: Sabai de mai

Where is the bathroom? Hong naam yoo tee nhai

How much does it cost?: Tao rai

Not spicy: Mai Phet

Do you speak English?: Khun phuut passar Ungrit dai nai 

Nice to meet you: Yin dee tee dai roo-jak

Wi-fi is common and fast in major hotels and many restaurants, cafes and bars in major cities and even in small towns and some rural locations. Speeds might be slower in the remote parts of the country or non-existent in very remote villages. Replacement chargers for all electronics are easy to purchase in malls and shops.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, and it is illegal to protest the royal family or to disrespect their images or names in any way. For many years, the nation was under military rule. It recently transitioned to a semi-elected government in 2019, but the military is still in a position of power. There were large demonstrations nationwide in 2020 and 2021 over political grievances.

All foreigners should stay aware of any potential for protests, political or otherwise, and avoid both the areas and personal involvement of any kind.