![\"Traveling](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/traveling-to-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Traveling")
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\n<\/strong><\/p>\n Since July 2022, Thailand has been allowing all types of travelers to enter the country without quarantine if they meet the following requirements<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Important<\/strong>: Because regulations can change all of a sudden, it\u2019s important to confirm the requirements by checking the website of the closest Thai consulate or embassy<\/a>.<\/p>\n If like the majority of tourists that come to Thailand, you’re thinking of staying for less than 30 days, then you won’t need a visa (so long as you have a passport that’s valid for at least six months issued by one of the countries included on this list<\/a>). <\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n If instead, you intend to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days, your passport is from a country not included on the list in the link in the previous paragraph, or are in Thailand for work, business, or study purposes, then you’ll need a visa. <\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Thailand attracts lots of tourists each year and tourism represents an essential part of the country’s economy. For this reason, the infrastructure is rather good, locals are used to working with tourists, and like most countries in eastern Asia, it’s a relatively safe destination. <\/p>\n These are the main reasons why traveling in Thailand isn’t too complicated, even for the less experienced. That means that it isn’t as necessary to go with a tourist agency. <\/p>\n That said, the enormous influx of tourists has made it so that some places – the most popular ones – have lost some of the appeals they had in the past. There are however many areas that have not yet been “colonized” by mass tourism. The problem is that getting to those areas isn’t always easy. <\/p>\n A tour is, therefore, the easiest way to visit them. Note too that you can also book a tour for only part of the trip, specifically the parts that are less touristy and accessible. <\/p>\n To conclude, consider that planning a trip in Thailand takes a good amount of time since you’ll have to establish your itinerary, including your choices of internal transportation, booking hotels, etc. <\/p>\n For this reason, if you don’t have too much time an organized tour could save you a lot of headaches. <\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n Currently, you DON’T need travel insurance to enter Thailand.<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite a doctor’s visit not costing much in Asia, if you should catch Covid-19 or encounter a relatively serious problem, like a broken finger or having your stomach pumped, you’ll be forced to pay fees of hundreds if not thousands of Euros – if you want access to staff that speaks English. <\/p>\n If something serious should happen to you that leaves you in a hospital for a few nights, such as breaking a leg, then you have three options: <\/p>\n This is why we recommend that you take out a travel insurance policy when going to Asia. It only costs a few dozen Euros a week and, even though nothing is likely to happen to you, if something serious should happen you’ll be glad that you did. <\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n The COVID-19 vaccine is not required to enter Thailand, but it\u2019s necessary to avoid quarantine.<\/strong><\/p>\n If the other entry requirements<\/a> are met, anybody over 12 years of age must be vaccinated against COVID-19 (or show a negative PCR test) in order to avoid the requirement to quarantine upon arrival in Thailand. The vaccination course must have been completed at least 14 days prior to travel.<\/p>\n The vaccines accepted are those approved by the WHO<\/a> or by the Thai Ministry of Health, in other words, AstraZeneca, CoronaVac, Covishield, Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, Sputnik, and Sinopharm.<\/p>\n Unless you are coming from or traveling to a country where you are at risk of contracting yellow fever, you won’t need any vaccinations to enter Thailand<\/a>. <\/p>\n That said, as always I recommend that you speak with your family doctor, or someone who knows your medical history and make sure that you’re covered by the most common vaccines like diphtheria\/tetanus\/whooping cough, polio, typhoid fever, hepatitis A and B. If one of your vaccines has expired, you can always get a booster. <\/p>\n In some areas of the country there have been confirmed cases of dengue and the Zika Virus<\/a>. If you plan on traveling to a high-risk zone, I recommend that you speak about it with your doctor and\/or tourist agency if you have one. <\/p>\n Other than vaccines, I always recommend that you bring some medicine with you when traveling in Asia<\/a>. For three reasons:<\/p>\n Personally, don’t go crazy with the medicines, and only bring aspirin, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diarrhea medicine.<\/p>\n You know what you need, so take it with you, especially if you have specific needs.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n In Thailand, you can find both hotels and hostels, that are rather cheap, especially when compared to Western standards. <\/p>\n I don’t have too much to tell you other than to book in the middle of town so that you won’t have to constantly take a taxi, tuk-tuk, or bus.<\/p>\n Usually, for Asia we recommend Agoda<\/a>, since it offers a wide selection and almost always has the best prices. In addition, it\u2019s easy to find out which hotels offer SHA+ certification for your first night in the country. <\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n The most common way to get to Thailand is by air, usually via Bangkok’s international airport <\/a> (Suvarnabhumi). <\/p>\n Click here to read our article on flights for China<\/a> (most of what is said also goes for Thailand).<\/p>\n While it\u2019s possible to enter Thailand by land (from Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, or Myanmar), current health regulations require foreigners to arrive by plane.<\/p>\n Modern smartphones work well in Thailand, even when bought abroad. <\/p>\n Before getting a local SIM card, check to see if you really need one. If you’re staying in the country for just a few weeks and don’t have any particular work demands you should be able to get by with the wifi network, which by now is found in almost every hotel and in many bars and restaurants. <\/p>\n If however, you find it necessary to buy a local card so as to always have a connection handy, I recommend that you go with one of the three main companies: True, AIS, or DTAC (which is what I used when I lived in Thailand). <\/p>\n You can buy a SIM card both at the airport and in the many markets spread throughout the city, such as 7-Eleven.<\/p>\n Here you’ll find more details<\/a> on various data plans and relative costs. <\/p>\n Another option is to buy a SIM card before traveling on portals such as SIM Easy<\/a> or Amazon<\/a> for approximately 15 – 30 USD.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n If you\u2019re going to travel to more than one country, it might be a good option to purchase a travel SIM card that can be used for all of the countries that you are going to visit.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n To conclude, note that if you’re counting on mainly connecting to the open internet networks, such as are provided by many hotels and restaurants, in Thailand, you can easily become a victim of a hacker attack seeking to steal your passwords, credit card data, etc. <\/p>\n So I recommend that you protect yourself by subscribing to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service before leaving.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n The Thai currency is the Baht (THB)<\/a>. At the time of writing, 100 THB is worth about 2.9 USD. For the exact value, you can use the above conversion table.<\/p>\n Regarding cash machines, so long as you have a credit card that works on the international circuits (including the Chinese circuit Union Pay), you shouldn’t have any problems with them. <\/p>\n Before leaving, I recommend that you inform your bank since if you use your European or American credit card in an Asian country without them knowing, you run the risk that your card will be frozen (believe me, I speak from personal experience). <\/p>\n In case they freeze your card – it happens sometimes since the banks want to avoid fraud at all costs – call the telephone number on your card right away (which I recommend that you save in your phone before leaving).<\/p>\n Thailand is a pretty extensive country, so sometimes it is more convenient to get around by air, even for domestic destinations. There are two low-cost airlines, Air Asia and Nok Air.<\/p>\n When it comes to finding flights, we recommend 12go.asia<\/a><\/strong> (see also the next section). <\/p>\n When it comes to trains, buses, and boats (which you’ll need to use if you decide to visit on the country’s many islands), the best site by far is 12go.asia<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n This is a search engine: after inserting your starting point and destination, you’ll find an exhaustive list of companies that cover your desired route. <\/p>\n The advantage of this site is that it shows you the prices of various airlines, trains, bus, and boat companies so that you can do a search based on the most convenient times and prices.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/div>\n <\/a><\/div>\n The first thing to keep in mind is to only use “official” taxis, which have gaudy colors (usually green, red, yellow-blue or red) and a meter. <\/p>\n Always make sure that your driver turns on the meter before leaving so that you pay the true price. Thai taxi drivers have the vice of not using it so that they can charge you astronomical prices. <\/p>\n At times, especially in lesser cities without many taxis, it’s impossible to convince them to use the meter. In that case, be sure to agree on a price before the taxi leaves. <\/p>\n Remember that highway tolls are your responsibility. So don’t be surprised if, after paying at the toll booth at the end of the ride the driver shows you the receipt and asks for a surcharge (usually no more than 70 THB). <\/p>\n Lastly, remember that drivers don’t understand English. So always make sure to have your address on a piece of paper or on your smartphone (in Thai characters). <\/p>\n Another thing you can do if you aren’t able to communicate the address to the driver is to call the hotel or restaurant where you’re going and let the receptionist speak directly with the driver so that they can explain to them how to get there in Thai. <\/p>\n Here you’ll find a list<\/a> of the places we’ve already reviewed in detail here on the site (you’ll find guides for all the main cities and islands). <\/p>\n I’ve already spoken about medicine in the previous section. Besides that, I recommend that you bring mosquito repellent, sunblock, and an electric adapter (even though in reality you can find all of that when you get there at the airport).<\/p>\n Here’s a list<\/a> of what I bring when I travel in Asia. <\/p>\n Even though it’s a rather extensive country and there can be slight variations, generally there are three seasons in Thailand: <\/p>\n Thailand is a relatively safe country and just by showing some common sense, you shouldn’t have any problems. <\/p>\n Here is, however, a non-exhaustive list of things to keep in mind: <\/p>\n As was explained at the beginning of the article, tourism represents an important part of the Thai economy. The result is that it will be possible to communicate in English almost everywhere. <\/p>\n Moreover, restaurant menus will also usually be in both Thai and English.<\/p>\n We always recommend travelers download Grab before visiting Southeast Asia. It\u2019s both comfortable and convenient to jump into a clean car, without the necessity of communicating with the driver and experiencing detours.<\/p>\n Just keep in mind that the prices are determined by supply and demand. Thus, prices can be high during rush hours and in the multiples during events such as New Year’s Eve. As such, it\u2019s not always a preferred choice to use Grab over regular taxis (if you want to save money, that is).<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The BTS and MRT are often cheaper, faster, and more convenient compared to using taxis (yes, Bangkok can be very congested). The lines are separated and have different ticketing systems. Therefore, you sometimes need to change from the BTS to the MRT if you want to reach certain areas.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Even if a few shops might accept US dollars, you\u2019ll most likely end up with a terrible exchange rate and paying a hefty overprice.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Still, the three most popular (local) beer brands you\u2019ll mostly see in night markets and restaurants are Singha, LEO, and Chang beer. Singha is the most expensive brand and Chang beer the cheapest (but don\u2019t be surprised if you wake up with a \u201cChang-over\u201d after a night out).<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Generally, you don\u2019t need to tip at restaurants, even if a 10% tip can be appreciated at local food markets and if you spend longer hours at a bar. If you go to restaurants, be sure to check the receipt to ensure whether a service charge is included, before paying any tips. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n To summarize, you should primarily look out for the following animals: snakes, centipedes, scorpions, and jellyfishes. Snakes can turn up everywhere, sometimes even in the cities. Be sure to get medical treatment as early as possible if you get bitten by any of these animals. <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Photo Credits: Photo by IoanaMaria<\/a> on Pixabay<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Travel to Thailand Guide – Index Requirements for entering Thailand Visas for Thailand Tour operator or independent travel? Travel insurance for Thailand Vaccines and medicines Hotels and hostels in Thailand Getting to Thailand (by air or land) Internet and telephone Money, ATMs and credit cards Internal flights, trains, buses, boats and taxis in Thailand Where […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14623,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[254],"tags":[395,95],"class_list":["post-14545","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-thailand","tag-thailand-sidebar","tag-thailand"],"yoast_head":"\nRequirements for entering Thailand<\/h2>\n
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Visas for Thailand<\/h2>\n
\n![\"Visa](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/thai-visa.jpg\" "\\"Visa")
<\/p>\nVisa for Tahiland<\/div>\nClick here to read our complete guide to visas in Thailand.<\/div>\n\n![\"Visa](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/visa-agencies-for-southeast-asia.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nVisa agencies for Thailand<\/div>\nDo you need help to get your visa for Thailand? Click here to see the agencies that we recommend!<\/div>\n![\"Thai](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/thai-food.jpg\" "\\"Thai")
<\/p>\nTour operator or independent travel?<\/h2>\n
\n![\"Tour](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/tours-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Tour")
<\/p>\nTour in Thailand<\/div>\nlick here to read our complete guide on Tours in Thailand<\/div>\nTravel insurance for Thailand<\/h2>\n
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\n![\"Health](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/travel-insurance-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Health")
<\/p>\nTravel Insurance for Thailand<\/div>\nClick here to read our complete guide to health and travel insurance for Thailand<\/div>\nVaccines and medicine<\/h2>\n
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\n![\"Vaccines](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/vaccines-asia.jpg\" "\\"Vaccines")
<\/p>\nVaccines for Traveling to Asia<\/div>\nClick here to read our full guide on the travel vaccines for Asia<\/div>\nHotels and hostels in Thailand<\/h2>\n
\n![\"Hotels](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2027\/04\/hotel-in-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Hotels")
<\/p>\nHotels in Thailand<\/div>\nClick here to read our comprehensive guide to hotels in Thailand<\/div>\n![\"Travels](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/thailand-traveling.jpg\" "\\"Travels")
<\/p>\nGetting to Thailand (by air or land)<\/h2>\n
Internet e telephone<\/h2>\n
\n![\"SIM](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/prepaid-sim-cards-thailand.jpg\" "\\"SIM")
<\/p>\nSIM Cards for Thailand<\/div>\nClick here to read our complete guide on prepaid SIM cards for Thailand<\/div>\n\n![\"Travel](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/sim-cards-china.jpg\" "\\"Travel")
<\/p>\nSIM cards for travelers<\/div>\nClick here to find the best SIM cards for travelers<\/div>\n\n![\"VPNs](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/best-vpn-thailand.jpg\" "\\"VPNs")
<\/p>\nVPNs for Thailand<\/div>\nClick here to read about internet security in Thailand and the best VPNs to use<\/div>\nMoney, ATMs and credit cards<\/h2>\n
Internal flights, trains, buses, boats and taxis in Thailand<\/h2>\n
Internal flights<\/h3>\n
Trains, buses, and boats<\/h3>\n
\n![\"Trains](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/travelling-by-train-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Trains")
<\/p>\nTraveling by train in Thailand<\/div>\nClick here to read our complete guide for traveling by train in Thailand<\/div>\n\n![\"Traveling](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/travelling-by-bus-in-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Traveling")
<\/p>\nTraveling by bus in Thailand<\/div>\nClick here to read our complete guide for traveling by bus in Thailand<\/div>\nTaxi<\/h3>\n
![\"Visiting](\"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/visit-thailand.jpg\" "\\"Visiting")
<\/p>\nWhere to visit in Thailand<\/h2>\n
What to bring?<\/h2>\n
When to travel to Thailand?<\/h2>\n
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Scams and safety in Thailand<\/h2>\n
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How to communicate in Thailand<\/h2>\n
Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n
\n\nCan I use Uber in Thailand? <\/div>\n\nUber has officially pulled out of Southeast Asia and removed its service in Thailand since April 2018. Instead, most travelers and local residents use Grab<\/a>, which is by far the biggest online transportation network company in the region. <\/p>\n\nDoes Bangkok have a subway? <\/div>\n\nYes, Bangkok has both a Skytrain (BTS) and a subway (MRT), even if the latter one has lines above the ground nowadays. <\/p>\n\nCan I use US dollars in Thailand? <\/div>\n\nEven if travelers can use US dollars in places like Cambodia and Laos, you\u2019ll not get far without having Thai Baht (which is the official currency) in Thailand. <\/p>\n\nWhat is the most popular beer in Thailand? <\/div>\n\nBeing one of the most visited countries in the world, you can find both local and imported beer brands in 7-11 stores, bars, and more. <\/p>\n\nWhat times can you buy alcohol in Thailand? <\/div>\n\nTo many peoples\u2019 surprise (or should I say disappointment), you can only buy alcohol between 11am – 2pm and 5pm – midnight in convenience stores and supermarkets. Having that said, you can still buy alcohol in bars and restaurants.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nDo I need to tip in Thailand? <\/div>\n\nThis is not a yes or no question and needs a more thorough explanation<\/a>. In short words, tipping is not mandatory (like it used to be in all Asian countries!). Still, due to the influx of tourists, more and more Thais expect tips for massage and in hotels, for example.<\/p>\n\nAre there any dangerous animals in Thailand? <\/div>\n\nIt\u2019s uncommon that travelers come across dangerous\/poisonous animals, but it also depends on where you go. In Bangkok, you\u2019ll not encounter many dangerous animals, while you should be more careful when going to rural areas, the jungles, or to the islands.<\/p>\n\nWhat plug adapter do I need for Thailand? <\/div>\n\nThailand uses 220V AC electricity and power outlets mostly have two-prong round sockets<\/a> (same as in Europe) and two-prong flat sockets (same as in North America). Having that said, it can always be useful to bring a universal power adapter to stay safe.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n