🇹🇭 Thailand

Golden temples, island-hopping, night markets and a cuisine that balances sweet, sour, salty and spicy.

Continent: Asia
Capital: Bangkok
Best time to go: November to February (cool and dry)
Currency: Thai baht (THB)
Languages: Thai

Quick guide: Thailand essentials

🛂 Visa & entry

Many passport holders (including Canada, the US, the UK and the EU) can visit visa-free; the allowed stay has been 60 days since 2024 but the government has discussed shortening it, so check the current rule. All visitors must complete the online Thailand Digital Arrival Card before arrival.

💉 Vaccines & health risks

Routine vaccines plus hepatitis A and typhoid; hepatitis B and rabies are often recommended, and Japanese encephalitis for rural stays. Dengue is common; use repellent. Malaria risk is limited to some forested border areas.

🚗 Driving

Drive on the left. You need an International Driving Permit with your licence. Scooter crashes are a leading cause of tourist injuries: you need a motorbike licence, and insurers often refuse claims if you didn't have one or weren't wearing a helmet.

🏥 Healthcare & emergencies

Excellent private hospitals in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai, but they can be costly; get insurance. Emergencies: 1669 (ambulance), 191 (police), 1155 (tourist police).

⚖️ Drug laws

Cannabis was decriminalised in 2022, but rules were tightened in 2025: buying now requires a medical prescription and smoking in public can be fined. Other drugs carry some of the harshest penalties in Asia, up to the death penalty for trafficking.

🎉 Nightlife & party scene

Bangkok's rooftop bars and the Thonglor and Sukhumvit scenes, Phuket's Patong, and the Full Moon Party on Ko Pha Ngan. Many bars close around 2 am, shops only sell alcohol at set hours, and sales stop on Buddhist holidays. Drinking age 20.

Last reviewed 2026-10-17. Entry, health and legal rules change and can depend on your passport; always confirm with official sources before you travel.

City guides

Bangkok

A high-energy capital of glittering temples, canals and rooftop bars.

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Chiang Mai

A relaxed northern city of moated old town temples, mountains and craft villages.

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All cities in Thailand (971)

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