First Time in Thailand Checklist: 30 Days Visa-Free, TDAC 3 Days Before

Passports of 60 countries and territories, including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, enter visa-free for up to 30 days, tourism only. File the free arrival card (TDAC) online within 3 days before arrival. Declare baht above THB 450,000 or foreign cash above USD 15,000. Vapes are banned. Call 191 for police and 1669 for medical help.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

Five things to settle before you fly. Each links to the full guide.

1. Entry: visa-free for up to 30 days, tourism only. See the visa exemption guide.
2. Arrival card: the TDAC is free and filed online within 3 days before arrival. See the TDAC guide.
3. Cash: declare baht above THB 450,000 or foreign cash above USD 15,000. See the cash declaration guide.
4. Insurance: all hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treating patients. See travel insurance for Thailand.
5. Emergency numbers: 191 police, 1669 medical, 1155 tourist police. See the emergency numbers guide.

Before you fly

Visa-free entry covers tourism only, for up to 30 days. The list is a Ministry of Interior announcement in the Royal Gazette of 31 August 2026. It names 60 countries and territories, including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, France and Japan. The old 60-day exemption, a separate scheme for 93 countries and territories, was cancelled.

Officers may ask for proof of funds of THB 20,000 per person, or hold an interview. Visa on Arrival is limited to Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.

A Visa on Arrival needs a passport valid for at least 6 months with at least 2 blank pages. Check the date on your entry stamp before leaving the checkpoint.

The arrival card

All travellers complete the TDAC, whatever their visa type, including visa-exempt entrants. File it online within 3 days before arrival. It is valid for a single entry, so each trip needs a new one.

Filing is free. A website that asks for payment for the TDAC is a scam. Report it to the Cyber Police Hotline 1441 or 1212 OCC.

Read more in the Visa on Arrival guide.

Money: cash, cards and the entry fee

You may bring baht and foreign banknotes without an amount limit. You declare baht above THB 450,000 and foreign currency above USD 15,000.

Breaking an exchange-control rule carries a fine of up to THB 20,000, up to 3 years in prison, or both.

KBank and Krung Thai charge a fee per ATM withdrawal on foreign cards. The amounts are below.

KBank sets the maximum at THB 30,000 per transaction. More banks are in the ATM fee guide.

The tourist entry fee is a proposal of a flat THB 450 per person, by air, land or sea. The ministry aims to start collecting in the first quarter of 2027. See the entry fee guide.

At the airport: SIM and transfer

Register a tourist SIM with your passport. For AIS, SMS your passport number to 4444161 and follow the reply. At Suvarnabhumi the AIS points are on the 2nd floor at the baggage claims.

Compare eSIM options in the eSIM guide.

The Airport Rail Link runs 05:30 to 24:00. Expressway tolls on a taxi ride are paid by you. See the Suvarnabhumi guide and the Don Mueang guide.

First days: Grab, Bolt and temples

A private passenger car carrying no more than seven people can be registered as an electronic ride-hailing hire car. You pay the upfront fare shown in the app. Booking through the app adds THB 20.

To complain about a driver, call the Department of Land Transport on 1584. See the Grab and Bolt guide.

Temples and the Grand Palace are places of reverence, so you dress appropriately. These items are not allowed:

• Sleeveless shirts, vests, short tops, see-through tops, short pants.
• Torn pants, tight pants, bike pants, mini skirts, pants skirts, sleeping suits.

A foreign visitor pays THB 500 for the Grand Palace. It is open daily from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. See the Grand Palace guide.

What is banned or restricted

E-cigarettes are a prohibited import. Selling them is banned under a Consumer Safety Committee order. Bringing in goods while evading a prohibition carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to THB 500,000, or both.

Smoking in a smoke-free zone carries a fine of up to THB 5,000. See the vape law guide.

Prohibited goods include narcotics, fake notes and counterfeit goods. The customs guide has the full lists.

Scams and emergency numbers

The Thailand Tourist Police app requests immediate assistance and translation. It is available to tourists without a Thai SIM.

Do not hand your passport over as a guarantee, for example to motorcycle or jet-ski rental businesses. Alcoholic drinks containing methanol have caused deaths and serious illness in Thailand. Use an ATM in a bank and protect your PIN. See the scams guide.

Plugs, voltage and tap water

Domestic mains in Thailand is 220 volts at 50 cycles. Sockets take both flat parallel prongs and two round pins. Visitors from 110 volt countries are advised not to bring 110 V appliances.

MWA tap water in the Bangkok area is safe to drink. The Department of Health certified MWA’s full compliance on 16 June 2025. A water storage tank should be cleaned at least twice a year.

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Not confirmed: Passport validity for visa-exempt entry is unconfirmed. Tap-water safety covers the MWA Bangkok area only. The tourist entry fee is a proposal.

Prices, timetables and opening hours change; check with the operator before you travel. See how guides are checked.

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