Thailand With Kids: Where to Go, Car Seats, Health and Costs

In a Thai car, a child aged 6 or under needs a child safety seat or another method of protection, though hire vehicles and public vehicles are exempt. At group 1 to 3 national parks, a foreign child pays THB 50 to THB 150. Children and infants need a TDAC too.

Pack a car seat if your child is 6 or under, because in a private car the law says they must be in one. Taxis and hire vehicles are exempt, so the seat matters most on rentals and rides with friends. The rest of planning is mostly choosing a base with a decent hospital nearby and knowing what children pay.

Car seats, taxis and helmets

A child aged 6 or under must sit in a child safety seat or special child seat, or have another method of protection. Both rear-facing and forward-facing seats count, and so do booster seats without a backrest. Taller kids still need a belt: anyone no taller than 135 cm must be fastened to the seat in any row. Skipping the belt can cost up to THB 2,000.

Taxis, Grab-type cars and other hire vehicles are exempt, so no seat is needed there. A self-drive rental is different, so follow the seat rule above.

If you truly have no seat, the law still treats you as correct when you meet all three conditions:

• Drive slowly and keep left.
• Seat the child in the rear.
• Have a carer with the child, or let the child wear only the lap belt.

Ignoring the rule can bring a fine of up to THB 2,000. The full text is on Thailand car seat law.

On a motorbike, riders and passengers must both wear a helmet, or face a fine of up to THB 2,000. If your passenger has none, you pay double. See helmets and traffic fines.

What children pay

At national parks, a foreign child pays THB 50 in group 1, THB 100 in group 2, THB 150 in group 3 and THB 250 in group 4. Children under 3 pay nothing, and the child rate covers ages 3 to 14, or anyone not taller than 140 cm.

In the city, most sights go by height, not age. Children under 120 cm are free at the Grand Palace and at Wat Pho. At the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya, the limit is 110 cm. On the Bangkok metro, the MRT Blue Line is free up to 120 cm and the Yellow Line up to 90 cm.

Phuket’s Smart Bus lets children under 6 ride free with a paying adult. On the State Railway, children taller than 100 cm and up to 150 cm pay half fare.

Overnight to Chiang Mai, ask for coach 65 on train 9, a seating-and-sleeping coach for women and children. For the details, see Grand Palace tickets, Wat Pho tickets, BTS and MRT fares and national park fees.

Pick a base near a good hospital

Wherever you stay, know where the nearest hospital is before the first fever. The family islands comparison sets the island options side by side.

Health and safety basics

Save 1669 in your phone for a medical emergency. It is meant for critically ill patients outside medical facilities, so a child who needs a doctor but is not critical is better taken straight to a hospital. More lines are on the Thailand emergency numbers page.

Sort out insurance before you fly: check it covers local treatment and unexpected evacuation. Private hospitals are of a high standard but can be expensive, and they want a guarantee of payment before treating patients. See travel insurance for Thailand.

After a bite or scratch from an animal that might be rabid, wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and get medical help. Treatment can be given safely to infants. Read rabies and dog bites, and check vaccinations for Thailand: hepatitis A is recommended for children one year or older.

At the beach, learn the flags before anyone goes in. Two red flags mean absolutely no swimming, one red flag also means stay out, and a yellow flag means swim with caution.

Rip currents can occur at almost every beach. Jellyfish come close to shore from May to October, and their stings can be fatal. After a sting, get out, ask for help and call 1669. More in jellyfish and rip currents.

When to go

The hot season runs from mid-February to mid-May. The southwest monsoon follows from mid-May to mid-October, then the northeast monsoon from mid-October to mid-February. Dates shift from year to year.

Some marine spots close for part of the year. The Similan Islands are closed from 16 May to 14 October, and Maya Bay on Phi Phi is closed from 1 August to 30 September. In the north, plan for haze: Chiang Mai has 26.8 haze days in March. For more, see best time to visit Thailand and Thailand weather by month and region.

Arrival card

Every traveller completes the TDAC, children and infants included, with a parent or guardian filling it in for them. Read Thailand TDAC arrival card and the first-time checklist before you fly.

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Not confirmed: Whether a self-drive rental or a Grab or Bolt car counts as a hire vehicle is not stated, so carry a seat. Child fares on the BTS, the Airport Rail Link and ferries are not confirmed; ask at the ticket counter. Paediatric emergency care is stated for BNH; call the other hospitals ahead.

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

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