Your essential handbook to Thailand entry requirements

Are you about to travel to Thailand? Immersing oneself in the enchantment of Thailand is to delve into a captivating tapestry of tradition, exoticism, and stunning natural beauty. This Southeast Asian nation is renowned for its dreamlike beaches, Thailand Islands, ornate temples, and warm hospitality. Join us in uncovering what are Thailand travel requirements to be able to travel to this extraordinary destination.

What documents do I need to travel in Thailand?

The main requirements to travel to Thailand and enjoy the fantastic beaches in Thailand and more things to do in Thailand are: 

Passport for Thailand: Should I carry my passport in Thailand? 

One of the requirements to enter Thailand is to possess a valid passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity from the date of entry into the country. One blank passport page is required per entry stamp.

Thailand Visa: Do I need a visa to go to Thailand?

Most travelers to Thailand will need a visa. The Thailand visa can be processed fully online. You can easily get your visa 100% online with Visagov. With our services you will be able to apply for different kinds of Thailand visas:

• Tourism: You can choose between a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa.
• Transit: You can apply for a single-entry transit visa.
• Business: You can choose between a single-entry business visa or a multiple-entry business visa.
• Volunteering: You can apply for a single-entry volunteering visa.

If you need another type of visa you will need to ask your nearest embassy or consulate for consultation. 

How long can you stay in Thailand as a tourist?

You can enjoy all the things to do in Bangkok or other parts of Thailand for 60 days with the tourist visa. If you choose the single-entry tourist visa you will be able to travel once to Thailand for 60 days. If you choose the multiple-entry visa for Thailand you will be able to travel multiple times to Thailand with each visit lasting up to 60 days. 

If you enter Thailand with a transit visa, you can stay in the country for 30 days. If you enter with a business visa (either single-entry or multiple-entry) or a volunteer visa, you can stay in Thailand for 90 days.

Some nationalities are allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 30 days visa free. They will need to follow some rules and fulfill some requirements like entering the country through an international airport or land border checkpoint from a neighboring country.

You can learn more about visa types for Thailand, exemptions and requirements with our guide Thailand visa requirements.

Travel insurance

Having travel insurance is not a mandatory Thailand entry requirement, but it is recommended. In case of any health issues, foreign tourists may be required to pay for medical care. Therefore, traveling with an insurance will ensure you don’t have to pay any additional costs for medical treatments.

Do you need vaccines for Thailand?

The only mandatory vaccine for Thailand is yellow fever. One of Thailand entry requirements is to be vaccinated against yellow fever, if you come from a country where the disease is endemic. It will also be mandatory if you have had a layover of more than 12 hours in any of these countries.

Although there are no vaccines for Thailand that are considered requirements to travel to Thailand, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends being up to date with these vaccines: 

• Chickenpox
• Flu (Influenza)
• Polio
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Shingles (Herpes Zoster)
• Hepatitis A and B
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Rabies
• Typhoid
• COVID-19 
• Tetanus

You can read more about whether or not is Thailand safe with our guide on safety in Thailand. 

Do you need malaria pills for Thailand?

Yes, for some areas of Thailand, you will need to take malaria pills. The CDC recommends taking prescription medicine to prevent malaria in some remote areas. Usually, you won’t need to take malaria pills for areas like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket or Koh Samui.

Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. The recommended malaria pills for Thailand are Malarone and Doxycycline. You should always ask your doctor about whether or not to take malaria pills and what type of medication is best in your case.

Thailand, furthermore, is on alert level 1 due to an increase in dengue cases, so you will need to protect yourself at all times against mosquito bites.

Money of Thailand

The currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht (THB), and it is divided into 100 satang. The baht has been the official currency of Thailand since 1902, although its roots are from the 15th century. 

The Bank of Thailand issues the currency and there are banknotes in circulation with denominations of ฿20, ฿50, ฿100, ฿500, ฿1,000, while coins are available in 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 satangs, as well as 1, 2, 5, and 10 bahts.

These are the colors of the different banknotes:

• ฿20: color green.
• ฿50: color blue blue.
• ฿100: color red.
• ฿500: color purple.
• ฿1,000: color brown.

In Thailand you can pay with your bank card, but only in tourist areas. In other more rural areas, local markets, buses, taxis and smaller stores, you will have to carry cash. Keep in mind that when you use your card, there can be translation fees charged by your bank. 

Getting cash in Thailand is quite easy through banks, currency exchange shops and more. You can use ATMs, especially in major cities, tourist areas, and airports. Most ATM’S have an English language option, but remember that most ATM’s charge extra money to withdraw cash.

You can check here the current exchange rate for some of the commonly used foreign currencies by tourists like USD, EUR and GBP.