Thailand
Last checked:
- Capital
- Bangkok
- Currency
- THB · Thai baht
- Languages
- Thai
- Plugs
- Type A, B, C, O · 220 V
Emergency numbers
Top 5 places
- Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew · Bangkok
Former royal palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; strict dress code.
- Wat Pho and Wat Arun · Bangkok
Giant reclining Buddha and the riverside temple, linked by a short cross-river ferry.
- Ayutthaya Historical Park · Ayutthaya
Ruins of the old Siamese capital, an easy day trip from Bangkok by train.
- Chiang Mai Old City and Doi Suthep · Chiang Mai
Walled old town with hundreds of temples, night markets and a mountain temple above the city.
- Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay · Krabi / Phuket
Limestone islands and bays reached by boat from Phuket or Krabi.
Getting around
Ride-hailing app
Grab
Most used ride app nationwide for cars, motorbike taxis and food delivery. Fixed price before booking; pay by card or cash. Slightly more than a metered taxi but avoids haggling.
Ride-hailing app
Bolt
Works in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and other cities; often cheaper than Grab, with fewer drivers in some areas.
Taxi
Metered taxis
Cheap if the meter is on (flag fall about 35 THB in Bangkok). Insist on the meter; get out and take another if the driver refuses. At airports use the official taxi queue (small airport surcharge plus tolls).
Public transport
BTS Skytrain and MRT
Fastest way around central Bangkok. BTS uses the Rabbit card or single tickets; MRT accepts contactless Visa/Mastercard. The two systems use separate tickets.
Trains
Airport Rail Link
Suvarnabhumi Airport to Phaya Thai in about 27 minutes for 45 THB or less.
Ferries
Chao Phraya Express Boat
Cheap river boats to riverside sights (Grand Palace, Wat Arun). Cross-river ferries cost a few baht.
Taxi
Tuk-tuks and songthaews
No meters: agree the price before getting in. Tuk-tuks are usually pricier than taxis. Songthaews (shared pickup trucks) are the cheap local option in Chiang Mai and on islands.
Money and cash
Currency: THB · Thai baht
Cash is still needed for street food, markets, tuk-tuks, small shops and tips. Cards work in malls, hotels and chain restaurants; Thai QR payments (PromptPay) are everywhere but usually need a Thai bank account. Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a flat fee of about 220-250 THB per withdrawal, so take out larger amounts. Decline conversion to your home currency.
Tipping
Tipping is not traditional in Thailand but is common and appreciated in tourist areas. Small amounts are fine: leave the coins from your change or 20-100 THB. Many hotels and upscale restaurants add a 10% service charge plus 7% VAT, so no extra tip is needed there.
| Restaurants | Street food and simple local places: not expected. Sit-down restaurants without a service charge: 20-100 THB or round up. If the bill already has a 10% service charge, an extra tip is optional. |
|---|---|
| Cafés and bars | Not expected; leave small change if you like. |
| Taxis and ride apps | Round up to the nearest 10 or 20 THB. Not expected with Grab or Bolt, though you can tip in the app. |
| Hotels | 20-50 THB per bag for porters and 20-50 THB per day for housekeeping is common in tourist hotels. |
| Tours and guides | Around 100-300 THB per person per day for guides and 50-100 THB for drivers or boat crew, if the service was good. |
| Food delivery | Optional; round up or tip in the Grab or LINE MAN app. |
Service charge: what’s true
Hotels, upscale restaurants and some bars use '++' pricing: 10% service charge plus 7% VAT on top of menu prices, about 17.7% in total. It is printed on the menu and as separate lines on the bill. It is not a legal tax and there is no law requiring it to go to staff; in hotels it is often pooled and shared with all staff, but practice varies and some places keep part of it. It is charged as a condition of dining, so you can only realistically refuse it if it was not disclosed.
Pressure tactics to watch for
Heavy pressure to tip is uncommon. In tourist spots the card machine may suggest a tip, or massage staff may hint at a tip; these are optional. Where '++' applies, you do not need to tip on top. If unsure, ask 'Is service included?' and tip only if you want to reward someone directly in cash.
Useful phrases
- เช็คบิลด้วยครับ/ค่ะ (chek bin duay khrap/kha) The bill, please.
- รวมค่าบริการแล้วไหม (ruam kha borikan laeo mai) Is the service charge included?
- ไม่ต้องทอน (mai tong thon) Keep the change.
Etiquette
- Never criticise or joke about the King or royal family; lese-majeste is a serious crime. Stand for the royal anthem before films in cinemas.
- Temples and the Grand Palace require covered shoulders and knees; remove shoes before entering temple buildings and homes.
- Do not touch anyone's head or point your feet at people or Buddha images. Women should not touch monks.
- The 'wai' (palms together, slight bow) is the polite greeting; a smile and 'sawasdee khrap/kha' works for visitors.
- Keep calm and avoid raising your voice; losing your temper in public causes loss of face and rarely helps.
- Bargaining is normal at markets and with tuk-tuks, not in malls, restaurants or 7-Eleven.
- Do not step on banknotes or coins (they carry the King's image).
Scams and how to handle them
'The palace is closed today'
Where: Outside the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and other big sights in Bangkok
How it works: A friendly stranger says the sight is closed for a ceremony and suggests a cheap tuk-tuk tour, which ends at gem and tailor shops that pay commissions.
How to avoid it: Walk to the official entrance and check yourself. The Grand Palace is open almost every day.
Gem scam
Where: Bangkok, often after the 'closed' or cheap tuk-tuk tour story
How it works: Tourists are told about a government gem sale or tax-free export deal and sold worthless or vastly overpriced stones.
How to avoid it: Never buy gems as an investment or from shops a driver or stranger takes you to.
Jet ski damage claim
Where: Phuket (Patong), Pattaya and other beaches
How it works: Operators keep your passport as collateral and on return claim pre-existing damage, demanding large sums, sometimes with threats.
How to avoid it: Do not leave your passport as a deposit. Photograph the jet ski before use, or avoid jet ski rentals. Call Tourist Police 1155 if threatened.
Taxi meter refusal and fixed fares
Where: Bangkok tourist areas, Phuket, airports
How it works: Drivers refuse to use the meter and quote a fixed price several times higher.
How to avoid it: Use the official airport taxi queue, Grab or Bolt, or flag another taxi that agrees to the meter.
Motorbike or scooter rental damage
Where: Islands and beach towns
How it works: Rental shops claim scratches or damage on return and keep your passport until you pay.
How to avoid it: Leave a cash deposit, not your passport; photograph the bike first. Riding without a valid licence also voids insurance.
Overpriced bar bills and drink spiking
Where: Nightlife areas in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket
How it works: Inflated bills in some bars and go-go venues; drinks can be spiked and victims robbed.
How to avoid it: Check prices, pay per round, never leave drinks unattended or accept drinks from strangers.
Job offer trafficking
Where: Online job ads leading to Thailand and neighbouring countries
How it works: Foreigners are lured with high-paying jobs, then taken across borders, have passports taken and are forced into online scam work.
How to avoid it: Treat unsolicited job offers with suspicion and check the employer independently.
Safety
- Pickpocketing and bag snatching (including from passing motorbikes) happen in crowded markets, stations and tourist areas. Carry bags away from the road.
- Do not sleep with valuables loose on overnight buses and trains; theft is reported.
- Methanol poisoning from bootleg spirits has killed travellers; avoid cheap mixed drinks and buckets of unknown spirits.
- Road safety is poor and Thailand has very high motorcycle death rates. Wear a helmet (it is the law) and do not ride without a valid licence.
- Respect beach warning flags; rip currents drown swimmers every year, especially in the monsoon season (May to October on the Andaman coast).
- Carry a copy of your passport; police can ask for ID.
- Drug laws are very strict despite cannabis shops; penalties for other drugs are severe.
How widely English is spoken
Reasonable in hotels, tourist restaurants and resort areas (Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, islands); basic or none with most taxi drivers and outside tourist areas. Have your destination written in Thai or on a map.
Sources
- GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: Thailand, safety and security
- Wikivoyage: Bangkok
- The Finest Thai: Thailand plus-plus pricing guide
- Talesoup: Thailand tipping guide and the service charge
- Tripadvisor Thailand forum: Service charge / Tip
We check these guides against official and well-known sources, but rules and prices change. Spot something out of date? Email support@tourits.app.