10 Things to Know Before Your First Trip to Thailand (2026)

Last updated: October 29, 2026 · By the Hotels by Hood team

Thailand is easy to love — warm people, great food at every price, and cities that run late into the night. It is also a country with strong traditions and a few strict laws that surprise first-time visitors. Some entry rules changed in 2025 and 2026, too. Here is what to know before your first trip.

The 10 things

Check how long you can stay — it changed in September 2026
Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)
Learn the greeting: “sawasdee” and the wai
Respect the monarchy and Buddhism
Dress for temples and take your shoes off
Head is high, feet are low
Getting around Bangkok: which ticket works where
Cash, cards and ATM fees
Tipping is welcome, never required
Know the strict rules: vapes, cannabis and alcohol hours

1. Check how long you can stay — it changed in September 2026

From September 15, 2026, Thailand cut its visa-free stay from 60 days to 30 days for tourists from about 60 countries and territories, including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, Japan, Singapore and most EU countries. A few nationalities get 15 days, and some need a visa on arrival. If you enter by land on the 30-day exemption, you are generally limited to two land entries per calendar year. Check your passport against the current list on the Royal Thai Embassy website before you book a long trip.

2. Fill in the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

Every foreign visitor needs a TDAC, the online form that replaced the old paper arrival card — including children and infants. You can submit it within the three days before you arrive. It is free on the official site, tdac.immigration.go.th. Be careful with look-alike sites that charge a “service fee”; you do not need them. Save a screenshot of your confirmation in case the airport Wi-Fi is slow.

3. Learn the greeting: “sawasdee” and the wai

The all-purpose greeting is “sawasdee khrap” (if you are a man) or “sawasdee kha” (if you are a woman). “Thank you” is “khop khun khrap / kha”. A smile and these two phrases go a long way.

The wai — palms pressed together at chest level with a slight nod — is the traditional greeting. As a visitor you don’t need to start one, but it is polite to return a wai when someone gives you one. You don’t need to wai hotel staff, waiters, drivers or children; a smile and a nod is enough. Hugs and kisses as a greeting are not the norm, especially with women.

4. Respect the monarchy and Buddhism

Thais hold the nation, religion and the monarchy in very high regard, and insulting the royal family is a serious crime. Never joke about the king or deface money, which carries his image. In cinemas the royal anthem plays before the film — stand up with everyone else.

Buddha images are sacred: don’t climb on them, pose disrespectfully with them, or place them low. Women should never touch a monk or hand something directly to one — place it on a table or cloth instead.

5. Dress for temples and take your shoes off

To enter temples and the Grand Palace, cover your shoulders and knees. Short skirts, shorts and sleeveless tops can get you turned away. A light scarf or a pair of thin trousers in your day bag solves this. Take your shoes off before entering temple halls and people’s homes — look for a pile of shoes at the door.

6. Head is high, feet are low

The head is considered the highest and most sacred part of the body, so don’t touch anyone’s head, including children’s. The feet are the lowest: don’t point at people or Buddha images with your feet, don’t put your feet up on tables, and don’t step over people or food. When sitting on the floor in a temple, tuck your feet to the side.

7. Getting around Bangkok: which ticket works where

Bangkok’s rail lines are the fastest way to beat traffic, but each system has its own ticket:

BTS Skytrain (Sukhumvit and Silom lines): single tickets are distance-based, roughly ฿17–65. Contactless bank cards don’t work on the BTS yet. If you ride a lot, buy a Rabbit card (about ฿100 issue fee plus credit; you register it with your passport).
MRT (Blue and Purple lines): you can tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard at the gate. Use the same card to tap in and out.
Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi Airport: ฿15–45, about 27 minutes to Phaya Thai, where you can change to the BTS. It runs from about 5:30 a.m. to midnight.
The ฿20 flat fare you may read about is for Thai citizens only. Visitors pay the normal fares.
Taxis and ride-hailing: Grab and Bolt are widely used and show the price before you ride. In a street taxi, ask for the meter (“meter, please”) and get out if the driver quotes a flat price.

Staying near a station makes everything easier. Our Bangkok guides list the nearest BTS or MRT station for every hotel.

8. Cash, cards and ATM fees

Cards are accepted in malls, chain restaurants and most hotels, but street food, markets, tuk-tuks and small shops are cash only. Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a fixed fee — about ฿220 per withdrawal at most banks — so take out larger amounts less often. AEON ATMs (found in some supermarkets) charge less. If the ATM or card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, choose baht; the conversion rate is usually worse.

9. Tipping is welcome, never required

There is no tipping obligation in Thailand, and many restaurants add a service charge. Common habits: round up or leave ฿20–50 at sit-down restaurants, ฿50–100 after a standard massage, and round up taxi fares to the nearest ฿10–20. Don’t tip at 7-Eleven or market stalls.

10. Know the strict rules: vapes, cannabis and alcohol hours

Vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal. The ban applies to visitors too. Bringing them into the country can lead to up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to ฿500,000. Leave yours at home.
Cannabis is no longer a free-for-all. Since June 2025, buying, using or carrying cannabis flower requires a prescription issued in Thailand by a licensed medical professional. Shops selling it “for smoking” may be operating illegally.
Alcohol sales hours: since May 29, 2026, shops can sell alcohol from 11 a.m. to midnight. The old afternoon ban is gone, and hotels and international airport terminals are exempt. Bars may also close on some Buddhist holidays, so check locally.

And one cultural rule: stay calm. Thais value jai yen — a “cool heart.” Raising your voice rarely solves a problem; a smile and patience usually do.

Where to stay in Bangkok

Bangkok is huge, and the neighborhood you pick shapes your whole trip. Our Bangkok guides only list hotels rated 9.0+ by guests, with the nearest station for each:

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Travel tips: 10 things to know before your first trip to Japan · 10 things to know before your first trip to Thailand

How we pick hotels · Every hotel we list is rated 9.0+ by guests.