Bangkok travel guide for Indians
Thailand — visa, money, eSIM, food and safetyCountry-wide essentials live on the Thailand guide — visa, money, customs and language. Last reviewed .
Visa & entryThailand
- Type
- Visa-free entry
- Fee
- ₹0
- Validity days
- 30
- Processing days
- 0 (on arrival)
Documents
- Passport (6 months validity)
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) — fill online within 72h before arrival
- Confirmed return/onward ticket within 30 days
- Proof of funds ~THB 20,000 per person (rarely checked, keep a statement)
- First night's hotel booking
Steps
- No visa application needed — from 15 Sep 2026 Indians get a free 30-day visa-exempt stamp (it was 60 days until 14 Sep)
- Entered before 15 Sep 2026? You keep the full 60 days stamped at entry
- Complete the TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th before flying (replaces the paper TM6)
- Carry printed return ticket + hotel booking for immigration
- Staying longer: one-time extension of up to 30 days at an immigration office (not guaranteed), or get the 60-day Tourist e-Visa before you fly
- Land borders: visa-exempt entry is capped at twice per calendar year — no cap by air
Alternatives
- Tourist e-Visa (60 days, extendable) — ₹3,000 · The route for any trip over 30 days — apply at thaievisa.go.th before flying
- 30-day extension at immigration — One time only, subject to approval; the standard extension fee is THB 1,900 — confirm at the office
MoneyThailand
- Currency
- THB (Thai Baht)
Forex cards
- Niyo Global — Zero forex markup; wide ATM support (ATMs charge ~THB 220/withdrawal)
- Scapia — No forex markup; good for card payments at malls
- BookMyForex card — Load THB directly to dodge dynamic conversion
- Upi supported
- No
- Upi note
- Not yet. UPI does not work in Thailand — NPCI's live list (Lok Sabha reply, July 2026) has no Thai partner and the Bank of Thailand lists no QR linkage with India. A UPI–PromptPay link is under discussion; until it launches, UPI apps will not scan Thai QR codes. Carry a forex card and cash.
- Cash vs card
- Thailand runs on cash outside malls. Street food, tuk-tuks, markets = THB cash. Withdraw larger amounts to amortise the flat ATM fee.
CustomsThailand
Into india
- Duty-free allowance ₹75,000 (returning resident, Baggage Rules 2026); one new laptop is duty-free on top
- 2L alcohol duty-free (Baggage Rules 2016) + 100 cigarettes; Thai fruit like durian is banned on most airlines
- Buddha images/antiques need an export permit from Thailand — don't buy without one
Into destination
- 1L alcohol + 200 cigarettes per adult; heavy fines for excess cigarettes
- E-cigarettes/vapes are ILLEGAL in Thailand — fines and confiscation, do not carry
- Drones must be registered with NBTC before flying
LanguageThailand
Official
- Thai
- English prevalence
- Good in Bangkok/Phuket tourist areas; thin elsewhere. Menus in tourist zones have English.
Key phrases
- Sawasdee khrap/kha — Hello (male/female speaker)
- Khop khun khrap/kha — Thank you
- Mai phet — Not spicy
- Mangsawirat — Vegetarian
- Tao rai? — How much?
Staying connected
Recommended
- Type
- eSIM
- Partner
- Airalo
- Plan
- Thailand 15GB / 15 days
- Price
- ₹450
Alternatives
- AIS Traveller SIM — Local SIM · THB 299 (15GB/8 days) · BKK/DMK arrivals — bring passport
- dtac Happy Tourist — Local SIM · THB 299 · Airport & 7-Eleven
- Whatsapp text
- Works normally
- Whatsapp calls
- Works normally
Free wifi
- Malls (register)
- Cafés
- Airports
Airport to city
Options
- Airport Rail Link (from BKK) — ₹120 · 30 · THB 45 to Phaya Thai, connects to BTS — beats traffic
- Metered taxi — ₹900 · 45 · THB 300–400 + 50 airport fee + tolls. Insist on the meter · Refuse fixed-price touts inside the terminal; use the official taxi rank
- Grab — ₹1,000 · 45 · Fixed fare, easiest with luggage
- DMK→city bus A1/A2 — ₹80 · 50 · THB 30 to BTS Mo Chit
Getting around
- System
- BTS Skytrain + MRT — fast, cold, avoids legendary traffic
Card
- Name
- Rabbit card (BTS)
- Note
- THB 100 + top-up; contactless credit cards now work on MRT
Ride hailing
- Grab
- Bolt
- InDrive
- Daily budget
- ₹700
Weather & packing
Best months
- November
- December
- January
- February
Monthly
- Nov–Feb — Cool & dry season — 30°C, low humidity
- Mar–May — Hot season, 38°C+; Songkran water festival mid-April
- Jun–Oct — Monsoon — short heavy bursts, usually afternoon; still very doable
What to pack
- Breathable cottons
- Compact umbrella/poncho (Jun–Oct)
- Shoulder/knee cover for temples
- Slip-on shoes (temples require removal)
Food
Veg friendly
- Say 'mangsawirat' (vegetarian) or 'jay' (vegan)
- Fish sauce hides everywhere — ask 'mai nam pla'
- Indian quarter Phahurat has pure-veg options
Indian restaurants
- Saras — Sukhumvit 20 · Pure veg South Indian, Jain options
- Dosa King — Sukhumvit 11 · Pure veg, open late
- Royal India — Phahurat · Old-school North Indian since 1965
- Typical meal cost
- ₹300
Safety
Scams
- 'Grand Palace is closed today' tuk-tuk scam → gem shop detour. It is NOT closed
- Tuk-tuk 20-baht 'city tours' end at commission shops
- Jet-ski damage claims (more a Pattaya/Phuket issue)
- Ping-pong show touts on Khao San — walk away
Areas to avoid
- None broadly; keep bags zipped in Chatuchak & Khao San crowds
Emergency numbers
- Tourist Police — 1155
- Emergency — 191
- Indian Embassy Bangkok — +66-2-2580300
Culture & etiquette
- Dress
- Casual everywhere except temples: shoulders + knees covered, shoes off inside.
- Tipping
- Not expected; round up taxis, THB 20–50 for good service.
Dos
- Wai (palms together) to return greetings
- Stand for the King's anthem in cinemas
- Step OVER thresholds in temples
Donts
- Never disrespect the monarchy — lèse-majesté is a serious crime
- Don't touch anyone's head
- Don't point feet at Buddha images
- Women must not touch monks
Top experiences
- Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew — grand-palace.jpg · Thailand's most sacred complex — the Emerald Buddha · ₹1,300 · 3 · grand-palace
- Wat Arun — wat-arun.jpg · Temple of Dawn — cross the river at sunset · ₹260 · 1.5 · wat-arun
- Chatuchak Weekend Market — chatuchak.jpg · 15,000 stalls — the world's largest weekend market · ₹0 · 3 · chatuchak-weekend-market
- Damnoen Saduak Floating Market — floating-market.jpg · Boat through canal-side vendors, 90 min from town · ₹1,200 · 5 · Klook · damnoen-saduak-floating-market