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Thailand guide

228 guides on entry and visas, money, transport, day trips, areas and daily life. Each with sources and a check date.

Editors’ picks

Guide What you need to enter Thailand in 2026 Since 15 September 2026 the 60-day visa exemption is gone: travellers from 60 listed countries and territories, including the UK, US, Australia and EU states, get up to 30 days for tourism. Every foreigner must file the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) at tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days before arrival, and officers may ask for onward travel within 30 days and proof of funds: TAT lists THB 10,000 per person (20,000 per family) for visa on arrival and certain visa-exempt cases, while the London embassy says THB 20,000 per person. There is no tourist entry fee yet, and travel insurance is not among the published conditions for visa exemption or visa on arrival (as of October 2026).
Guide How to get to Phi Phi from Phuket and what you will see
Guide Pattaya or Phuket: which one to choose Pattaya is closer and drier: 122 km by road to Suvarnabhumi airport, about 1.5 hours without traffic, and 1,106 mm of rain a year at the TMD Phatthaya station. Phuket is an island on the Andaman Sea with its own international airport and twice the rain (2,272 mm), but a dry season from December to March and open sea. Treasury condo valuations, a tax base rather than housing prices, are higher on Phuket: a median of THB 48,250 per m² against THB 35,300 for Chonburi province (snapshot of 5 Aug 2024). Both provinces recorded about 10.7 million visits by foreigners in 2025 (Tourism Ministry).
Guide Freehold or leasehold: which should a foreigner choose in Thailand A foreigner can own a condo unit freehold if the purchase money is brought in from abroad and foreigners together hold no more than 49% of the building's total unit floor area (the foreign quota). Foreigners generally cannot buy land, so villas and houses are held through a land lease (leasehold): under the Civil and Commercial Code, no longer than 30 years, renewable for no more than another 30, and only if registered at the Land Office. A '90-year lease' is not guaranteed by law, and neither a 75% quota nor 99-year leases had been enacted as of October 2026. This page explains the rules and is not legal advice.

Where to start

Three ready routes: read in order and you will not miss anything important.

First holiday trip

From entry rules to your first day: what to arrange, how much money to bring and how to avoid scams.

Moving to live here

Visa, housing for a month or longer, phones, payments and driving without fines.

Looking to buy

What a foreigner can buy, how freehold and quotas work and which region to pick.

Visas and entry

Visa-free stays, DTV, the TDAC card, customs and entry rules, with check dates.

Money and phones

Currency, cards, QR payments and SIM cards.

Transport

Taxis, scooters, cars, airports and transfers between cities.

Health and safety

Insurance, pharmacies, vaccines, laws, police and scams.

Housing and buying

Freehold and leasehold, quotas, monthly rentals and buying property.

Day trips and sights

Islands, national parks, temples and trips with kids: prices, timing, season.

Areas and beaches

Who an area suits, housing prices, roads and beaches by month.

Where and when to go

Seasons, regions, routes and comparing destinations.

Daily life and culture

Etiquette, greetings, bringing pets and living day to day.