The Grand Palace’s dress code, ticket and hours come from the official site of the Bureau of the Royal Household, checked on 27 October 2026; general temple rules come from TAT. Prices and hours at Wat Pho and Wat Arun are from our check of 19 October 2026: the Wat Pho site was unavailable on 27 October.
What to wear: Grand Palace and other temples
| Clothing | Grand Palace | Any temple (TAT guidance) |
|---|---|---|
| Sleeveless shirt, vest, tank top | not admitted | not suitable: sleeves for everyone |
| Short, crop or see-through top | not admitted | not suitable |
| Shorts above the knee, hot pants | not admitted | men: shorts must cover the knee |
| Mini skirt | not admitted | women: skirt longer than knee length |
| Torn, tight or cycling trousers | not admitted | not mentioned |
| Long loose trousers, T-shirt with sleeves | fine | fine |
| Sandals | not mentioned | with a strap at the back |
| Shoes inside temple buildings | not on the palace list; the TAT rule applies | barefoot inside |
The palace list also bans pyjamas and “pants skirts”. It applies to men and women alike. The site does not mention lending or renting clothes at the gate, so arrive dressed for the rules.
Grand Palace ticket and hours in 2026
| What | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ticket for foreigners | 500 baht | palace website |
| Included | Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles | palace website |
| Thai citizens | free with an ID card | palace website |
| Children under 120 cm | free | palace FAQ |
| Hours | daily 08:30-16:30 | palace website |
| Ticket sales | 08:30-15:30, at the entrance gate or online | palace website |
| Online tickets | up to a month ahead, no refunds or date changes | palace FAQ |
| Wat Pho, next door | 300 baht, daily 08:00-19:30, no shorts | Wat Pho website (19.10.2026) |
| Wat Arun, across the river | 200 baht for a foreign adult | TAT (19.10.2026) |
One page of the palace site gives 08:30-15:30 as the opening time, the rest of the site 08:30-16:30. Plan to be at the gate by 15:30 at the latest. The palace keeps a Schedules calendar by day; on 27 October 2026 it showed the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and the Chapel of the Emerald Buddha open all day, with a note that dates can change. The phone line for questions is +66 2 623 5500, extension 2171.
Routes for one to three days, with Wat Pho, Wat Arun and Museum Siam, are in things to do in Bangkok.
“The palace is closed today”: the scam
Rough Guides describes the “closed temple” trick: a friendly local tells you the temple is closed and takes you to a gem shop instead. The same guide warns that cheap tuk-tuk tours often end in overpriced souvenir shops or tailors. TAT warns against strangers posing as officials who promise a one-day sale of gems and against drivers who take you to a special shop.
What to do:
- Do not discuss it: say thank you and walk on to the entrance gate
- Check the Schedules calendar on royalgrandpalace.th, not what a stranger says
- If you take a tuk-tuk, agree the price first; the palace site itself warns that a tuk-tuk can end up costing more than a taxi
- Never buy gems “for resale at home”; TAT calls that promise almost always a scam
If you are cheated, the tourist police number is 1155. The other common tricks are in scams in Thailand.
Temple etiquette beyond clothes
TAT’s rules for every temple, from Wat Phra Kaew to a village wat:
- Take off your shoes before entering a temple building and go in barefoot
- Remove hats and sunglasses
- When you sit in front of a Buddha image, keep your feet pointed away from it
- Women must not touch a monk or his robes
- Photos are allowed in most temples, but do not block people who are praying or making offerings
More on behaviour around the monarchy, shoes and saving face is in Thai etiquette.
Temples outside Bangkok
The same rules apply at Phuket’s Big Buddha and Wat Chalong, and in Chiang Mai, including the nights of Loy Krathong and Yi Peng. A light scarf in your bag covers shoulders in a minute.
FAQ
Can I wear shorts to the Grand Palace?
No. The palace's official list of what is not allowed includes short pants and hot pants, mini skirts, torn, tight and cycling trousers. Long trousers, or a skirt or dress well below the knee, are the safe choice for both men and women. Shoulders must be covered too: no sleeveless shirts, vests, crop or see-through tops.
How much is the Grand Palace ticket in 2026?
500 baht for foreigners, according to the official site on 27 October 2026. It includes Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles inside the grounds. Thai citizens enter free with an ID card, and children under 120 cm are free. Online tickets can be bought up to a month ahead but cannot be refunded or moved to another date.
What time does the Grand Palace open and close?
The official site gives daily 08:30-16:30, with tickets sold 08:30-15:30. One page of the site says 08:30-15:30 as the opening time, so treat 15:30 as your latest arrival. On 27 October 2026 the palace calendar showed the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha open all day. The site notes that dates can change and gives the phone number +66 2 623 5500, extension 2171.
Someone told me the Grand Palace is closed today. Is it true?
Almost certainly not. Rough Guides describes the 'closed temple' trick: a friendly stranger says the temple is closed and sends you to a gem shop instead, often by a cheap tuk-tuk. TAT warns against strangers posing as officials and drivers who take you to a special gem sale. Check the palace's own Schedules calendar or walk to the entrance gate yourself.
What should women wear to temples in Thailand?
TAT's guidance: a skirt longer than knee length and a top with sleeves, not spaghetti straps. Long trousers are fine too. Carry a light scarf for your shoulders. Women must not touch a monk or his robes; to give something to a monk, hand it to a man or put it down for him to pick up.
Can I rent clothes at the Grand Palace entrance?
The palace's official pages do not mention clothing hire or loan, so do not count on it. Arrive dressed for the rules. A pair of light long trousers and a T-shirt with sleeves is enough, and you will be comfortable at Wat Pho and Wat Arun as well.
Sources
- Bureau of the Royal Household. The Grand Palace: Practical Information (price, dress code, getting there)
- Bureau of the Royal Household. The Grand Palace: FAQ (hours, children, online tickets)
- Bureau of the Royal Household. The Grand Palace: Schedules (opening calendar, 27 October 2026)
- TAT Newsroom. Observing temple and sacred site etiquette while in Thailand (29 August 2018)
- Wat Pho. Visit plan: hours, ticket, rules (site unavailable on 27 October 2026, data from 19 October 2026)
- TAT. Wat Arun Ratchawararam (entrance fee)
- TAT Newsroom. Buying gems and jewellery in Thailand: top tips (9 June 2017)
- Rough Guides. Thailand travel tips: common scams
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.