My companion's phone does not support eSIM. I checked the Klook app, and the price for a dtac/True 10-day 50GB with calls physical travel SIM that is claimable at the BKK airport branch is around 220 BHT ($4 USD).

• Is 220 BHT already a good deal? Or should I look somewhere else?
• Are there physical travel SIMs available in convenience stores (7/11 etc.)?

I will be staying near the Siam Area in Bangkok.

Hello, latest DTV changes say you need to have permanent residency to apply or simply apply from your home country.

I have residency in the UAE and I contacted both Abu Dhabi embassy and Dubai consulate and here is the issue. The embassy told me I need UAE permanent residency to apply for DTV. The consulate told me a valid UAE residency is enough so WTH guys lol? They are literally sharing contradicting information! Does anybody have any clear insight because this is weird.

Hi,

Currently in Phangan... ( not happy about that but had to go there for a few days for some reasons ) and I saw that menu of the bar inside the HalfMoon festival... quite shocked about it.

My partner and I are from the UK and have been traveling around Southeast Asia this year. Our Thailand visits so far:

• December (last year): Thailand - 3 weeks
• Jan/Feb: Thailand - 1 month total
• July: Thailand - 3 weeks

(In between we've been to Sri Lanka, elsewhere in SEA, and Bali.)

The plan: We're heading back to Thailand mid-October for 1–2 weeks, then flying to Jakarta on the 23rd for a concert. While in Jakarta, we want to apply for a Tourist Visa so we can return to Thailand afterwards and stay for 60 days. (visa exemption reduced by then)

By the time we apply in Jakarta, we'll have been to Thailand 3 times already this calendar year. We haven't been maxing out visa exemptions or doing back-to-back "visa runs". we have friends living in Bangkok, which is why we keep going back to visit.

My question: Is visiting this many times in a year likely to be a problem when applying for a Tourist Visa, or could it get flagged/questioned at the embassy or on entry? Anyone had experience with something similar? Thanks in advance

Hi folks,

I am planning to do a tandem skydiving in Rayong (near Pattaya) in Sep 3rd week (Sep 19-26). I wanted to check if that's a good time to do in terms of weather? Are there frequent slot cancellations due to rains?

I would appreciate other possible drop-zones if any in terms of favorable weather in Sep to have memorable experience.

Thanks.

We’re Spanish passport holders. We land in Tokyo in a few days and stay a month, then continue to Thailand for about six weeks (arriving around 30 September).

As published yesterday, from 15 September the visa exemption drops from 60 days to 30 — so on arrival we’d only get 30 days, which isn’t enough for our stay.

My questions:

1. Can we apply for a 60-day tourist visa (TR) from Tokyo, even though we’re not residents of Japan — either at the Royal Thai Embassy or through the official e-Visa portal?
   
2. If yes — what documents are required, and how long does processing take?
   
3. Or is it simpler to enter visa-free for 30 days and then apply for a 30-day extension at an immigration office inside Thailand?

If anyone has applied for a Thai visa from a third country recently, I’d love to hear how it went

I now live in Thailand so do not have this up to date knowledge. My friend arrives next week after midnight at the airport and will need to cash a $100 bill in order to get some baht before hopping in a taxi to get to his hotel in Bangkok. I told him it’s best to go to an exchange booth so he can ask for small notes ( 100 baht & 20s) so he has small change to pay the taxi for the tolls and fee. ( ATM machines usually give out 1000 baht notes)
Question: Are there any money exchange booths open after midnight at Suvarnabhumi Airport ? If so, where are they located?
Yes- he will exchange more money once he is in Bangkok.

Pictures of remnant abandoned old wooden bungalows at a built up resort beach at Ko Phangan island. Once upon a time simple wooden bungalows catering for backpackers / budget travellers were the main form of accommodation on Ko Phangan and most of the Thai islands. At the beach pictured only one old style bungalows from the 90's period is still operating, the rest of the beach is hemmed in by resorts.

UPDATE - Have just been told the land at this secluded rustic spot has been sold and a new resort will be built. When that happens from the northern part of the beach all the way to the bottom end it won't be possible to walk the length of the beach without seeing modern resorts. No part of the beach front land will be natural.

Hey folks,

I (26M) am going to Thailand for the first time and only bought a one way ticket. I am leaving LAX on December 29th and landing in Bangkok December 30th in the late PM. I’ve never traveled before, let alone solo backpacked, but I’m currently at a point in my life where I wanna go see parts of the world, and Thailand has always been high on my list.

The reason I only bought a one way ticket is because I don’t wanna be stuck to a very hands on itinerary. Meaning, if I planned on going north but end up wanting to go south, I have the flexibility to do that. Same with other countries.

What I envision the itinerary being is the following:

• 30th to 3rd: Bangkok, NoMads Hostel (booked). Daily excursions, Ayutthaya, nights on Khao San Road, hopefully meet some people to hang out with from the hostel. Spend New Year’s weekend in Bangkok.
• 3rd to ∞: Travel up north to Chiang Mai. Visit Chiang Rai, an elephant sanctuary, train Muay Thai (could be down to do this for multiple days). Potentially even stay in a less touristy northern city than Chiang Mai.
• ∞ to ∞: Should I travel northeast? Maybe hit Udon Thani, Loei, or Khon Kaen. I’ve done a small amount of research on northeast Thailand, and nothing seems to stick out too much or really grab my curiosity.
• ∞ to ∞: Make my way down south to the beaches. This is more my vibe, and I would love to spend a lot of time in different beachy areas and different hostels. Krabi, Koh Lipe, Koh Tao, etc. I would love a mixture of touristy and local stays. Really wanna hop around in the south. Absolutely love the beach vibes.

Biggest Questions:

• Should I worry about booking hostels only 2 to 3 days out during peak tourist season? Looking at staying in Social Hostels. For example, if I decide to leave for somewhere last minute, would it be hard to find a hostel in the area?
• Should I worry about booking things to do or tours in advance due to peak tourist season? I understand that a lot of hostels have day trips and will lean on that, but I’m curious.
• What are the best ways to travel to each location in y’all’s opinion? From Bangkok to the north, potentially northeast, and then down to the south. I’m willing to save money by doing longer trips.
• Should I try to stay in certain areas during certain times of the month? From y’all’s experience, does it feel more crowded during certain months than others in peak season, or is it all kinda packed? Like, is it less crowded down south in January?
• Does it make sense to go north and then south?
• A party night here and there would be fun. I’m not against going to any festivals or big parties, like the Full Moon Party, etc. Would love festival or party recs!
• If you were to dip over to another country in the area, where would you go and why?

Smaller Questions:

• What and where were some of your favorite social hostels?
• What and where were some of your favorite party hostels?
• What are some must dos in each place?
• What is the minimum amount of baht you think you should carry at all times?
• Best Thai Dishes?
• What Liter backpack would you recommend?

Some key points:

• I do understand the initial 30 day stay (starting September 15th), prior to applying for the tourist visa and adding an additional 30 days.
• I am also aware of needing a return flight to get through immigration, but plan on buying a return flight on departure day and refunding it. I have no plans of overstaying my 30 to 60 days. I just want flexibility.
• I will be getting travel insurance.
• I would love a mixture of touristy and local vibes throughout all areas of Thailand.
• I really wanna focus on staying in social hostels to meet people from all walks of life. I’m a social butterfly, so I’m very excited to meet other travelers as well.
• I am also very interested in visiting other surrounding countries. If I were to extend my travel plans beyond Thailand, where would you recommend going?

Sorry if I sound arrogant or anything of that nature. This is my first time traveling, so I’m still figuring all of this out. Any advice is appreciated!

Hi everyone! I’m planning my honeymoon in Thailand in November 2026. 🇹🇭

I’m getting married on 7 November, but I need to apply for the Thai tourist visa before the wedding and book our hotels in advance. The hotel reservations will be under my name only.

For those who have been in a similar situation, what should I do for my wife’s visa application? Can she submit the accommodation bookings under my name, or do we need to wait until after the wedding to provide the marriage certificate?

Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated! 🙏

As in the title. Edge of my Passport became slightly wet in heavy rain in my backpack. I am leaving for Thailand in 10 days. Will this be an issue?
Thank you for your input!

Hi! We’re a couple travelling with our 1.5-year-old and planning a 3-week trip to Thailand in July.

Which areas would you recommend for that time of year, considering the weather and travelling with a toddler?

We’d love beaches, nature and some culture, without moving around too much.

Thanks! 🇹🇭

Hi everyone! For my next Bangkok Trip I thought about the following two hotels

1. Grand Centre Point Lumphini (so far my fav)
   
2. Eastin Grand Phaya Thai

Both look fabulous. Anyone stayed in one of those and can recommend? Or can you recommend other hotels in this price range?

Thanks!

Hi,

​I’m finishing up the island leg of my trip on Koh Lipe and leaving on Nov 24. I was looking at a 14:15 direct flight from Hat Yai (HDY) to Chiang Mai. At least, this was the plan before I realized the schedule for the boats.

​The earliest boat from Koh Lipe drops off at Pak Bara Pier around 11:00. I originally looked at shared vans, but they seem to take 2+ hours and wait for passengers. Arriving at the airport at 13:30 cuts it way too close.

​Since it's just two of us, we’re considering booking a private taxi straight from the pier to HDY to skip the waiting. I'm hoping this will get us to the airport by 13:00.

​A couple of questions for those who know the route:

1. ​If we reach the airport at 13:00, is 75 minutes enough time to drop bags and clear security for a domestic flight at HDY?

2. ​Are private taxis reliably faster than the vans? How much drive time should we realistically expect?

3. ​Any recommendations for reliable private transfer companies?

Getting to Chiang Mai that day is super important to us because we are arriving for the Yi Peng festival, so we really don't want to miss the flight. Thanks in advance for the help!

Hi. How much cash do you recommend taking to Thailand, and how much should I keep on my card? It’ll be my first time there—most of my accommodation is already paid for. I’m wondering how to split it up: where is it better to pay with cash, and where with a card?

I’ll be visiting Bangkok, Pattaya, Chanthaburi, and Koh Chang from October 3rd to 21st.

Thanks for the advice.

Plan on heading to Bangkok late October early November. I’ve seen some news on visa changes, I thought it got lowered to 30 days but the website says 60 still.

Hi everyone,

I’m a Spanish citizen and I’m a bit worried about the new Thailand visa rules that take effect on 15 September 2026 (30 days instead of 60).

Here’s my planned itinerary:

24 November: Arrive in Bangkok

7 December: Fly to Vietnam

13 December: Return to Bangkok

Stay in Bangkok until 8 January

8 January: Fly to the Philippines

After about 2 weeks in the Philippines, I want to return to Bangkok again

So basically:

First entry: 24 Nov – 7 Dec (~13 days)

Second entry: 13 Dec – 8 Jan (~26 days)

Then leave to the Philippines and come back to Thailand again a couple of weeks later

All entries would be by air.

I’ve read that the new 2-entries-per-year limit only applies to land borders, not airports. Is that correct?

Can I do this without problems? Or is immigration going to see this as visa running and possibly refuse entry on the second or third arrival?

Thanks in advance for any recent experiences or advice.

My first two trips I had stars in my eyes in The Land of Smiles, but this 3rd trip, I feel like I broke through the illusions, people aren't actually friendly, their smile is calculated, it's all about getting money out of you, they will mock you in Thai behind your back. So many scams, games, high pressure selling, feeding off compulsions and exploiting ignorance. A lot of loneliness and fake friendships and fake relationships. Two faced people, and a lot of alcoholism. I might just be in a bad mood but I am getting jaded. How do I love Thailand again once the illusion is slipping?

Hi all,

Planning for my Son's first birthday in december, would like to make it special for both Mom and Kid.

I have a few questions

1. Phuket or Krabi?

2. Any resort that sets up beach side cake cutting with a good decor

3. Mid to Luxury resort suggestions (upto $600)

4. Things to do with the Kid

Would be helpful!

I will be applying (online) for a 60 day visa and they are asking for proof of accommodations. I have not planned anything beyond the first 2 weeks.

Any easy ways to work around this?