Before you leave your home country
There are a few things you need to do before coming to Thailand to make you visit much easier. Here is a list of the top things you should consider.
- Get a Revolut card and account. It will save you a fortune over using currency exchanges back home and make paying for things much easier.
- Thailand has a digital arrival card system called TDAC. There is no charge but it must be obtained three days in advance of your journey. You can do it on arrival but it isn’t recommended.
- Tell your bank that you are coming to Thailand and for what period you will be here. You can sometimes do this on your banking app.
- Ensure you have some small denomination notes for the Taxi from the Airport. You can get a few of these back home if you want to avoid hassle.
- Thailand is very warm so pack light. The only time it might get slightly colder is in the north at higher elevations in the early morning and evening and even then its still warm.
- Enrol for any Data Roaming on your mobile phone to avoid high charges. We still recommend getting a Thai SIM or eSIM for your phone.
Thailand like most countries has rules for people entering the country. In February 2026 they were as follows:
“Please make sure that you are in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months, a round-trip air ticket, and adequate finances equivalent to at least 20,000 Baht (450 pounds) per person or 45,000 Baht (1,000 pounds) per family. Otherwise, you maybe inconvenienced upon entry into the country.”
As of February 2026 UK Citizens (and those from many other countries) do not require a Visa for stays of up to 60 days – Check your local Thai Embassy for full details
When you arrive in Thailand
To make your life easy we recommend doing the following before you leave the Airport
- Turn of Data Roaming on your phone unless you have an arranged affordable Data Plan setup with your mobile provider.
- Buy a Thai SIM or eSIM for your phone at the Airport. There isn’t much difference in price over getting it elsewhere, but they do everything for you, and it’s an opportunity to change some high-value 1000 baht notes into small notes.
- Take a Taxi to your Hotel. There is a large Taxi rank at the Airport. Taxis are reliable and well-regulated. You pay a small surcharge for getting one from the airport, and you may have to pay a small fee on the freeway in a few places. This is what you need the small notes for, as well as the Taxi fare.
- There is a rail link into the city, which may be cheaper if you are in a small group, but with heavy cases after a long flight it is more hassle, and you’ll likely need a taxi at the other end anyway. If you are a family you may need a large taxi or two taxis depending upon how much luggage you have.
- Buying a small item at 7-11 at the Airport allows you to break a 1000 baht note into smaller notes.
- Always keep a selection of smaller notes. Taxis and street vendors may not change a 1000 or even a 500 baht note.
- Bangkok is a very safe city, although traffic can be quite hectic at times, so you need to stay alert. If a vehicle flashes its lights at you, it means DON’T cross as they are coming through. Quite the opposite of what you may be used to at home.
- Don’t drink the tap water
Most importantly though…Enjoy yourself. Thailand is an amazing place with lots to do and the people are one of the most friendliest.