Planning a trip to Thailand from Europe involves more than booking a flight. You need to confirm your entry eligibility, complete the digital arrival card, choose how to access money and understand the rules before renting a scooter. This guide covers those essentials, along with SIM cards, local transport, insurance and regional weather.
Information checked: 31 October 2026. Entry rules, fees and mobile plans can change, so use the linked official sources before departure.
1. Visa-free entry and passport requirements
As checked on 31 October 2026, ordinary-passport holders from the EU/EEA, Switzerland and the UK are included in Thailand’s tourist visa-exemption scheme for visits of up to 30 days. Thailand introduced this 30-day arrangement for 60 countries and territories from 15 September 2026. Confirm that your nationality remains on the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs list before travelling.
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs announcement explains the 2026 change. Visa exemption permits tourism; it does not automatically authorize employment or a longer stay.
Current Royal Thai Embassy guidance requires a passport valid for at least six months. Check the requirements that apply to your passport and itinerary before departure, including any separate transit-country rules.
Extending a tourist stay
A visitor may apply for an additional stay of up to 30 days, but approval is at the immigration officer’s discretion. The Immigration Bureau’s tourism-extension handbook lists a 1,900-baht application fee and identifies Form TM.7, a passport and a photograph among the required items. Do not treat a possible extension as guaranteed permission to remain beyond your original admission date.
2. Complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card
All non-Thai nationals must submit the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) for each entry within the three days before arrival. It applies to arrivals by air, land and sea, and children also require submissions. Passengers who remain in airside transit without passing through Thai immigration do not need one.
- Open the official TDAC application.
- Enter the passport, travel, accommodation and health-declaration details requested.
- Submit it within the permitted three-day window and retain the confirmation for arrival.
The Immigration Bureau provides further details in its official TDAC FAQ. The official submission is free, so there is no need to use a paid intermediary website.
3. Money, cards and budgeting
Thailand’s currency is the Thai baht (THB). Carrying more than one payment method is sensible because card acceptance varies, particularly at small businesses and markets.
Using an ATM
Thai ATM operator fees are not uniform. For example, Kasikornbank’s published schedule lists a 220-baht fee for relevant foreign-card withdrawals, while Krungsri’s schedule effective 11 March 2026 lists different charges depending on the card network, including higher fees for some cards. Read the fee displayed by the ATM before confirming, and also check what your own bank charges.
Before choosing a travel card, compare its exchange-rate method, foreign-transaction fee, cash-withdrawal allowance and any fee charged after that allowance. No single card is automatically the cheapest for every traveler. See our detailed guide to ATMs, cards and tipping in Thailand for a fuller planning checklist.
Estimating trip costs
Hotel, restaurant, ride-hailing and rental prices vary by destination, season and booking conditions. Instead of relying on a fixed national price range, check cancellable accommodation for your exact dates, compare the displayed fare in transport apps and confirm the total price before accepting a taxi, tuk-tuk or rental.
4. Tourist SIM cards and eSIMs
Thai mobile operators sell tourist SIM and eSIM plans with different validity periods, data allowances and prices. Current options extend beyond the narrow 299–599-baht range often quoted in older guides, so compare the plan details rather than selecting by price alone.
SIM registration requires passport identification. If you want an eSIM, confirm that your phone supports eSIMs and is not locked to your European mobile operator. Plan availability and promotional prices can change.
5. Transport and getting around
Bangkok
The BTS Skytrain and MRT are useful where their routes match your journey. Metered taxis and app-booked rides cover areas beyond the rail network. Thailand’s Department of Land Transport taxi-fare calculator shows a metered starting fare of 35 baht for the first kilometre, followed by distance-based and congestion charges.
For more city-specific planning, see these Bangkok transport and money-saving tips.
Chiang Mai and Phuket
Chiang Mai has app-booked rides and red songthaew shared vehicles. Phuket also has ride-booking services, but availability and fares vary by location and time. For taxis, tuk-tuks and songthaews, establish the fare or understand the metering arrangement before starting the trip.
Before renting a scooter
A car licence does not by itself authorize you to ride a motorcycle. Visitors need a licence recognized in Thailand for the relevant vehicle class. Department of Land Transport materials recognize qualifying ASEAN licences and international driving permits issued under the 1949 or 1968 conventions. Check the DLT foreign-driver guidance, confirm your licence category and review whether your travel insurance covers motorcycle use before renting. Always wear a suitable helmet.
6. Safety and travel insurance
- Keep passports, cards and phones secure in crowded places.
- Use sealed bottled water or properly treated drinking water rather than assuming tap water is suitable to drink.
- Use sun protection and allow time to adjust to heat and humidity.
- Use mosquito repellent and follow current health advice for the regions on your itinerary.
- Do not leave a passport as security for a rental when another deposit arrangement is available; photograph the vehicle and document existing damage.
Travel insurance is worth considering because healthcare, evacuation, cancellation and lost-property costs may otherwise fall entirely on the traveler. Compare the medical limit, excess, exclusions, pre-existing-condition rules and activity coverage. Pay particular attention to motorcycle exclusions and licence requirements. This guide does not rank insurers because suitability depends on residence, age, itinerary and planned activities.
7. Where to stay
Choose a neighborhood according to the activities and transport connections you expect to use rather than looking for one universally “best” area.
- Bangkok: Sukhumvit and Silom offer access to urban transport and commercial areas; Riverside suits travelers prioritizing river views and nearby sights.
- Phuket: Patong is associated with a busy nightlife environment, while Kata, Karon and Bang Tao provide alternatives in other parts of the island.
- Chiang Mai: Old City places many historic sights nearby, while Nimman is a modern dining and café district. Riverside is another option away from the center of the Old City.
Check the exact map location before booking. A hotel marketed under a well-known district name may still be a significant walk or drive from the station, beach or attraction you intend to use.
8. When to visit Thailand
There is no single rainy-season rule that works for every Thai destination. Conditions differ between northern Thailand, Bangkok, the Andaman coast and the Gulf islands. October is a transition period in parts of the country rather than a month that every traveler must avoid.
Use the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s regional weather overview as a starting point, then check a forecast for the specific destinations and travel dates. November through February often offers more comfortable conditions in many popular areas, but it can also coincide with greater demand.
9. Useful apps and final checks
- Install the transport apps available in the destinations on your itinerary, but compare the displayed fare and pickup point before booking.
- Download offline maps and the Thai language pack for your preferred translation app.
- Keep offline copies of your passport details, insurance documents, accommodation address and TDAC confirmation.
- Confirm your visa-exemption eligibility and passport validity shortly before departure.
- Check your bank’s charges and notify it of travel if required.
- Review licence and insurance conditions before any motorcycle rental.