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Country guide · Thailand

Thailand travel apps and what you need before you go

Fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) at tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days before you land, and check your passport has 6 months left. Since 15 September 2026 many passports, including US, UK, EU, Canadian and Australian, get up to 30 days visa-free for tourism. On your phone you want Grab or Bolt for rides, LINE for messaging, LINE MAN or GrabFood for delivery, and a plan for paying the Thai QR codes most stalls use.

Checked against official sources on 22 October 202613 apps · 7 to set up at home
Long-tail boats moored at Maya Beach on Ko Phi Phi Lee, Thailand
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

What you need to enter Thailand

Thai entry rules depend on your passport and the purpose of your trip, and they changed on 15 September 2026. Check your nationality with the Thai embassy or consulate that covers you, or the official Thai e-Visa site, before booking.

Visa exemption, now 30 days

From 15 September 2026 Thailand replaced its 60-day visa exemption with a 30-day one for tourism only. It covers 60 countries and territories, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and all EU states. Business trips, meetings and conferences are not covered. Entries by land under the exemption are generally limited to two per calendar year. A 30-day extension can be requested from the Immigration Bureau inside Thailand. Some nationalities have separate bilateral deals, and others need a visa, which is applied for online through the official Thai e-Visa system.

Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom) · Royal Thai Embassy, London · GOV.UK Thailand entry requirements

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date you arrive and have at least one blank page. Passports reported lost or stolen are refused.

Source: GOV.UK Thailand entry requirements · Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Issuance of Visa

Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

Every foreign visitor arriving by air, land or sea must complete the TDAC online within 3 days before arrival, for every entry, whatever visa type you hold. It is free and it is not a visa. Use only tdac.immigration.go.th, as copycat sites charge fees.

Source: Thailand Digital Arrival Card (Immigration Bureau) · Royal Thai Embassy, London

Onward ticket, accommodation and funds

Visa-exempt visitors should be ready to show onward or return travel within their permitted stay and proof of accommodation. Officers can also ask for proof of funds in cash or payment documents, and visitors have been refused entry for not having it.

Source: Royal Thai Embassy, London · GOV.UK Thailand entry requirements

Overstays and customs

Overstaying is fined per day and can lead to detention, deportation and a re-entry ban. Bringing in more than 200 cigarettes per person is illegal, and anything restricted or dutiable must be declared.

Source: GOV.UK Thailand entry requirements

Before you fly: 8 steps

  1. Check your passport has at least 6 months left and a blank page.
  2. Confirm your nationality's current visa-free length with the Thai embassy, as it changed on 15 September 2026.
  3. Book onward or return travel within your permitted stay and save your accommodation booking.
  4. Submit the free TDAC at tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days before arrival.
  5. Install Grab, Bolt and LINE and add your card to Grab.
  6. Download offline Google Maps and the Thai pack in Google Translate.
  7. Book long-distance trains on the SRT D-Ticket site up to 30 days ahead.
  8. Bring some cash in baht or a card with low foreign ATM fees.

The apps that matter in Thailand

Grouped by the job they do. Set up at home means install it and sign in before you fly, while you still have your home number and Wi-Fi.

Entry and official apps

Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

The official online arrival form every foreign visitor must submit before entering Thailand.

Set up at home

Submit it no earlier than 3 days before you land and keep the confirmation on your phone. It is free, so any site asking for a fee is not the official one.

Official siteSource: GOV.UK Thailand entry requirements

Taxis and ride hailing

Grab

Book cars, GrabBike motorbike taxis, food delivery and groceries at a fixed upfront price.

Set up at home

Add your home Visa or Mastercard before you fly so the first ride from the airport is cashless. GrabBike is the fastest way through Bangkok traffic for short hops if you are happy on the back of a motorbike.

Official siteSource: Grab Thailand transport · Grab Thailand GrabBike · Grab Thailand offer for Visa cardholders

Bolt

A ride-hailing alternative to Grab in Bangkok and other tourist areas.

Set up at home

Install it alongside Grab and compare the two quotes at busy times; prices often differ.

Official siteSource: Bolt Thailand press

Metro, buses and city transport

BTS and MRT (contactless bank card)

Bangkok's above-ground Skytrain (BTS) and underground MRT cover the main sights, malls and hotel areas.

On the MRT Blue and Purple lines you can tap a contactless Visa, Mastercard or UnionPay card at the gate. The old MRT cards stopped working for fares on 1 June 2026. The BTS is a separate system, so buy single tickets at the machines or a Rabbit card.

Official siteSource: The Nation Thailand, MRT shift to EMV cards

Trains and long-distance travel

State Railway of Thailand D-Ticket

The railway's own website and app for booking long-distance train seats and sleepers.

Set up at home

Bookings open 30 days ahead and are paid by credit or debit card. Overnight sleepers such as Bangkok to Chiang Mai sell out early in high season, so book as soon as your dates are firm.

Official siteSource: Thailand.go.th, How to buy train tickets online

12Go

One English-language booking site for Thai trains, buses, ferries and island transfers.

Most useful for bus and ferry combinations to the islands that the railway site does not sell.

Official siteSource: 12Go

Maps

Google Maps

Walking, transit and driving directions, plus opening hours for shops and restaurants.

Set up at home

Download an offline map of each city before you travel in case you land without data.

Official siteSource: Google Maps

Paying

TrueMoney Wallet

A Thai e-wallet that foreigners can open with a passport and use to pay Thai QR codes.

Limited for visitors

Plan to top it up with cash, for example at 7-Eleven. We could not confirm that a foreign credit card can fund it.

Official siteSource: TrueMoney support, account limits

TAGTHAi Easy Pay

A tourist e-wallet inside the TAGTHAi app, run with Kasikornbank (KBank), for paying Thai QR codes.

Limited for visitors

You activate it with your passport at a KBank foreign exchange booth and top it up there in foreign currency, so it suits longer stays more than a weekend.

Official siteSource: TAGTHAi Easy Pay

Messaging and calls

LINE

Thailand's main messaging app, used by hotels, tour operators, landlords and shops.

Set up at home

Set it up at home and add your hotel or guide as a contact when they offer a LINE ID.

Official siteSource: LINE

Food and delivery

LINE MAN

A major Thai food delivery app from LINE MAN Wongnai.

It can translate restaurant menus into English and lets you chat with riders in English, with your messages shown to them in Thai.

Official siteSource: LINE MAN Wongnai, English translation feature

Wongnai

Thailand's best-known restaurant review site and app, from the same company as LINE MAN.

Limited for visitors

Good for finding places locals rate, beyond tourist lists. Expect many reviews to be in Thai, so pair it with a translation app.

Official siteSource: Wongnai

Translation

Google Translate

Camera and conversation translation for menus, signs and taxi drivers.

Set up at home

Download the Thai language pack so it works offline.

Official siteSource: Google Translate

Money: Thai baht (THB)

Hotels, malls and chain restaurants take foreign cards, but markets and street stalls want cash or a Thai QR (PromptPay) code. Foreign cards cannot be linked to PromptPay directly; visitors can use a passport-registered wallet such as TrueMoney (cash top-up) or TAGTHAi Easy Pay, and Chinese visitors can scan Thai QR codes with Alipay, WeChat Pay or UnionPay. Wise's Thai QR feature is only for accounts registered to a Thai address. Carry some cash for small vendors, and expect Thai ATMs to add a fee for foreign cards.

Practical things to know

Plugs
Types A, B, C and O; 220 V.
Emergency numbers
Police 191, medical emergencies 1669, Tourist Police 1155, TAT tourist information 1672.
Mobile data
Since 16 May 2026 foreigners must verify their identity, usually with a passport, to register a Thai SIM, and are limited to three SIMs per provider. Buying a SIM at the airport with your passport is the simplest route; a travel eSIM bought before you fly also works.
Tipping
Not compulsory. Rounding up for taxis and leaving small change in restaurants is appreciated; check whether a service charge is already on the bill.
Visa-free stay length
Check the permitted-stay date stamped in your passport on arrival; overstaying is fined for every extra day.

Questions travelers ask

Do I need a visa for Thailand?

Many passports, including US, UK, EU, Canadian and Australian, can visit visa-free for tourism for up to 30 days since 15 September 2026. Other nationalities may need an e-Visa, so check with the Thai embassy that covers you.

Is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card free?

Yes. The TDAC is free on the official site tdac.immigration.go.th and must be submitted within 3 days before arrival.

Can I still stay 60 days visa-free in Thailand?

No. The 60-day exemption ended on 15 September 2026. Eligible visitors now get up to 30 days, and can ask the Immigration Bureau for a 30-day extension.

Can tourists pay with PromptPay QR codes?

Not with a foreign card directly. A passport-registered wallet such as TrueMoney (topped up with cash) or TAGTHAi Easy Pay lets you scan Thai QR codes.

Which taxi app is best in Thailand?

Grab has the widest coverage and takes foreign cards; Bolt is a good second app for comparing prices in Bangkok.

Sources

Checked on 22 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the official links before you travel.

Found a mistake? Report a correction and we’ll check it against the source.

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