Bangkok

Currency

Best rates at SuperRich (orange or green) exchange offices — much better than airports or hotels. Bring crisp, new bills for better rates.

ATMs & cards

All Thai ATMs charge 220 THB (∼€6) per foreign withdrawal. Withdraw large amounts to minimize fees. Aeon ATMs (in malls) charge no fee for some cards. Always decline conversion.

Every Thai ATM charges a flat 220 THB to foreign cards regardless of amount — withdraw the maximum in one go.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Very safe for tourists. Avoid tuk-tuk drivers who offer "special deals" to gem shops or suit tailors — it’s always a scam.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Rabies if you will be near animals or staying a while
• Japanese encephalitis for long rural stays

Getting treated

One of the best places in the world to have an accident. Private hospitals in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai are excellent, fast, English-speaking and cheap by Western standards — a consultation runs a few tens of euros. They expect payment or an insurance guarantee up front.

Dengue is present year-round and worse in the rainy season; there is no prophylaxis, so repellent is the defence. Rabies is present in street dogs and monkeys — any bite or scratch means a clinic the same day.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Street food is the real deal — look for stalls with long queues of locals. Pad Thai on Khao San Road is tourist-grade; find it on side sois instead.

Getting around

• BTS Skytrain — fastest way to move, covers main areas, ฿16-62 per trip
• MRT — underground, connects with BTS at key stations
• Grab (app) — the Uber of Southeast Asia, cheap and reliable
• Tuk-tuks — fun but agree on price before. Never accept "free" rides
• Chao Phraya boats — great for riverside temples, ฿15-30

Must-see

Things to do

• Visit the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
• Explore Chatuchak Weekend Market
• Take a Chao Phraya river boat
• Eat street food on Yaowarat (Chinatown)
• Get a Thai massage
• Visit Wat Arun at sunset

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Thai

• Helloสวัสดี — Sawatdeesa-wat-DEE khrap/kha
• Pleaseกรุณา — Karunaka-roo-NA
• Thank youขอบคุณ — Khop khunkop-KOON khrap/kha
• Yes / Noใช่ / ไม่ — Chai / Maichai / my
• Excuse meขอโทษ — Kho thotkor-TOAST
• How much is it?เท่าไหร่ — Tao rai?tow-RYE
• The bill, pleaseเช็คบิล — Check binchek bin
• Cheers!ไชโย — Chai yo!chai YO

End sentences with khrap if you are male and kha if female — it is what makes a sentence polite rather than blunt.

Religion

Theravada Buddhist

About 93% Buddhist, and it governs a lot of daily etiquette. Monks may not be touched by women. Never point your feet at a Buddha image or climb on one — people have been prosecuted for it.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Return the wai greeting — palms together, a slight bow — when someone offers it first
• Remove shoes before entering temples and homes
• Cover shoulders and knees at temples, including for men
• Keep your cool; visible anger loses you the argument and the respect

Don't

• Do not touch anyone’s head, including children — it is the most sacred part of the body
• Do not point your feet at people or at Buddha images, and never step over someone
• Do not say anything critical of the royal family; lèse-majesté carries prison sentences and is enforced
• Do not climb on Buddha statues for photographs