Thailand entry requirements, by passport

What draws travelers to Thailand

Thailand divides cleanly for the traveler. Bangkok, chaotic and dense with temples such as Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, is almost always the entry point. The north — Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai — is Lanna culture, mountains, markets and elephant sanctuaries; Chiang Mai is a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art. The central plain holds the ruined former capitals of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, both World Heritage sites. The south is two island coasts with opposite rainy seasons: the Andaman Sea (Phuket, Krabi, the Phi Phi islands) to the west and the Gulf of Thailand (Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Tao) to the east. The north-east, Isan, is the least touristed region. Ten days allow Bangkok, the north and a few days on a beach. The best overall window is November to February, cooler and drier; because each coast has its rains in different months, there is nearly always an island with good weather.

Sources for this section: tourismthailand.org (Tourism Authority of Thailand, TAT); UNESCO World Heritage List (whc.unesco.org, the historic cities of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai); UK FCDO travel advice for Thailand. Accessed 31 August 2026.