Thailand Travel Tips for Men: The First 48 Hours

Many nationalities, including most Western passport holders, can enter Thailand visa-free. Since July 2024 that stay has been 60 days, but the government has discussed shortening it, so check the official Thai embassy or immigration website before you book. Your passport should be valid for at least six months. Complete the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) on the official government site within three days before arrival, and ignore paid lookalike sites.

Use both, and keep the fees down. Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a flat fee of around 220 to 250 baht on top of your own bank's charges, so withdraw the maximum each time rather than small amounts. When a machine or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and choose baht, because that rate is usually worse. Break 1,000-baht notes at 7-Eleven, as bars, massage shops and street stalls run on cash.

Either works, as long as you're online from the moment you land for Grab, maps and LINE. An eSIM from a Thai network or an international data app can be installed before you fly, so you skip the airport SIM counter. A tourist SIM from the airport or a convenience store gives you data for 8 to 30 days. Every Thai SIM is registered to your passport, so have it with you when you buy one.

Vapes top the list: e-cigarettes are illegal to bring in, sell or possess, and tourists have been fined. Drug laws are harsh, police sometimes urine-test customers in nightlife raids, and cannabis rules have tightened since 2025 towards medical use only. Insulting the monarchy is a serious crime, including online. Shops sell alcohol only at set hours, and not at all on some Buddhist holidays. When unsure, assume the rule is stricter than at home.

Only if you're properly licensed and experienced. You need a motorcycle license plus an International Driving Permit that covers motorbikes, or you risk fines at checkpoints and your travel insurance probably won't pay out after an accident. Wear a helmet, which is the law, and never ride after drinking. Photograph the bike before you rent it and leave a cash deposit, never your passport. A Grab ride is the safer way home.

Tipping isn't compulsory, but it's expected from foreigners in tourist areas. Leave 20 to 100 baht at a restaurant that doesn't add a service charge, round up taxi fares and tip hotel staff who help you. If the bill already shows a 10% service charge, no extra tip is needed. Our category guides cover tipping in bars and massage shops. Always hand a tip directly to the person you want to reward.

Pack light clothes plus one smart outfit: long trousers, a collared shirt and closed shoes get you into rooftop bars and the bigger clubs. Bring sunscreen, which is pricey in Thailand, a photo and photocopy of your passport, and condoms in your size if you need larger ones. Carry a doctor's letter for any controlled medicine you take, such as strong painkillers or sleeping pills. A wallet that fits a front pocket earns its place too.

Yes. Private hospital bills in Thailand are high, a scooter crash can cost hundreds of thousands of baht, and private hospitals may ask for a deposit or an insurer's guarantee before non-emergency treatment. Read the exclusions: many policies won't pay for motorbike accidents without a valid license and helmet, or for anything that happened while you were drunk. Save your insurer's 24-hour assistance number on your phone before you fly.