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TDAC.travel

Thailand airport guide and printable checklist

Everything from the gate to the city, in the order it happens. Read it here or print the two-page version and keep it in your passport. Updated 27 September 2026.

GATE TO CITY

Six-step arrival flow at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport: a 15 to 25 minute walk from the gate to immigration with no toilets inside the hall; arrival auto gates for 33 nationalities who have filed the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), visited before and enter visa-free, with Foreign Passport counters for everyone else; fingerprints, a photo without glasses or hat, the QR code, passport and hotel booking at the counter, no phones in the hall; a priority lane for travellers aged 70 or over, pregnant, with an infant, wheelchair users and business or first class; customs allowances of one litre of alcohol and 200 cigarettes, with vapes illegal, cannabis medical-use only and no fresh fruit, vegetables or meat; then a metered taxi from the floor 1 kiosk at meter plus 50 THB, the Airport Rail Link from floor B at 45 THB to Phaya Thai, or Grab from the app.
The Suvarnabhumi arrival sequence from gate to taxi, with the queue, the counter, customs limits and the three ways into Bangkok.

Before you fly

  • The Digital Arrival Card is mandatory for every foreign passport holder, including babies and children. Transit passengers who stay airside do not need it.
  • It can only be filed inside the 72 hours before you land. Set a reminder for three days before the flight.
  • Have ready: passport details as in the machine-readable line, flight number and arrival date, the hotel name, street, district and postcode of your first night, your occupation and purpose of visit, phone and email.
  • Save the QR code to your phone's favourites so it opens offline, and print one copy.
  • Print or download: passport (six months validity, a blank page), hotel booking with the address in Thai script, onward ticket, insurance policy, proof of funds (20,000 THB per person or 40,000 per family), yellow fever certificate only if arriving from a risk country.
  • Phone and power: tell your bank, download offline maps, install Grab and Google Translate with the Thai pack. Plugs A, B and C, 220 V. Power banks in carry-on only: up to 100 Wh without approval, 100 to 160 Wh with the airline's approval.

Entry rules at a glance (since 15 September 2026)

  • Visa-free stay: 30 days for citizens of 60 countries and territories.
  • Extension: one, up to 30 days, at an immigration office, 1,900 THB.
  • Land borders: two visa-exempt entries per calendar year (Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore excepted).
  • Longer trips: 60-day tourist e-Visa before departure.
  • Entry fee: 300 baht approved, not collected as of this update.
  • Overstay: 500 THB per day, maximum 20,000 THB; beyond 90 days, entry bans of one to ten years.

At the airport

  • Suvarnabhumi: 15 to 25 minutes from gate to immigration. Toilets before the hall. Wheelchair assistance through the airline 48 hours ahead.
  • Auto gates: 33 nationalities, with a filed card, a previous visit and visa-free entry.
  • At the counter: fingerprints, photo without glasses or hat, QR code, passport and hotel booking ready. No phones or photos.
  • Priority lane: age 70 or over, pregnant, with an infant, wheelchair users, business or first class.
  • Forgot the card: airport Wi-Fi, log in with the passport number, file on the phone before the counter. About five minutes.
Baggage claim carousel 4 at Suvarnabhumi Airport with a floral display in the centre
Baggage claim comes after the stamp. Check the monitors for the carousel number.

Customs and what is illegal

  • Alcohol: 1 litre per person. Cigarettes: 200 per person.
  • Vapes and e-cigarettes: illegal. Confiscation and large fines.
  • Cannabis: medical use only in 2026. Smoking in public: fines up to 25,000 THB. Never carry it across the border.
  • Drones: NBTC and CAAT registration before flying. Weeks of paperwork.
  • Medication: original packaging, plus a doctor's letter for psychotropic drugs.
  • No fresh fruit, vegetables or meat without a permit. Gambling is illegal, including card games in public.
  • VAT refund: ask shops for the P.P.10 form; show goods and forms at the Customs desk before check-in on departure.

Getting into the city

  • Suvarnabhumi taxi: floor 1, exits 4 to 7, take the kiosk slip, pay meter plus 50 THB airport fee plus tolls. Downtown usually 400 to 550 THB. Carry 100 and 20 baht notes.
  • Airport Rail Link: floor B, 45 THB to Phaya Thai, 30 minutes, stairs at many stations.
  • Grab: book in the app after landing, fixed price, card payment.
  • Don Mueang: metered taxi from the official stand, A1 to A4 buses (about 30 THB) to Mo Chit, or the SRT Red Line to Krung Thep Aphiwat.
  • Rainy season (September to October): roads around both airports flood. Allow three hours for an international flight.
Arrivals hall at Don Mueang International Airport with the welcome sign and passengers with trolleys
Don Mueang arrivals: the official taxi stand, the A1 to A4 buses and the SRT Red Line are outside this hall.

Money, connectivity, staying well

  • Exchange at the SuperRich booths on floor B, not the bank counters in arrivals. ATMs charge about 220 THB per withdrawal; decline the ATM's own conversion.
  • Cards work in malls and hotels; 7-Eleven usually from 200 THB. Street food, taxis and markets are cash.
  • SIM cards at the AIS, True and dtac booths in arrivals (800 to 1,000 THB for two to four weeks) or cheaper at 7-Eleven with self-registration. eSIMs can be bought before you fly.
  • Do not drink tap water. Factory ice is safe. Repellent at dawn and dusk; dengue is real. Alcohol is sold 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to midnight.
  • Cars and motorbikes do not stop at zebra crossings. Cross beside a local.

Manners and staying out of trouble

  • The wai: palms together at chest height, a slight bow. Men add khrap, women add kha.
  • Temples: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off, never point your feet at a Buddha image, women do not touch monks. Never touch anyone's head.
  • The monarchy is protected by law. Do not joke about or criticise the royal family, in person or online.
  • Common tricks: "the Grand Palace is closed today", a tuk-tuk tour that ends at a gem shop, a stranger with perfect English and a great deal. Smile, say no, keep walking.

Emergency numbers

  • Tourist Police 1155 (English). Ambulance 1669. Tourist hotline 1672 (24 hours). Save your embassy's Bangkok number before you fly.

Facts checked on 27 September 2026. The PDF carries the same date.