Thailand Travel Tips: Insider Advice from a Local

There is no denying that Thailand is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. In fact, Tripadvisor has named Bangkok and Phuket as 2 of the 15 most popular destinations among its readers in 2021.

Thailand's unique traditions and diverse culture have won the hearts of many, attracting visitors from across the globe. However, as a Thai myself, I have witnessed numerous tourists who are unaware or do not understand how to behave in Thailand. Therefore, I have decided to compile a list of tips for traveling in Thailand.

From the best time to visit to what to watch out for when traveling in Thailand, here are 10 tips to help you hit the ground running when visiting Thailand. Let's begin with the best time to visit, or more specifically, when to avoid visiting Thailand if you do not want to suffocate.

Looking for a complete backpacking itinerary to Thailand?10 Days Itinerary for Thailand

Table of Contents

1. Avoid the Burning Season
2. Dress Appropriately When Visiting Temples
3. Watch Out for Scammers and Taxi Drivers
4. Don't Ride the Elephants
5. Buy Soffel
6. Do Not Plan Anything Else on Your Travel Days
7. Always Wear A Helmet When Riding Scooters
8. Do Not Play With People's Head
9. Learn to Negotiate
10. Do Not Buy Buddha Souvenirs
Further Reading for Thailand

1. Avoid the Burning Season

Thailand has suffered a lot from air pollution in recent years due to the burning season, which is extremely prevalent during Thailand's winter period (December - January).

It used to be that the best time to visit Thailand was during this period due to the cooler weather. However, nowadays, with the amount of PM 2.5 particles that we have been seeing, blocking almost all our visibility, that is no longer the case.

In Bangkok, the smog starts to descend in December and gets really bad until around April when heavy rains start to dissipate the smog. In Chiang Mai, the smog comes a little later, starting in late January, and continues until May. Due to the mountainous region around Chiang Mai, the smog often gets trapped for days, so you can expect the smog to be worse up in Northern Thailand.

So, if you are planning to visit Thailand during this time, be sure to bring a PM 2.5-certified face mask and wear it whenever you feel like the air is choking you. That's the terrible PM 2.5 smog that we Thais have been suffering for decades.

2. Dress Appropriately When Visiting Temples

Temples are places where Buddhist believers go to pray and conduct religious ceremonies. Like most religious sites around the world, it is important that you dress appropriately when you enter the temple's premises. There are a ton of beautiful temples in Thailand that you will want to visit.

The Grand Palace in Bangkok, for example, has the strictest dress code in Thailand. You must wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, so no shorts, tank tops, see-through dresses, etc. Otherwise, they won't let you enter.

For other temples in Thailand, it is less strict when it comes to pants, as long as they are not short shorts or skirts. You will still have to cover your shoulders, though, so be sure to bring a jacket or a scarf to cover yourself up when visiting temples in Thailand.

3. Watch Out for Scammers and Taxi Drivers

Wherever there is a crowd of tourists, there will be scammers waiting to prey on those clueless visitors, and one of the most prominent ways they scam you in Thailand is by offering something that is too good to be true.

For example, if a tuk-tuk driver offers to take you around Bangkok for a day for only 40 THB, they will likely take you to their affiliated tailor shops and force you to buy items from them.

Another example is the taxi drivers in Bangkok, who will try to charge you fixed prices while claiming that the meter is broken. That is never the case, and they will rip you off with a ridiculously high price. In Bangkok, it is better if you use a taxi-hailing application like Grab to assist you in finding a good taxi driver.

There are other ways that these bad characters will try to scam you in Thailand, so watch out for them and keep in mind that if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

4. Don't Ride the Elephants

Elephants are beautiful, intelligent animals and have walked among the Thai people for generations. However, with the influx of tourists who want to interact with these magnificent creatures, many local tourist agencies have decided to offer elephant rides that require the elephants to be tamed and kept in captivity for most of their lives.

This is extremely unethical, and I highly recommend you not fall for this trap. It may seem like they treat the elephants well, but it's all just a marketing ploy. When an elephant is being tamed, it has to go through much torture that causes it to break and follow whatever orders the Mahut tells it to do.

There are many ways to interact with elephants in an ethical way that do not involve torturing them, like visiting the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, where elephants are allowed to roam freely and they aren't forced to let you ride or shower with them.

You can observe them, feed them, and you will also be educated about the elephants and shed light on all the unethical practices that other elephant parks often resort to when taming elephants.

If you want to interact with elephants in Thailand, do it in an ethical way by voting with your money and avoiding supporting these shady businesses. If you wish to book a day trip to the Elephant Nature Park, click the link below:

Book the Elephant Nature Park Tour

5. Buy Soffel (Insect Repellent)

The first thing you should do when you arrive in Thailand is go to a 7-11 store and grab this pink-colored insect repellent called Soffel. Soffel is what I always rely on when traveling in Thailand, and I will never go out without one.

Soffel has proven to be able to keep mosquitoes away, and there are a ton of mosquitoes out there waiting to feed on your foreign blood. What can I say? The mosquitoes here love their delicacy 😂. Plus, Soffel smells great!

Shower yourself with Soffel whenever you go out at night in Thailand to avoid involuntarily donating blood to these bloodsuckers, and you will have a great time in Thailand.

6. Do Not Plan Anything Else on Your Travel Days

"Why are Thai people always late?" is often a question I get asked as a Thai, and what can I say? We come from a culture where the buses and vans will only leave when they're full. It's a culture of compromises, so they say, and nothing displays this more than when you want to get somewhere in Thailand using public transportation.

Do not expect anything to go on time when you want to travel around in Thailand with time to get us pubic transportation. Come at least 30 minutes before the "schedule" and do not plan anything else that day; that is the golden rule to live by when you travel in Thailand.

For example, if you plan to travel from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi, even though it is only 140 km away, expect nothing but to travel that day. That way, you will have time to get used to your new setting and not be disappointed if you miss out on something due to buses running late.

7. Always Wear A Helmet When Riding Scooters

One of the best ways to travel in Thailand is to rent a scooter and explore the countryside at your own leisure, and it goes without saying, always wear a helmet when you are riding a scooter in Thailand (or anywhere else).

Thailand has one of the most dangerous roads in the world, and not because of the road per se, but because you are sharing it with the Thais. Trust me when I say this: we are not the kindest of drivers in the world, so always wear a helmet when riding on a Thai road.

To take it even further, wear a long-sleeved jacket and trousers when riding a scooter so that, when accidents happen (and they do), you will be mostly protected from wounds that may have been caused by the road.

You have no idea how many times I've seen tourists all covered in bandages due to road accidents that could have been prevented if they had worn tank tops and shorts while riding a scooter.

8. Do Not Play With People's Head (Literally)

In Thailand, people's heads are considered sacred, and only their parents are allowed to play with them. It is disrespectful to the Thais if a stranger comes up to them and plays with their heads.

My friend did that to a porter while we were hiking, and I had to lecture him about how disrespectful it was to the guy. In my friend's eyes, it was a way of being friendly and appreciative, but in the Thai's eyes, it was like he was being treated like a child and being disrespectful.

9. Learn to Negotiate

This applies not just to Thailand, but to most Asian countries where bartering and negotiating prices are a way of life. This is the same in Thailand when you want to buy something at the flea market (this does not apply to malls and government-run public transportation).

For example, if you go to a flea market and you are looking to buy a souvenir, always ask for the price first and negotiate. Once they won't go any lower, go to another store and repeat. Do that a few times for other stores nearby, and you should be able to get the cheapest price possible.

Negotiation is a work of art and it requires practice, and Thailand is a good place to do so. One rule of thumb is that when they offer you a price, always offer them the price you want to pay, which is lower than what you actually want to pay. That way, they can negotiate their way up to the price you are actually willing to pay.

10. Do Not Buy Buddha Souvenirs

If you take the road from Bangkok to the Suvarnabhumi Airport, you will see a huge sign condemning the practice of buying Buddha images as decoration. Buddha images are sacred here in Thailand, and as I mentioned earlier, heads are also sacred. It is always disheartening for the Thais when we see Buddha images being used as decoration in places like restaurants and clubs.

The problem became so serious that if they found a Buddha image in your luggage on your way out of Thailand, they would apprehend it if you did not have an export license or permit accompanying it.

When visiting a country, it is always best to respect the country you are visiting, and in this case, I would just avoid buying any Buddha images back home. There are so many other souvenirs you can buy in Thailand other than Buddha images, so be sure to look around.

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Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Flights: Skyscanner and Expedia are the best places to start looking for cheap flights and great deals from your home country.

Accommodation: Hostelworld, Booking.com, and Agoda.com are the ultimate go-to platforms to search for amazing hostels and hotels at affordable prices.

Travel Insurance: Heymondo covers theft, medical emergencies, cancellations, and more during your travels. Get a 5% discount if you sign up today.

Transportation: 12go is a great place to look for bus and train schedule and buy tickets online in Southeast Asia that would otherwise not have been available in English online.

Car Rental: DiscoverCars.com is a great and reliable platform to find rental cars.

Internet: Airalo is the best way to get a sim card and has reliable internet access for your trip. All you need is an esim compatible smartphone, install it on your phone prior to your trip, and you are all set.

VPN: To stay connected with people at home, I always make sure to have ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and I can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

Day Trips & Tours: Viator, GetYourGuide and TripAdvisor are great platforms to search for trips and tours to join.

Tickets & Deals: Klook is always my go-to website when I want to find cheaper deals for entrance tickets to tourist attractions.

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.