Photo: SERGEI BEZZUBOV / Unsplash
Practical info for Thailand
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency number191
- Police191
- Police1155
- Medical emergencies1554
- Medical emergencies1646
- Medical emergencies1669
- Fire brigade199
- Tourist police1155
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy BangkokEmbassy
- Address
- British Embassy, AIA Sathorn Tower, Floor 12A, 11/1 South Sathorn Road, Sathorn, Bangkok, 10120, Thailand
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry go to: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/thailand/british-embassy-bangkok
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 12/10/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border:
FCDO also advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line that runs through these provinces.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the land border with Cambodia.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Baht (THB).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 37.821 THB.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+07:00, +7 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Traffic drives on the left.
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to carry both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence while driving. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. If you live in Thailand, you can apply for a Thai driving licence using your UK driving licence.”
Source: GOV.UK, Tourism Authority of Thailand · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: AIS (Sirocco, Airalo); AIS/Advanced Info Service (Sirocco); DTAC (Sirocco); Total Access (DTAC) (Sirocco); True (Airalo); TrueMove H (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for Thailand
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Thailand?
Single emergency number: 191 ; Police: 191 ; Police: 1155 ; Medical emergencies: 1554 ; Medical emergencies: 1646 ; Medical emergencies: 1669 ; Fire brigade: 199 ; Tourist police: 1155
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Thailand?
British Embassy Bangkok, British Embassy, AIA Sathorn Tower, Floor 12A, 11/1 South Sathorn Road, Sathorn, Bangkok, 10120, Thailand. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for Thailand?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 12/10/2026.
What is the travel advice for Thailand?
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country. Areas where FCDO advises against travel FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the south, near the Thailand-Malaysia border: FCDO also advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line that runs through these provinces. FCDO advises against all but essential travel to areas within 20km of the land border with Cambodia.
What currency is used in Thailand?
Currency: Baht (THB). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 37.821 THB.
What is the time difference in Thailand?
Local time: UTC+07:00, +7 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Thailand?
Traffic drives on the left. Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to carry both the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence while driving. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. If you live in Thailand, you can apply for a Thai driving licence using your UK driving licence.”
Which mobile networks operate in Thailand?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: AIS (Sirocco, Airalo); AIS/Advanced Info Service (Sirocco); DTAC (Sirocco); Total Access (DTAC) (Sirocco); True (Airalo); TrueMove H (Sirocco).
Photo: allPhoto Bangkok / Unsplash
Thailand with the family
From Sirocco, the publisher of eSIMeter
- Documents, money, getting around, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, the southern islands and our unusual places: all you need to plan the trip and enjoy it with the children.
- The boat on the Chao Phraya between golden temples, the reclining Buddha of Wat Pho, the canals of Thonburi and their stilt houses, then the Skytrain above the traffic jams.
- This guide takes you from planning to coming home: the formalities, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the southern islands, our unusual places, two day trips and itineraries of 7 to 14 days.