Thailand travel news
What changed for visitors: park closures and reopenings, fees, entry rules, ferries and flights. Every item names its official source and what it means for a trip.
High tides flooded Mae Klong Market and Amphawa on 28 October 2026: what it means for a floating market day
Sea water pushed up the canals of Samut Songkhram on 28 October 2026 and flooded Mae Klong Market and the Amphawa floating market. What the water agency says, and what it means for a floating market day from Bangkok.
Royal Barge Procession on the Chao Phraya, Friday 6 November 2026: route, viewing points and what it means for a Bangkok day
The Royal Thai Navy rehearsed for the last time on 28 October. On Friday 6 November 52 gilded barges row up the Chao Phraya past the Grand Palace to Wat Arun. Route, viewing points and the effect on a Bangkok temple day.
Thailand's proposed 450-baht tourist fee: where it stands on 29 October 2026 and what visitors would pay
The 450-baht fee for foreign visitors has strong backing in the consultation, but nobody pays it yet. What the Tourism Ministry has proposed, who would be exempt and when it could start.
Don Mueang Airport replaces hand-held metal detectors with pat-down searches from 1 November 2026
Don Mueang announced on 27 October that the hand-held wand goes and manual pat-downs take its place from 1 November. What changes at the checkpoint, what the airport asks of passengers and how to plan your last day.
Phuket floods and landslide alerts, 25–28 October 2026: what happened and what it means for your tour days
Three days of heavy rain flooded roads in Phuket, sent mud into Patong and triggered phone alerts. What the disaster agency and the weather department said, and how it touches a Phuket tour day.
Thai Customs arrested 40 departing passengers with cannabis at Suvarnabhumi in October 2026: what visitors should know
Customs has stepped up random bag checks at Bangkok's main airport after 40 arrests in 24 days. What the Customs Department says, the fine it quotes and what to leave behind when you fly out.
Thailand's Tourist Police promote the 1155 hotline and app: eight languages, 24 hours a day
The Tourist Police Bureau says its 1155 hotline and app give round-the-clock help in eight languages. What the service offers, what to say when you call and how to set it up before you land.
Bangkok's planned 17–45 baht rail fare from 1 January 2027: what it means for visitors
The Transport Ministry wants to cap Bangkok train fares at 45 baht from 1 January 2027, with refunds for Thai nationals only. The plan is not final: here is what has been decided, what has not, and what visitors pay today.
Loy Krathong 2026 falls on Tuesday 24 November: what Bangkok and Chiang Mai have announced so far
Loy Krathong falls on the full moon of Tuesday 24 November 2026. What the Bangkok riverside hotels, Chiang Mai and the Banthat Thong food district have announced, and where you can float a krathong on a Phuket tour.
Virgin Atlantic's nonstop London–Phuket flights began in October 2026: days, times and what they change
Virgin Atlantic's first route to Thailand started on 18 October: three nonstop flights a week between London Heathrow and Phuket until 26 March 2027. The schedule, what else flies from the UK, and how the morning arrival fits a tour.
Thailand's new checked-baggage rule: airport staff can open flagged bags without you since 16 October 2026
A Civil Aviation Authority rule in force since 16 October lets airport staff open checked bags flagged by X-ray without the owner. What it allows, what it does not, and how to pack.
Thai Airways opens compensation claims for flights and bags disrupted by the late-September floods
Passengers whose flights or bags were disrupted at Suvarnabhumi between 26 and 30 September can claim from Thai Airways since 16 October. Who qualifies, where to apply, and what the airport operator is changing.
Thailand opens the Andaman marine national parks on 15 October 2026: what changes for visitors
The Similan and Surin islands are open again from 15 October 2026. What the environment minister announced, what the Similans saw on opening day and what it means for a boat day from Phuket.
Thailand's 2026–27 cool season will start late and run warmer than normal: the weather department's outlook for Chiang Mai, Bangkok and the Gulf coast
Thailand's weather department expects the cool season to start about a week late and run about two degrees warmer than normal, with heavy rain on the Gulf coast in November and December. What it means for Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Samui.
Thailand's proposed 1,000-baht departure tax: what the draft says and why the industry objects
A draft Departure Tax Act would add 1,000 baht to air tickets out of Thailand for every nationality. The consultation ends on 29 October 2026; hotels and the tourism council object. What is proposed and what is not yet decided.
Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2026 ended on 18 October: what happened, the numbers and what to do now
The Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2026 has finished. The Tourism Authority of Thailand's programme, the visitor forecast, and what Phuket Town offers now that the processions are over.
Thai AirAsia is back at Suvarnabhumi from 1 October 2026 with flights to Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai
After a two-and-a-half-month break, Thai AirAsia flies from Suvarnabhumi again on three domestic routes. What returned, what did not, and how it helps travellers arriving from abroad.
Bangkok's Airport Rail Link keeps running while a State Railway company takes over on 1 February 2027
The train between Suvarnabhumi and central Bangkok keeps running while its operator changes. The CP-linked company stays until 31 January 2027, and a State Railway subsidiary takes over on 1 February. What is known and what is not.
Bangkok flood holidays on 28–29 September 2026: what stayed open for visitors and where things stand now
Bangkok had two flood holidays on 28 and 29 September 2026, yet the temples, trains and airports kept running. What Thailand's tourism authority said, what the disaster agency reports now, and what it means for a Bangkok trip.
Three national parks near Kanchanaburi close waterfalls and campsites on 26–27 September 2026 for flash-flood risk
Three western parks closed their waterfalls and campsites for flash-flood risk after heavy rain, and the park service told every waterfall to close at once if the water rises. What was closed and what it means for a Kanchanaburi day.
Pattaya raised red flags and banned all boat departures on 25 September 2026: what happened and what it means for Koh Larn trips
Storm winds and high waves sank six boats at Pattaya on 25 September 2026, and the marine office banned every departure. What officials said, and how boats to Koh Larn are running again.
Thailand's Immigration Bureau launches the THIM app: do you need it for the arrival card?
Thailand's Immigration Bureau has launched THIM, an app that carries the digital arrival card and plans visa extensions and 90-day reports. Do you need it? What the bureau says, and what stays the same.
Thailand tightens enforcement on Grab, Bolt and other ride-hailing apps from 1 October 2026
The Transport Ministry announced on 24 September that stricter enforcement of app-based ride-hailing starts on 1 October, with a points scorecard for each app. What it covers and what a rider should expect.
Thailand's Cabinet approves a draft cannabis control bill limiting use to medical purposes: what visitors should know
The Cabinet has sent a cannabis control bill to parliament that would end recreational sales and require prescriptions. It is not law, shops still trade on current licences, and inspections are rising in tourist areas.
Ao Phang Nga National Park clears monsoon rubbish from Koh Lawa Yai and plans more cleanups
Over 40 people cleared plastic and fishing net from the shore of Koh Lawa Yai on 19 September 2026. What the park says about monsoon rubbish and what it asks of visitors on a Phang Nga Bay day.
Doi Inthanon park files a police complaint against tourists who crossed barriers onto a rare moss lawn
The national park reported a group of about ten visitors to the police for trampling a rare moss on the mountain on 13 September 2026. What the rules say and what it means for a day on Thailand's highest mountain.
Doi Inthanon is nominated as Thailand's 11th ASEAN Heritage Park: what has been decided and what has not
The cabinet approved the nomination on 15 September 2026 and ASEAN experts visited the park on 23 September. What is decided, what is still pending and what it means for a day on Thailand's highest mountain.
Maya Bay: park counts a record 278 blacktip reef sharks as the 2026 closure ends
The Department of National Parks reports its highest shark count at Maya Bay during the annual closure that ran from 1 August to 30 September 2026. What the survey found and what changes for a Phi Phi day.
Portuguese man o' war on Phuket and Koh Lanta beaches in 2026: a sting at Nai Thon on 9 September and what officials advise
A Portuguese man o' war stung a tourist at Phuket's Nai Thon Beach on 9 September 2026. The warnings that came first, what officials and a hospital advise, and what it means for a swimming day on a boat tour.
Koh Rok reef survey finds coral bleaching at all five sites: what the park says and what to do
The park that covers Koh Rok reports bleaching at every one of its five survey sites, plus dead coral left from the 2024–2025 event. What the numbers say and what visitors are asked to do.
Thailand approves 106.8 billion baht for double-track railway from Chumphon to the Malaysian border
The Cabinet approved three southern double-track projects on 1 September, with the State Railway expecting to finish in 2033. What was approved, what was held back, and what a traveller to Surat Thani or Koh Samui notices today.
Thailand's 60-day visa exemption ended on 15 September 2026: what the 30-day rule means for visitors
The 60-day visa exemption is gone. Since 15 September 2026 most Western visitors get 30 days, for tourism only, and land-border crossings are capped. What changed and what to check before you fly.
Songkran 2027 falls on 13–15 April: the Bank of Thailand's 2027 holiday calendar and what it means for your trip
Thailand's central bank has published its 2027 holidays: 18 days, eight long weekends and a three-day Songkran in mid-April. Dates, crowds and which of our tours close.
Thailand's new deportation regulation took effect on 28 August 2026: what it means for visitors who misbehave
Thailand now has a written deportation procedure. The tourism minister says disruptive or disrespectful visitors can be detained, lose their visas and be blacklisted. What the rule covers and what ordinary visitors should know.
Thailand's Department of Medical Sciences warns about vape pods mixed with methamphetamine and etomidate
A Thai laboratory has found methamphetamine and a controlled anaesthetic in the same illegal vape pod. The warning, the Phuket raid that followed and why visitors are told to leave vapes at home.
Thailand plans common boat and safety standards for its 26 marine national parks, starting with Phi Phi
On 4 August 2026 the national park service and the marine resources department agreed a plan for boat checks, mooring zones and flags. What was agreed, what has not been decided and what it means for a Phi Phi day.
New BNEX train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya: timetable, fares and what changes for a day trip
Since 1 August 2026 the State Railway runs an air-conditioned train from Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat terminal to Ayutthaya. The promotional fares end on 31 October; here is what the train offers and how it compares with a guided day.
Thailand's 2026 alcohol sales rule: shops sell from 11:00 to midnight, with exceptions for hotels, airports and bars
The long afternoon ban on alcohol sales is gone. Since 29 May 2026 shops sell from 11:00 to midnight, and new no-drinking zones cover public piers and ferries. The rules in force today and the holy-day bans.
Donald Duck Bay in the Similan Islands is ranked the 10th best beach in the world for 2026
Donald Duck Bay, the beach below Sail Rock, took tenth place in the 2026 World's 50 Best Beaches list. What the ranking is, what the park credits it to and how a visit works this season.
Ang Thong National Marine Park closes from 1 November to 15 December 2026: what it means for Koh Samui trips
The park service's closure list for 2026 shuts Ang Thong to visitors for six weeks from 1 November. What is closed, when trips resume and what to do if you are on Koh Samui.