Trip to Thailand
Thailand packing checklist: documents, stomach-bug first aid, mosquito and sun protection, scooters and temples. Answer two questions and the list adapts.

[ ] Check your passport validity
    Thailand requires at least 6 months of passport validity from the date of entry — border officers do check.
[ ] Check visa rules
    Many nationalities get 30–60 days visa-free at the time of writing. Rules change periodically — double-check for your passport before booking.
[ ] Buy travel insurance
    A hospital stay in Thailand costs thousands of dollars. Note: basic policies exclude scooter riding — if you plan to ride, get a policy that covers it.
[ ] Save tickets and bookings offline
    Immigration may ask for a return ticket and accommodation address. Screenshots plus printouts beat spotty roaming internet.
[ ] Bring cash to exchange for baht
    Exchange booths in town (Super Rich and similar) beat airport rates by a lot. Bring crisp, newer-series bills — worn notes get a worse rate. Cards work in malls, but street food and markets are cash-only.
[ ] Make copies of your documents
    Photograph your passport and entry stamp to cloud storage. Leave the original in the hotel safe — a copy is enough around town.
[ ] Pack a stomach-bug first aid kit
    New food plus heat makes stomach bugs the #1 tourist problem: sorbent, oral rehydration salts, anti-diarrheal, antiseptic, fever reducer. Pharmacies (Boots, 7-Eleven) sell it all, but hunting for one at night with a fever is a bad plan.
[ ] Buy repellent with 30%+ DEET
    Dengue fever is present in Thailand and there's no tourist vaccine — repellent is your only defense. Apply at dusk and dawn, especially near greenery and water.
[ ] Sunscreen SPF 50
    This close to the equator you burn even on cloudy days. Add aloe or panthenol for after-sun — resort prices are steep.
[ ] Remember: drink bottled water only
    Tap water isn't potable. A bottle at 7-Eleven costs 10–15 baht. Factory ice (the tube-shaped kind with a hole) in cafés is generally safe.
[ ] Check the jellyfish season at your beach
    Rainy season currents bring jellyfish, occasionally dangerous box jellies. Swim at netted/flagged beaches; for stings pour vinegar (stations on many beaches) and see the lifeguard.
[ ] Modest clothes for temples
    Knees and shoulders covered, shoes off at the entrance. Loose pants and slip-ons make it easy. The Grand Palace in Bangkok turns away visitors in shorts.
[ ] Light breathable clothes + a layer
    Cotton and linen, nothing heavy. The layer isn't for outdoors — it's for arctic air conditioning in malls, buses and domestic flights.
[ ] Rain poncho for the wet season
    May to October downpours are short but torrential. Umbrellas are useless; a light 7-Eleven poncho works. A rain cover for your backpack helps too.
[ ] Chargers: check your plug type
    Thai sockets take both flat US and round European pins — most travelers need no adapter. UK plugs do need one.
[ ] Power bank — carry-on only
    Power banks are banned from checked luggage; carry-on allows up to 100 Wh (~20,000 mAh) with most airlines.
[ ] Set up an eSIM or buy a Thai SIM
    AIS/True tourist packages (15–30 days, unlimited data) sell at the airport and 7-Eleven. An eSIM is easier — you're online before immigration.
[ ] Download offline maps and a translator
    You can't sound out Thai script, and English fades outside tourist zones. Offline maps plus a camera translator make life much easier.
[ ] Install Grab
    The local ride-hailing app: 2–3x cheaper than tuk-tuks and «negotiated» taxis, with upfront pricing. Doubles as food delivery.
[ ] Check in online for your flight
    Opens 24–36 hours before departure. Free seats together go fastest right at opening.
[ ] Kids' documents
    Each child needs their own passport (same 6-month validity rule). Bring the birth certificate if surnames differ; check the rules for one-parent travel.
[ ] Kids' first aid kit
    Child-dose fever reducer, kids' tummy remedies, thermometer, their usual meds. Child formulations are harder to find in Thai pharmacies than adult ones.
[ ] Kids' sun and mosquito protection
    Kids' SPF 50+, a UPF swim shirt, sun hat. Use child-formulated repellent — adult DEET concentrations aren't for kids.
[ ] Snacks and entertainment for the road
    It's a long flight, often with a connection. Offline cartoons, small new toys, familiar snacks — Thai food takes kids a while.
[ ] Bring an IDP with motorcycle category
    Without an International Driving Permit with motorcycle category you'll pay checkpoint fines — and worse, your insurance is void in a crash. Get the IDP at home; it takes minutes.
[ ] Helmet — always, even for 500 meters
    Scooter crashes are the top cause of tourist injuries in Thailand. Ask the rental for a real helmet, not a plastic shell.
[ ] Video the scooter at pickup
    Walk around it on camera: scratches, mirrors, mileage. It's your only defense against «you scratched it — pay up» at return.
[ ] Never leave your passport as scooter deposit
    Leave a cash deposit or a copy instead. A pawned passport becomes leverage for inflated damage claims.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/thailand