Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Thailand, you are subject to its laws. If you break local laws in Thailand, your U.S. passport won’t help you to avoid arrest or prosecution. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. For example, as previously mentioned, Thais hold the King and the royal family in the highest regard, and it is a serious criminal offense in Thailand to make critical or defamatory comments about them. This particular crime, called lèse majesté, is punishable by a prison sentence of three to fifteen years. The offenses include actions that in the United States would be sanctioned as the exercise of free speech. If you use the Internet when committing this crime, you may be subject to additional criminal sanctions of up to seven additional years in prison. Thai authorities actively search for and investigate Internet postings, including blog entries and links to other sites, for lèse majesté content. They have arrested and charged U.S. citizens and others with lèse majesté offenses for actions that occurred outside of Thailand. You can also be charged if you do not remove a potentially offensive item fast enough from an Internet site you control. Purposely tearing or destroying Thai bank notes, which carry an image of the King, may also be considered a lèse majesté offense, as can spitting on or otherwise defiling an official uniform bearing the royal insignia.

The Thai government has publicly stated that it will not tolerate the use of Thai territory as a base by groups trying to overthrow or destabilize the governments of nearby countries. Several U.S. citizens have been arrested or detained under suspicion of carrying out such activities. Sometimes military authorities carry out these detentions, and we do not learn of them until many days after the fact. Many U.S. citizens suspected of advocating the armed overthrow of other governments have been "blacklisted" from entering the country. Attempts to overthrow foreign governments by force may violate U.S. law as well as Thai law.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Thailand are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences under harsh conditions and often heavy fines as well. Thailand has a death penalty for serious drug offenses and has executed convicted traffickers. We frequently do not learn of the arrest of U.S. citizens for minor drug offenses, particularly in southern Thailand, until several days after the incident. If you are arrested for a minor drug offense, you may be jailed for several weeks while lab testing is done on the drugs seized with you. Pre-trial jail conditions may be more severe than prison conditions. If you are able to post bail during this period, the Royal Thai government will place your name on a watch list for Thai immigration officials because you are not supposed to leave Thailand until the legal proceedings are complete.

Some trekking tour companies, particularly in northern Thailand, make drugs available to trekkers. Drug-related crimes and arrests are also common in Bangkok, Pattaya, and at some beach resorts in southern Thailand. Police in beach resort areas are especially on the lookout for drugs during and after “full moon parties.” You should not accept drugs of any kind, as the drugs may be altered and harmful, and the use or sale of narcotic drugs is illegal in Thailand.

Thai police occasionally raid discos, bars, or nightclubs looking for underage patrons and drug users. During the raids, they typically check the identification of all customers in the establishment and make each person provide a urine sample to be checked for narcotics. The police do not excuse foreigners from these checks, and they arrest and charge anyone whose urine tests positive for drugs. Customers can be jailed if they do not cooperate, and we are unaware of any successful challenge to the practice.

Shoplifting is strictly prosecuted. Arrests for shoplifting even low-value items can result in large fines and lengthy detention followed by deportation. If you are accused of shoplifting at the airport, you will be detained and may miss your flight at your own expense. In 2010 and 2012, there were news reports that duty-free store employees in league with airport police added unpurchased items to foreigners’ check-out bags or did not charge for all the items purchased. Purportedly, police then stopped the foreigner as he/she exited the stores and charged the person with shoplifting. We strongly recommend that before leaving a counter, you carefully check all receipts to make certain they list all the items you purchased and also carefully check to ensure that only the items you purchased are in your bag.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available (as they are in Thailand). The manufacture and sale of pirated goods, including music, movies, software, and counterfeit luxury goods and apparel, is a crime in Thailand and is frequently controlled by organized crime networks. Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States. More information on this serious problem is available in the intellectual property section of the U.S. Department of Justice website.

Arrest notifications in Thailand: Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, a United States-Thailand bilateral agreement, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Thailand, you have the right to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the U.S. Embassy or Consulate of your arrest, and to have communications from you forwarded to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, as soon as you are arrested or detained, request that the police and prison officials notify the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Thai customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Thailand of items such as firearms, explosives, narcotics and drugs, radio equipment, books or other printed material, and video or audio recordings, which might be considered subversive to national security, obscene, or in any way harmful to the public interest and cultural property. Buddha images, regardless of form, are particularly sensitive items because of the central role of Buddhism in Thai society. You should contact the Embassy of Thailand in Washington, D.C, or one of the Thai consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.

Surrogacy: U.S. citizens are advised not to engage in commercial surrogacy arrangements in Thailand. On February 19, 2015, Thailand’s Legislature passed a law that bans commercial surrogacy. The law includes possible fines and imprisonment for specified violations. Those with surrogacy cases already in progress should consult a lawyer and keep in mind that U.S. citizens and other foreigners in Thailand are subject to Thai laws and procedures.

Medicine for Personal Use: The importation of medicine for personal use is allowed as long as the amount does not exceed a 30-day supply and you bring the medicine with you. Do not mail medicine to Thailand without first checking to confirm it will be allowed into the country. You can find customs and permit information on the Thailand Customs website and the Thailand Food and Drug Administration website. In 2012 and 2013, we received reports of U.S. citizens having difficulty importing prescription medicines that were commercially available in Thailand. It is important that you verify how you will maintain your medicine supply before you begin your trip. You should also use the resources linked in this paragraph to review the legality of the prescription medication you plan to bring with you in your carry-on and checked baggage. If you plan to purchase more medication while you are in Thailand, bring your physician’s prescription order with you. You may need to have your prescription reordered by a physician licensed to practice in Thailand before a Thai pharmacy will fill it.

Water Safety: Strong seasonal undercurrents at popular beach resorts pose a sometimes fatal threat to surfers and swimmers. During the monsoon season from May through October, drowning is the leading cause of death for tourists visiting the resort island of Phuket. Some, but not all beaches have warning flags to indicate the degree of risk (red flag: sea condition dangerous for swimming; yellow flag: sea condition rough, swim with caution; green flag: sea condition stable).

Weather Conditions: Heavy rains and floods are frequent during the May-October rainy season. Be alert for floods and landslides near waterways, in low-lying areas, and along hills. The leading cause of death during 2011’s historic period of flooding was electrocution because people did not turn off electricity in their flooded homes. Long power outages are also common during the rainy season. Monitor local media to keep up to date with the latest information about weather and road conditions in your area. The Thai Meteorological Department posts weather forecasts and warnings online. If you are traveling by ferry, air, bus, or rail during periods of heavy rain, you should check with the transportation company you plan to use to ensure that its service is still operating. If you are driving, try to confirm that roads are passable. Highway information in the Thai language is available by dialing 1586. If you are affected by flooding and need urgent assistance, call 1155 to reach Tourist Police. You will find useful information on steps to take before, during, and after weather-related and other natural disasters at this U.S. government FEMA website.

Boat Safety: Boat safety is a concern in Thailand. Ferries and speedboats used for transport to and from the many islands off the Thai mainland and along rivers and canals are often overcrowded and do not carry sufficient safety equipment. In November 2013, six people, including three foreigners, died when an overcrowded tourist ferry sank near Pattaya. Avoid travel on overcrowded boats, and ensure that proper safety equipment (including life preservers) is available before boarding any boat or ferry.

Adventure Tourism: Thailand has a developed adventure tourism industry. However, standards and requirements for safety inspections may not be equivalent to those required for similar activities in the United States.

Fire Safety and Building Codes: Fire safety standards, sprinkler systems, and building codes in hotels and other buildings may not match those for similar structures in the United States. On March 8, 2012, a fire in a Bangkok hotel belonging to an international chain killed two foreign tourists and injured several others. There was no sprinkler system in part of the hotel. On August 17, 2012, a fire at a Phuket disco killed two Thais and two foreign tourists, and injured several other persons.

Arbitration: Incidents involving traffic accidents, minor property damage, and petty crimes are often settled through informal arbitration, or “compromise.” This process usually takes place at a police station, with the police as arbiters and sometimes as participants. It may seem irregular and look like an attempt to fleece the foreigner, but it is a traditional way of settling a dispute that many Thais prefer because it avoids legal formalities and is relatively quick. However, it can be opaque and bewildering to foreigners. In places with a large number of tourists, English-speaking Tourist Police or police volunteers might be able to explain what is going on. In any case, you should not sign anything unless you have read it and understood it. If you are not comfortable with this process, you can decline to participate. The police then will write a report and handle the matter through the formal judicial process. If this happens, you should consult with a local attorney for guidance.

Schools: Thailand has many schools where foreigners may study the Thai language, train to become English teachers, yoga instructors, learn Thai massage, or study Muay Thai, traditional Thai Boxing. Most are reputable, but some U.S. citizens have lost substantial sums of money to unscrupulous school operators who do not provide the services they have promised or do not adhere to current Thai visa and work permit regulations. We do not monitor or evaluate individual schools. You should thoroughly research a school before paying any fees. Do not rely on the website. Visit the school campus to inspect its facilities and verify the credentials of its instructors. Check the school’s reputation online – there are several websites that have student reviews. Paying school fees with a U.S. credit card rather than with cash or a bank transfer will make it easier to recover your money in case of a dispute.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: Although there are no laws that criminalize sexual orientation or consensual same-sex sexual conduct between adults in Thailand, some discrimination exists. LGBT groups report that in the case of sexual crimes police tend to downplay sexual abuse or not to take harassment claims from LGBT victims seriously. There are also reports of some continued commercial discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. For example, some nightclubs, bars, hotels, and factories may deny entry or employment to gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Thailand, you may review the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Thailand, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what they experience in the United States. The Thai constitution mandates that newly constructed buildings have facilities for persons with disabilities. Also, newly built transportation facilities and new transportation equipment must be accessible to the disabled. Enforcement and awareness of these provisions has been gradually increasing since the first related law was passed in 1979, but enforcement is not uniform. Wheelchair access to buildings and public transportation is often difficult, impracticable, or non-existent. Ramps may be excessively steep. Curbs are seldom cut for wheelchairs. Sidewalks can be uneven and congested with vendors, utility poles, and other obstacles. Beginning in 2008, Bangkok began reconstructing sidewalks in commercial areas to make them safer for persons with disabilities. Facilities for the deaf and vision impaired are sparse and designed primarily for readers and speakers of Thai.