Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
Bangkok
Emerald Buddha; 1782 royal precinct.
Language buttons — what each contraction means
Tap a button to read the app in that language. The short code is the language, not a tourist destination.
- EN
- = English — United Kingdom, USA, and worldwide
- العربية
- = Arabic — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, and the Arab world
- FR
- = French — France (and francophone countries)
- ES
- = Spanish — Spain (and Spanish-speaking countries)
- DE
- = German — Germany — Deutschland
- TR
- = Turkish — Türkiye (Turkey)
- 中文
- = Chinese — China
- 日本語
- = Japanese — Japan
- RU
- = Russian — Russia
- IT
- = Italian — Italy
🇹🇭 Thailand
تايلاند · THB · 191 police · 1669 ambulance · I Lert U app · as of 2026-08
How the country is laid out
Bangkok hub (BTS/MRT). North: Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai (Lanna, mountains). South Andaman: Phuket/Krabi/Phi Phi. Gulf: Samui/Phangan/Tao via Surat Thani train+ferry. Eat two streets off tourist strips — prices drop by half.
Places
Wat Arun
Bangkok
Temple of Dawn, 79 m Khmer-style prang.
Ayutthaya Historical Park
Ayutthaya
UNESCO ruins; Buddha head in tree roots.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Chiang Mai
Mountain temple, 306 naga steps.
Phi Phi / Maya Bay
Krabi
Limestone cliffs, clear water.
Railay Beach
Krabi
Boat-only; world-class climbing walls.
Chatuchak Weekend Market
Bangkok
15,000+ stalls.
Sukhothai Historic Park
Sukhothai
First Thai kingdom ruins.
Prices (ranges, not quotes)
| Item | Range | USD | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street Pad Thai / fried rice | 40–80 THB | ~USD 1.15–2.3 | 2026-08 |
| Mid-range restaurant main | 180–450 THB | ~USD 5–13 | 2026-08 |
| Mango sticky rice (street vs tourist) | 45–200 THB | ~USD 1.3–5.7 | 2026-08 |
| Thai massage 1 hour | 180–350 THB | ~USD 5–10 | 2026-08 |
| Muay Thai lesson 1 hour | 200–250 THB | ~USD 6–7 | 2026-08 |
| PADI Open Water | 11000–12000 THB | ~USD 320–360 | 2026-08 |
| Market T-shirt | 50–300 THB | ~USD 1.4–8.6 | 2026-08 |
| BTS Skytrain trip | 15–65 THB | ~USD 0.4–1.9 | 2026-08 |
Hotels
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
Chao Phraya
Since 1876; spa, butlers, two pools.
400–1200 USD / night
Passport + TM.30. 14:00 / 12:00. Smoking outdoor only.
River, spa, butlers
Four Seasons Chiang Mai
Mae Rim
Rice paddies, Lanna pavilions.
400–1000 USD / night
No public number verified — use official site.
Passport.
Pavilions, spa, cooking school
Stay with Nimman
Chiang Mai Nimman
Cafés and boutiques on the doorstep.
41–80 USD / night
No public number verified — use official site.
Passport.
Central Nimman
Hangover No 1 Hostel Patong
Phuket Patong
High-rated budget hostel.
7–20 USD / night
No public number verified — use official site.
Passport.
Dorms
TM.30 immigration reporting. 220V Type A/B/C. Tipping 20–50 THB porters. Uber does NOT operate.
Transport & delivery apps
| App | Kind | Best for | vs others |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grab Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, most islands | ride | Install before landing | Vs Bolt: Grab is coverage; Bolt is often cheaper cars |
| Bolt Major cities | ride | Budget | Thinner than Grab |
| inDrive Cities + some islands | ride | Off-peak | Russian UI available |
| GrabFood Nationwide | food | Default | LINE MAN is huge with locals (LINE messenger) |
| 12Go Nationwide | intercity | Island tickets | Vs Klook: 12Go = transport, Klook = tours |
| LINE Nationwide | chat | Messaging | Not a ride app — still essential |
SIM / eSIM / internet
AIS
Widest islands/mountains, 46% share
Tourist unlimited 5d 399 THB → 30d 1,199 THB
Best beyond cities; FUP ~2.5 GB/day then throttle
True (True+DTAC)
Fastest 5G Bangkok
8d unlimited 499 THB; 30d 1,199 THB
City nomads
Airalo / Nomad / Gigago / Saily. Islands or Pai → AIS. Passport + photo for physical SIM. 7-Eleven limited tourist SIMs.
Culture
Clothes
Temples: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off, never point feet at Buddha.
Food
Spoon right, fork left. Mai phet = not spicy. Pad Thai, tom yum, som tam, khao soi. Don’t stick chopsticks upright in rice.
Marriage
Sin sod dowry (often returned). Khan maak procession, rod nam sang water blessing, monks in the morning.
History
Sukhothai 1238, Ayutthaya 1350–1767, Chakri/Bangkok 1782. Never colonised — “Land of the Free”.
Stories
Emerald Buddha found 1434 after lightning. Golden Buddha of Wat Traimit hid in plaster until 1955.
Map
Community translation — verify medical, legal, and visa text.