Visa: As of September 2026, Indian passport holders arriving on or after 15 September 2026 can enter Thailand for tourism without a visa and stay up to 30 days, down from the earlier 60. Fill in the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card online in the three days before you land, and carry a return ticket, your hotel booking, a passport with at least six months of validity left and enough money to show if immigration asks. For a longer stay, arrange a Thai e-visa before you fly, or ask an immigration office in Thailand for an extension of up to 30 days, which is at the officer's discretion and charged a fee. The rule has changed several times, so we recheck it before your travel date.
Flights: Non-stop flights to Bangkok leave every day from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi, taking about 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes. Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi also fly non-stop to Phuket, a Hyderabad to Phuket non-stop is scheduled from 25 October 2026, and Chennai has none at present. Krabi is reached through Phuket by road or through Bangkok by air.
Best time: November to February is the cool, dry peak season: Bangkok is at its most comfortable, the sea around Phuket and Krabi is calm, and the islands stay good into April. March to May is hot, April most of all. The rains run from about mid-May to October and bring the lowest hotel prices; September and October are the wettest months in Phuket and Krabi, and in Bangkok too, when island boat trips can be cancelled; Maya Bay closes every year from 1 August to 30 September. Koh Samui and Koh Phangan get their heaviest rain from October to December.
Money: Thai baht (THB). Cards are accepted in Bangkok's malls, hotels and larger restaurants, but street food, markets, tuk-tuks, island boats and national park fees are usually paid in cash. Indian debit and forex cards work at Thai ATMs, but Thai banks add a flat fee of about 250 baht a withdrawal (more on some cards) on top of your own bank's charges. India's UPI is not part of Thailand's cross-border QR payment scheme as of mid-2026, so do not count on paying by UPI.