Thailand laws for tourists: vapes, cannabis, alcohol hours, drones and temple rules

Which Thai laws matter most to tourists?

The rules visitors most often break without meaning to, with a penalty only where a sourced figure exists.

Are vapes legal in Thailand?

No. Vapes, e-liquids, shisha and e-shisha have been banned since 2014, and the ban applies to tourists with no personal-use allowance. The UK Foreign Office says it also covers pods and heat-not-burn devices.

• Bringing a vape in counts as importing prohibited goods under the Customs Act (section 244): up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine. Reported fine levels differ between sources.
• Buying or holding one can be charged as receiving smuggled goods (section 246): up to 5 years and/or a fine of four times the goods' value plus duty. In April 2025 the government said it would charge users this way, not only sellers.
• Enforcement is active. A crackdown ordered by the Prime Minister led to 690 alleged sellers being arrested in one week (26 February – 4 March 2025). The Royal Thai Police opened an E-Cigarette Control Centre on 29 June 2026 and ran a nationwide operation on 1–15 July 2026.

Is cannabis legal in Thailand in 2026?

Not for recreational use. Since 26 June 2025 cannabis flower has been a "controlled herb", sold only against a prescription or medical certificate from a Thailand-licensed practitioner, for up to 30 days' supply. Online and vending-machine sales and advertising are banned, and smoking on shop premises is not allowed except under medical supervision.

• Since 30 April 2026, a ministerial regulation limits flower sales to clinical settings with a health professional on site. About 12,000 existing shops have until 2028 to convert, which is why you still see them.
• Public smoking has been treated as a nuisance under the Public Health Act since June 2022: up to 3 months in jail and/or a fine of up to 25,000 THB.
• Taking cannabis out of Thailand is smuggling. Foreigners have been arrested at airports, including 13 at Samui airport in March 2025.
• What comes next: around 22–23 September 2026 the Cabinet approved a medical-only Cannabis Control Bill. It goes to the House next and is not yet law.

We could not find a clearly stated penalty for a tourist who buys or uses cannabis without a prescription, so we do not print one. The safe reading of the rules is simple: without a prescription, do not buy it.

What are the alcohol sale hours in Thailand?

Licensed sellers may now sell alcohol continuously from 11:00 to 24:00. The old 14:00–17:00 afternoon ban is gone: it was lifted as a 180-day trial from 3 December 2025 and made permanent by a notice published in the Royal Gazette on 28 May 2026.

With the afternoon ban gone, the practical risk window is 00:00–11:00. The Health Ministry said the first year of the drinker's fine, to about November 2026, would focus on warnings. Still unconfirmed: whether a proposed extra hour after midnight to finish a drink was ever formalised. On holy days, hotels, international airports, licensed entertainment venues and designated tourist-zone venues are exempt; other sellers face up to 6 months in prison and/or 10,000 THB.

Can I fly a drone in Thailand?

Yes, after registering it. Any drone with a camera, whatever its weight, must be registered, as must any drone over 2 kg without a camera. Two authorities are involved, and the process takes time, so start before you travel.

1. CAAT (Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand): register the drone and pass a basic remote-pilot exam online at uasportal.caat.or.th. The certificate lasts 2 years.
2. Insurance: third-party liability cover of at least 1,000,000 THB, bought at home or in Thailand.
3. NBTC (radio frequencies): foreigners register at anyregis.nbtc.go.th. This is reportedly only possible after arrival, because it needs your entry stamp, and the portal sends a one-time password to a Thai SIM.
4. Before each flight: notify the flight in advance through the UAS Portal. Stay below 90 m, fly in daylight, keep the drone in sight and never fly within 9 km of an airport.

CAAT Announcement No. 16, in force from 26 June 2026, still bans drones in 28 districts of 7 provinces on the Cambodian border. That includes Khong Chiam district in Ubon Ratchathani, where Pha Taem National Park is; Ko Chang district in Trat is not restricted. Flying unregistered can bring up to 1 year in prison and/or a 40,000 THB fine, and radio-frequency offences are reported to carry up to 5 years and/or 100,000 THB.

What should tourists know about the monarchy law?

Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code makes it a crime to defame, insult or threaten the King, the Queen, the Heir-apparent or the Regent, with 3 to 15 years in prison per offence, according to the UN human rights office. The law applies to everyone in Thailand, visitors included, and to what you post or share online. In practice: do not joke about or criticise the royal family in public or online while in Thailand, and treat royal portraits and images with respect.

What are the temple and Grand Palace rules?

Cover your shoulders and knees, take your shoes off before entering temple buildings, never point your feet at a Buddha image, and women should not touch monks. That is the Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) guidance for every temple.

The Grand Palace has a stricter written dress code. It is open daily 08:30–16:30, with tickets sold 08:30–15:30; foreigners pay 500 THB, which includes Wat Phra Kaew and the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, and children under 120 cm enter free. Not allowed:

• Sleeveless shirts, vests, short or crop tops and see-through tops.
• Hot pants or shorts, mini skirts, bike pants and tight trousers.
• Torn trousers and sleepwear.

What about drugs and gambling?

Stay away from both. The UK Foreign Office warns that possessing Class A drugs in Thailand can lead to the death penalty and that even small quantities of illegal substances can bring heavy fines or imprisonment. Cannabis is covered above; nothing about its looser 2022–2025 status applies to other drugs.

Gambling is a crime under the Gambling Act of 1935, with the government lottery and domestic horse racing among the few legal forms. A bill to allow casinos inside licensed entertainment complexes was withdrawn by the Cabinet on 8 July 2025, and the House approved the withdrawal, so casinos remain illegal. One oddity the UK Foreign Office flags: under the Playing Cards Act of 1943, carrying more than 120 playing cards is illegal.

Do I have to carry my passport, and do seatbelt rules apply to me?

Police may ask to see your passport. If you do not have it with you, the UK Foreign Office says you could be asked to produce it within 24 hours, so carry it or a copy and know where the original is. Never hand your passport over as a deposit, for example to motorbike or jet-ski rental businesses; that is how many damage-claim disputes start (see scooter and jet-ski rental disputes).

On the road, the Land Traffic Act as amended in 2022 requires everyone in a car to wear a seatbelt, in every row. Children aged 6 or under must ride in a child seat, and passengers 135 cm or shorter must be belted or restrained. The fine is up to 2,000 THB, with the driver mainly liable. Since a police announcement of 17 August 2023, taxis and public transport are exempt from the child-seat rule, and in a private car without a seat the child may ride in the back with an adult or a seatbelt. Whether ride-hailing and private transfer cars count as exempt is not settled, so if you travel with small children, book a car with a child seat.

Entry rules, including what customs will confiscate on arrival, are in our Thailand entry requirements guide. If you are arrested or need a lawyer, contact your embassy; the numbers to call first are in emergency numbers for Thailand.