Malaysians love to hop on over to our northern neighbouring country, Thailand for a quick trip to dig into som tam in Bangkok or to dip in the aquamarine waters of Phuket.

Malaysians made up 4.6 million tourists out of the 28.09 million tourists that Thailand received in 2023. If you are one of the millions planning a holiday this year, remember to bring along at least 15,000 baht (approximately RM1998) in cash for their trip or you may be denied entry.

As reported by The Sun, the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok reminded its nationals of the necessary preparations one should make before travelling to Thailand.

Dewi Lestari, the Minister Counsellor of the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok said in an interview that this rule applies to all foreign visitors entering Thailand, regardless of their country.

Checks do not apply to everyone, but international visitors are subject to sporadic spot inspections by Thai immigration. This is to ensure that they have the resources to maintain their stay.

Dewi Lestari elaborated that failure to comply means violating Chapter 2, Section 12 of Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), and immigration officers are authorised to prevent tourists from entering Thailand.

Visitors should also possess the following:
  1. A passport that is up to date and does not expire within six months or less
  2. A ticket for their return trip
  3. Documentation of their lodging in Thailand
  4. Evidence of their ability to pay for trips while in the nation (e.g., having enough cash.

She added that Thailand Immigration did not specifically mention how much money a person must bring, but that it was at least 15,000 baht for single travellers to 20,000 baht for groups or families arriving together based on available data gathered by the embassy from incidents of visitors being denied entrance.

Image credit: Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash, instagram.com/rico_wong/