The rules that changed
and the ones that bite
Three that genuinely catch tourists. Vapes are fully illegal — fines run to ฿30,000 and there are documented shakedowns of people carrying them. Cannabis went back to medical prescription only in June 2025, so the dispensary free-for-all is over. And lèse-majesté laws are enforced and severe. On scams, one habit defuses nearly all of them: ignore anyone who approaches you first near a major attraction.
The rules that changed — and the ones that bite
Health: Bangkok's private hospitals (Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hospital) are genuinely world-class — and they bill upfront, so travel insurance isn't paperwork, it's the payment plan. Dengue is year-round: DEET at dawn and dusk. Tap water no; factory ice (the cylindrical kind with the hole) yes. Tourist police: 1155.
Scams, condensed to one sentence: ignore anyone who approaches you first near a major attraction. That single habit defuses the 'palace is closed' redirect, the gem-shop tuk-tuk circuit and the friendly-student shop steer. Taxi refuses the meter? Grab or Bolt has already defanged that one. Bangkok's scams are opt-in — you have to say yes to a stranger for almost all of them to work.
Rules that changed, 2025–26 — the freshness list: alcohol sale hours are now a unified 11:00–24:00 (the 53-year-old afternoon sales ban is gone; Buddhist holy days stay dry, with hotel and airport exemptions). Vapes are fully illegal — fines run to ฿30,000 and there are documented shakedowns of tourists carrying them; leave it at home, full stop. Cannabis is back to medical-prescription-only since June 2025 — the dispensary free-for-all is over. Lèse-majesté laws are enforced and severe: exercise extreme caution about the monarchy anywhere, including online, and stand when the royal anthem plays. Drones require registration before you fly one — the penalties are draconic. And the overstay math again: ฿500/day, one-year ban past 90 days.
Bangkok health and law FAQ
Is Bangkok tap water safe to drink?
Don't drink it — the pipes and tanks between plant and tap are the gamble. Bottled water is everywhere and cheap, hotels provide it free, and factory ice (cylindrical with a hole through it) is safe. Brushing your teeth with tap water is fine.