Infographic: 10 Whacky laws in Thailand you didn’t know were a thing!
28/09/2021Jo
Whacky laws you didn’t even know were a thing; we’re here to show you what you should keep in mind when travelling around in Thailand.
We will warn you; these are a little ‘out-there’ but don’t mistake these for strange laws for jokes. They’re absolutely serious and could land you in jail!
We know that travelling to a new country can be a little daunting. Especially if it’s a completely different culture that to what you’re used to.
Different countries can often have strict and often whacky laws that might seem silly or even funny, but we can assure you, they are as serious as we are about holidays!
Thailand is no exception to the rule, and if you keep scrolling, you’ll learn some of the whacky laws in Thailand, that you didn’t even know were a thing!
Keep Ya Knickers On!
‘How would they know, though?’ We hear ya! Well, they wouldn’t know. Just make sure it’s not a windy day and you’re wearing a floaty skirt or wide leg shorts, that would be a dead giveaway.
No Shirt? No Driving!
There must have been some issues caused by people missing items of clothing in Thailand because deciding it’s too hot and taking your shirt off while at the wheel is illegal. Not to mention a little bit distracting to other drivers. You could get a hefty fine or even jail time for this offence.
Careful Where You’re Stepping!
Whacky as it may seem but stepping on Thai currency is a criminal offence. It’s seen as disrespectful to the King. You are stepping on his face, after all! So please, never ever, ever step on money in Thailand, ever!
Respect the Monarchy, Always.
Whilst we’re on the subject of the Royal Family, make sure you always respect the Monarchy. You might be surprised to learn that every day at 8am and 6pm, Thailand comes to a standstill. Even the hustle and bustle in Bangkok grinds to a halt. This is so citizens and tourists across the country take time to pay tribute to the Monarchy.
Bin Your Chewing Gum, Please.
It’s illegal in the UK to drop any kind of litter. It can land you a £70 fine so you should be pretty normalised to this law. However, there is a slight difference. Your fine could be over £400 for this one! Not what you expected to be spending your holiday money on, right?
Care for a Game of Cards?
You might think about packing a deck of cards for the flight or while you’re in Thailand, but according to The Playing Cards Act, 1943 ‘No person shall possess more than 120 playing cards’. Well, that’s fine, because a deck of cards has 52, right? Well yes, but you still need authorisation from a general to possess a deck of cards. Your fine could be four times the cost of the cards. Best to leave them at home, ay?
Can I See Some I.D?
If you’re anything like us, we’d usually opt for popping our passports in the hotel room safe while we’re exploring. It’s not unheard of for the police or officers to stop and ask tourists for their travel documents. It seems a little whacky to expect you to carry your passport around with you, but our extensive research shows you can carry a photocopy or picture on your phone of your passport, and you’ll be fine should you be stopped.
PDA – Public Display of Affection
Thailand is a beautiful country to explore with your significant other. So, it’s understandable that you’d want to show affection towards them while you’re making memories and exploring together. But keep the PDA to a minimum, yeah? It’s highly discouraged and won’t go down well with the locals. Keep that to yourselves.
Keep Your Feet on the Ground
Whilst this isn’t a ‘law’ as such, it is something that you should know is hugely frowned upon. We’re not 100% why you’d use your feet to gesture towards something as apposed to your hands or head anyway, but each to their own. Just keep your feet on the ground, literally.
Respect the Monks!
Every man in Thailand is expected to become a monk for some time before the age of 20. The chances are, you’ll see a Monk while you’re in Thailand. Remember to be respectful.
Test your knowledge
So, which one surprised you the most? Which law would you have broken had you not have known? We were definitely surprised by the law against driving shirtless and leaving the house, commando!
If you’re hungry for more Thai knowledge or want to test yourself, then it’s time to take the quiz. You’re an expert on all things Thai Law, after all.
Take the ‘Actual Weird Laws In Thailand’ Quiz by clicking the giant button, below.
After working in travel for 7 years I have concluded: I’m always up for a challenge. From working in Sales to Promotions, and now in the Marketing team, I’m always seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge. Wanting to learn more about the inner & outer workings of the travel industry.
Growing up I was super lucky to have family holiday’s every year, and now I want to help create the same experiences and memories for other people. My passion for travel never waivers and now, working in Marketing, I’m able to translate my passion into tangible collateral. Emails, building social media connections, writing blogs and creating web pages. It’s easy to see why I still love this job as much as I did 7 years ago!
Tropical Warehouse is part of the Blue Bay Travel family, the UK’s leading independent experts in long-haul holidays. We’ve spent over a decade collecting tonnes of first-hand holiday expertise to help you make the right choice from a smorgasbord of gorgeous getaways, providing individual care and attention for every holidaymaker.
