Travel Guides8 min read

Top Tips for Thailand: The Stuff No One Tells You

December 13, 2025

Yeah, yeah, "Top Tips." I can hear you sighing from here. "Drink water," "wear sunscreen," "don't ride elephants." We get it. You’ve already scrolled past a hundred AI-generated lists telling you the exact same clichés.

But this isn’t that. This is the stuff we learned the hard way—sweating in a tuk-tuk, getting lost in a soi (alleyway), and realizing that what works on Instagram doesn't always work in real life. If you want to travel Thailand like a pro in 2026, here is the underdog advice you actually need.

1. Escape the "Golden Triangle" of Tourism

Most first-timers stick to the Bangkok → Chiang Mai → Phuket circuit. And that's fine, but you're sharing your sunset with 5,000 other people. If you want the real magic, you need to go where the tour buses don't fits.

Instead of Phuket, try Koh Kood: It’s often called "Thailand’s last paradise" for a reason. Located near the Cambodian border, it has crystal clear water, waterfalls you can swim in, and zero 7-Elevens (okay, maybe one or two now, but it's quiet).
The "762 Curves" to Pai: Want a badge of honor? Take the road from Chiang Mai to Pai. It has exactly 762 hairpin turns. It’s a nausea-inducing rite of passage that rewards you with a chill, hippie mountain town full of hot springs and canyons.
The Dragon Temple (Wat Samphran): Want a photo that will confuse your friends? Visit this 17-story pink tower about 40km from Bangkok. It’s literally wrapped in a giant dragon sculpture that you can walk inside. It’s weird, it’s wonderful, and it’s rarely on the "classic" itinerary.

The Dragon Temple Wat Samphran in Thailand

2. Master the Transport Apps (and Save a Fortune)

Getting ripped off by a taxi driver who "forgot" to turn on the meter is a rite of passage, but it’s one you can skip.

Grab: The Uber of Southeast Asia. It’s safe, reliable, and you can order food with it too.
Bolt: The underdog app that is often 20-30% cheaper than Grab. The wait times might be slightly longer, but your wallet will thank you.
12Go: This is the holy grail for intercity travel. Want to book a sleeper train from Bangkok to Surat Thani? A ferry to Koh Tao? Do it here. Do not trust random travel agents on the street who promise "VIP Buses"—stick to the official schedules on 12Go.

3. The "Cashless Trap" & How to Beat It

Here is a fact that shocks most travelers: Thailand is almost entirely cashless now.

In 2024 alone, mobile payment volume grew by over 15%. Walk into a local market, a vintage clothing store, or even a grandma selling sticky rice on the side of the road, and you will see a blue QR code on a stand. That is PromptPay.

Locals scan it in seconds. Tourists? They stand there awkwardly fumbling for cash.

Here is the problem:

ATM Fees are Brutal: Every time you withdraw cash with a foreign card, Thai ATMs charge a flat fee of 220 THB (approx. $6-7 USD). That is on top of your own bank's fees.
No One Has Change: Try paying for a 40 THB Pad Thai with a 1,000 Baht note. You will get the "death stare."
The QR Envy: You’ll see locals zipping through payments while you’re counting coins like it’s 1999.

The Fix: Remitran This is where we humbly (but excitedly) step in. You don't need to open a Thai bank account to use those QR codes anymore.

With Remitran, you can use your Indian UPI apps to scan those Thai PromptPay QR codes directly.

How it works: Open our app, scan the local QR, enter the amount in THB.
The Magic: We show you the live exchange rate instantly. You hit pay, enter your UPI pin, and the vendor gets their money instantly.
The Win: You avoid that nasty 220 THB ATM fee, you don't carry wads of cash, and you pay exactly like a local.

We are launching in Q1 2026, just in time for your next adventure. Check us out at remitranglobal.com.

4. Respect the "Wai" and the Feet

Thai culture is incredibly forgiving, but there are two things you really shouldn't mess up.

The Feet: Never, ever point your feet at a person or a Buddha statue. It’s considered the "lowest" and dirtiest part of the body. Don't use your foot to stop a rolling coin, and don't prop your feet up on a chair.
The Head: Conversely, the head is the most sacred. Don't touch people's heads—even cute kids.
The Wai: That prayer-like gesture? You don't need to do it to everyone (like service staff), but if someone older does it to you, return it. It’s just good manners.

Scenic winding road in the mountains of Northern Thailand

5. 7-Eleven is a Food Group

This sounds like a joke, but it's not. Thai 7-Elevens are legendary. They are air-conditioned oases of toasted sandwiches, cheap SIM cards, and surprisingly good coffee. If you are on a budget or just need a midnight snack, do not be ashamed to grab a "ham and cheese toastie." It’s a cult classic for a reason.

So pack your bags, download your apps, and get ready to scan your way through paradise. Thailand is waiting.