Thailand on GuideMeet

Is Thailand safe to travel?

Updated October 2026

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 22 September 2026.

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Safety

• Deep south emergency — A state of emergency has been in force since 2005 in the southern provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani and in the Chana, Na Thawi, Thepha and Saba Yoy districts of Songkhla, where separatist terrorist groups operate. Travel there is advised against: attacks are still frequent against the security forces and the resident Buddhist community, and sometimes hit public targets such as trains and shopping centres.
• Cambodia border closed — The land borders between Thailand and Cambodia are temporarily closed. A ceasefire is in force at the moment, but the situation remains tense: keep away from the areas closest to the border, follow to the letter the instructions the local authorities issue through official channels, and monitor the situation through the media.
• Borders and mines — Maximum caution is advised in the Golden Triangle area with Laos and Myanmar, especially close to the borders. Avoiding travel to the areas nearest the Burmese border is suggested, in particular the provinces of Mae Hong Son and Tak. It is recommended to avoid travel to the areas closest to the Cambodian border in the east as well, including the disputed zone around the Preah Vihear temple in Sisaket province, where unexploded mines are reported.
• Rains and floods — During the rainy season, roughly mid-May to mid-October, flooding and landslides can cause serious disruption, and flood-prone areas are best avoided during and after the rains. Check the weather situation at your destination before leaving and while you are there; the Thai meteorological department's warnings section is particularly useful. Pay attention to any alert issued after an earthquake in the seismic areas, or a tsunami warning for the Andaman Sea coast in the south.
• Air pollution — Thailand is often affected by high levels of air pollution. Besides the capital, it becomes particularly acute in the north and around Chiang Mai, above all from mid-February to mid-April, because of higher temperatures and the burning of scrub and undergrowth. With no government agency dedicated to it, the air quality index has to be followed through private agencies and open online sources.
• Terrorism — Thailand has been hit by terrorist attacks several times in recent years, with explosions in Bangkok and in tourist places such as Hua Hin, Surat Thani, Phuket in the Patong area and Phang-nga. Small devices were found and some detonated in several parts of Bangkok on 2 August 2019. The authorities keep a high level of vigilance at sites considered sensitive.
• Drugged drinks and theft — Avoid venues of doubtful reputation, where drugs can be slipped into drinks and a theft follows. Watch for bag snatching in central Bangkok, particularly in the evening, when traffic lets thieves escape on a motorbike, and mostly in the areas foreigners frequent. Numerous cases of card cloning have been recorded, shopping centres included, so be careful when using your cards. Keep the payment receipt after every purchase: checks, especially in department stores and airports, are very thorough, and any dispute can have severe consequences.
• Fake job offers — Be cautious with digital-sector and call-centre job offers for northern Thailand near the Myanmar border, however serious they look. These can lead to forced transfers and kidnappings, to force the victims to work in the online scam centres operating in Myanmar along the Thai border.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 22 September 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Thailand before you travel. Where a guide's profile shows “Licence verified”, we found that licence in the official public register; otherwise GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 22 September 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 7 October 2026.