Scams in Thailand 2026: Tricks, Emergency Numbers, Safety

Contents of this article5 sections

The most common scams
Phone and online scams
Where it is dangerous
Laws visitors often don’t know about
If something happens

Thailand is a relaxed country to travel in. Most problems have nothing to do with violence. They are scams, big and small, designed to part you with your money. On top of that, a few laws are much stricter than in Germany. Below you’ll find what to watch out for and who to call if something does go wrong.

In short

Only take tuk-tuks and taxis that you approached yourself, and agree on the price beforehand. Even simpler is a ride-hailing app with a fixed fare.
Never leave your passport as a deposit, whether for a scooter or a jet ski.
Only fill in the TDAC arrival card on the official website. It is free.
E-cigarettes are banned in Thailand, and even possession can mean prison.
Tourist police: 1155.

The most common scams

Tuk-tuks and taxis. The risk of being scammed by taxi and tuk-tuk drivers is high. A typical trick is a detour to a shop where you are pressured into buying cheap goods or fakes. In Bangkok the meter is usually only switched on in cars marked “Taxi Meter”, and outside Bangkok not always. Tuk-tuk drivers often demand a hugely inflated fare at the end. You are therefore safer with a ride-hailing app that fixes the price in advance.

Jet skis and scooters. In holiday resorts, rental operators claim you returned the jet ski or scooter damaged and demand a lot of money. Some of these gangs work with corrupt police officers, and the police station at Patong Beach on Phuket is particularly notorious. In April 2025 the marine police on Phuket arrested five unlicensed jet ski operators. My advice: film the vehicle before you rent it. If someone tries to extort money from you, call the embassy immediately.

Fake TDAC websites. The TDAC digital arrival card is mandatory and free. At least 10 per cent of arriving travellers are said to have filled it in on a scam site, and some of these sites charge money. The official site is tdac.immigration.go.th. You can fill it in no earlier than three days before arrival.

Fake monks. Not every monk with an alms bowl is genuine. In 2026 police in Ayutthaya arrested two men who were posing as monks and collecting donations.

ATMs and counterfeit money. In tourist areas some ATMs have been tampered with, and counterfeit money is in circulation. So withdraw cash at bank branches. More on this in the guide Money and payments.

Phone and online scams

Fraudsters call pretending to be the police or a government authority, demand money and put you under pressure. Hang up and check directly with your family or the authority. Be suspicious, too, of unexpected emails, prize notifications and calls for help from supposed acquaintances.

Fake job offers are dangerous. Foreigners are lured with well-paid jobs and then trafficked to scam centres in Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia. In October 2026 the Chinese embassy warned about this again. If you want to spend the winter in Thailand, only get visa extensions from the immigration office, not through travel agencies or hotels. Fake visas are not uncommon.

Where it is dangerous

A travel warning applies to a 20-kilometre strip along the border with Cambodia. After the fighting that began in July 2025 there is now a ceasefire, but the border crossings are closed and there are still landmines.

The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises against travel to the southern provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani and to some districts of Songkhla (travel warning). Emergency laws apply there. The well-known holiday islands in the south are not in these provinces.

Drink spiking happens in bars, especially on Phuket, Koh Samui and Koh Tao and in Pattaya. Don’t accept drinks from strangers and never leave your glass unattended. Keep your distance from demonstrations.

Laws visitors often don’t know about

E-cigarettes: Importing, possessing and using them is banned, and you face up to five years in prison. Leave your e-cigarette at home.
Cannabis: Since June 2025 only allowed with a doctor’s prescription, and using it in public is banned. Anyone taking cannabis out of the country risks up to ten years in prison.
The monarchy: Insulting the royal family is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Even sharing posts on social media can count.
Smoking on the beach: Smoking is banned on some beaches, including on Phuket and Koh Samui and in Pattaya. The fine is up to 100,000 baht.
Drones: You must register your drone with the broadcasting regulator NBTC and the aviation authority CAAT, and you need liability insurance covering at least one million baht.
ID: Checks are common. A copy of your passport including the page with your entry stamp is enough.
Overstay: Every day over your permitted stay costs 500 baht, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht. This only applies up to 40 days; beyond that you risk prison, deportation and an entry ban.

If something happens

Emergency numbers. You can reach the tourist police on 1155 and the ambulance service on 1669. The hotline of the tourism authority TAT is 1672. The Tourist Assistance Center can help on +66 2134 4077. The regular police are on 191. All the numbers, the embassy and a hospital for every destination are listed together on the page Emergency in Thailand.

German Embassy Bangkok. 9 South Sathorn Road, phone +66 2287 9000. In an emergency outside opening hours you can reach it on +66 81 845 6224. Before you travel, sign up for Elefand, the German Federal Foreign Office’s crisis preparedness list.

Lost passport. Here’s what to do:

Report the loss to the local police and get a written report.
If you have a photo of your passport, send it to pass@bangk.diplo.de in advance.
Apply for a replacement document at the embassy or from the honorary consul on Phuket. Bring the application form, the police report, two passport photos and your German ID card, or failing that a copy of your passport and another document with a photo.
Then have your visa or entry stamp transferred to the new document at the immigration office. For this you need a certificate from the embassy and the police report.

Since February 2026 a travel document for returning home costs 57 euros, and a provisional passport costs 75 euros if you have deregistered your residence in Germany, otherwise 101 euros. Important: if your old passport turns up again, you can no longer travel on it. Travellers using a passport reported as lost are regularly refused entry.

What you need to enter the country is covered in Entering Thailand in 2026. What to watch out for on a scooter is in the guide Riding a scooter in Thailand. The rules and penalties that apply to visitors are in the guide What is banned in Thailand, and how to get safely from A to B is in the guide Getting around Thailand.