Between its rich cultural history and vibrant food scene as well as an abundance of crystal-blue beaches, the Southeast nation of Thailand is by far one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia and for tourists from countries such as the U.S., the United Kingdom and Canada in particular.
With just under 33 million international visitors coming into the country in 2025, Thailand was behind only Malaysia as the most-visited country in Asia. The 30 million visitors who passed through Bangkok in the same year also made the Thai capital the most-visited city in the world in the same year, behind places like Hong Kong, London and Paris.
And while the majority of travelers who come to Thailand come and go home with only the most positive experiences, the country has a number of both entry and country-specific laws of which foreign tourists can be unaware of and accidentally run afoul.
Thailand changes penalties on tourists caught bringing cannabis buds into the country
In its latest travel advisory for the country, the U.S. State Department drew attention to a change in Thailand’s border laws reclassifying cannabis buds as a fineable offense.
While the previous law differentiated buds from other marijuana products in that they would be simply confiscated by a border guard upon discovery without charge, passed updates to border rules means that any “individuals importing, exporting, or attempting to evade restrictions on cannabis” from June 2026 can be hit with criminal charges.
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The penalties for the specific offense include up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 500,000 baht ($15,000 USD). With mistakes in which a traveler might have been unaware of law changes most likely to take place in the first months following implementation, the governments of the United Kingdom and Canada put out similar travel advisories for their citizens on the way to Thailand.
“Although Thailand decriminalized possession of cannabis in 2022, it remains illegal to import or export without correct permissions,” the U.S. State Department travel update put out on July 8 reads. “You are subject to local laws when traveling abroad. The U.S. government cannot guarantee your release when you are detained or arrested abroad.”
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Other recent changes to rules for tourists coming to Thailand in 2026
The changes to Thailand’s border rules were pushed forward by lawmakers as part of a wider effort to crack down on drug and other types of crime in the country.
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At the start of 2026, the Thai Cabinet has voted in plans to bring down the number of days citizens of most Western countries can stay without a visa from 60 to 30 days after finding that raising this numbers in 2024 led to a spike in Westerners entering as tourists and then launching illegal businesses.
In May 2026, regulators on the Thai island of Koh Samui have revoked the licenses of four travel agencies that were run by Westerners with no right to run a business in Thailand by using a local “Thai nominee” registered on their behalf.
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