Is it safe to drink the tap water?

No. Stick to bottled water or use filtered water stations found in most hotels.

Only at markets. Do not haggle for food or transport prices where a meter or fixed price is displayed.

Your First Trip to Thailand: A Practical Roadmap

Spend 14 days splitting your time between Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and an island like Koh Lanta to experience city life, culture, and beaches. Use domestic budget flights to save time and book everything at least three months in advance for the best rates.

Map out your route. Limit yourself to three distinct areas for a 14-day trip. A standard route is 3 days in Bangkok, 5 days in Chiang Mai/Northern Thailand, and 6 days on a southern island or beach town.
Book your internal transport. Use AirAsia or Thai VietJet for long distances between Bangkok and the North/South. Book these at least 30 days out to keep costs under $60 per leg.
Handle your money. Carry a debit card that reimburses ATM fees. Thailand’s ATMs charge 220 THB (approx. $6) per transaction for foreign cards, so pull out the maximum amount allowed to minimize fees.
Set up your connectivity. Buy a local e-SIM via Airalo or grab a physical tourist SIM card (AIS or TrueMove) at Suvarnabhumi Airport immediately after clearing customs for reliable data.

Is it safe to drink the tap water?: No. Stick to bottled water or use filtered water stations found in most hotels.
Do I need to haggle?: Only at markets. Do not haggle for food or transport prices where a meter or fixed price is displayed.