New Cash Requirements for Tourists Visiting Thailand?

New Cash Requirements for Tourists Visiting Thailand?

Is there a new cash requirement for tourists visiting Thailand? A friend asked me when I was traveling in Bangkok for my blog assignment. The question seems strange to me as I never encounter any immigration officers from Thailand asking for the proof of cash after so many trips to the Kingdom of Smiles.

The story of this new cash requirements for tourists visiting Thailand sparked by an incident with a group of Chinese tourists last week. According to Sin Chew Daily, a group of Shanghainese tourists were denied entry to Thailand due to insufficient cash with them. The requirement for a person is to carry a minimum 20,000 Baht per person and a few members of the Chinese tour group didn’t have enough cash and hence the whole tour group was denied entry according to the newspaper report.

This is the first time I heard of such incident and will this affects Malaysian tourists to Thailand? Well, I contacted the Tourism Authority of Thailand Malaysia office and they told me that this ruling is actually to prevent foreigners pretending to be tourists to work illegally in Thailand. However, there are no incidents involving Malaysians in the past.

Is there a formal cash requirement ruling for tourists visiting Thailand?

According to Thai Embassy Malaysia website, there is no specific amount of cash requirement rulings but the purpose for cash requirement is for tourists to have sufficient funds to stay in Thailand. In short, just bring sufficient cash when you travel to Thailand and just show them if they ask.

I traveled to Thailand three times this year and I just went to Bangkok for ThaiFex 2016, no questions asked by the immigration officers.

Thailand has been always one of my top holiday destinations and looking forward to travel to the country soon. I hope this article clear the confusion of the cash requirement to travel to Thailand for Malaysians.

Enjoy your trip to Thailand and remember to share this story to your friends. Kop Khun Krap.

Wilson Ng