Singapore for First-Time Thai Visitors: Entry, Areas, Transport, Food and Rules

Entry: visa-free stay, SG Arrival Card and automated lanes

Thai passport holders can visit Singapore visa-free for up to 30 days. Your passport should have at least six months of validity left, and you should hold an onward or return ticket.

1. 1Submit the SG Arrival CardEvery visitor must submit it free of charge on the ICA website or in the MyICA Mobile app within 3 days before arrival. Avoid paid look-alike sites.
2. 2Prepare your documentsCheck passport validity, your return ticket and the accommodation you will list on the form.
3. 3Use the automated lanes at ChangiSince 2024 all foreign visitors can use the automated lanes without enrolment: scan your passport, then confirm your face or iris.
4. 4Keep the emailThe electronic Visit Pass is emailed to the address given in the SGAC instead of a passport stamp.

The main areas at a glance

Singapore is small enough to combine several areas in one day. This table helps you decide where to start.

Each area has its own deeper guide, covering Marina Bay, the three heritage quarters, Sentosa and Mandai; see the related guides listed at the end of this page.

Getting around

Singapore has six MRT lines, North-South, East-West, Circle, North East, Downtown and Thomson-East Coast, plus a bus network covering the whole island.

• Tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or Apple Pay or Google Pay, at MRT gates and bus readers through SimplyGo. Tap in and out on buses too.
• Foreign cards may attract a small daily admin fee; check with your card issuer.
• Alternatives are the EZ-Link stored-value card from stations and convenience stores, or the Singapore Tourist Pass for unlimited rides over a set number of days; check the current terms.
• Useful apps are Google Maps, Citymapper, Grab and SG BusLeh for bus arrivals.

Changi Airport is on the East-West line, changing at Tanah Merah. Check current fares in the official apps or websites.

Food: the hawker centres

Hawker culture was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2020, and the hawker centre is the easiest way for a newcomer to eat like a local.

• Dishes to try: Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, char kway teng, chilli crab, satay, nasi lemak, roti prata, kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs and bak kut teh.
• Well-known centres: Maxwell, Lau Pa Sat, Chinatown Complex, Old Airport Road, Newton, Tekka and Tiong Bahru Market.
• Etiquette: reserve a seat with a packet of tissues ("chope") and return your tray, which is required by law at hawker centres.
• Payment: many stalls take cards, PayNow or NETS, but some are cash only, so carry a little cash.

Rules every visitor must know

• Vapes: bringing in, buying or using e-cigarettes is illegal, with heavier enforcement since 1 September 2025. Repeat offenders from abroad can be barred from re-entry.
• Drug-laced "Kpods" are treated as drug offences.
• MRT: no eating or drinking on trains and in stations, and durians are not allowed.
• Chewing gum: it may not be sold or brought in for sale.
• Littering and jaywalking are fined, and smoking is allowed only in designated areas.

Weather and when to go

Singapore is hot and humid all year, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. Carry a small umbrella and keep outdoor plans for the morning or evening.

• Northeast monsoon, roughly December to March, is wetter.
• Southwest monsoon runs roughly June to September.
• Transboundary haze can appear in some years around August to October; check the PSI in NEA's myENV app.

How long to stay

• Two days: Marina Bay, Chinatown and Little India at a quick pace.
• Three days: add Kampong Glam, Orchard Road and Sentosa.
• Four to five days: add half to a full day at Mandai, leave slack for rain, or take a day trip to Johor Bahru in Malaysia.

For a day-by-day plan, see the four-day itinerary guide listed among the related guides.

Staying connected

The internet in Singapore is open: Google, LINE, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok all work normally, and no VPN is needed. Local shops and hotels often reply on WhatsApp, so install it before you go.

For choosing between a SIM and an eSIM, and a pre-flight checklist, read “Singapore Trip Prep and Internet: eSIM or SIM, Plus a Checklist”. For trip costs, see “Budget Trip to Singapore and Malaysia: A Cost-Control Method”.

Forfaits Check the Singapore eSIM