Thailand to India: Indian eVisa, Bangkok Direct Flights & THB Travel Money Guide
Thai passport holders need an Indian eVisa before departure — apply online at indianvisaonline.gov.in for $25 (1-year multiple entry). At just 3.5-4 hours from Bangkok, India is surprisingly close, and the two countries share deep Buddhist, cultural, and culinary connections. IndiGo, Thai Airways, and Air India operate multiple direct Bangkok-India routes daily.
Visa requirements
Thai passport holders must apply for Indian eVisa at indianvisaonline.gov.in. Tourist eVisa: $10 (30-day double-entry) or $25 (1-year multiple-entry). Apply at least 4 working days before travel. Thailand and India have growing bilateral ties — IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Thai Airways operate direct Bangkok→Delhi/Mumbai routes. Many Thai travelers visit India for yoga retreats (Rishikesh), Buddhist pilgrimages (Bodh Gaya, Varanasi), or cultural tourism (Rajasthan, Kerala).
Documents required
- ✓Valid Thai passport (6+ months validity)
- ✓Passport photo (50×50mm, white background, face covering 80% of frame)
- ✓Return flight booking
- ✓Hotel/accommodation confirmation
Flights from Thailand to India
Money, cards & forex fees
Pre-load INR in Wise for best THB→INR conversion before departure
Thai bank cardholders wanting to use their KBank account in India
Bangkok Bank customers needing INR cash from Indian ATMs
ATMs in India
Best ATMs: HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank ATMs are most reliable for international Visa/Mastercard cards. Axis Bank is also good. Avoid SBI ATMs for foreign cards — higher inconsistency. Avoid standalone ATMs at tourist sites (near Taj Mahal etc.) — often poorly stocked and unreliable for foreign cards.
Typical surcharge: ₹150-250 per foreign card withdrawal at major Indian banks
Withdrawal tip: Inform your home bank before traveling to India — several international banks flag Indian ATM transactions as potential fraud. Withdraw ₹10,000-15,000 per transaction to minimize the per-withdrawal fee. HDFC ATMs in major cities are most reliable. Many smaller towns and villages still prefer or require cash.
Top cities in India
Delhi
India's capital and gateway to the Golden Triangle. Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk is one of Asia's most sensory bazaars; New Delhi's Lutyens zone has sweeping Raj-era boulevards. Excellent metro system makes it easy to cover a lot of ground.
Mumbai
India's financial capital and maximum city. The Gateway of India, Elephanta Caves ferry, Marine Drive's Queen's Necklace at night, and Bollywood studio tours make this a city of contrasts. Efficient suburban rail gets you everywhere.
Agra (Taj Mahal)
Home to the Taj Mahal — the most photographed building on earth. Best experienced at sunrise before the crowds arrive. Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri make it worth a full day or overnight stop rather than just a day trip.
Rajasthan (Jaipur / Udaipur / Jodhpur)
The quintessential India experience. The Pink City of Jaipur, Blue City of Jodhpur, and romantic lake city of Udaipur each offer a different shade of Rajput heritage, desert landscape, and vibrant markets.
Goa
India's beach playground with a Portuguese colonial soul. Baga and Anjuna for lively beach scenes, Palolem for calm south Goa vibes, Old Goa's UNESCO churches, and coastal seafood shacks serving fish curry rice.
Kerala Backwaters (Kochi / Alleppey / Munnar)
God's Own Country. Houseboat cruises on the Alleppey backwaters, tea plantations in Munnar, ayurvedic treatments, and the colonial heritage of Fort Kochi make Kerala the most relaxing Indian destination.
Indian eVisa for Thai passport holders
Thai citizens cannot enter India without a visa — but the Indian eVisa makes this straightforward. Apply at indianvisaonline.gov.in. For most Thai travelers, the 1-year multiple-entry Tourist eVisa ($25) offers the most value — it covers return visits for family, Buddhist pilgrimage, or repeat tourism without reapplying. The 30-day double-entry ($10) is sufficient for a single trip. Fill in your passport details, Thai address, India accommodation, and purpose of visit. Photo: white background, face covering 80% of frame. Pay by card online. Processing takes 2-4 business days — apply at least 4 working days before travel to be safe. The approval arrives as a PDF email. Save to phone, print optionally. Present at check-in and at Indian immigration on arrival. Thailand and India have a growing cultural exchange — yoga tourism, Ayurvedic retreats, and Buddhist pilgrimage circuits are the most common Thai travel purposes for India. These are all fully covered by the standard Tourist eVisa.
Flights from Bangkok to India
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is well-connected to India with multiple daily direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore. IndiGo is the largest operator on this corridor, offering competitive fares from $175-$220 USD round trip on several routes. Thai Airways flies nonstop from Bangkok to Delhi and Mumbai. Air India and SpiceJet round out the direct options. At just 3.5-4 hours, Bangkok to Delhi is genuinely short-haul — shorter than most Thai domestic routes in total travel time. From Chiang Mai (CNX): IndiGo has expanded to serve CNX-DEL direct on select frequencies, which is convenient for northern Thailand residents. Economy round-trip fares range from $175-$250 USD when booked 2-4 weeks ahead. Fares spike during Thai New Year (Songkran, April 13-15), Chinese New Year, and Indian Diwali season. October-November and February-March offer the best pricing windows. Thailand-India is primarily a VFR and pilgrimage corridor — book early around festival dates to avoid sold-out flights.
Money in India for Thai travelers: THB to INR
The THB→INR rate is approximately ₹2.35-2.40 per Thai Baht. Most Thai bank cards (Kasikorn, Bangkok Bank, SCB, Krungthai) charge 1.5-2.5% international transaction fees plus a fixed overseas ATM surcharge. While this is lower than some Western bank rates, it still adds up over a two-week India trip. The Wise Multi-Currency Card is the best option for Thai travelers — at 0.35% you get near-mid-market THB→INR conversion, much better than both Thai bank rates and Bangkok exchange counters. You can pre-load INR in your Wise account before departure using the Wise app, locking in the rate. For ATM use in India: HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank ATMs are the most reliable for Thai Mastercard and Visa cards. The Indian bank charges ₹150-250 per withdrawal regardless of card. Withdraw ₹10,000-15,000 per transaction to minimize this. DCC warning: tourist ATMs near popular sites in India — particularly in Rajasthan, around the Taj Mahal area, and in Goa — frequently offer to charge in THB rather than INR. Always decline and select INR. The DCC rate is typically 3-5% worse than what Wise or your Thai bank's Mastercard rate would give. Inform your Thai bank before travel if using a Kasikorn or Bangkok Bank card — some flag cross-border transactions to India as unusual activity.
On-arrival tips
- 1Indian eVisa is email-only — save the approval email PDF on your phone or print it. No physical visa sticker.
- 2Both DEL (IGI) and BOM (CSIA) have official pre-paid taxi counters in arrivals — use these to avoid price disputes
- 3Install Ola and Uber before landing — both work reliably in Indian cities
- 4Inform your home bank before travel — Indian ATM transactions are frequently flagged as potential fraud
- 5HDFC and ICICI ATMs are most reliable for foreign Visa/Mastercard cards — use bank-branch ATMs rather than standalone machines
- 6Bargaining is expected at markets, auto-rickshaws without meters, and souvenir shops — initial price is often 2-3x the fair price
Key takeaways
- ✓Thai passport holders need an Indian eVisa — $25 for 1-year multiple-entry, approved in 2-4 business days at indianvisaonline.gov.in
- ✓IndiGo, Thai Airways, and Air India fly direct Bangkok to Delhi and Mumbai in 3.5-4 hours; economy from $175-$250 round trip
- ✓Wise Multi-Currency Card gives the best THB→INR rate — pre-load INR before departure for the best conversion
- ✓Use HDFC or ICICI Bank ATMs in India — most reliable for Thai Mastercard/Visa; withdraw ₹10,000-15,000 per transaction
- ✓Always select INR at Indian ATMs — never THB; DCC rates are 3-5% worse than Wise or Kasikorn Mastercard rates
- ✓Buddhist pilgrimage circuit: Bodh Gaya, Sarnath (Varanasi), Kushinagar — the most spiritually significant India itinerary for Thai travelers
Related visa guides
Visa information is based on publicly available government sources and official embassy data. Entry requirements, fees, and procedures change frequently — always verify with the official embassy or consulate of India before travelling. ForexFee is not a legal adviser.