The dress code in short
Temples are active places of worship, not just monuments. Everywhere the basic rule is the same: shoulders and knees covered, with clean, opaque clothes. From the morning, plan light trousers or a long skirt, and a scarf or light shirt to put over a sleeveless top.
At the Grand Palace: the strictest rule
At the entrance to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, sleeveless tops, tank tops, crop tops, see-through tops, shorts, ripped or tight trousers, cycling shorts, mini-skirts, culottes and nightwear are refused. Wear shoes that are easy to take off for the Emerald Buddha chapel. The palace is open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm, with tickets sold from 8:30am to 3:30pm, 500 baht according to the official site royalgrandpalace.th.
In other temples
- Wat Pho: no shorts (trousers are accepted), and shorts above the knee are banned for women.
- Wat Arun: no shorts, no sleeveless tops or bare shoulders, no flip-flops.
- Other temples (for example Wat Benchamabophit or Wat Paknam): same principle, shoulders and knees covered.
Gestures of respect
- Shoes: take them off before entering a religious building, and leave them at the entrance.
- Feet: do not point them at a Buddha statue.
- Statues: never climb on them, even for a photo.
- Monks: women must not touch them or hand them an object directly.
- Quiet: speak softly in shrines.
Respect for the monarchy and lèse-majesté
Article 112 of the Thai criminal code punishes with 3 to 15 years in prison, per offence, any words or publication judged insulting to the king, the queen, the heir or the regent. The law is interpreted broadly, including for a simple share on social media. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks visitors to respect the image of the king, the royal family and representations of the Buddha, and states that positions taken on social media can lead to criminal proceedings with very heavy penalties.
In practice: do not criticise or joke about the royal family, do not deface any image of the king, and do not step on a banknote or coin that has fallen on the ground, as they bear his portrait.
Further reading
Tickets, opening hours and visit plans are in our pages on the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. To avoid the "temple is closed" scam, read the scams to avoid in Bangkok, and find all the rules in our guide to rules and etiquette in Bangkok.
