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Boating in Thailand: entry, customs and national parks

Phuket and the Andaman Sea are a fixture for many cruisers crossing the Indian Ocean, with charter grounds around Krabi and in the Gulf of Thailand. Arriving on your own boat means a digital arrival card, reporting your arrival and importing the yacht temporarily free of duty. This page sums up what Thai customs and official sources say.

Emergency1465UKW 16[5]

Alcohol limit?check locally

Liability covercheck locallyno requirement found

Licenceno rule found

1 Within three days before entry the crew completes the TDAC digital arrival card. 2 After arrival the owner imports the yacht temporarily free of duty against a re-export guarantee. 3 Before leaving the skipper obtains port clearance from customs.

Best time to go: Phuket

Phuket: going by warmth, rain days and wind, January, February and March are the most pleasant months. Bars show the average daily high, the line the sea temperature, below them rain days and days with wind of 6 Beaufort or more per month, averaged over 2015 to 2024.

Air, daily high (°C) Sea (°C) best months

Rain days148.711213029292929292821

Days with wind 6 Bft+0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%

Weather: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis, grid values rather than station readings).

Sea temperature from NOAA satellite data. More cruising areas compared: Best time to sail

Entry

German citizens need no visa for tourist stays. Since 15 September 2026 entry is granted for 30 days at most, extendable once by up to 30 days.[1]
The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is mandatory, also for arrivals by sea. Register within three days before entry.[2]
Passports must be valid for at least six months on entry.[1]
Official pages give no special rule for yacht crews. Ask the Thai embassy before you travel.[3]
The skipper reports arrival like any vessel from abroad. Before leaving he files a departure report and obtains port clearance from customs.[4]
We could not verify officially which ports serve as ports of entry or in which order to visit harbour master, immigration and customs. Check with the port before arrival.

Temporary import of the yacht

Pleasure boats brought in by their owner for tourism are duty-free if re-exported within six months at most.[4]
Required are an application, the boat's registration, a passport, a power of attorney if you are not the owner and a re-export guarantee, secured in cash or by bank guarantee.[4]
The customs page dates from 2018. Have customs confirm whether a longer period now applies.[4]

National parks

In Hat Noppharat Thara and Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park foreigners pay a separate fee for certain sites. Carry the receipt while in the park.[7]
Mu Ko Similan National Park is closed every year from 16 May to 14 October.[6]

Licence

We found no official rule on recognising foreign boating licences. Bring your certificate of competence and radio licence.

Liability insurance

We found no official insurance requirement for foreign leisure boats. Ask marinas and charter firms in advance which proof they want.

Drones and safety

Drones must be registered before use; failing to do so can mean up to five years in prison.[1]
The German Foreign Office strongly advises against travel to Narathiwat, Yala, Pattani and parts of Songkhla on the southern Gulf coast and warns against the border area with Cambodia.[1]

Emergency

The Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center (Thai-MECC) takes emergencies at sea on hotline 1465.[5]
On land: police 191, ambulance 1669, tourist police 1155.[8]
The Disaster Warning Center answers around the clock on 1784, also in English.[1]

In Thailand keep passports, the TDAC confirmation, the boat registration, a power of attorney if you are not the owner and the temporary import papers with the guarantee on board. Get port clearance from customs before leaving.

NAMMERT customers can get their liability confirmation in English.

Request a certificate (Thailand)

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