Bangkok is one of the easiest overseas trips from Ho Chi Minh City: a short flight, many departures a day, and food and shopping for every budget. One fairly new formality is often forgotten: the TDAC digital arrival card.
Flying from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok
- Flight time: about 1 hour 30 minutes. Thailand is in the same time zone as Vietnam.
- Two airports: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) is the main airport, linked to the city by the Airport Rail Link; Don Mueang (DMK) handles many low-cost flights. Check which one your ticket uses before planning the ride to your hotel.
- From Tan Son Nhat: all international flights depart from Terminal 2.
Search flights to Bangkok on Newway SAS to compare times and fares.
Do you need a visa?
It depends on your passport. Vietnamese citizens with ordinary passports can visit visa-free for up to 30 days under a bilateral agreement, and many other nationalities also enjoy visa exemptions. Thailand has been adjusting the length of its exemptions, so check the current rules for your nationality before you go. Your passport should be valid for at least 6 more months.
The TDAC digital arrival card is mandatory
Since 1 May 2025, every foreign visitor entering Thailand must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) instead of the old paper form.
- Submit it within the 3 days before your arrival on the official site tdac.immigration.go.th.
- It is completely free. Beware of look-alike sites that charge a fee.
- You receive a QR code by email; keep it on your phone to show at immigration.
- Have your passport details, flight and accommodation address ready.
Money, data and getting around
- Money: Thai baht (THB). Cards are widely accepted, but markets and street stalls prefer cash.
- Data: buy an eSIM before you fly so you can book rides and use maps the moment you land. Newway SAS sells travel eSIMs and SIM cards with the QR code sent by email; call us for a plan that works in Thailand.
- Getting around: the BTS Skytrain and MRT subway let you skip the traffic in the centre.
Four days in Bangkok
- Day 1: the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and Wat Pho; an evening on the Chao Phraya river.
- Day 2: Wat Arun and the old town; dinner in Yaowarat, Bangkok’s Chinatown.
- Day 3: shopping around Siam; Chatuchak market if it is the weekend.
- Day 4: a floating market outside the city, or a massage before your flight.
At Tan Son Nhat: travel light, get home fast
- To the airport: book a transfer to Terminal 2 with an all-inclusive fare and arrive about 3 hours before departure.
- Departure fast track: priority at passport control and security. See airport fast track.
- Terminal 2 lounges: Apricot Business Lounge and Jasmine Halal Lounge, open 24/7.
- Coming back: your driver waits in the Terminal 2 arrivals hall with a name sign; add arrival fast track to clear immigration faster.
Frequently asked questions
Is the TDAC free?
Yes. Only use the official site tdac.immigration.go.th or the Thai Immigration Bureau’s official app.
Which Tan Son Nhat terminal do Bangkok flights use?
Terminal 2, the international terminal. See Tan Son Nhat Airport terminals.