Bringing medicine into Thailand: the rules for 2026

These rules change. This guide reflects official Thai sources as of 13 November 2026. Thai embassies and the Thai FDA do not always word the rules the same way, so if your medicine is controlled, confirm with the Thai FDA before you fly.

The short version

• Ordinary medicines: bring up to 30 days' supply for your own use, in the original labelled packaging.
• Most sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medicines (psychotropic substances, Schedules 2 to 4): up to 30 days with a doctor's letter or prescription and no permit. More than 30 days needs a permit.
• Opioid painkillers and codeine products (narcotics, Schedules II and III): you need a Thai FDA permit before you travel, and you show your medicine at the Red Channel.
• Some medicines are banned outright, even with a prescription. Amphetamine-based ADHD medicines such as Adderall are the best-known example.

Look up your medicine in our medicine list to see which group it falls into.

Ordinary prescription and over-the-counter medicines

The Thai FDA allows travellers to carry medicines in the amount needed for personal use for up to 30 days. Keep them in their original packaging with the label visible, and carry a copy of your prescription in English. Herbal products have a longer limit of up to 90 days.

If you need more than 30 days, the realistic options are to see a doctor in Thailand and get it here, or to ask the Thai FDA about your situation before you travel.

Psychotropic medicines (Schedules 2, 3 and 4)

This group includes many benzodiazepines and sleeping pills, such as alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam and clonazepam. You can bring up to 30 days' supply for your own treatment if you carry a certificate or prescription from the doctor who prescribed it. You do not need a permit for that amount. For 31 to 90 days, the September 2024 Thai FDA summary says to apply for a permit online at least 15 days before travel, and to show the medicine and permit at the Red Channel.

Your doctor's letter should show your name, the diagnosis, the medicine and dose, and the doctor's name, licence number and contact details.

Narcotic medicines (Schedules II and III)

Schedule II narcotics include morphine, oxycodone, fentanyl, methadone and codeine. Schedule III covers medicines that contain them as an ingredient, such as some codeine combination products. Thai FDA guidance requires a permit for both before you travel.

• Apply online at the Thai FDA permit system at permitfortraveler.fda.moph.go.th using Form IC-1. The permit you receive is Form IC-2.
• Apply at least 15 days before you fly. The Royal Thai Embassy in London says the FDA takes 3 to 5 working days to issue the permit.
• Official sources give different maximum amounts. A 2022 Thai government summary allows up to 90 days with a permit, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand said the same in November 2024. Older guidance said 30 days. Ask for the amount you need on your application.
• On arrival, take your medicine, permit and medical documents to the Red Channel at customs.

Medicines you cannot bring at all

Medicines containing Schedule I narcotics, Schedule IV or V narcotics, or Schedule 1 psychotropic substances are prohibited, with or without a prescription. In practice this catches:

• Amphetamine and dexamphetamine products, including Adderall
• Cannabis products of any kind from abroad, including CBD foods

Check each medicine on our medicine pages, or ask the Thai FDA Narcotics Control Division by email (narcotics@fda.moph.go.th) if you are unsure.

At the airport

If you carry a narcotic medicine with a permit, Thai FDA guidance says to present it at the Red Channel. For other medicines, Thai embassies give mixed advice on whether to declare them. If you carry a psychotropic medicine or anything close to the 30-day limit, the cautious choice is to have your documents ready and use the Red Channel too.

Transit stops

The rules of every country you pass through apply too. Some transit hubs, including several in the Middle East, have stricter rules than Thailand for controlled medicines, so check each stop.

Documents checklist

• Medicine in original, labelled packaging
• Prescription or doctor's letter in English
• Thai FDA permit (IC-2) for Schedule II and III narcotics
• No more than 30 days' supply

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. For a specific medicine, confirm with the Thai FDA or the Royal Thai Embassy in your country.