Is Thailand Dog Friendly? What It’s Really Like Traveling With a Dog

Is Thailand dog friendly? I’ve been asked this more than almost any other question since Puglo and I got here, and the short answer is that it’s more dog friendly than I expected, but less dog friendly than places like Europe.

Puglo’s been to 23 countries with me now, and Thailand lands somewhere in the middle of that list. What surprised me is that it beat my expectations by a lot. Asia isn’t a region anyone thinks of as dog friendly, and I came in braced for a hard time. Instead I’ve got a pug who comes to cafes with me, sits under the table at restaurants, and has been inside more malls than I would have guessed.

There’s a real flip side, and I’ll get into it below, because the parks situation drives me a little crazy and the domestic flight rules are the single most frustrating thing about being here with a dog. But if you’re trying to decide whether to bring your dog to Thailand, here’s everything I’ve learned actually living it.

Is Thailand dog friendly?

Yes, Thailand is more dog friendly than most of Asia and more than most visitors expect, but it’s not Europe. Dogs are welcome in many cafes, restaurants, markets and some malls, and pet services are excellent. The hard limits are many public parks, supermarkets, and domestic flights, where most dogs aren’t allowed in the cabin at all.

Pet culture here is growing fast, which is the thing I’d most want you to know. It isn’t a country with a deep dog culture the way France or Spain is, where a dog under a restaurant table has been normal for a century. It’s a country where that’s becoming normal right now, and you can feel it.

Why Thailand is pet friendly

Cafes are the big one. Puglo comes into cafes with me in Chiang Mai, and I mean inside, not just the terrace. He comes to co-working cafes and sits under my desk while I work, which is most of my life here. A lot of restaurants will let him in, some won’t, and you learn quickly which is which by just asking at the door.

Here’s the rest of what’s been easy:

• Markets. Night markets, day markets, weekend markets. Nobody has ever had a problem with Puglo being there.
• Bars. He’s been inside plenty of them, which surprised me the first few times.
• Some malls. This was the biggest surprise of all. I expected a flat no everywhere and got a yes in places I did not expect.
• Daycares, groomers and pet stores. The pet service industry here is strong and affordable, and that matters a lot if you’re staying more than a few weeks.
• General attitude. People are warm about him. Staff often want to say hi. It rarely feels like I’m imposing.

Where Thailand is not so pet friendly

Parks and green space are the hardest part of being here with a dog, and it’s the thing that bothers me most. A lot of parks aren’t pet friendly, and when you’re used to just walking your dog somewhere green, losing that really stings.

Bangkok has been slowly opening up. Benjakitti Park has a free public dog area that opened back in 2022, near the main entrance on Ratchadaphisek Road and the community gate at the end of Soi Sukhumvit 10. Dogs stay on a leash, the park runs 5am to 9pm, and you have to register or check in before you go in, with a guard actually checking. Bring poop bags, because that rule is enforced too. It’s one dog area in one park, though, not a city-wide yes.

The rest of the no list:

• Supermarkets and most shops. This one is consistent and you may as well plan around it.
• Domestic flights. No dogs in the cabin. More on this below because it changes how you travel here.
• First class on the train. Dogs aren’t allowed up there, so your sleeper options get narrower.
• Some taxis. Plenty of drivers will say no. Motorbikes have never been a problem.
• The paperwork. Thailand’s entry and exit requirements are heavier than the average country I’ve taken Puglo to.

Getting around Thailand with a dog

Domestic flights

You can’t fly with your dog in the cabin inside Thailand. Thai Airways states plainly that pets are generally not permitted in the aircraft cabin, with trained service dogs the only exception. Bangkok Airways doesn’t take pets in the cabin either, though it will carry dogs and cats in the temperature-controlled hold on certain aircraft if you book ahead.

For me this is the single biggest frustration of being in Thailand with a dog. Every hop that would be a one hour flight becomes a long overland transfer instead, and it’s why I’d tell anyone planning to bounce quickly between regions to think hard before bringing their dog. If you’re going Bangkok to the north anyway, I’ve written up how to get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai with all the overland options.

Trains

Long-distance trains take dogs, but not in first class, so the comfortable sleeper option is off the table. Around Bangkok it’s better than that. The State Railway’s Red Line runs a Pet Friendly Train program that’s been letting dogs and cats ride free since June 2025, within set hours on weekdays and all day on weekends and public holidays, and you register at the ticket counter before boarding. My full guide to train travel with a dog covers how Thailand compares to the rest of the world on this.

Taxis and motorbikes

Some taxi drivers will refuse you and there’s not much to do about it except wave down the next one. Having Puglo in a carrier makes it an easier yes. Motorbikes have never once been an issue, which is a very Thailand answer to a transport problem.

Pet friendly hotels in Thailand

This is where Thailand really shines, and it’s the thing I’d point to if someone asked me for one reason to bring their dog here. There are some amazing pet friendly hotels, and finding a hotel that will take Puglo has been so much easier than finding an apartment that will.

We loved our stay at Kimpton Maa-Lai in Bangkok! Kimpton takes any pet regardless of size, weight or breed, as long as they fit in the elevator. Their designated pet areas are the pet floors, the lobby, the guest elevators and CRAFT, their lobby cafe and bar, so Puglo could come down and sit with me rather than waiting upstairs. They also run a Pet Buddies service for guests, which you have to reserve in advance.

In Chiang Mai we stayed at Ketawa Pet Friendly Hotel and Cafe, a htel built around dogs rather than tolerating them. There’s a swimming pool that both you and your dog can use, an on-site care center that does baths and blow dries for dogs and cats, dog day care you can book by the hour or half day if you need to work, overnight dog boarding for all breeds and sizes, and a pet shop. If you’ve ever tried to find a day care in a city you just landed in, having all of that in the building is a very nice thing.

Finding an apartment is the hard part

Here’s the flip side, and it’s the thing nobody warns you about before they move here with a dog. Hotels are easy and long term rentals are not. Most condos strictly ban dogs, and you’ll go through a lot of listings before you find one that doesn’t. Houses are easier, so if you’re set on a longer stay and you have a dog, start your search there rather than wasting weeks on condo listings that are going to say no.

I got tired of fighting it, so I ended up buying a pet friendly condo, just for Puglo.

Bangkok or Chiang Mai with a dog?

Chiang Mai, and it isn’t close.

Bangkok has very little green space, and when you have a dog that’s the thing you feel every single day. Chiang Mai has the mountains right there with some incredible glamping spots, far more places a dog can actually go, and the whole city is easier to move around in with Puglo. I’ve found it more pet friendly overall, and it’s why we keep ending up back there.

If you’re working while you travel, my guide to Chiang Mai as a digital nomad covers the rest of what life there is like.

Soi dogs, and the thing that scared me

Thailand has a lot of street dogs, called soi dogs, and I want to be honest with you about this because it’s the one part of being here that I’ve found really hard.

Recently Puglo was almost bitten by a soi dog for the first time, and it was horrifying. I’ve been much more vigilant on street walks since, and more anxious, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise.

However, we spent two months in Thailand before this with no issues at all, and most soi dogs want nothing to do with you. But if you’re bringing a small dog, know that this is part of the deal, keep your eyes up on walks, and pick your routes.

Should you bring your dog to Thailand?

Here’s how I’d actually answer it if you asked me over coffee.

Yes, if you’re coming for a few months, or you’re spending a month in Chiang Mai, or a month down in the southern islands. When you slow down, all of Thailand’s dog-friendly strengths show up and none of the weaknesses matter much.

No, if you’re only here a week. The paperwork alone isn’t worth it for seven days.

Absolutely not, if you want to move around the country fast and fly between regions. The domestic cabin ban will make your trip miserable, and you’ll spend it on buses and trains instead of where you wanted to be.

How to actually get your dog into Thailand

I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about this, because I’ve already written them out step by step. Thailand needs an import permit, a microchip, vaccines, and a health certificate with tight timing. And if you’re going back home to the U.S. or Europe after, read up on the dog rabies titer test well before you fly, because that one has a long lead time.

For the wider picture, my walkthrough on how to travel with a dog internationally is a helpful resource.

Thailand with a dog: FAQs

Airline, train and park rules in this post were verified on September 16, 2026 against Thai Airways’ pets in cabin policy, The Nation’s reporting on the SRT Red Line Pet Friendly Train, and BK Magazine’s guide to the Benjakitti dog area. Policies change, so check before you travel.