Emergency kit

Where

Bangkok, Thailand

Local language

Thai · Phrasebook

Bangkok speaks Central Thai, the standard.

Spoken here

Central Thai (Bangkok). The standard language, taught in schools. Use the Thai phrasebook.

Elsewhere in the country

• Northeastern (Isan) (Northeast: Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ubon Ratchathani). Close to Lao. Standard Thai is usually understood, but in villages people speak Isan; older people may speak standard Thai poorly (to verify). Show written cards.
• Northern (Kham Mueang) (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lampang). Differs from standard Thai in words and tones. Standard Thai is understood.
• Southern (Pak Tai) (South: Phuket, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla). Fast and hard for Central Thai speakers to follow. Speak slowly, show written cards.
• Patani Malay (Deep south: Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat). Many locals speak Malay at home. Check current travel advice for this region.

Local risks

• Floods in the rainy season (low-lying city, canals)
• Heat; air pollution in the dry season
• Earthquakes felt from far away (the March 2025 Myanmar quake collapsed a building in Bangkok)

If you end up in a neighbouring country

• Cambodia: Khmer.
• Laos: Lao.
• Myanmar: Burmese (many minority languages near borders).
• Malaysia: Malay.

Not filled in yet

• hospitals open 24h (names, addresses)
• Russian embassy / consulate contacts
• landmarks, main roads, canals, bridges, BTS/MRT lines
• evacuation directions out of the city
• offline map tiles