The Foreign Office has issued urgent warnings to UK holidaymakers travelling to a popular tourist hotspot.
The new warnings come as sun-seekers prepare to flock to Thailand in search of sandy beaches and cheap drinks over summer.
But the government has encouraged visitors to familiarise themselves with local legislation before travelling as failure to abide by the laws in Thailand can result in jail.
Some of the new warnings cover drone flying, gambling, drinking and public behaviour.
The new laws come after a series of incidents of foreign visitors being inebriated in public and causing disturbances in local venues.
One of the updated laws explains that while flying a drone is not illegal in Thailand, if the equipment hasn’t been registered then it is an offence.
They added it must be flagged to Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) within 30 days of entering Thailand or purchasing a drone in Thailand even if you do not intend to fly it.
Failure to do so could land you with a 100,000 baht (£2,281) fine, five years in prison or both.
Several areas of Thailand also have different regulations and it’s up to tourists to contact the NBTC to find out.
The new warnings come as sun seekers prepare for their holidays and flock to Thailand in search of sandy beaches and cheap drinks (stock image)
The government has encouraged visitors to familiarise themselves with local legislation before travelling as failure to abide by the laws in Thailand can result in jail (Thailand’s supreme court)
Another warning is the zero-tolerance approach to illegal gambling.
Thailand doesn’t have any legal casinos, it is strongly against any underground gambling rings and that unofficial gambling could result in detention or even imprisonment.
The government website also warned that in Thailand it is illegal to carry more than 120 playing cards and strongly suggested that visitors simply avoid gambling in the country altogether.
The Foreign Office also noted differences in cultural practices relating to drinking and smoking and even dress.
The new rules advised tourists that smoking in public in Thailand is illegal and can land you with a fine of up to 5,000 baht (£114).
It added that e-cigarettes and vapes are also illegal and just having them in your pocket or bag could get you fined or imprisoned.
The rules added that conditions in Thai prisons were notoriously tough and said: ‘Conditions in prisons and other detention facilities in Thailand are harsh, with limited access to healthcare. Detainees have died in custody.’
The new rules urged visitors to be mindful of their drinks too and stated that sexual assault can easily happen in tourist areas.
The new rules come after a string of incidents involving British tourists who were seen completely intoxicated and in one case had to be wheeled back to their hotel by police (pictred)
Authorities stepped in to help the girls, aged 19 and 23, back to their rooms after concerned partygoers failed to rouse them at bars on the party island of Koh Phi Phi
In one video captured earlier this year a drunk British husband (pictured) flew into a rage and yelled at a waiter at a restaurant in Thailand
They urged: ‘Do not leave your drinks unattended or accept drinks from strangers’ as well as being aware that alcohol served in many Thai establishments can be stronger than in the UK.
The new rules come after a string of incidents involving British tourists who failed to follow the proper precautions.
In one video captured earlier this year a drunk British husband flew into a rage and yelled at a waiter at a restaurant in Thailand.
David, 60, was collecting his Thai wife when he became aggressive at the Lee Zaab restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima province.
The couple left together but the retiree returned to the restaurant and launched a furious, drunken rant at the diners and staff.
Police were called to the scene and eventually managed to calm him down and it is unknown whether he received a fine for his behaviour.
Similarly two tourists in December last year had to be wheeled back to their hotels in trolleys by police after getting to drunk to walk.
Authorities stepped in to help the girls, aged 19 and 23, back to their rooms after concerned partygoers failed to rouse them at bars on the party island of Koh Phi Phi in Krabi, Thailand, on November 29.
In an incident in November, last year, a British tourist was rescued in Thailand after he fell from a hotel balcony while allegedly intoxicated and covered in faeces
Paramedics said they found the tourist in a dazed state and covered in excrement while half-lodged in the ceiling
Sergeant Major Saneh Jualaong stepped in to stop anybody taking advantage of them, borrowing a pushcart from a shop on the pier and wheeling the pair back to their accommodation.
Their friends later helped to carry them to their rooms and hauled them onto their bunk beds, with the kind officer placing a blanket over one of them.
In an incident in November, last year, a British tourist was rescued in Thailand after he fell from a hotel balcony while allegedly intoxicated and covered in faeces.
The 51-year-old was staying at a hotel in a popular red-light district in a coastal resort city.
Staff said they heard groans and banging in the room but thought nothing of it – until the man’s legs tore through the ceiling of an adjacent internet café.
The café, packed with late-night gamers, was thrown into chaos as the naked holidaymaker cried for help with his legs dangling through the floorboards, resulting in the police being called.
Paramedics said they found the tourist in a dazed state and covered in excrement while half-lodged in the ceiling.
