Lifestyle · Live Like a Thai Resident

Live like a Thai resident.

Thailand runs on apps. This is your one-page playbook to function like a local from day one — the apps to install, how to order food and groceries, get parcels delivered, buy event and Muay Thai tickets, ride safely, pay by QR, and use LINE the way everyone here does.

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🚕 Getting around🍜 Food delivery🛍️ Shopping & product delivery🏪 Convenience & groceries on demand🎟️ Events & tickets💚 LINE🏟️ Venues✅ Resident how-tos
Getting around

🚕 Getting around

Ride-hailing is cheap, safe and cashless. Grab is the default; Bolt and inDrive are often cheaper. All show the fare up front, so there's no haggling or meter games.

Grab
The all-in-one super-app — rides, food, groceries, parcels. Start here.
Bolt
Ride-hailing, frequently cheaper than Grab for the same trip.
inDrive
Name-your-price rides; you and the driver agree the fare.
LINE MAN
Rides, food, messengers and mart — built into LINE.
BTS SkyTrain
Official Skytrain info, maps and the Rabbit/fares app.
MRT (Bangkok Metro)
Official subway maps, fares and the MRTA app.
Airport Rail Linkverify
Fast train between Suvarnabhumi airport and the city.
Food delivery

🍜 Food delivery

Hot food to your door in 20–40 minutes for a small fee. Grab and LINE MAN have the widest restaurant coverage; pay by card, wallet or cash on delivery.

GrabFood
Biggest restaurant network; reliable tracking and support.
LINE MAN
Huge local coverage including tiny street-food shops.
Foodpanda
Wide coverage with frequent discounts and a subscription.
Robinhoodverify
Thai delivery app with low/no restaurant commission.
Shopping & product delivery

🛍️ Shopping & product delivery

From a phone charger to a sofa, almost everything is online next-day. Shopee and Lazada dominate; the big retailers and electronics chains all deliver too.

Shopee
Largest marketplace — cheap goods, vouchers, fast shipping.
Lazada
Marketplace with strong brand stores (LazMall) and returns.
TikTok Shopverify
In-app shopping via live sellers and short videos.
Central Online
Department-store quality, fashion and home.
Lotus's
Hypermarket groceries + home, with delivery.
Big C
Hypermarket groceries and household, with delivery.
Tops / Tops Online
Supermarket groceries, fresh and imported goods.
Villa Marketverify
Expat-favourite imported groceries.
Makroverify
Wholesale/bulk groceries and supplies.
IKEA Thailand
Flat-pack furniture and home, with delivery + assembly.
HomeProverify
Home improvement, appliances, furniture.
Power Buyverify
Electronics and appliances chain.
Banana ITverify
Computers, phones and gadgets.
Apple Thailand
Official Apple Store and support for Thailand.
Convenience & groceries on demand

🏪 Convenience & groceries on demand

7-Eleven is on every corner — and it delivers. For a fast top-up of snacks, drinks and essentials, these get to you in under an hour.

7-Eleven (7Delivery)verify
24/7 convenience essentials delivered in ~30–60 min.
GrabMart
Groceries and convenience from nearby shops, fast.
LINE MAN Mart
Convenience and grocery runs inside LINE.
Events & tickets

🎟️ Events & tickets

Buy concert, festival, Muay Thai and football tickets through these official platforms. Always start from the official venue/promoter link and avoid resellers.

ThaiTicketMajorverify
Major concerts, theatre, sports and expos.
Ticketmelon
Festivals, gigs and indie events; easy mobile tickets.
Eventpopverify
Festivals, runs, conventions and community events.
Major Cineplexverify
Cinema tickets and showtimes (Bangkok's biggest chain).
SF Cinemaverify
Cinema tickets and showtimes.

💚 LINE — the one app you can't skip

LINE is Thailand's WhatsApp, WeChat and Venmo rolled into one. Friends, landlords, agents, restaurants, cleaners and delivery drivers all reach you on LINE — set it up first. Add contacts by LINE ID or by scanning their QR code; businesses use Official Accounts for bookings and updates. Turn on privacy settings (disable "allow add by ID" once you're set), and treat any link or "payment problem" message from an unknown account as a scam — LINE phishing is common. Tip: long-press a message to auto-translate, and you can install and start chatting on Wi-Fi before you even land.

See the full relocation hub →

🏟️ Major event venues

Rajadamnern StadiumHistoric Muay Thai stadium — official fight nights & tickets.
Lumpinee Boxing StadiumThe other legendary Muay Thai stadium (army-run).
IMPACT Arena, Muang Thong ThaniThailand's largest indoor arena — big concerts & expos.
Thunder DomeMid-size concert arena at Muang Thong Thani.
BITEC Bang NaMajor convention & exhibition centre.
Queen Sirikit National Convention CenterCentral Bangkok expos, shows and events.
National StadiumFootball and athletics in the city centre (BTS National Stadium).
Rajamangala StadiumThailand's largest stadium — national football & stadium concerts.

Always buy via the venue's or promoter's official ticket page. Venue links are being verified before publishing.

✅ How to live conveniently (resident playbook)

Install before you arriveGet Grab, LINE, Google Maps and Google Translate set up on Wi-Fi before you land. You can browse Shopee/Lazada too — you just can't verify a Thai number yet.
After your Thai SIMAdd your Thai number to LINE and Grab, link a card or top up a wallet, and enable PromptPay in your banking app. Most apps need a Thai number for OTP and delivery contact.
Pay by QR (PromptPay)Thailand runs on QR. Scan the merchant's PromptPay QR in your bank app, type the amount, confirm — instant and free. Most riders, markets and shops accept it.
Foreign cardsMany apps accept foreign Visa/Mastercard, but some reject them — keep cash and a wallet (TrueMoney/Rabbit LINE Pay) as backup, and choose 'cash on delivery' if a card fails.
Write your address the Thai waySave your condo name, building/room number, soi (lane) and a pinned map location in the app. Drivers navigate by the map pin + soi, not the street name.
Talk to your driverUse the in-app chat (it auto-translates) or Google Translate. A quick Thai 'tรง ข้าม…' note plus the map pin solves most 'where are you' moments.
Condo & parcel deliveriesMost condos have the rider leave parcels at the front desk / juristic office or a parcel locker; you'll get a LINE or call when something arrives. Confirm your building's rule on day one.
Don't overpay as a foreignerStick to metered/app fares (Grab/Bolt show the price up front), avoid 'no-meter' taxi offers, and check Shopee/Lazada prices before buying in a mall.
Stay safe with rideshareRide with licensed app drivers, share your trip in-app, sit where you can see the route on the map, and prefer cashless so there's a record.
Spot fake listings & scamsBuy tickets only from official platforms/venues; ignore LINE/Facebook DMs selling 'cheaper' tickets; check seller ratings on Shopee/Lazada; never pay a 'deposit' to an unverified account.

Settle in faster

Find your neighbourhood and a home, then live like a local.

Relocation hubLifestyle directory

App and platform links are official where confirmed; any marked "verify" are pending final confirmation before publish. We never link unofficial ticket resellers. Information is general guidance and changes often — confirm current fees, coverage and rules in each app.