- The Thai FDA lists alprazolam, zolpidem, zopiclone and temazepam as Category 2 psychotropics, and diazepam, clonazepam and lorazepam as Category 4.
- Travellers may bring up to 30 days' supply with a doctor's certificate; 31 to 90 days needs a Thai FDA permit applied for at least 15 days ahead.
- Thai health officials say alprazolam is supplied only on a doctor's prescription and not by general drugstores.
- Avoid tablets sold online or on the street; the UK government warns they may not be genuine.
- Speak to a doctor before starting, stopping or changing these medicines.
How Thailand classifies sleeping tablets
Thailand regulates benzodiazepines and the so-called Z-drugs as psychotropic substances. The Thai FDA's 2020 traveller guidance gives examples: alprazolam, temazepam, triazolam, zolpidem and zopiclone in Category 2, and bromazepam, chlordiazepoxide, clobazam, clonazepam, diazepam, lorazepam and oxazepam in Category 4. Category 1 psychotropics, such as GHB, are prohibited.
These examples were published under laws that have since been updated, so search each generic name on the Thai FDA's Check the Drug tool at permitfortraveler.fda.moph.go.th before you travel.
Bringing sleeping tablets into Thailand
The Thai FDA's current guidance, under a regulation in force since 21 September 2024, allows travellers under treatment to carry Category 2, 3 and 4 psychotropic medicines for personal use up to a 30-day supply, as prescribed, with a certificate or prescription from the prescribing doctor. No permit is needed at that level. For 31 to 90 days' supply, you need a Thai FDA permit, applied for at least 15 days before travel.
The doctor's certificate should give your name and address, your condition, each medicine's name, strength, instructions and reason for use, the dose and total amount, and the doctor's name, address and licence number. Keep tablets in their original labelled containers in your hand luggage.
The Royal Thai Embassy in Stockholm still describes a 30-day maximum for psychotropics and does not mention the 90-day permit; the Royal Thai Embassy in London says Category 2 medicines need a permit. Where sources conflict, follow the Thai FDA and confirm with the FDA or a Thai embassy.
Getting a prescription in Thailand
Thai PBS reported in 2022 that the Department of Medical Services described alprazolam as a Category 2 psychotropic that can be supplied only on a doctor's prescription and is not sold by general drugstores. Officials also warned that combining it with alcohol or other drugs can dangerously slow breathing, and that illegal sale carries prison terms and fines.
If you need a sleeping tablet or anxiety medicine in Thailand, see a doctor. For ongoing treatment, a psychiatrist is usually the right specialist; some hospitals also run sleep clinics. Bring your current prescription, a letter from your doctor at home and the packaging. The Thai doctor will make their own assessment and may suggest a different medicine or a shorter course.
Ask where the prescription will be dispensed and how many days it covers. Do not share your tablets with anyone; the Thai FDA's traveller guidance says travellers must not sell or supply their medicines to others.
Fake and unsafe tablets
The UK government warns that medication sold on the street may not be genuine or may have been stolen. Tablets offered through social media, messaging apps or market stalls carry the same risk, and buying controlled medicines outside the legal system can break Thai law.
The UK government also notes that standards at independent pharmacies vary and that pharmacists may not always explain dosing or check interactions, describing hospital pharmacies as a more reliable option. With medicines that slow breathing, interactions with alcohol, painkillers and other sedatives matter, so tell the doctor and pharmacist about everything you take.
Leaving Thailand with medicine prescribed there
The Thai FDA's 2020 guidance for departing travellers allows up to 30 days of Category 2, 3 and 4 psychotropics prescribed in Thailand, with a doctor's certificate and no permit. Check the rules of your destination country as well; some countries control these medicines more strictly than Thailand does.
Before you travel with sleeping tablets
- Search each generic name on the Thai FDA's Check the Drug tool.
- Ask your doctor for a certificate with all the details the Thai FDA requires.
- Bring no more than 30 days' supply without a permit.
- For up to 90 days, apply for a permit at least 15 days before travel.
- Keep tablets in original labelled packaging in your hand luggage.
- In Thailand, get prescriptions only from a doctor and dispensed by a licensed pharmacy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring Xanax (alprazolam) to Thailand?
Alprazolam is a Category 2 psychotropic. The Thai FDA's current guidance allows up to 30 days' supply with a doctor's certificate, and 31 to 90 days with an FDA permit.
Can I bring zolpidem or zopiclone?
Both are listed by the Thai FDA as Category 2 psychotropics, so the same 30-day and 90-day rules apply.
Can I buy sleeping pills at a Thai pharmacy without a prescription?
Thai health officials say alprazolam is supplied only on a doctor's prescription and not by general drugstores. See a doctor if you need a sleeping tablet.
Do I need to declare sleeping tablets at customs?
The Thai FDA's 2020 guidance says psychotropics within the 30-day limit, with a doctor's certificate, do not need to be declared. Narcotic medicines must be declared at the Red Channel.
Is melatonin controlled in Thailand?
We did not find melatonin in the official guidance we read. Check it on the Thai FDA's Check the Drug tool before travelling.
Sources
- Thai FDA — Guidance for travellers under treatment carrying personal medications (Ministerial Regulation B.E. 2567)
- Thai FDA — Guidance for travellers carrying medications containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances into Thailand (version 3, June 2020; hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Thai FDA — Guidance for travellers carrying medications out of Thailand (version 3, June 2020; hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Thai FDA, Narcotics Control Division — Permits for travellers (Check the Drug, permit requests)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Stockholm — Restricted medicine
- Royal Thai Embassy, London — Bringing medications to Thailand
- Thai PBS — Department of Medical Services warns on alprazolam misuse (May 2022, in Thai)
- GOV.UK — Healthcare and medical services in Thailand
