Bangkok Tattoo FAQ

Our front desk and artists work daily with international visitors, so you can be served in English, French, or Thai. Most tourists who walk in from Khaosan Road communicate entirely in English, from the first consultation through aftercare, with no translation app needed.

Language is the first worry for many travelers getting inked abroad. Our team handles consultations, stencil approval, pricing and aftercare in English, French and Thai. Because the studio sits in the most international district of Bangkok, English is effectively the working language at the front desk. Clear communication is also a safety measure: it prevents the misunderstandings about placement and design that lead to regret.

We accept cash in Thai Baht, Wise, Revolut and PromptPay QR. We do not take credit or debit cards, so plan to bring cash or set up Wise, Revolut or a PromptPay-capable app before your appointment. There is an ATM a few steps from the studio. A deposit from 1,000 THB secures a booked slot, with the balance settled on the day.

Khaosan Road runs largely on cash and digital transfers rather than card terminals. PromptPay is Thailand's instant bank-transfer system that you scan with a local banking or e-wallet app. Many backpackers already use Wise or Revolut for cheap currency conversion, and both are accepted here directly. For booked sessions, a deposit from 1,000 THB (up to 3,000 THB per planned day for large multi-session pieces) reserves your artist and date.

Yes. Walk-ins are welcome every day from noon to 11pm, and small and medium tattoos, up to about A5 size, can be done the same day in any style. For a small tattoo, the wait is usually between zero and one hour during the day, and after 8pm there is usually no wait at all.

Many travelers decide on a tattoo while exploring Khaosan Road, and we tattoo walk-ins every day. With 12 artists covering every style we offer, from fine line and lettering to Sak Yant, realism and Japanese, a small or medium design can be tattooed the same day, whatever the style. During the day, you may wait up to an hour for a small piece. After 8pm, a chair is usually free straight away, which makes the evening the easiest time to walk in. Medium pieces take longer to tattoo, so arriving earlier leaves time to finish comfortably before we close at 11pm. Every walk-in starts with a free consultation, where the artist confirms the design, the placement and a maximum price before the session begins. Bring a passport or photo ID, as we only tattoo adults aged 18 and over. For a large piece such as a half sleeve, we recommend booking ahead, so your artist and your design are ready when you arrive.

The fastest way is a message on Facebook Messenger or Instagram, because tattoos are visual and we can look at your photos straight away. Send a short description of your idea, reference photos, a photo of the area to tattoo, the approximate size in centimetres and the days you are available in Bangkok.

With those five details, the artist who specializes in your style can tell you whether the design works, when there is time for it and what it will cost. Without them, nobody can answer those questions properly, so putting everything in your first message saves days of back and forth. We then agree on the artist, the date and a maximum price before the session, with no surprises. To lock the slot, we ask for a deposit from 1,000 THB for small pieces, up to 3,000 THB per tattoo day for large multi-session work, deducted from your final price. If you prefer email, the form on our booking page reaches the studio directly. You can also walk in at 143 Thanon Tanao, at the end of Khaosan Road, any day from noon to 11pm. Phone calls are possible too, but a written message with photos is always clearer.

Pricing is time-based: a fixed 1,000 THB materials fee per session plus 3,000 THB per hour, with a maximum price agreed before the needle touches your skin. Small pieces start around 1,000–2,000 THB; a full sleeve runs roughly 60,000–120,000 THB. The consultation is free, so you always know the ceiling first.

We price by time, transparently. Every session carries a fixed 1,000 THB materials fee, sterile single-use needles, cartridges and inks, plus 3,000 THB per hour. We agree a maximum with you before starting, so the time-based rate can only work in your favour if a piece finishes faster. The free consultation is where this gets settled, protecting travelers on a budget from an open-ended bill.

It depends entirely on size and detail. A small, simple tattoo can be finished in under an hour, while large or highly detailed work, a sleeve, a back piece, a realistic portrait, is usually split across multiple sessions. Your artist estimates the time and session count during the free consultation.

Small line-work often takes under an hour; medium pieces with shading run two to four hours. Large, detailed work is genuinely a multi-session project: the skin needs to heal between sittings, and both artist and client need breaks to maintain precision. For visitors on a short stay, we will be honest about what is realistically achievable, and can plan a first session now with the rest on a future visit.

Our artists who tattoo at European conventions hold the hygiene and sanitation certifications required there. Needles and cartridges are single-use and disposed of after every client, work surfaces are wrapped and sterilized between sessions, and we were, as far as we know, the first officially licensed tattoo studio in Thailand, a standard we have held since opening in 2009.

Every needle and cartridge is single-use, opened in front of you and discarded into a sharps container immediately after your session. Work surfaces, armrests and equipment are sterilized between every client, and disposable barriers cover anything that cannot be. This discipline is part of why we became, as far as we know, the first licensed studio in Thailand. Practical advice: ask any studio to open a fresh needle in front of you, a reputable one will welcome the question.

Tell us your idea, and we match you to the specialist for it. Our 12 artists each focus on one or two styles, Realistic, Japanese, Sak Yant, Fine Line, Blackwork, Neo-Traditional, Old School or Lettering, rather than every artist attempting everything. The free consultation exists to find that match.

Choosing an artist is more important than choosing a studio. A fine-line botanical and a bold Japanese dragon demand completely different hands, tools and instincts. You are encouraged to browse our artists’ work first and request someone by name. If you are undecided between two styles, the consultation is where we weigh how each will age on your skin and suit your placement.

We are at 143 Thanon Tanao, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok 10200, right at the end of Khaosan Road. From the Khaosan strip, head south onto Thanon Tanao and we are a short stroll down, in the heart of historic Banglamphu, the old quarter of Bangkok.

In 2022 we moved a few doors down the same street, from 137 to 143 Thanon Tanao. Some older listings and hotel guides still show the old number: 143 is the right one.

There is no need for a taxi or the BTS Skytrain, which does not reach this old part of the city anyway. If you are arriving from elsewhere in Bangkok, a taxi or ride-hailing app to “Khaosan Road” or “Thanon Tanao” gets you within steps of the door, and the Grand Palace and Wat Pho are a short walk further south for sightseeing the same day.

Most visitors staying on Sukhumvit reach us in about half an hour. The simplest way is a taxi or Grab to "143 Thanon Tanao" or "Khaosan Road": about 9 km, usually around 30 minutes, longer at rush hour. By metro, take the MRT Blue Line from Sukhumvit station to Sam Yot, about 17 minutes with no change, then a five-minute taxi or tuk-tuk ride, or a 20-minute walk.

For a local experience, the Khlong Saen Saep canal boat runs from Asok or Nana to Panfa Leelard pier, with one change at Pratunam, and our studio is a 12-minute walk from the pier. The last boats leave around 7 to 8pm, so plan a taxi or the MRT for the way back.

Absolutely. Bringing your own idea, reference photos or sketches is the best way to start. Your artist uses them as the foundation, then advises on what works for your placement, skin and how the piece will age, turning your reference into a custom design built for your body.

Rather than copying an image pixel-for-pixel, which often does not translate to skin, the specialist adapts it: adjusting proportions for placement, refining line weight so it ages well, and matching the rendering to their style. You approve the final stencil before any ink begins, so the piece on your skin is the piece you signed off on.

We are open seven days a week, from 12:00 noon to 23:00 (11 PM). That late-night closing time suits travelers exploring Banglamphu and Khaosan Road by day and deciding on a tattoo in the evening. We have no weekly closing day.

Opening at midday means you can sightsee the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and the Banglamphu markets in the cooler morning, then come for your consultation or session in the afternoon or evening. We recommend larger pieces start earlier in the day. During major Thai holidays such as Songkran, hours can shift, so send us a quick message on Facebook Messenger or Instagram to check before you come.

It comes down to three simple steps, and we walk you through them in person before you leave. Remove your wrap on time, regular plastic film after 2 to 4 hours, a “second skin” after 24 hours, give the tattoo one thorough first wash with the soap we provide, then let it dry for 48 to 72 hours before applying any cream.

The first wash is the most important step: gently remove all the blood, plasma and excess ink so thick scabs do not form, only a fine layer of skin should peel. Never pick a scab, because pulling one removes colour pigment too. Because Thailand’s climate is humid, wait until the tattoo is genuinely dry before moisturizing. For the full step-by-step, see our tattoo aftercare guide.

For the history and meaning of the designs, the Wikipedia article on Sak Yant is a good introduction.

Yes. We offer free touch-ups for two years on every tattoo, with one exception: hands and feet. Those areas always need touch-ups, not for any lack of skill, but because of the intrinsic nature of the skin there, so they are not covered by the free policy.

If a small gap or a spot that did not retain ink shows up once the tattoo has fully healed, we will refine it at no cost for two years. Tattoos on hands and feet almost always require touch-ups regardless of who does the work, because the skin there sheds and wears far faster. Raise any touch-up during your free consultation and your artist will tell you what to expect for your design.

You must be 18 or older to get tattooed with us, we only tattoo adults aged 18 and above, with no exceptions. Please bring a valid photo ID, such as your passport, to your appointment so we can verify your age before any work begins.

There is no minor-with-guardian exception. Tattooing is permanent, and ensuring every client is a consenting adult protects both you and the studio. For international visitors, a passport is the simplest document to carry. If you are travelling with family and have questions about the age policy before you visit, message us on Facebook Messenger or Instagram.

A licensed studio means verified hygiene, accountable artists and transparent pricing, the things that protect you long after your trip ends. As far as we know, we were the first officially licensed tattoo studio in Thailand. We hold the hygiene certifications required at European conventions, agree a maximum price upfront, and have completed 40,000+ tattoos since 2009 at a 4.9/5 rating.

For a traveler, a tattoo is permanent while the holiday is temporary. Three things separate a licensed studio from a street shop: hygiene you can verify, named specialists with portfolios you can inspect, and transparent time-based pricing with a maximum agreed before you start. The honest advice we give every traveler: verify the license, watch the needle come out of a fresh package, and never let price alone decide.