Local Laws That Catch Travelers Out: Vapes, Medicines, Photos and More
Many travelers who get into legal trouble abroad aren't doing anything they'd think twice about at home. They're carrying a vape, packing their usual medicine, posting a photo or crossing the road in the wrong place.
The rules can also change quickly. In August 2026, Thailand introduced regulations allowing foreign nationals to be deported without a criminal conviction if authorities judge their conduct to be against public order or public morals.
This guide covers the everyday things that most often catch travelers out, with real examples from official UK government (FCDO) travel advice. Rules change, so treat these as examples and check the official advice for your own destination before you go.
Vapes and e-cigarettes
Vapes are an easy way to break the law without realizing it.
- Singapore: Vapes and e-cigarettes are banned, and it's illegal to bring them into the country, even for personal use. They will be confiscated and you could be fined.
- Thailand: It's illegal to possess or use any vape, e-cigarette, pod, e-liquid or heat-not-burn device. Penalties can include heavy fines, detention and court proceedings, and you may have to stay in Thailand until your case is finished. There are no exceptions for tourists.
What to do: Check the vape rules for every country on your route, including transit stops. If in doubt, leave it at home.
Everyday medicines and CBD
Medicines that are normal at home can be restricted or illegal elsewhere.
- Japan: Some common prescription and over-the-counter medicines are illegal to possess or use under its strictly enforced drug laws. The FCDO notes that not knowing the law is no defense.
- UAE: Some products containing CBD are illegal, and some skincare products and e-cigarette refills may contain it. If they're found, they'll be confiscated and you could face criminal charges. For controlled medicines, the UAE health ministry sets allowed quantities and the documents you must show.
What to do: Before you pack any medicine, check the destination's rules on its health or embassy website. Carry prescriptions in their original packaging with a copy of your prescription, and check whether you need a permit.
Drugs, including what's already in your system
Many countries take a far harder line on drugs than travelers expect, and some count past use as a crime.
- UAE: Authorities treat drugs found in your bloodstream as possession. Even residual amounts can lead to arrest.
- Singapore: Evidence of drug use in your system on arrival or in transit can lead to refusal of entry or arrest. Penalties for drug offenses include caning and the death penalty, and they apply to people transiting the airport too.
- Japan: If police find an illegal substance in your bloodstream, you may be charged even if you didn't know you'd taken it. Refusing a police drug test can itself lead to arrest.
- Thailand: Cannabis is now restricted to medical use with a Thai prescription. Recreational use is illegal, and taking cannabis out of the country without permission brings fines or detention.
What to do: Remember that airports in many countries scan transit passengers' bags too. Something legal where you bought it can still get you arrested on a layover.
Social media, swearing and photos
What you post or film can be a criminal matter abroad.
- UAE: Swearing and rude gestures are illegal, including online. You could be jailed or deported. Don't photograph people without their permission; men have been arrested for photographing women on beaches.
- Thailand: Posting images of people drinking alcohol or wearing clothing considered inappropriate can be illegal, for both the person posting and the people in the photo.
What to do: Ask before you photograph people. Think twice before posting about local politics or religion, and keep road rage and arguments off social media.
Public behavior that's illegal elsewhere
Small things that are normal at home can lead to fines or arrest.
- UAE: Only cross roads at designated pedestrian crossings. Crossing elsewhere can mean a fine or even jail. Kissing in public can also lead to arrest.
- Singapore: Drinking alcohol in public places, other than licensed venues, is illegal between 10:30pm and 7am. Police can fine you on the spot for littering.
- Japan: Smoking is illegal on the streets of Tokyo and some other cities, except in designated areas.
- Singapore: Foreigners who aren't permanent residents can't attend outdoor demonstrations, even ones with police permission.
Carrying your ID
In some countries you must carry your passport at all times.
- Japan: You must always carry your passport or Japanese residence card. Police can arrest you if you can't show proof of your status.
- Indonesia: You must always carry your passport or stay permit.
- Thailand: If police ask to see your passport and you don't have it, you may have to show it at a police station within 24 hours. A copy of the photo page is usually enough.
What to do: Carry your passport where it's required. Elsewhere, keep a copy of the photo page on you and the original in your hotel safe.
Drones and other gear
- Thailand: You must register a drone with the national telecoms regulator within 30 days of arriving, even if you don't plan to fly it. The FCDO lists the penalty for an unregistered drone as a fine of 100,000 baht, five years in prison, or both.
- UAE: You may need a license for equipment such as satellite phones, recording devices or powerful cameras and binoculars.
Relationships and cohabitation
- Indonesia: The new criminal code sets penalties for cohabitation and for sex outside marriage if certain immediate family members of either person file a complaint. In Aceh province, Sharia law applies to non-Muslims as well, including bans on alcohol.
- UAE: Same-sex sexual activity is illegal. Consensual relationships between unmarried adults are generally legal, but an extra-marital relationship can lead to a prison sentence if a spouse or parent files a complaint.
LGBT+ travelers can find destination-specific guidance in the FCDO's advice for LGBT+ travelers.
If you get arrested
Legal systems abroad can work very differently from home. In Japan, you can be held without charge for up to 23 days, even for minor offenses. In Singapore, you might not be allowed to speak with anyone, even a lawyer, while you're questioned, and you usually can't leave the country while your case is open.
Your embassy can help in limited ways, but it can't get you out of jail or override local law. Read what your embassy can and can't do for you abroad.
How to check the laws for your destination
- Read the official advice. The US State Department and the UK FCDO both cover local laws in their country travel advice. Our guide to travel advisory levels explains both systems.
- Check every stop, not just the destination. Transit countries apply their laws to you while you're there.
- Check again before you leave. Rules change, as Thailand's new deportation regulations show.
- Ask locally. Your hotel or tour guide can tell you about customs that aren't written down.
Then work through the pre-trip travel safety checklist before you go.
Where Farhaven fits
Farhaven summarizes local laws and customs for your destination, covering drugs and alcohol, LGBT+ travel, dress and conduct, and drones and photography. It draws on official UK government travel advice and sits alongside government advisories, entry requirements and health information. You can see what's different about a place before you land, not after.
Farhaven is available now on iPhone and Android: download it on the App Store or get it on Google Play.
Bottom line
- Vapes, everyday medicines and CBD products are easy ways to break the law without realizing it.
- Some countries treat drugs in your bloodstream as possession, and transit airports scan bags.
- Online posts, swearing and photos of people can be criminal offenses abroad.
- Check the official local laws for every country on your route, and check close to departure.
The examples here come from official FCDO travel advice as of October 2026. Laws change, so always check the latest official guidance for your destination.
