PURPOSE: To improve thermal response and the storage stability of a background part and an image part by adding a specific salicylic acid derivative or a metal salt thereof and d specific compd. as an electron acceptive compd. reacting with a dye precursor at the time of heating to develop a color.

CONSTITUTION: A thermal recording material contains a usually colorless or light-colored dye precursor and an electron acceptive compd. reacting with the dye precursor at the time of heating to develop a color. In this case, as the electron acceptive compd., a salicylic acid derivative represented by general formula I (X1 and X2 are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aralkyl group or the like and R is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group or the like) or a metal salt thereof and a compd. represented by formula II (R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyloxy group or the like, R2 is a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group and R3 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group) are added.