The objects of the present invention are to achieve high quality recording having no stripes between main-scannings at a low cost, a low running cost, miniaturization of the apparatus and low power consumption and shorten printing time. In order to achieve the object described above, the thermal recording apparatus is equipped with a recording head in which p pieces of recording elements for recording dots on the recorded medium are disposed at an interval of k dots in a sub-scanning direction, a first drive means for driving the recording head described above in a main-scanning direction, a second drive means for driving the recording head by a distance of p dots every sub-scanning in a sub-scanning direction, a third drive means for driving a recording medium disposed so that it contacts the recorded medium described above, and a control means for controlling the first, second and third drive means and outputting image data to be recorded on the preceding recorded medium to the recording head described above.