A thermal image forming apparatus is provided adapted to form images on both sides of a recording medium. The thermal image forming apparatus includes an image forming part having a recording head for forming an image on the recording medium and a support member facing the recording head and supporting the recording medium with respect to the recording head. The recording medium has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. A position changing unit rotates the recording head around a shaft of the support member to move the recording head to first and second locations respectively facing the first and second sides of the recording medium.