Today I will tell you about vaccinations in Thailand: is it worth getting them, which ones are needed, and which ones are recommended. When traveling to which resort are you more likely to get sick from something exotic, which means vaccinations are more necessary?
Of course, I myself don’t understand anything about this, so I turned to the same chief physician who helped me with the material on exotic diseases of Thailand, so the article turned out to be very objective and written by a very experienced doctor. In epidemiological terms, Thailand is a prosperous country. The people there are clean, the living conditions at the resorts meet European standards. There is no mandatory vaccination when visiting this country. Vaccinations are done based on one’s own considerations and the recommendations of doctors.
No one can unequivocally answer the question of whether to vaccinate or not. Because in their absence, a person can safely visit the paradise of our planet and not get sick. And having vaccinations does not guarantee 100% safety. What you should definitely have when traveling to Thailand is good immunity, a strong heart.
Major infectious diseases
Despite the hot climate, the epidemiological situation in Thailand is quite favorable. In the last century, the kingdom overcame all the most terrible diseases that were previously common in Southeast Asia.
However, for tourists from Europe there is always a chance of catching some specific local illness, simply due to the lack of immunity to infection. This situation makes you think about vaccinations before leaving.
Medical insurance
The best insurance option for traveling abroad, you can compare company offers and buy an electronic policy online.
The article discusses the main infectious diseases that occur in Thailand, types of vaccinations against them, places where you can get vaccinated in Russia, as well as the advisability of vaccination as such. Several important recommendations are also given on sanitary safety and filling a tourist’s first aid kit (we talked about medicines that can be bought in Thailand here).
The humid and hot tropical climate in Thailand contributes to the preservation, development and spread of a number of diseases atypical for Europeans:
- dysentery;
- helminth infection;
- typhoid fever;
- cholera;
- malaria;
- Dengue fever;
- Japanese mosquito encephalitis;
- hepatitis groups A and B;
- In remote areas or in some forest reserves, tourists may encounter animals with rabies. However, such cases are extremely rare.
Outbreaks of these diseases (apart from dysentery) occur extremely rarely among Thais due to the fact that most of them are vaccinated or have strong immunity.
How to drive around Thailand
Most winterers rent or even buy a scooter
Around the resort and surrounding area
The most convenient and economical way to travel to the beach, to the store and around interesting neighborhoods is to rent a scooter. In Thailand, traffic is on the left, some quickly change lanes, others, out of Russian habit, may try to turn in the wrong direction. In any case, be careful as if you were driving for the first time.
For 3000–4000 baht per month you rent an automatic bike with an engine capacity of 100–125 cm³; a manual bike will cost a little less. When renting, they ask for a passport as a deposit, but it’s better to leave a few thousand baht instead. Helmets are provided free of charge with the bike, but many people buy their own. According to the rules, you need an international license category A to drive.
For families, renting a car is more suitable. On average it costs 1,000 baht per day or 15,000–20,000 baht per month for a sedan, but you can find cheaper ones. When renting, they usually take a cash deposit of 8,000–30,000 baht in cash or block the deposit amount on a bank card. You can estimate prices in our Car Rental service - this is the same aggregator as searching for air tickets.
Do you need international licenses in Thailand? In 1968, Thailand signed the Vienna Convention, but did not ratify it, that is, you cannot drive in the land of smiles with a Russian national driver's license: you need an international license.
Many people in Thailand drive without a license at all (they are often not asked for them when renting), but this is risky: firstly, they are checked from time to time and, if they are absent, a fine of 500–1500 baht is issued (there was talk of 10,000 baht, but in actual cases not yet), secondly, if an accident occurs and treatment is needed, the insurance company will not pay for it, even if the insurance covers driving a motorcycle or car. In road accidents involving Thais, the police usually take their side. Riding a scooter with a category B license is equivalent to not having a license (category A is required).
If you don't drive a scooter or a car , but still want your own transportation, try a bicycle. They are rented in many guesthouses. If you plan to spend the whole winter or more in Thailand, it makes sense to buy it, and before leaving, sell it through a Russian or English-speaking group on Facebook - they are at all popular Thai resorts. There are no bike paths in Thailand, but drivers are used to cyclists and usually there are no problems.
If you don’t have your own transport, you can travel by tuk-tuk (cheaper) or taxi (more expensive). There are metro and buses in Bangkok. In other large cities, there are regular songthaew minibuses - they look like a pickup truck with a body for carrying passengers. There are two difficulties with a songthaew: 1) if there are no passengers, then the driver assumes that you are hiring the whole car, like a taxi - this needs to be made clear when you get in, 2) if the songthaew is traveling with passengers, then it is difficult to know where and where from - ask the driver and the surrounding Thais. They don’t stop at bus stops, they don’t invite passengers - you have to catch them on the side of the road. An exotic way to travel around the city is by motorcycle taxi, when a scooter driver takes a passenger for 25–30 baht.
Useful groups about Thailand on social networks in Russian
All of Thailand: “Thai Life”
Phuket: Our Phuket, Phuket Flea Market, Life in Phuket, Fidgets in Phuket (for active ones) and Unified Information Center in Phuket
Koh Phangan: Koh Phangan people, Koh Phangan
Pattaya: Pattaya Residents Club, Pattaya from A to Z, Pattaya. Circle of friends
Chang: Club Koh Chang
Samui: We live on Koh Samui
Hua Hin: Life in Hua Hin
Chiang Mai: Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, Ladies in Chiang Mai
Pai: Pattaya Residents Club, Pattaya from A to Z, Pattaya. Circle of friends
Between cities: low-cost airlines, buses, ferries
Intercity transport in Thailand is simple and convenient.
Aircraft. Flying with a low-cost airline is the fastest way to get from one part of the country to another, and often also the cheapest. For example, you can catch a ticket from Bangkok to Phuket for 500 baht ($16), but even if you are less lucky, on average for the year they cost 3,200 baht ($104) round trip per person.
Buses. Bus services between cities in Thailand are well developed. At any bus station you will have a choice of bus companies plying the same route. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the bus station, on the official website of the bus company or through an intermediary travel agency.
Buses come in different classes: VIP, First and Second, and the old rattling ones without a class. There may be differences in comfort between companies, even within the same class. Most buses are spacious and have comfortable seats. But there are also older models with hard, non-folding seats and no air conditioning - a good option if you want to save money. On some routes there are minibuses: they are the same size as our minibuses, quite comfortable and with air conditioning, but on mountain roads they get more motion sickness than in a large bus.
Trains. For the price of a bus, you can buy a 2nd class train ticket, and it will be much more comfortable. 1st class is a lockable compartment with two shelves. 2nd class “sleeper” - like our reserved seat, but very clean and the conductor does not grumble “hand over your laundry”, but he himself covers the shelves and hangs them with curtains. All shelves are along the car on both sides near the windows, there is air conditioning. The bottom shelf is so wide that a mother and a 3-4 year old child can easily fit together (the sides protect it from falls), and during the day the shelf folds into two spacious and comfortable chairs. Class 2 “seated” - with soft reclining chairs, sometimes with a fan or air conditioning. 3rd class - like our old train. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office at the station or through intermediaries.
There are ferries to larger islands like Koh Samui, tickets for which can be purchased separately or together with bus tickets.
Examples of transport prices in Thailand:
- bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai - 530–850 baht ($17–28)
- train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai: 3rd class – 231–271 baht (~8 $), lower berth in a 2nd class sleeper – 631–1041 baht (20–34 $)
- minibus from Bangkok to Hua Hin - 215–400 baht ($7–13)
- ferry from Samui to Koh Phangan - 200–300 baht ($7–10)
Do I need to get vaccinated before traveling?
Thai authorities do not force foreign citizens to get vaccinated , but they strongly recommend vaccination before travel.
Residents of European countries (farang in the local language) live in completely different climatic conditions than Thais, so they do not have natural or artificial immunity to most diseases found in Southeast Asia.
If a tourist comes to the country for a period of several weeks, then he finds himself in a vulnerable position . Sometimes it is enough for him to simply get scratched on an excursion in the jungle, be bitten by an insect, or eat low-quality macaroon food to get sick.
To summarize all of the above:
- Vaccination is not mandatory, but recommended;
- unvaccinated tourists are more vulnerable to specific local diseases. Among them, in turn, children are the most vulnerable;
- unvaccinated tourists will be forced to limit themselves when choosing places to eat, relax, and excursions. They are not recommended to visit national parks and disadvantaged areas of large cities;
- You can do without vaccination if you visit the country for a short period of time, for a period of 5-10 days.
You should avoid vaccination only if you are traveling to the country for a week, or if you have an allergic reaction to vaccinations.
In the latter case, the risks of the vaccine outweigh its benefits.
When visa-free entry into the Kingdom of Thailand is not possible
Before you cross the borders of Thailand, make sure that you do not need a visa. Permission to visit the country is required in the following cases:
- The tourist has recently been to Thailand with or without a visa. The word “recently” means six months from the date of new arrival.
- The passport already has a stamp indicating visa-free entry within 90 days from the date of the new visit.
If you are not allowed a visa-free visit to the kingdom, there is a way out. For Russians, it is possible to obtain a visa on the spot. However, this is a risk that you should not expose yourself to.
List of recommended vaccinations
Typhoid fever
Various intestinal diseases are the most common disease among farangs . Therefore, the typhoid vaccine should be high on the priority list. The vaccine is administered by injection under the skin or orally, using a special tablet. Validity period: 3 years.
Hepatitis groups A and B
In the CIS countries, this vaccine is first in line. The very first vaccination is given in the maternity hospital, then at 5-6 years old, then at 16 years old. After the vaccine in adolescence and the development of immunity, revaccination occurs every 10 years - as necessary. Such a necessity is a trip to Thailand, where there is a serious situation with hepatitis.
The course consists of three vaccine injections: one every two months. The total duration of the course is six months. If instead of three only 1-2 injections were given, then there will be no guaranteed protection .
Diphtheria and tetanus
In Russia, these vaccinations are mandatory, so almost everyone has them. They are first done at three months of age, then at 16 years, and then, if necessary, once every 10 years. If more than ten years have passed since the last vaccine, it is recommended to get it before traveling .
Japanese encephalitis
The Thai Ministry of Health managed to almost completely eradicate this disease, but it still occurs in remote areas of the country . Tourists who plan to visit swampy areas or mangrove forests are at risk of infection, since these places are inhabited by hordes of mosquitoes that carry encephalitis.
The course consists of three injections: one every 10 days. They must be given in such a way that the last injection occurs 14 days before departure for the country . This is exactly the period the body needs to develop lasting immunity.
Rabies
Rabies vaccination is a must-have in the world of vaccines. This disease is quite rare and almost always occurs in wild animals: stray dogs, rats, raccoons, etc. You can catch it through contact with their saliva or blood. The outcome of the disease is fatal and very painful. Therefore, do not neglect the rabies vaccination .
ATTENTION! Dengue fever is widespread in Thailand; there is no vaccine for it.
What Thai doctors say
Thai media recommend that visitors be vaccinated against various diseases. This is understandable - medicine for foreigners here is paid. The most popular are vaccinations against hepatitis and Japanese encephalitis .
Such vaccinations make sense only for those who decide to stay in Thailand for a long time - for a year or more. The quality of Thai vaccines is higher than Russian ones, and prices are almost the same as those in Moscow. Vaccinations cost between 600 and 1,500 baht.
A patient suffering from dengue fever looks out of a window in a hospital near Bangkok (Photo: Sanofi Pasteur / flickr.com)
Where can they be made?
You can get vaccinated at any large clinic or at a private clinic providing similar services. The availability of this service and the price list can be found on the institution’s website
Children have most likely already been vaccinated at their place of residence or study : in kindergarten or school. Similar procedures are carried out with them throughout the country according to the generally accepted schedule. However, it doesn’t hurt to look at your child’s vaccination record, in case something was forgotten?
Important advice: contact a medical facility several weeks before vaccination , since they may not have the vaccine you need and will have to order it for you.
Try to arrange your schedule so that the last vaccine is given at least 14 days before travel.
Ailments and methods of their treatment
Self-diagnosis and self-medication have harmed more than a dozen tourists.
Therefore, it is always worth contacting specialists; fortunately, today there are hospitals and doctors in every city and in almost every locality. Of course, each medicine comes with detailed instructions specifying the signs of disease and dosage, but in any case, consultation with a specialist is never superfluous. If you don’t know where to find a good hospital in Thailand, contact the embassy. They can usually recommend a good medical center. For help, you can also turn to the information support of high-class hotels, however, they usually recommend specialists who charge quite large fees. If you still feel unwell and there are no people nearby, take the medicine strictly according to the instructions, without exceeding the dosage. And try to get to inhabited places as soon as possible.
What products should you put in your travel first aid kit?
- iodine, a pack of bandages, cotton wool, plasters;
- white or activated carbon and other medications for stomach upset;
- aspirin, ketanol, any other painkillers;
- cold powder;
- cough tablets or syrup;
- allergy medications;
- drops for nose and eyes;
- universal ointment for herpes and common skin diseases;
- ointments to reduce itching from mosquito bites.
It is not at all necessary to pack a first aid kit for Thailand, since the same medicines as in Russia are available in any pharmacy in the country. However, its presence will save time spent on overcoming the language barrier with a local pharmacist. Explaining to the seller the essence of your illness without knowing Thai or English is quite a task.
Safety rules in Thailand - how to avoid getting sick?
wild monkeys are dangerous
You should not feed paranoia before traveling to Thailand, since after all, tourist Pattaya or Phuket are not Bangladesh or Somalia. But you shouldn’t completely let down your guard either. Simple safety measures in Thailand will greatly help reduce the chances of getting sick from something unpleasant while on vacation by the sea.
1 – First and foremost – mosquito repellents. Made in Thailand, since the “non-biting” and other Russians may not be able to cope with the local bloodsuckers. If you live below the 20th floor, there should be mosquito nets on the windows and repellent plugged into each room.
Mosquito repellent creams, sprays, and lotions are sold everywhere in Thailand, are inexpensive, and in recent years many natural mosquito repellents have appeared, even for infants. The main natural one is based on citronella. It smells like lemon, very effective. Children should be smeared constantly, especially during the day. There is an opinion that mosquitoes that carry Dengue fever do not bite after sunset.
At the slightest suspicion - high unbreakable temperature, aches, photophobia - go to the hospital. Dengue fever can only be reduced with paracetamol, as ibuprofen can cause internal bleeding.
2 – Try not to settle in a very tie-style bungalow , where the surrounding area is not treated for snakes, mosquitoes and other creatures. In European-style condos and good hotels, this treatment is carried out 1-2 times a month.
3 – Do not drink tap water . You can brush your teeth and wash.
4 – Wash your hands. More often . Carry an alcohol-based spray or wipes with you, especially if you have children with you. You can and should eat in Thai cafes, but basic hygiene rules have never bothered anyone.
5 – Use sun loungers on the beach . Avoid places where stray dogs gather, as they carry various parasites that lay larvae right in your arms, legs, and other places. Symptoms: The area begins to itch within a few days and several bite marks are visible.
6 – There is no need to stroke or touch other people’s stray animals . It’s also not worth taking pictures with loris lemurs. Loris have poison in the glands of their forelimbs that is dangerous to humans.
7 – You should not walk in tall grass or bushes ; more than 20 species of poisonous snakes live in Thailand; death from a bite is not that uncommon.
If something happens to you in Thailand, do not hesitate to call the policy number and go to the hospital. Do not self-medicate. You should remember and know that even a common cold in Thailand is treated differently and proceeds differently than in Russia.
first aid kit in thailand
You shouldn't bring a whole suitcase of medicines to Thailand, especially if you have good insurance. A good one will cover not only treatment, hospitalization, tests, but also medications. But in case of emergency, it is better to have some with you. Especially if children are going on vacation with you. Many diseases develop rapidly, very often deterioration occurs at night and you may not have time to run around 7/11. There are very few 24-hour pharmacies in Thailand, if we talk about the resort cities of Pattaya and Phuket. Regular opening hours of pharmacies are from 10 to 18-19 pm.
So, here are the medications you should take with you.
1 – Antipyretic based on paracetamol. In Thailand it is Tempra syrup for children and
2 – Antihistamines (for allergies). Loratodine is enough. It may come in handy if you were stung by a jellyfish, ate something wrong, or after an insect bite.
3 – Remedies for intestinal infections , sorbents: hilak forte, enteros gel, charcoal, some antacid like smecta.
4 – Rehydron for dehydration during diarrhea and vomiting
5 – Healing agents – iodine pencil, panthenol, peroxide, a couple of patches, a small bandage
6 – Motion sickness remedy
Safety Tips
- get your last vaccination a month before departure so that your immunity has time to recover after it. Otherwise, the body will be vulnerable to infections;
- Drink exclusively bottled water. Boil tap water for a long time before drinking;
- Avoid eating raw meat and seafood unless it comes from high-end restaurants. This is fraught with infection by helminths and intestinal infections;
- Do not purchase or eat food purchased from the ground or in spontaneous markets. Their sellers may wash the fruits in the nearest river or not wash them at all;
- Beware of eating at the cheapest makashnitsa (mobile trays selling food). If you still decide to try this food, then tell the seller “thai spice” (Thai spices). A heavy dose of seasonings will thoroughly disinfect the dish;
- after contact with surfaces and people, disinfect your hands with a special solution;
- do not touch wild and stray animals;
- actively use mosquito repellents;
- Treat scratches, cuts, and insect bites immediately.
If you are not vaccinated, avoid visiting crowded places, unsafe places, nature reserves with standing water and rural areas.
How to escape?
The most logical recommendation for a trip to Thailand is good insurance. It relieves you of the headache of paying for very expensive medical services if necessary, and the top of these cases from my “everyday list” are covered by insurance, plus you can also treat various Coxsackie and Dengue cases without unnecessary financial losses. My opinion is this - if you are not going to Thailand for years, do not plan to wander through the jungle and hang out in disadvantaged areas, then there is absolutely nothing for you to be vaccinated against. And before wintering, be sure to visit the dentist, so as not to later look for the most handy Thai doctor, according to reviews of compatriots.
Otherwise, don’t forget about simple hygiene rules. For example, carry wet wipes or a bottle of alcoholic liquid with you from the pharmacy - a useful thing, especially for parents of children. Make sure that your child does not sit on the open sand for a long time (do not abuse it yourself), does not put anything picked up from the ground into his mouth, and does not eat sand on the beach. Drink only bottled water, you can also brush and rinse your teeth only with bottled water, but I ignore this rule. For housing, choose a resort with a normal administration that spends money on treating mosquitoes in the interior. Well, take all measures to repel mosquitoes - these reptiles carry Dengue, Zika, and malaria.
And to consolidate the material, I will repeat: the media are very fond of fried food, especially if it does not happen in our country. Therefore, any hysteria about an epidemic or flood must be divided by sixteen. Yes, in Thailand the climate is different from ours and there are diseases here that seem scary to us, but the key word is “seem.” Always double-check information from the media, otherwise later it will turn out like in that conversation that I spied on the Internet. There, one guy seriously argued to another that in Thailand, in the sea, certain spores float, which get into the male penis and sprout grass there. And that only Thai medicine can fight this, and the course of treatment is at least two weeks. You will get sick once and then you will be constantly treated.
PS Another horror story about dangerous insects and animals - my opinion here.
PPS UPD based on reader comments - vaccination against Rotavirus.
I read about this vaccination, and this is what became clear. According to WHO recommendations, rotavirus should be vaccinated in countries with an increased risk of morbidity, which includes the Southeast Asian region. There are only two vaccines: RV5 RotaTeq and RV1 Rotarix. RotaTeq is derived from a human strain, while Rotarix is derived from both human and bovine strains. In the Russian Federation, RotaTek is used. The first dose of the vaccine should be given to the baby before 6 weeks of age. The RV1 vaccine is administered twice, RV5 three times, orally, at an interval of at least four weeks. Moreover, RotaTek can be vaccinated on the same day with other vaccinations, except for the oral live polio vaccine. The vaccine is valid for about 2 years. Vaccinations for children over two years of age also seem to make sense, but it has been proven that the Rotashield vaccination increases the chances of getting a complication - intestinal obstruction.
That is, in my opinion, it makes sense to vaccinate a child under 2 years of age, but not later. And even then, provided that the child will constantly be in the epicenter of the children's party - nurseries, kindergartens or clinics. If he spends most of his time at home, then vaccination is not needed. And everyday experience shows that rotavirus in Thailand is about as common as other enteroviruses, such as astrovirus or norovirus, the main problems of which are dehydration and (possibly) cramps due to high fever. But any parent knows what to do at high temperatures and how to restore the body from dehydration. Therefore, I don’t see much point in vaccinating a child against one of the possible variants of diseases, and even with such side effects.
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