Vaccines for Thailand: what you really need, plus malaria and dengue

Before you read: this is not medical advice

Health recommendations are updated by national health authorities and can change. Use this page to prepare the right questions for your appointment, then follow what your travel doctor advises.

Are any vaccines mandatory for Thailand?

For travellers arriving directly from Europe, the UK, North America or Australia, no vaccine is required to enter Thailand. The only formal requirement is a yellow fever vaccination certificate, and it applies only if you arrive from, or have transited through, a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission, mainly parts of sub-Saharan Africa and South America.

Recommended vaccines for Thailand

What is recommended depends on how long you stay, where you go and what you do. A two-week beach and city trip is not the same as three months cycling through rural Isan.

Some vaccines need several doses spread over weeks, which is why an appointment 4 to 6 weeks before departure is ideal. If you are leaving sooner, still go: a single dose or an accelerated schedule is often possible.

Malaria in Thailand: do you need antimalarial tablets?

Malaria risk in the places most travellers visit is very low. Bangkok, Chiang Mai city, Chiang Rai city, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Krabi, Koh Lanta, Pattaya and Hua Hin are considered low or negligible risk areas.

The remaining transmission is concentrated in forested and rural border areas, mainly along the borders with Myanmar, Cambodia and, to a lesser extent, Laos. Travellers who spend nights in these forests, for example on long jungle treks or fieldwork, face a higher risk.

• For classic tourist itineraries, preventive antimalarial treatment is usually not recommended
• The decision belongs to your doctor, based on your exact route, season and activities
• Any fever during your trip or within three months after returning must be checked quickly, and mention your trip to Thailand

Dengue and mosquito protection

Dengue is the mosquito-borne disease you are most likely to meet in Thailand. It is present across the whole country, including Bangkok and the islands, and cases usually peak during the rainy season, roughly from May to October. The mosquitoes that carry it bite mainly during the day, not only at dusk.

There is no routine dengue vaccine for travellers. A dengue vaccine is available in some countries, but it is reserved for specific situations, often people who have already had dengue, so ask your travel doctor whether it applies to you.

• Use a repellent with an effective active ingredient such as DEET, icaridin or IR3535, reapplied as indicated
• Wear light long sleeves and trousers in the early morning and late afternoon
• Choose rooms with air conditioning or intact window screens, and use a mosquito net in basic accommodation
• Apply sunscreen first, then repellent on top
• See a doctor for any high fever with headache, eye pain or muscle aches, and avoid ibuprofen and aspirin until dengue is ruled out

Rabies, dogs and monkeys

Rabies is present in Thailand, carried mainly by stray dogs but also cats and monkeys. Temple monkeys in places like Lopburi, and macaques at viewpoints and beaches, can bite or scratch when they expect food.

• Do not feed or pet monkeys, and keep food and plastic bags out of sight
• Do not approach sleeping or feeding dogs, especially at night
• Do not wait to see whether the animal looks ill before seeking care

Food and water: what is safe to eat and drink?

Tap water in Thailand is not considered drinkable for travellers. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere, and many hotels and guesthouses provide free refill stations with filtered water. Brushing your teeth with tap water is generally fine.

Ice in restaurants, cafes and street stalls is generally produced industrially from purified water and is safe; it is usually the cylindrical kind with a hole in the middle. Street food is one of the best things about Thailand and is rarely the problem people fear.

• Choose busy stalls where food is cooked in front of you and turned over quickly
• Prefer food served hot, and fruit you peel yourself
• Be more careful with seafood left out in the heat and raw salads in very basic places
• Wash or sanitise your hands before eating
• Carry oral rehydration salts: they are the most useful remedy for traveller's diarrhoea

The real risks: scooters, heat and the sea

Exotic diseases get the attention, but most travellers who end up in hospital in Thailand do so because of road accidents, heat or the sea.

Hospitals, pharmacies and your travel first-aid kit

Private hospitals in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai offer excellent standards, English-speaking staff and short waiting times, but they are expensive and often ask for a guarantee of payment before treatment. On smaller islands, facilities are basic and serious cases are transferred by boat or air. This is why good travel insurance with medical cover and evacuation is essential; see our travel insurance guide for what to check.

Pharmacies are everywhere in towns and tourist areas, and pharmacists often speak some English. Many medicines are sold without a prescription, but bring enough of your regular treatment with its prescription, in your hand luggage. For the rest of your bag, build a Thailand packing list for your trip.

• Your personal medication for the whole trip, plus a copy of the prescription
• Mosquito repellent and after-bite cream
• High-protection sunscreen
• Oral rehydration salts
• Paracetamol (preferred over ibuprofen while dengue is possible)
• Antidiarrhoeal treatment as advised by your doctor
• Antiseptic, plasters, sterile dressings and blister patches
• Hand sanitiser and a digital thermometer
• Your insurance details and emergency phone number