Thailand Health Info

 Vaccinations

For entry to Thailand is not required any vaccination. The certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required only for travellers, greater than one year of age, coming from infected areas of Central Africa and South America. It is recommended vaccination against hepatitis A and B, not required, but always useful in all tropical country.

 Health risks

About health risks it is good to know that there are some outbreaks of tropical diseases. Local health authorities are stepping up preventive measures, and control. It is recommended in any case to follow the usual health precautions in tropical countries and to undergo a medical examination in case of flu symptoms. Malaria is non-existent in endemic form in Thailand, except for a few cases reported in remote areas of the border with Myanmar. Have been reported sporadic cases of Dengue and Chikungunya. These viruses are contracted as a result of the bite of infected mosquitoes and manifest with similar symptoms: fever, muscle and bone pain, headache, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. It is advisable, therefore, to take during holidays the preventive measures against mosquito bites. Traveler's diarrhea it's frequent among travellers in Thailand. Causes can be many: bacteria, viruses, parasites, but also the stress of travel, the change of food or climate. To reduce the risk of contracting it pay attention to food hygiene, eat well-cooked foods; drink only bottled water and soft drinks without adding ice, if you are not sure that comes from controlled producers, which provide guarantees of hygiene. The most important therapeutic measure to be put in place, in case of diarrhea, is the restoration of the loss water and electrolytes it's drinking liquids, not alcohol. Sunburn are quite frequent, always use protective creams even on a cloudy day, the sun's rays, especially at this latitude, they are strong and can cause burns very quickly. Pay attention to insect bites, especially if you are at risk of allergies, such as scorpions, bees, wasps and hornets, centipedes, spiders and snakes bites, as well as contact with jellyfish. The most frequent health problem, among the tourists in Thailand, is definitely the consequences of road accidents. Drive carefully, the roads of Thailand are generally very good, but the rains and unsafe driving may cause adverse effects. In Thailand the spread of HIV/AIDS is high, use appropriate precautions. Foreigners for small health problems can turn to the Thai pharmacies, always operated by qualified personnel, for the most serious cases can contact the government hospitals or the excellent private clinics.

 Medicines & Thai Pharmacies

When travelling abroad it is useful to bring along the documents to prove the necessity and legitimacy of the possession of medicines. Those suffering from chronic diseases and they must carry with them a great quantity of medicines, especially those without the original packaging therefore difficult to identify, can arouse the suspicion of misuse at border controls, accordingly always travel with the prescription of your doctors, possibly in English. In Thailand, anywhere you stay, you are never too far away from a pharmacy. In any small or big towns and seaside resort they are situated at every corner streets. In Thailand it is not always necessary to have a medical prescription, a wide range of drugs that are available only on prescription in the West, in Thailand are sold freely. Drugs such as antibiotics or anti-inflammatory are readily available over the counter, although there is an increasing number of pharmacists who are reluctant to provide other drugs such as anti-depressants and sedatives without a written prescription. It is common practice for Thai people, but also for tourists, to make the pharmacies their first point of reference if they are feeling unwell. Inside pharmacies it is possible to get basic medical advice from a pharmacist, for less serious health problems see a doctor is often unnecessary, considering that for many drugs are not necessary prescriptions and pharmacist is often a doctor. It is custom for drugs be marketed under a different name and package in Thailand from those we know, but the active ingredient are the same of western drugs, pharmacists have the facility to check the name of any medication in handbook and find the corresponding Thai drugs. They can also advise on cheaper generic medications. In Thai pharmacies it is customary to sell just some tablets of medicine, and not the whole package as used in west. Many tourists tempted by the low cost of drugs, especially those for male erectile dysfunction, such as Viagra or Kamagra, they have bad habit to buying large quantities of medicines. It is good to know that the penalties for those who illegally import medicine are expensive, if the medicine is not recognized in the western you are doing a criminal offense, comparable to narcotic importation.