Thailand

General Map

Medical Summary

The health risk information presented here is summarized from Shoreland Travax^®, a decision-support tool used by health care providers to perform a detailed health risk analysis based on specific locations, individual travel styles, and traveler risk behaviors. Travax provides practitioners current, independently researched malaria risk and prevention recommendations in a map-based format that goes beyond the annual WHO and US CDC statements included here. Not included here are current reports from Travax of disease outbreaks or environmental events that may pose elevated risks to travelers’ health and safety. The Providers section of this site offers a directory of health care providers who utilize Shoreland Travax for travel health counseling. Learn more about the detailed reports and maps available from these practitioners (includes links to samples).

General Information

Thailand is a developing nation classified as upper middle income. Located in Southeast Asia (south of Laos and north of Cambodia), the climate is extremely diverse with classifications that range from humid equatorial (no dry season) to subtropical dry winter.

Vaccinations

Routine vaccinations are essential due to a persistent rise of vaccine-preventable diseases (especially markedly high rates of diphtheria, pertussis, and measles) globally. Prior to travel, travelers should be up-to-date with the age-appropriate routine vaccinations recommended by their home country, which may include: COVID-19; H. influenzae type B (Hib); hepatitis A; hepatitis B; influenza; measles, mumps, rubella; meningococcal; pneumococcal; polio; rotavirus; tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap preferred; consider an early pertussis booster for high-risk travelers); varicella.

Yellow Fever

Although yellow fever does not occur in Thailand, an official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary.

Requirement: A certificate proving yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers aged ≥ 9 months coming from countries with risk of YF transmission. This also applies to airport transit stops (no exit through immigration checkpoint) longer than 12 hours in risk countries.

Other Vaccines

Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against chikungunya, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, mpox, rabies, or typhoid fever.

Malaria

WHO—International Travel and Health (current online update, Country List)

(2020) Malaria risk exists throughout the year in rural (especially forested and hilly) areas of the country, mainly toward the international borders, including the southernmost provinces. There is no risk in cities (e.g. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya), urban areas, Samui Island, and the main tourist resorts of Phuket Island. However, there is a risk in some other areas and islands. P. falciparum resistance to mefloquine and to quinine has been reported from areas near the borders with Cambodia and Myanmar. Artemisinin resistance has been reported near the border with Myanmar. P. vivax resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Human P. knowlesi infection has been reported.

Recommended prevention in risk areas: A – Very limited risk of malaria transmission. Mosquito bite prevention only.
Recommended prevention in areas near Cambodia and Myanmar borders: C – Risk of P. falciparum malaria, in combination with reported chloroquine and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine resistance. Mosquito bite prevention plus atovaquone–proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis (select according to reported side effects and contraindications)^a^,^b
^aAlternatively, for travel to rural areas with low risk of malaria infection, mosquito bite prevention can be combined with stand–by emergency treatment (SBET).
^bIn certain areas with multidrug–resistant malaria, mefloquine chemoprophylaxis is no longer recommended. At present these areas include Cambodia, Thailand, and south-eastern Myanmar.

WHO Country List footnote: When available, the date of the most recent update or confirmation is indicated in parentheses in the country list. If no date is indicated, the most recent update or confirmation was provided before 2013.

CDC—Health Information for International Travel (current online edition)

Areas with malaria: Primarily in provinces that border Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, and Laos and the provinces of Kalasin, Krabi (Plai Phraya district), Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang Nga (including Phang Nga City), Rayong, Sakon Nakhon, Songkhla, Surat Thani, and Yala, especially the rural forest and forest fringe areas of these provinces. Rare to few cases in other parts of Thailand, including other parts of Krabi Province and the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Phuket. None in the islands of Krabi Province (Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai, and Ko Lanta) and Pattaya City (see Map 2-26).

Drug resistance³ : Chloroquine and mefloquine.
Malaria species: P. falciparum 50% (up to 75% in some areas), P. vivax 50% (up to 60% in some areas), P. ovale and P. knowlesi rare.
Recommended chemoprophylaxis: Provinces that border Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, and Laos, the provinces of Kalasin, Plai Phraya district of Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang Nga (including Phang Nga City), Rayong, Sakon Nakhon, Songkhla, Surat Thani, and Yala: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, or tafenoquine.⁴ All other areas of Thailand with malaria including the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Phuket: None (practice mosquito avoidance).
³ Refers to P. falciparum malaria unless otherwise noted.
⁴ Primaquine and tafenoquine can cause hemolytic anemia in people with G6PD deficiency. Patients must be screened for G6PD deficiency before starting primaquine or tafenoquine. See Tafenoquine Approved for Malaria Prophylaxis and Treatment for more information.

Other Concerns

Travelers' Diarrhea

Moderate risk exists throughout the country, including in deluxe accommodations. Community sanitation and food safety measures may be inadequate. Some itineraries (e.g., remote destinations, austere accommodations) and activities (e.g., ecotourism, eating street or local-market food) further increase risk.

Travelers should observe food and beverage precautions, which reduce the likelihood of illness.

Travelers should carry loperamide for self-treatment of diarrhea and, if risk is moderate to high, an antibiotic to add if diarrhea is severe. Consult a knowledgeable health care provider regarding which antibiotic is appropriate for you and most effective for your destination.

Other Food-Borne Illnesses

Precautions to prevent brucellosis, seafood poisoning may be needed.

Insect- and Arthropod-Borne Diseases

Dengue, leishmaniasis, murine typhus, scrub typhus, West Nile virus, Zika may pose a risk. Personal protective measures are important.

Other Disease and Health Risks

Additional concerns include air pollution, anthrax disease, enteroviruses, helminths, leptospirosis, marine hazards, melioidosis, monkey bites, Nipah virus, schistosomiasis, sexually transmitted infections, snakebites, tuberculosis.

Safety and Security

Key Safety Risks

Road conditions and traffic collisions
Domestic and/or international air travel
Maritime safety
Petty crime
Heightened crime risk for women
Food and beverage spiking
Scams

Key Security Threats

Unresolved conflict with breakaway region
Terrorist attacks by domestic and/or transnational groups
Risk of violent civil unrest
Risk of violent protests
Risk of security forces responding to protests with excessive force
Cross-border threats in areas bordering Burma (Myanmar) and Cambodia
Explosions in public places
Landmines
Occasional violent crime
Piracy

Emergency Phone Number

The police emergency number is 191.

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