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Health and safety

Insurance, pharmacies, vaccines, laws, police and scams.

13 guides

Guide Hospitals in Phuket for foreigners: where to go and how insurance works The Ministry of Public Health list of 31 July 2026 shows five licensed private hospitals in Phuket: Bangkok Hospital Phuket (230 beds), Bangkok Hospital Siriroj (178), Mission Hospital Phuket (96), Dibuk Hospital (71) and the specialised surgical Apex (9). Vachira Phuket is the 650-bed provincial state hospital. In the JCI directory on 19 October 2026 only Bangkok Hospital Phuket and Bangkok Hospital Siriroj were found among them. By its own site Bangkok Hospital Phuket provides free interpreters, including Russian, and works with insurers through a guarantee of payment (GOP): without one, an admission usually needs a deposit of about 80% of the estimate. Direct billing is not offered by every insurer, so check with yours before you travel. In a life-threatening emergency call 1669.
Guide Dengue in Thailand: when the season is, how to avoid bites and what to do with a fever According to Thailand's Department of Disease Control (DDC), dengue cases rise from April, peak in June-August and decline from September. As of 15 September 2026 the DDC counted 25,026 cases and 39 deaths nationwide and said numbers were still rising, especially in the south. The mosquitoes bite in the daytime, so repellent and covering clothes matter during the day. For a high temperature the DDC advises paracetamol and rules out ibuprofen, aspirin and diclofenac, and weakness, vomiting or bleeding mean an urgent doctor visit (as of October 2026).
Question Can you drink tap water and eat street food in Thailand Visitors are better off drinking sealed bottled or filtered water: the CDC advises against tap water where it may be contaminated. Bangkok's waterworks (MWA) reports a Department of Health drinkable-water certificate from 16 June 2025, and we found no such certificate for Phuket. TAT does not ban street food and advises a busy stall, a freshly cooked dish and nothing raw, while the CDC is more cautious: avoid stalls or take only hot food (as of October 2026).
Guide Jellyfish and currents in Phuket and Samui: when swimming is risky and what to do after a sting Dangerous jellyfish come closer to shore in the rainy season: the UK Foreign Office says May to October, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) says the monsoon months. Among places where venomous box jellyfish have been sighted TAT names Nam Bo Bay in Phuket, Samui and Phangan. After a sting get out of the water, call 1669 and pour household vinegar (4-6%) over the area for at least 30 seconds, as the Department of Disease Control (DDC) advises, and do not use fresh water, alcohol or rubbing. In red-flag conditions you do not enter the water (as of October 2026).
Guide Emergency numbers in Thailand and what to do after a road accident or theft In Thailand call 191 for the police, 1669 for an ambulance, 199 for the fire brigade and 1155 for the Tourist Police, which TAT says answers round the clock (as of October 2026). After a road accident with injuries call 1669 and the police, and contact the rental company and your insurer before you sign anything. After a theft report it to the Tourist Police on 1155 and to the police where it happened, as the Government of Canada advises. The Tourist Police have an app that works without a Thai SIM card.
Question Can you swim under a red flag, and how to get out of a rip current No: a red flag means stay out of the water, usually because of waves and rip currents. On Phuket's west coast that is common from May to October, during the southwest monsoon. If a current pulls you away from shore, do not swim against it: NOAA advises swimming parallel to the beach until you are out of the flow, then angling back to shore. The emergency medical number in Thailand is 1669 (October 2026).
Question Is it safe to travel to Thailand during the Cambodia border conflict Yes, if you are heading to Phuket, Pattaya, Bangkok, Koh Samui or Chiang Mai: as of 17 October 2026 the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel only within 20 km of the land border with Cambodia. Land border crossings between Thailand and Cambodia remain suspended, so overland visa runs and bus trips to Cambodia are not possible right now. In September 2026 the Tourism Authority of Thailand said most tourist destinations were open as usual.
Guide Do you need travel health insurance for Thailand Visa-exempt tourists do not need insurance to enter Thailand, and insurance is not on the DTV document list either. It is required for long-stay visas: the LTR asks for a policy of at least USD 50,000 (or Thai social security, or a USD 100,000 deposit), the retirement Non-O-A for cover of at least USD 100,000 or THB 3,000,000 for the whole stay. Private hospitals treat insured patients on a guarantee of payment from the insurer and otherwise ask for a deposit. Most refused claims involve riding a motorbike without a motorcycle licence or alcohol (as of October 2026).
Guide How to buy your medicine at a Thai pharmacy when the brand is different Pharmacies are easy to find in Thailand: besides chains such as Boots and Fascino, independent pharmacies line every main road (as of October 2026). Brand names differ from home, so ask by the active ingredient, such as paracetamol rather than Tylenol; the Thai FDA database shows whether a substance is registered in Thailand. Psychotropic and narcotic drugs need a prescription, and if no equivalent exists the Thai FDA advises seeing a hospital doctor.
Question Do you need vaccinations to travel to Thailand No vaccinations are required to enter Thailand unless you arrive from a yellow fever country: then you need a certificate for a shot given at least 10 days before entry, and this also applies to airport transits over 12 hours. As of October 2026 the CDC recommends hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid for most travellers, plus Japanese encephalitis and rabies for longer stays. There is no dengue vaccine in the CDC's Thailand advice, so mosquito protection is what counts: Thailand's Department of Disease Control recorded 25,026 cases and 39 deaths in 2026 as of mid-September.
Guide What happens to foreigners caught with drugs in Thailand A lot: the 2021 Narcotics Code sets up to 15 years or a fine of up to THB 1.5 million for possessing Category 1 drugs, and up to 2 years or THB 40,000 for possession for personal use, while the UK Foreign Office warns that hard drugs can carry the death penalty. As of October 2026 cannabis is legal only with a medical prescription from a Thai practitioner for up to 30 days, and recreational use is illegal. Foreigners can also be deported and refused entry later.
Guide Do you need to carry your passport in Thailand, and how to deal with police Thai police can ask to see your passport. According to the UK Foreign Office in October 2026, a copy of the photo page is usually enough, but if you do not have the original you may be asked to bring it to a police station within 24 hours. Carry a copy of the photo page and entry stamp, keep the passport in a safe, and never leave it as a deposit for a scooter. If something goes wrong, call the Tourist Police on 1155.
Guide How tourists get scammed in Thailand and how to avoid it Most scams aimed at visitors in Thailand rely on three things: money paid upfront to a stranger, a passport left as a deposit, and a «special deal» from someone who approached you. Never hand over your passport to a scooter or jet-ski rental, change money at a bank or a money changer licensed by the Bank of Thailand, and do not pay «trusted contacts» who message you privately. If you are scammed, call the Tourist Police on 1155 (as of October 2026).