HEALTHINSURANCEHealth risks and the qual-
ity of medical facilities vary
depending on where and
how you travel in Thailand.
The majority of the major
cities and popular tourist ar-
eas are well developed with
adequate and even excellent
medical care. However, travel
to remote rural areas can
expose you to some health
risks and less adequate
medical care.
Travellers tend to worry
about contracting exotic
infectious diseases when
visiting the tropics, but such
infections are far less com-
mon than problems with
pre-existing medical condi-
tions such as heart disease,
and accidental injury (es-
pecially as a result of traffi c
accidents).
Visitors to Thailand be-
coming ill in some way is
common, however. Respira-
tory infections, diarrhoea
and dengue fever are par-
ticular hazards in Thailand.
Fortunately most common
illnesses can be prevented or
are easily treated.
The following advice is
a general guide and does
not replace the advice of
a doctor trained in travel
medicine.
BEFORE YOU GO
Pack medications in clearly
labelled original containers
and obtain a signed and
dated letter from your physi-
cian describing your medical
conditions, medications and
syringes or needles. If you
have a heart condition, bring
a copy of your electrocar-
diography (ECG) taken just
prior to travelling.
If you take any regular
medication bring double
your needs in case of loss
or theft. In Thailand you can
buy many medications over
the counter without a doc-
tor’s prescription, but it can
be diffi cult to fi nd the exact
medication you are taking.Insurance
Even if you’re fi t and healthy,
don’t travel without health
insurance – accidents do
happen. You may require
extra cover for adventure
activities such as rock
climbing or diving, as well
as scooter/motorcycle rid-
ing. If your health insurance
doesn’t cover you for medical
expenses abroad, ensure you
get specifi c travel insurance.
Most hospitals require an
upfront guarantee of pay-ment (from yourself or your
insurer) prior to admission.
Inquire before your trip about
payment of medical charges
and retain all documentation
(medical reports, invoices
etc) for claim purposes.Va c c i n a t ion s
Specialised travel-medicine
clinics are your best source of
information on which vaccina-
tions you should consider tak-
ing. Ideally you should visit a
doctor six to eight weeks be-
fore departure, but it is never
too late. Ask your doctor for
an International Certifi cate of
Vaccination (otherwise known
as the yellow booklet), which
will list all the vaccinations
you’ve received. The Centers
for Disease Control (CDC;
http://www.cdc.gov) has a traveller’s
health section that contains
recommendations for vac-
cinations. The only vaccine
required by international
regulations is yellow fever.
Proof of vaccination will only
be required if you have visited
a country in the yellow-fever
zone within the six days prior
to entering Thailand. If you
are travelling to Thailand from
Africa or South America you
should check to see if you
require proof of vaccination.Medical Checklist
Recommended items for a
personal medical kit include
the following:» (^) antifungal cream, eg
Clotrimazole
» (^) antibacterial cream, eg
Muciprocin
» (^) antibiotic for skin infec-
tions, eg Amoxicillin/Clavu-
lanate or Cephalexin
» (^) antibiotics for diarrhoea
include Norfl oxacin, Cipro-
fl oxacin or Azithromycin for
bacterial diarrhoea; for giar-
diasis or amoebic dysentery
take Tinidazole
» (^) antihistamine – there are
many options, eg Cetrizine
for daytime and Promethaz-
ine for night