- Download our Moving to Thailand Guide (PDF)
Healthcare in Thailand is generally of good quality, especially in Bangkok, where a thriving medical tourism industry draws roughly 3.5 million international patients annually. Hospitals here offer excellent care at a fraction of Western prices. Many doctors and other specialists speak English and have often studied abroad, although administrative staff may have more limited English proficiency.
Private hospitals offer greater comfort and faster service than their public counterparts in Thailand. That said, public hospitals still offer a good standard of care, and they treat the majority of Thai nationals.
Read more about Healthcare and Hospitals in Bangkok.
Health insurance in Thailand
Health insurance in Thailand is mandatory for working expats, who are automatically enrolled in the Social Security Scheme (SSS) through their employers. This system is funded by contributions – 5 percent of salary up to a capped amount – split equally between employee and employer.
Social security covers consultations and medication at designated hospitals, although appointments tend to be brief and prescriptions are limited to generic drugs. Treatment at hospitals outside your assigned network typically isn’t covered.
Some expats opt instead for private health insurance, which provides access to an excellent standard of care at a range of private facilities. For those choosing this route, there are international companies that can provide health insurance for expats in Thailand.
Useful links
Public healthcare in Thailand
Public healthcare in Thailand operates through roughly 900 government hospitals that serve communities across the country. Public hospitals provide a high standard of care, and the majority of Thai nationals use them. That said, lines can be long – especially in the larger cities – and there are fewer creature comforts than in private hospitals. Waiting times in more rural hospitals may be shorter, but the standard of care is often lower.
A commonality between city and rural hospitals is that consultations tend to be brief and hurried. For convenience, and because treatment at private hospitals is well priced, most expats use private healthcare.
Useful links
- National Health Security Office: Universal Coverage Scheme information
- Ministry of Public Health Thailand
Private healthcare in Thailand
Private hospitals in Thailand offer world-class care, and many physicians hold degrees from Western institutions. While private treatment is about double the cost of public treatment, it’s still much cheaper than what expats coming from Europe or the United States may be used to.
Despite the reasonable cost of treatment, expats should ensure they have medical insurance in case of emergencies or for major procedures. The best private hospitals are in Bangkok, and in the event of a severe injury or medical condition, travelling to one of these world-class medical institutions is the safest option.
The high quality of care and low treatment prices have propelled Thailand into the global medical tourism spotlight. Roughly 3.5 million international patients travel to Thailand each year, particularly for cosmetic surgery, dental procedures, orthopaedic care, and fertility treatments. Some hospitals that cater to overseas medical tourists resemble hotels more than hospitals, and some southern hospitals package procedures along with beach recovery stays.
Pharmacies and medication in Thailand
There are plenty of pharmacies in Thailand, dotted across cities and smaller towns alike. Independent shops are most predominant, although international chains like Boots and Watsons maintain a presence in urban areas and shopping malls. Pharmacies are easily recognisable by their white signs with a green cross and green lettering. Most pharmacies are typically open daily from 8am to 8pm, and some hospital pharmacies are open around the clock.
Prescriptions work very differently from Western norms. Many medications that would require prescriptions in Europe or North America (including some common antibiotics) are available over the counter here. Some medications – strong painkillers, certain controlled substances – do require prescriptions from Thai physicians. Most qualified pharmacists should be able to give medical advice in English, but language skills tend to be weaker in rural areas.
Useful links
Health hazards in Thailand
The tropical climate is a comfortable environment for viruses and bacteria, so expats should be aware of numerous health hazards in Thailand. These include mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever, malaria and Japanese encephalitis. Dengue fever is endemic throughout the country, and epidemics break out every few years. There’s a risk of malaria, mostly along the areas that share a border with Myanmar and Cambodia, and Japanese encephalitis occurs mainly in rural regions and northern provinces, particularly during the May-to-October rainy season.
Air pollution poses a significant health concern, particularly in Bangkok and northern provinces. Levels frequently exceed safety thresholds during the dry season (November to March), especially in January and February.
The monsoon season is accompanied by heavy rainfall that can trigger flooding, particularly in low-lying areas.
Useful links
Vaccinations for Thailand
Vaccinations for Thailand fall into two categories: mandatory and recommended. Yellow fever vaccination is required only for travellers arriving from countries with a yellow fever transmission risk. No other vaccinations are mandatory for entry.
Ensure your routine vaccinations are current, including those for MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), polio, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis, and seasonal influenza. The CDC strongly recommends hepatitis A and B vaccinations for Thailand, along with typhoid – particularly if you're planning on an extended stay or venturing beyond the major tourist areas.
You should also consider Japanese encephalitis vaccination if you'll be spending extended periods in rural areas. Malaria prophylaxis may be necessary for travel to border provinces near Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. Dengue, for which a vaccine exists but isn’t universally recommended, requires vigilant mosquito bite prevention throughout Thailand.
Infants aged six to eleven months should receive an early MMR dose before travel, although this won’t count toward their routine childhood vaccination schedule.
Useful links
Emergency services in Thailand
There are dedicated hotlines for emergency services in Thailand, depending on your emergency: dial 1669 for medical emergencies and ambulance service, 191 for police, 199 for fire, and 1155 for tourist police (a 24/7 English-speaking service invaluable for foreign visitors).
Private ambulance services have English-speaking staff and faster response times in major cities, although government ambulances also increasingly have English-speaking operators. Response times will vary considerably – roughly 10 to 15 minutes in urban areas, but potentially 30 minutes or longer in rural locations.
For serious medical emergencies, particularly in Bangkok, it might be faster to arrange private transport to a reputable hospital.