Asia and Oceania

There are excellent international hospitals in Bangkok but they can be expensive.  Ordinary hospitals and clinics in Thailand are not always up to UK standards.  This applies particularly to the coastal islands and many mainland districts outside of Bangkok, where hospitals and clinics are not equipped to deal with major trauma.  Many hospitals require guarantee of payment for the hospital bills before they will begin treatment.  You should complete next of kin details in the back of your passports.

Dengue and malaria occur in Thailand; these diseases are transmitted by mosquitoes.   An increase in the number of dengue cases has been reported in 2008.  These There are no vaccinations against these diseases but there are preventative measures that you can take, as advised on the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website.  You should visit your GP to discuss malaria prevention tablets.

There are cases of Chikungunya virus in 50 odd (it varies) of Thailand’s  provinces, including the tourist destination of Phuket.  The disease is carried by mosquitoes and the symptoms are similar to dengue fever.

In the 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 600,000 adults aged 15 or over in Thailand were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 1.4% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Thailand and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up to date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Heath Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) or NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health and for food/drink hygiene see Eat and Drink Safely.

Avian Influenza

 

There have been outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in domestic poultry and wild birds in Thailand (most recently in November 2008). The outbreaks in Thailand have led to a small number of human fatalities (most recently in August 2006) believed to have arisen through close contact with infected poultry.

The risk to humans from Avian Influenza is believed to be very low.  However, as a precaution, you should avoid visiting live animal markets, poultry farms and other places where you may come into close contact with domestic, caged or wild birds; and ensure poultry and egg dishes are thoroughly cooked.

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the possibility that the Avian Influenza outbreaks could lead at some point to a human flu pandemic, if a virus mutates to a form which is easily transmissible between people.

 

British nationals living longer term in an Avian-Influenza affected region should take personal responsibility for their own safety in the event of a future pandemic, including considering their access to adequate healthcare and ensuring travel documents are up to date.

 

You should read this advice in conjunction with Avian and Pandemic Influenza.

 

A (H1N1) - Swine Flu

There have been a significant number of confirmed human cases of the A (H1N1) - Swine Influenza virus in Thailand, including a number of deaths, and increased surveillance and control measures are in place.  All travellers arriving at airports on international flights will be thermally scanned and will be required to complete a questionnaire about their recent medical history.  Passengers with a temperature of over 38°C or who exhibit influenza symptoms will be referred for further diagnosis, and any passenger with suspected H1N1 will be quarantined.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert Phase for swine influenza has been raised to Level 6.  The WHO website has further details.  You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu is also available on the UK Department of Health website.