Three Questions and Answers to Thailand Travel

Travellers may be exposed during activities such as wading, swimming, bathing or washing clothes in freshwater streams, rivers or lakes.

Schistosoma larvae are released from infected freshwater snails and can penetrate intact human skin following contact with contaminated freshwater. There is no risk of malaria in the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Pattaya: bite avoidance recommended. Those at higher risk of malaria, or of severe complications from malaria, include pregnant women, infants and young children, the elderly, travellers who do not have a functioning spleen and those visiting friends and relatives.

Prompt diagnosis and treatment is required as people with malaria can deteriorate quickly. Those at risk during their work (such as healthcare workers) should take appropriate infection control precautions. Travellers on shorter trips (typically less than a month), or trips that take place outside the peak transmission season and those who restrict their visits to urban areas are usually considered to be at very low risk.

A sterile medical equipment kit may be helpful when travelling to resource poor areas. Mothers with the virus can also transmit the infection to their baby during childbirth. This mostly occurs during sexual contact or as a result of blood-to-blood contact (for example from contaminated equipment during medical and dental procedures, tattooing or body piercing procedures, and sharing of intravenous needles).

Hepatitis B is a viral infection; it is transmitted by exposure to infected blood or body fluids. Previous typhoid illness may only partially protect against re-infection. Typhoid is a bacterial infection transmitted through contaminated food and water.

Country specific information on medical facilities may be found in the ‘health' section of the FCO foreign travel advice website. A list of useful resources including advice on how to reduce the risk of certain health problems is available below. These may for example include road traffic and other accidents, diseases transmitted by insects or ticks, diseases transmitted by contaminated food and water, sexually transmitted infections, or health issues related to the heat or cold.

While most travellers have a healthy and safe trip, there are some risks that are relevant to travellers regardless of destination. For those with pre-existing health problems, an earlier appointment is recommended. This appointment provides an opportunity to assess health risks taking into account a number of factors including destination, medical history, and planned activities.

However, even if time is short, an appointment is still worthwhile. Travellers should ideally arrange an appointment with their health professional at least four to six weeks before travel. Large enough packages provide complimentary unlimited access to the DTAC Wi-Fi network available in some urban areas.

Credit refill is available in 7-Eleven and FamilyMart convenience stores Best hotel in Thailand addition to DTAC shops, as well as on DTAC web pages using credit cards. The codes can be found on the Web or in leaflets available in DTAC shops. DTAC Happy Internet packages can be ordered using phone key codes as long as you have sufficient credit in your SIM.