Thailand travel vaccines, sorted close to home
Bangkok temples, island-hopping in the south or trekking up north — whatever your Thailand trip looks like, we'll get your jabs and bite-avoidance advice right before you fly out of Manchester.
6 current health alerts for Thailand
Thailand is one of the trips we help travellers from Urmston and across Trafford get ready for most often. A fortnight split between Bangkok and the beaches needs a different plan from a few months backpacking through the rural north, so the sensible vaccines really do depend on where you're headed and how long you'll be away.
Pop into Davyhulme Pharmacy with a rough itinerary and our pharmacist will talk you through what's genuinely worth having, how much malaria there is on your particular route, and the simple things that keep the food-, water- and mosquito-borne bugs at bay. Most travellers can have everything done in a single appointment.
Recommended vaccines for Thailand
A general guide only — your exact recommendations depend on your route, the areas you'll visit and how long you're away, which the pharmacist will confirm with you.
Most travellers
Hepatitis A
Picked up through contaminated food and water — one of the most commonly recommended jabs for Thailand.
Most travellers
Typhoid
Also food- and water-borne; worth having if you'll be eating widely or heading away from the main resorts.
Most travellers
Tetanus, diphtheria & polio
A good moment to top up your routine booster if it's been more than ten years.
Some travellers
Hepatitis B
Worth considering for longer stays, or if you might have medical or dental care, tattoos, piercings or new partners.
Some travellers
Rabies
Present in dogs, cats and monkeys across Thailand — sensible for remote trips, longer stays or anyone far from good medical care.
For some trips
Japanese encephalitis
A mosquito-borne risk on longer or rural stays, especially around rice paddies and farmland.
Tablets for some areas
Malaria tablets
Most of Thailand is very low or no risk; tablets are only sometimes needed for rural forested border areas.
Malaria in Thailand: less than you might expect
For most Thailand holidays the malaria risk is low to none. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Pattaya and the popular islands and resorts carry no significant risk, so the great majority of travellers don't need tablets. The exception is the rural, forested border areas with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, where there's a low risk and antimalarial tablets may be sensible. Drug resistance also varies in those zones, so the right tablet matters. Tell the pharmacist exactly where you're going and we'll give you a clear, honest steer.
Dengue, Zika and avoiding mosquito bites
Dengue is common right across Thailand and case numbers have been high recently, so even where malaria isn't a worry, mosquitoes still are. There's no tablet or routine jab for dengue here — bite avoidance is your best protection, and it guards against several other infections at the same time. Use a DEET-based repellent on exposed skin, cover up at dawn and dusk, and use a net or air-conditioned room where you can. Zika is also present; if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy, have a word with us before you book, as the advice is more cautious.
Food, water and the holiday tummy
An upset stomach is far and away the most common thing travellers bring home from Thailand. Sticking to bottled or treated water, freshly cooked hot food and fruit you peel yourself goes a long way — the legendary street food is part of the fun, just choose busy stalls with a quick turnover. We can also put together a simple travellers' diarrhoea kit so you're covered if it strikes a long way from a pharmacy.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate?
There's no yellow fever in Thailand, and if you're flying straight from the UK you won't need a certificate. It's only required if you're arriving in Thailand after visiting a country where yellow fever is a risk — for example, parts of Africa or South America on a multi-stop trip. If your route includes a stopover or earlier leg in one of those regions, let us know and we'll check whether a certificate applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
For a typical trip, hepatitis A and typhoid are the ones most travellers consider, alongside making sure your tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster is up to date. Depending on your plans, hepatitis B, rabies or Japanese encephalitis may be worth adding. We'll tailor it to your route at your appointment.
Usually not. Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the popular islands and beaches are very low or no risk, so most holidaymakers don't need tablets. They mainly come into play for the rural forested border areas with Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Tell us where you're going and we'll advise honestly.
Ideally four to six weeks before you travel, especially for longer trips, since some vaccines like rabies and Japanese encephalitis are given as a short course over a few weeks. Leaving sooner? Still come in — there's nearly always something worthwhile we can do.
Thai street food is one of the highlights, and plenty of people enjoy it without trouble. Favour busy stalls with a high turnover, food that's cooked fresh and hot in front of you, and stick to bottled or treated water. A hepatitis A and typhoid jab, plus a small travel tummy kit, gives you extra peace of mind.
This information is grounded in NHS and TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) guidance and is for general information — not a substitute for a personal consultation. Your travel consultation is carried out by our pharmacist.
Planning a trip to Thailand?
Bring your itinerary to Davyhulme Pharmacy in Urmston and we'll sort the right vaccines and advice — book online or call us on 0161 748 3016.