Vaccinations for travelling to Thailand

With great food, friendly people, bustling cities and beautiful beaches, Thailand is a dream destination for many Brits. Whether you’re looking to get away from it all on a remote island, or planning to party the night away somewhere with a bit of a buzz, there’s something there for you.

Make sure you travel safely with this full guide to the vaccinations and other health recommendations and precautions you’ll need to know about when travelling to Thailand.

Plus, we’ll touch on the Wise account from the money services provider Wise, which can be a great way to make your money go further when you’re planning your big trip to Thailand. More on that later.

Do I need travel vaccinations in Thailand?

Whether or not you need travel vaccinations, or any malaria meds, for Thailand will depend a little on where exactly you’re going, and the activities you’ll be getting involved in.

Generally being up-to-date with your standard vaccinations offered in the UK - as well as any required boosters - can be enough for a short trip, but there are some specific vaccines recommended under certain circumstances. We’ll walk through some of these next.

Bear in mind that travel health recommendations are updated from time to time, so doing your own research before you travel is essential.

To learn more, check out the NHS Fit for Travel¹ website, which is a great resource for all things relating to travel health. You’ll be able to search by destination to learn about required and recommended vaccinations for travel, as well as other basic common sense precautions you should take in Thailand, to make sure our trip doesn’t get ruined by unexpected illness.

What vaccinations are required to get into Thailand?

The main vaccine required for entry to Thailand at the time of writing is the yellow fever vaccine. A Yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers aged 9 months or over arriving from countries where the risk of yellow fever is present. You’ll need your yellow fever certificate even if you’re only transiting through a country with a yellow fever risk, if your layover took 12 hours or more.¹

Yellow fever risk countries are predominantly in Africa and South America - make sure you double check the full guidance if you think this may be relevant to you².

What vaccinations should I get for a trip to Thailand?

Although only a yellow fever vaccine is mandatory for going to Thailand, there are some vaccinations which are recommended by the NHS. It’s worth reading over the NHS advice carefully here, to make sure you’re covered for any specific risks which may be involved in your trip to Thailand.

Certain travellers who may be more vulnerable to some health problems are advised to get a few specific vaccinations for Thailand. Plus, travellers who expect their trip to expose them to specific risks may need additional vaccinations compared to others - so there’s not really a one size fits all approach here.

Let’s look through an overview of the NHS travel advice for Thailand.

Standard UK primary vaccines and boosters¹

One good way to stay healthy in Thailand is to make sure you’re up-to-date with all the vaccines you’d be advised to have based on life in the UK. The exact vaccine schedule may vary based on your lifestyle or any underlying health issues, but this could mean getting a primary or booster shot for some of the following, for example:

• Seasonal flu vaccine
• Covid vaccines
• MMR

If you’re not sure whether or not you’re covered with all the vaccines you’d expect to have for life in the UK it’s worth asking your doctor. Some vaccines offer lifelong protection, but others need to be boosted periodically with another shot to ensure continuous coverage. Your doctor will be able to advise on any requirements in your particular case.

Malaria and other mosquito borne illnesses¹

There’s no vaccine commonly available for malaria, but it’s a serious illness which travellers may be advised to take precautions against. Like malaria, some other serious diseases can be spread by mosquitoes, such as dengue and zika. Because of this, making efforts to avoid being bitten in the first place is good advice.

Wearing long sleeves and trousers, particularly in the evenings, and using a quality mosquito repellant can help avoid issues.

For malaria in particular, there’s a risk in border areas which may mean visitors to these regions are advised to use a prophylactic treatment like doxycycline, which you’ll need to get in the UK prior to travel. Take advice for your specific destination from your doctor or travel health nurse.

Optional vaccines¹

Other vaccines which can be recommended depending on the situation include:

• Diphtheria
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Rabies
• Tetanus
• Typhoid

Some of these vaccines are more important in specific situations, such as for people who intend to be in Thailand for a long time, those who won’t easily be able to reach medical facilities quickly if they were to fall ill, and people working with animals.

Should I get my vaccinations before I travel to Thailand?

Before you travel to Thailand it’s worth talking to a travel health specialist in the UK. Because vaccination recommendations can vary based on the specific trip you’re taking and a range of other risk factors, you’ll need to get personalised advice in advance of travel to make sure you’ve done everything required to stay healthy.

Some vaccinations also need more than one shot - which takes time - and some treatments such as antimalarials may need to be started before you’re exposed to any risk. All in all, getting everything arranged well in advance of travel is the best idea.

Save money on your travels with Wise

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Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 11-June-2024