Travel vaccinations for Thailand: requirements, advice and malaria

No vaccination is required for travel from Germany directly to Thailand. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends hepatitis A vaccination for all travellers and up-to-date routine vaccinations under the STIKO schedule, Germany’s national immunisation guidance, with particular attention to measles. Depending on the type and length of your trip, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and vaccinations against dengue and chikungunya may also be worth considering. The malaria risk in the main tourist areas is low or absent.

Entry rules: when proof of yellow fever vaccination is needed

According to the WHO, Thailand is not an area with yellow fever transmission. A requirement therefore only applies to certain routes: if you arrive from a yellow fever area, or spent more than 12 hours in transit in one, you must show valid proof of yellow fever vaccination from the age of nine months. This affects, for example, combined trips that include parts of Africa or South America. If you are planning such a route, seek advice early from an approved yellow fever vaccination centre. Our guide to yellow fever vaccination explains the details.

Recommended vaccinations by type of trip

The overview table on this page shows what the Federal Foreign Office recommends for everyone and what it lists only after individual assessment. What matters most is how long you stay, how you travel and what you plan to do.

For all travellers

Hepatitis A is spread through contaminated food and drinking water, and the Federal Foreign Office recommends vaccination for every trip to Thailand. Also check your routine vaccinations, such as tetanus, diphtheria and measles, against your vaccination record.

Depending on your trip and personal risk

The Federal Foreign Office lists hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies and Japanese encephalitis on an individual basis. If you are staying longer, spending a lot of time in rural areas, working with animals or travelling on a budget, discuss these vaccinations with a doctor. Vaccines against dengue and chikungunya are now available. STIKO currently recommends dengue vaccination only for people aged four and over who have had a laboratory-confirmed dengue infection in the past and face an increased risk at their destination. Your doctor will assess whether any of these vaccinations is right for you. For a first orientation, try the travel vaccine check.

Malaria: where the risk lies in Thailand

According to the Federal Foreign Office and the DTG (the German Society for Tropical Medicine), the malaria risk in Thailand exists all year round and varies by region:

• Moderate risk: the island of Little Koh Chang in the Andaman Sea and the belt along the border with Myanmar.
• Low risk: the rest of the country, including Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and other islands.
• Malaria-free: the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pattaya.

In low-risk areas, consistent protection against mosquito bites comes first. For trips to moderate-risk areas that are far from the nearest facility able to diagnose malaria, the Federal Foreign Office recommends carrying emergency standby treatment. Discuss with a doctor which approach suits your route. Our guide to malaria prevention gives more background.

Dengue, chikungunya and other risks

Dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encephalitis, leishmaniasis and Zika can occur throughout Thailand all year round. Protect yourself against mosquito bites by day and by night: use repellent, wear long, light-coloured clothing and sleep under a mosquito net. Because of Zika, pregnant women and couples planning a pregnancy should pay particular attention to current advice. Practical tips are in our guide to dengue and mosquito protection.

The Federal Foreign Office also highlights:

• Melioidosis: this bacterial infection is mainly transmitted through skin wounds and contact with soil. Clean and disinfect wounds carefully and keep them covered.
• Air quality: fine particulate pollution is high in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and smoke from fires adds to it in the dry season from November to April.
• Sun and sea: strong sunshine and currents should not be underestimated, and beaches used by animals carry a risk of parasitic skin infections.

Hygiene and contact with animals

Travellers’ diarrhoea is common in Thailand, and hepatitis A and E as well as typhoid also occur among travellers. Make sure your drinking water is safe, your food is thoroughly cooked and you wash your hands regularly. In Thailand, rabies is mainly transmitted by dogs. Avoid contact with dogs, cats and monkeys, however friendly they seem. After a bite or scratch, wash the wound immediately with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical help straight away. As rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins may be available only to a limited extent locally, it is worth getting advice before you go, see rabies and travel.

Medical care in Thailand

According to the Federal Foreign Office, medical care in Bangkok and the larger cities is of a high standard. In rural areas it does not always meet European standards, and English-speaking staff are less common. The Federal Foreign Office recommends travel health insurance that includes repatriation. Take a travel health kit and your regular medication with you, and if necessary ask your doctor for a letter in English confirming that you need it.

When to book your consultation

According to STIKO and the DTG, travel vaccinations should be completed at least two weeks before departure. Some vaccinations involve more than one appointment, so it pays to book your consultation well in advance, especially for longer trips or tours covering several countries such as Vietnam or Cambodia. You can find a practice with a travel medicine focus near you in our directory of travel clinics.