TravelMed
/
All countries
🇹🇭

Thailand

Southeast Asia · Asia· Physician brief

HIV entry restriction

Thailand may deny entry to travelers with confirmed or suspected HIV infection. Travelers with HIV should consult their travel medicine specialist before booking, particularly for long-term stays or work permits, as additional documentation may be required.

EKRM / Thai immigration guidance · Updated 2026

Yellow fever entry rule — T8 form required

Travelers arriving in Thailand within 10 days of leaving (or in transit through) a yellow-fever-risk country must carry a YF vaccination certificate AND complete the T8 health declaration form at thaihealthpass.com, uploading the certificate. Exempt: children under 1 year, passengers in transit who don't leave the airport transit zone, and passengers whose only YF-country contact was airport transit without disembarking. Direct travel from Switzerland is not affected.

Thailand Ministry of Public Health · Updated 2026

Malaria

Low

Dengue

High

Yellow fever

None

Chikungunya

High

Vaccines

VaccineRecommendationReference
Routine vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip — per the Swiss BAG schedule. These include:

BAG Impfplan
Chikungunya

Vaccination indicated during chikungunya outbreaks; may also be considered for countries with elevated risk (see EKRM statement).

Dengue

Qdenga® vaccination currently recommended only for travelers with documented prior dengue infection who will be exposed in a region with high dengue transmission.

Hepatitis A

Recommended for all travelers to tropical and subtropical countries. Note for Swiss travelers: Hepatitis A is not part of the routine Swiss BAG childhood schedule, so most adult travelers will need vaccination.

CDC Yellow Book
Hepatitis B

Consider per individual risk and stay duration. Routine in Swiss childhood schedule since 1998 — younger travelers usually covered.

CDC Yellow Book
Japanese encephalitis

Consider for travelers spending significant time in rural rice-growing areas, particularly during transmission season (varies by region). Not needed for typical urban or beach-resort itineraries.

Rabies

Particularly recommended for: long stays; high individual risk regardless of duration (cycling/motorbike trips, hiking in remote areas, infants and children, those working with animals, cavers — bats!). Stray dogs and macaques (especially in temple complexes) are common rabies vectors in Thailand.

CDC Yellow Book
Typhoid

Recommended for long-term travelers, visiting friends and relatives, those staying in poor hygienic conditions, or with individual risk factors.

CDC Yellow Book

Disease-specific guidance

Malaria

Low

Risk is limited to small border areas; the vast majority of tourist destinations are low- or no-risk. Moderate risk on Little Koh Chang (Andaman Sea, Ranong province near Myanmar border) and along the belt bordering Myanmar — emergency standby treatment may be discussed for these areas. The rest of the country including major beach destinations (Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai, Koh Lanta) is low risk with mosquito protection only. Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Pattaya are no-risk.

Moderate risk
Little Koh Chang (Andaman); Myanmar border belt
Low risk
Rest of country incl. Phuket, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Noi, Koh Yao Yai, Koh Lanta, other islands
No risk
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pattaya
Prevention
Mosquito protection in low-risk areas; consider standby treatment for border areas
Malaria risk areas in Thailand (CDC).

Yellow fever

None

No yellow fever risk in country. Thailand requires YF certificate plus T8 health declaration via thaihealthpass.com for travelers arriving within 10 days of YF-endemic country. See country alert for full details. Direct travel from Switzerland not affected.

Dengue

High

Endemic year-round throughout Thailand, with peaks during rainy season (May–November). All major tourist destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and the southern islands have year-round transmission. Daytime mosquito-bite prevention is the main protection.

Distribution
Nationwide, all major cities and islands
Season
Year-round; peaks May–November (rainy season)
Mosquito
Aedes aegypti — bites during daytime

Chikungunya

High

Sporadic transmission with periodic outbreaks, including notable activity in southern Thailand. Same daytime Aedes mosquito vector as dengue, so dengue prevention also protects against chikungunya. Vaccination considered in outbreak settings (see EKRM statement).

General prevention

Food & water

Use bottled or filtered water, avoid ice from unverified sources, and pay attention to food hygiene. Standard tropical precautions reduce risk of traveler's diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid — especially relevant when eating outside major hotels and resorts.

Mosquito protection

Year-round dengue and chikungunya risk in urban and rural areas means daytime mosquito protection (DEET or picaridin repellent, long sleeves) is essential — including in tourist destinations like Phuket and Koh Samui. For travel near Myanmar border or rural rice-growing areas, also protect at dawn/dusk for malaria and Japanese encephalitis.

Sources

Based on CDC Travelers’ Health, CDC Yellow Book, and the Swiss Federal Vaccination Schedule (BAG). Always verify current recommendations before travel.

Visiting more than one country?

Build a combined itinerary and get merged recommendations across all destinations.

Plan an itinerary

This brief is for informational purposes and does not replace personalized medical advice.
Consult a travel medicine specialist 4–8 weeks before departure.