Do you need the rabies vaccine for Thailand? Rabies is present across Thailand, from street dogs to temple monkeys. Who should have it, the 3-dose course and cost, and what to do if bitten.
Thailand is one of the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia, and rabies is present across the country. From street dogs in Bangkok and Chiang Mai to the monkeys around temples and islands, the risk is real enough to be worth planning for. This guide explains who should consider the pre-exposure vaccine for Thailand and how it works. For the full picture, see our guide to the rabies vaccine.
Free-roaming dogs are common throughout Thailand, in cities, beach towns and rural areas alike, and they are the main source of rabies. Monkeys at temples and tourist spots can also bite or scratch, particularly when food is involved. Good private hospitals exist in the main centres, but if you are travelling to islands, national parks or rural areas, prompt treatment and rabies immunoglobulin can be harder to reach quickly, which is where being vaccinated beforehand helps most.
It is strongly advised for longer stays, rural or island travel, backpackers, cyclists and anyone spending time away from the main hospitals. It is worth considering for shorter, more mainstream trips too, especially for families with children and for anyone visiting temples where monkeys gather. If your plans are open-ended, as many Thailand trips are, that is another good reason to be protected before you go. Your pharmacist will talk it through with you based on your itinerary.
Pre-exposure rabies vaccination is a course of three doses, given over up to about a month, at £85 per dose, which is £255 for the full course. Start it several weeks before you fly where you can, so it is complete before travel; if you are short on time, book anyway, as a quicker schedule may be possible. There is no GP referral needed, and we can usually begin the course the same day. See more on the schedule and the cost.
Yes. Rabies is present across Thailand, mainly through street dogs, and monkeys can pose a risk too. It is one of the Southeast Asian countries where pre-exposure vaccination is commonly discussed for travellers.
For a short, resort-based trip the risk is lower, but it is not zero, especially with island and temple visits where animals roam freely. We will give you a balanced view for your specific plans.
Monkeys can bite or scratch, particularly around food, and can carry rabies. Avoid feeding or approaching them, and treat any bite or scratch as an emergency needing urgent medical help.
Yes. Children can have the rabies vaccine and are often a priority, as they are more likely to approach animals and less likely to report a bite. We assess each child individually.
This information covers pre-exposure rabies vaccination for travel and is general education, not medical advice. Treatment after a bite or scratch is an urgent matter: seek immediate medical attention. Rabies vaccines are prescription-only and given after a consultation where clinically appropriate.
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Book your consultation at either Chislehurst Pharmacy Group location. Same-day and next-day appointments usually available.
