Health
I should start off by pointing out that any advice within this section is coming from a lay mans point of view and is by no means meant to be taken as ‘expert advice’.
Obviously, your first plan should be to ask your local doctor about the up to date advice on health precautions before traveling to Thailand.
The commonly feared threat of malaria is apparently quite low level across most of Thailand, and for short term visits, simple preventative measures, such as deterrent lotions and mosquito nets are generally enough.
The further you move out to the extremes of the borders and forested areas, the risk supposedly increases and stronger measures , such as anti-malarial drugs may be advisable.
Perhaps the greater, and by personal experience, less well publicized threat, is that of Dengue Fever.
Dengue fever is most commonly passed on by the daytime biting mosquito, Aedes Aegypti, distinct by its black and white stripes, and comes in four different strains, the worst, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is the most life threatening form. The only treatment for Dengue appears to be fluids and paracetamol. In the case of D.H.F , blood transfusion is apparently the only option should the patient be unable to fight off the virus themselves.
Symptoms include, aching limbs; migraine like headaches, general fatigue and loss of appetite.
The worst strain does appear to be quite rare and my own advice for anyone who believes they may have contracted Dengue, is to obtain a blood test as soon as possible. If Dengue is confirmed, then remember that rest, fluids and paracetamol are all you will get and you may be best self administering this treatment rather than having an expensive hospital stay. This is of course your choice.
If you have obtained suitable health insurance for your trip then you should have no worries. For those who have not, be assured that Thai Doctors fees, for general ailments, are very cheap in comparison with home prices and that Thai Doctors are highly regarded. If you are unfortunate enough to need a hospital stay, be aware that the private hospitals advertise very competitive overnight rates, but then do every test conceivable and your bill can mount up quickly.
If you have a long standing blood pressure problem, be aware that Thai cuisine is often heavy on salt and sugar content.
In my own experience, the common fear of consuming water or frozen products, such as icecream, is not well founded here. Eating out at the street cafes is common practice amongst the local population and food outlets are hardly likely to serve water that will make their customers ill.
It is inadvisable to drink tap water, but the locals know that to.
