During your orientation program you will be taken to a hospital for a medical check up to complete the medical certificate necessary for your work permit.
Bumrungrad and Samitivej are two of the most famous internationally accredited hospitals. Others are Rama IX Hospital, Bangkok Hospital and BNH.
Asking for local or Asian brands when buying medicine may save you a lot of money as the internationally known brands are often several times more expensive than locally produced medicine that may have a different name but contain the same ingredients. Check with your doctor before you come if you are on medication for availability here in Bangkok and also regarding vaccinations.
Dental Care
Dental work is relatively cheap in Thailand compared to other countries. The major hospitals listed above all have dental clinics. It is possible to “walk off the street” and see a doctor fairly quickly in the hospitals. However, booking ahead is advised for a dentist.
Staying Healthy-Some do’s and don’t s
While learning about a new country, it is better to be cautious while you’re settling in:
- Do not drink the tap water. Bottled water can be easily delivered to your home.
- April is the hottest month in Thailand, and it’s easy to become dehydrated.
- Some bottled waters may have added fluoride, but many do not. Consult with your dentist about the appropriate fluoride treatment for your children .
- Wash fruit and vegetables well. Consider soaking in a pesticide removing detergent.
- If eating from a roadside stall, check the food is fresh and well cooked.
- Many people live in Bangkok without ever seeing a snake, but they are common in some Moobaans (compounds with houses and gardens). Most are harmless, but some are poisonous. Teach your children to be careful when they play outside and use your common sense .
- If it is possible, have a pest control company visit your home each month. This will also help keep cockroaches at bay.
- Mosquito borne illnesses in Thailand include Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, the Zika virus and Dengue Fever. Thailand has both day (Aedes Aegypti, which carries the Dengue Fever virus) and night (Plasmodium species) biting mosquitoes. The best prevention for all of these is to wear light, long clothes and socks or to use mosquito repellents (such as DEET) on bare skin, especially at night or when near rivers, lakes or the coast. Use bed nets if necessary. Do not allow water to collect around your home, as stagnant water (water storage jars, flowerpots etc) is a favourite breeding ground of mosquitoes.
- Running around in bare feet is not advised. Apart from the obvious risks of foot injuries, there are still some risks such as Leptospirosis (from rat urine) and, in rural areas, parasites such as hookworms. If you have walked through flood water you should thoroughly wash all feet and skin that has had direct contact with water.
