Health Information – Vaccinations
When visiting any country that is out of your normal geographic reason it is always best to consult a doctor prior to your visit, Thailand is no different. There are a wide variety of disease that have been eradicated in the western world that are still prevalent on other parts of the globe.
Routine vaccinations should be up to date as well as vaccinations for other diseases such as typhoid and Hepatitis A and B to be safe. You’ll also want to consult your physician if there is a need to get preventative medicine if you are going to visit areas know to have Malaria.
I recommend checking the CDC Website for travel health information then going to see a doctor or clinic that specializes in travel medicine to discuss the necessary vaccinations and preventive measures necessary. If nothing else, having the proper treatment will give you the peace of mind when traveling.
Mosquitoes
Make sure you prevent mosquito bites even if you are in an area not known for malaria. They can carry other nasties such as Dengue fever. It is best to sleep in a good hotel with air con, however if this is not your mode of travel make sure you have good screened windows or at least a bed with netting. Using insect repellant, especially on the legs is also a good idea to keep away those pesky fliers.
Water
You will want to keep well hydrated while on your holiday. It is best to drink bottled water, even while in your hotel room. Most good hotels will provide you with a couple of free bottles of water every day. If they don’t, bottled water is cheap to buy from the local 7-11 or Family Mart which are on every corner. I even brush my teeth with the bottled water. It is better to be safe than sorry and find you are spending your vacation on the toilet instead of at the beach.
Try to avoid iced drinks. A lot of nice resorts are OK as they use filtered water. However you should be mindful when out and about, the same bacteria that can make you sick from water is there in ice. If you have a question about the quality of the ice in your drinks it is best to avoid them. A cool bottle of water (or beer) is a safer choice.
Sun Protection
Thailand is very close to the equator and the sun is powerful, make sure you protect yourself. Use sunblock and hats whenever possible. Many a vacation has been ruined by bad sunburn.
Dangers
On a whole Phuket is pretty safe. Use your best judgment and you should be fine. However there are something to be aware of. Infrastructure and road safety are not like back home. Sidewalks are uneven and not well maintained. It would not be odd to find an uncovered hole while walking down the street. So watch where you step.
Traffic is a nightmare in big tourist areas like Patong. Crossing the road can be a bit of a challenge with no street lights like you are used to back home. There is no such thing as pedestrians having the right of way. You’ll need to get the hang of crossing the busy streets, but it isn’t that bad once you get used to it. Most main streets are one way, so you need to keep your eyes peeled in the direction of oncoming traffic. Don’t be scared, just be mindful and keep looking.
Crime
I’ve never had any bad incidents in all the years I’ve been visiting Phuket. But there are some things that you need to be on the look out for.
Renting A Jet ski
The jet ski scam is one of the oldest and most profitable on the beaches across Thailand. You can rent a jet ski from a beach vendor and take it out for a half-hour or longer spin. When you bring it back they point out some damage on the bottom of the hull and tell you that you need to pay to fix it.
This is a scam, but at this point there is nothing more you can do than try and negotiate the lowest possible rate. Try and walk away and you could be surrounded by a group of malcontents that will get the money from you one way or the other.
This is not to say that all jetski operators are scammers, they are not. Look over the vehicle before you rent it, top to bottom. Do it with the operator there with you and point out any damage you see. It will be tougher for them to scam you if you do this.
However this is no guarantee. Am I trying to scare you? A bit I guess. The police won’t help you if you get caught in the scam – sad but true. I always avoid them.
Tuk-Tuk
The main forms of transportation around the island are Tuk-Tuk and moto-taxis. The Tuk-Tuk have a bad reputation and are known as the Tuk-Tuk mafia. They charge high prices and since they are the main form of transport they have a monopoly on the market.
Always negotiate the cost of your trip up front. And always pay the price you negotiated. There are countless stories of people not paying their Tuk-Tuk drivers because they thought the cost was too high only to end up beaten up. This is the exception to the norm, but it still happens. Remember you are in a third world country and bad things can happen if you don’t know the score.
Hospitals
Medical care in Thailand is quite good. I can speak from personal experience as I had to visit one of their hospitals for an emergency one trip. The costs are low but it is still wise to have travel insurance to cover the costs and if necessary any evacuation.
There are two prominent hospitals in Phuket if you need medical attention:
Phuket International Hospital
44 chalermprakiat Ror 9 Rd
Phuket 83000
Tel +66 7-624-9400
http://www.phuketinternationalhospital.com/
Bangkok Hospital Phuket
2/1 Hongyok Utis Road, Muang District
Phuket 83000
Tel +66 7-625-4425
http://www.phukethospital.com/
Both of these hospitals provide top quality healthcare and are well regarded.