Dog Bite in Thailand: Rabies Shots, Where to Go, Costs
Wash the bite with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, then see a doctor the same day. A person never vaccinated against rabies needs immunoglobulin plus four vaccine doses. Almost all Thai hospitals can treat a bite, and the Thai Travel Clinic in Bangkok takes walk-ins.
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Wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, starting at once. Then go to a hospital or clinic the same day. Almost all Thai hospitals can treat rabies exposure.
First aid right after the bite
Cleaning a bite immediately, or as soon as possible, substantially reduces the risk of rabies infection when treatment follows promptly. Do these in order.
- Flush the wound under a running tap for several minutes, then wash thoroughly with soap or detergent and water to remove saliva.
- Keep washing until the 15 minutes are done.
- Apply povidone-iodine (Betadine) after washing.
- If saliva reached your eyes, nose or mouth, wash your face thoroughly with clean water as soon as possible.
- Do not have the wound stitched until post-exposure treatment has started.
If stitching cannot be avoided, the wound is first infiltrated with passive rabies immunization products and the stitching delayed for several hours.
At the clinic the doctor reviews the type of contact, the animal species, how it happened, the animal’s vaccination status if known and the time since exposure. Have those facts ready.
Which bites need shots: the WHO categories
Dog bites and scratches cause 99% of human rabies cases. Once symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases. Dogs infected with rabies are sometimes found in Thailand.
Dogs, cats, monkeys, squirrels and bats are among the animals that carry rabies.
| Category | What happened | Measures |
|---|---|---|
| I | Touching or feeding animals, a lick on intact skin | Wash the skin, no vaccine |
| II | Nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches without bleeding | Wound washing and immediate vaccination |
| III | Bites or scratches through the skin, saliva on a mucous membrane or broken skin, bat exposure | Washing, vaccination and immunoglobulin |
Category II and III exposures require human rabies vaccination. Bites from rodents need individual assessment by a doctor.
Shot schedules: never vaccinated or vaccinated before
Your history decides the schedule. Pre-exposure vaccination does not replace post-exposure care. These are the CDC schedules.
| Your history | Vaccine doses | Immunoglobulin |
|---|---|---|
| Never vaccinated | 4 doses, days 0, 3, 7 and 14 | Yes, 20 IU/kg human or 40 IU/kg equine |
| Vaccinated before | 2 doses, days 0 and 3 | None |
If you were never vaccinated
Immunoglobulin must not be given more than 7 days after the first vaccine dose. People with weakened immunity get five doses over one month. Vaccine should start as soon as possible whether or not immunoglobulin is available.
Immunoglobulin is in short supply worldwide. Treatment may mean travelling to a nearby major city.
Thai clinics follow their own programme. Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute uses an intramuscular and an intradermal programme. Its cell-culture vaccine is given in 4 to 5 injections. Patients must return for every appointment.
If you were vaccinated before
Prompt treatment is still needed after a full pre-exposure course, because further doses are required. Carry your vaccine record.
Where to go in Thailand
Rabies vaccines are typically available throughout most of the country. Rabies exposure is urgent, with no need to wait for an appointment slot. Walk in at the nearest clinic or hospital. For private options in the capital, see Bangkok international hospitals.
Thai Travel Clinic, Bangkok
The Thai Travel Clinic is on the 3rd floor of the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, at 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok 10400. Phone 02-306-9100 ext. 3034 or 02-3069145 in office hours.
| Hours | Days |
|---|---|
| 08:00 to 16:00, last walk-in 15:00 | Monday to Friday |
| 16:00 to 19:00, last walk-in 18:00 (extended hours) | Monday to Friday |
| 09:00 to 16:00, last walk-in 15:00 (extended hours) | Saturday |
The clinic closes on Sunday and public holidays.
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Bangkok
The Thai Red Cross institute is at 1871 Rama IV Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330. Its rabies prevention clinic is open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:30, on 0 2252 0161.
Outside Bangkok and on the islands
The Thai Travel Clinic has no branch or associated clinic elsewhere in Thailand. Almost all hospitals in Thailand can still treat rabies exposure. Rabies exposure is urgent.
What it costs
The Thai Travel Clinic publishes a price list updated 12 October 2026, quoted per dose. The rows below are its rabies items.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Rabies vaccine (PCEC), Chirorab | THB 353 |
| Rabies vaccine (PVRV), Verorab or Speeda | THB 449 or THB 327 |
| Equine immunoglobulin (ERIG) | THB 774 for 5 ml, THB 333 for 2 ml |
| Human immunoglobulin (HRIG) | THB 3,022 for 2 ml |
The list is subject to change without notice. Immunoglobulin is dosed by body weight, 20 IU/kg for human and 40 IU/kg for equine.
Clinic fees come on top, in office hours.
| Fee | Office hours | Extended hours |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor | THB 200 | THB 400 |
| Hospital | THB 100 | THB 200 |
| Injection, per dose | THB 20 | not stated |
| New registration | THB 20 | not stated |
Hospitals and insurance
All hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treating patients. Private hospitals in Thailand are of a high standard but can be expensive. Contact your insurance or assistance company quickly if you are referred to a facility.
The animal: watch it for 10 days
An animal judged healthy by a trained professional is observed closely for 10 days. The animal being available for observation must not delay your treatment in a rabies-endemic area. The Department of Disease Control advises: wash, apply medicine, confine the dog, see a doctor and finish the vaccine course.
Before you travel: pre-exposure shots
Pre-exposure shots simplify later treatment and remove the need for immunoglobulin. CDC weighs your activities and how fast you could reach post-exposure care. The US advisory committee approved a 2-dose regimen on days 0 and 7. UK advice lists three doses before travel as the ideal, and lists long-stay travellers staying more than one month among those it recommends them for.
For questions on rabies, the Department of Disease Control hotline is 1422. For an ambulance, see Thailand emergency numbers.
Step by step
- Wash the wound at onceWash the bite or scratch with soap and water for at least 15 minutes straight away.
- Apply antisepticPut on povidone-iodine (Betadine) after washing.
- Go to a doctor the same dayWalk in at a hospital or clinic. Every bitten or scratched patient is sent to a doctor to consider rabies vaccine and tetanus cover.
- Match the schedule to your historyNever vaccinated: immunoglobulin plus vaccine on days 0, 3, 7 and 14. Vaccinated before: two doses on days 0 and 3.
- Keep the recordsKeep photos or written records of the vaccine and immunoglobulin given.
Not confirmed: Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute weekend and holiday opening, and its fees, are not confirmed. Private hospital prices outside the Thai Travel Clinic list are not confirmed.
Common questions
Do I need shots after a lick from a dog?
A lick on intact skin is category I, which WHO counts as no exposure. A lick on broken skin or on a mucous membrane is category III.
How long should I wash a bite?
Wash for at least 15 minutes with soap and water.
Can I wait until I am home for the shots?
Seek medical attention locally and do not wait until you return home. Post-exposure vaccine should start as soon as possible.
Is the vaccine safe in pregnancy?
There are no contraindications to post-exposure treatment. It can be given to infants, pregnant women and immunocompromised people.
I had rabies shots before the trip. What now?
Previously vaccinated people get two doses of modern cell-culture vaccine on days 0 and 3. Immunoglobulin is not given to them.
How much does the rabies vaccine cost in Thailand?
The Thai Travel Clinic price list shows THB 353 for a Chirorab dose and THB 449 or THB 327 for Verorab or Speeda. Prices are per dose.
Does the Thai Travel Clinic charge extra fees?
In office hours it adds a doctor fee of THB 200, hospital fee of THB 100, injection fee of THB 20 per dose and a THB 20 registration fee. In extended hours the doctor fee is THB 400 and the hospital fee THB 200.
Do hospitals in Thailand ask for payment first?
UK government advice says all hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treating patients. Contact your insurer quickly if a facility refers you for treatment.
Is there a hotline for rabies questions?
The Department of Disease Control hotline 1422 answers rabies questions.
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General health information checked against the sources listed above, not medical advice. Rules, vaccine schedules and prices change; see a doctor or the hospital before you act. See how guides are checked.
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