Diarrhea

Diarrhea is mostly caused by ingestion of food and drinks contaminated with bacteria or viruses. To prevent diarrhea, avoid uncooked food and drink only boiled of bottled or carbonated water. Food served at street vendors should be considered at risk. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be adequately washed with clean water. Fresh salad should be taken only from a salad bar or a restaurant of hygienic standard. Tap water in many Southeast Asian cities is claimed to be safe for drinking, but it is still advisable to stick to safety precautions.

Danger from diarrhea primarily is the result of the loss of water and electrolytes from the body. If you happen to have diarrhea during your travel, the most helpful remedy is drinking electrolyte solution to replace the loss. Therefore, it is always useful to keep some electrolyte solution packets in your first-aid kit. If your diarrhea gets worse or does not improve within 12-24 hours, consult the physicians for proper investigation and treatment.

Typhoid fever

Typhoid fever has become uncommon among Thai people. However, travellers should not neglect taking prevention against this food and water borne disease. Precaution measures for diarrhea, as mentioned above, are effective for typhoid as well. It is also recommended that the travellers receive typhoid vaccination, in injectable or oral form, before start of the journey. However, those who need initiation or booster vaccination can find the service at most hospitals and clinics in Thailand. 

Sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS

Urethritis remains the most common treatable sexually transmitted disease (STD) among tourists to Asia. Gonorrhea from Southeast Asia is frequently multidrug resistant. While syphilis become less common, HIV/AIDS is spreading at worrisome speeds in most Asian countries, resulting mostly from unprotected sexual contacts.

Promiscuous sex anywhere can be dangerous. For travellers, local sex workers, either of explicite or concealed types, are potential sources of STDs and HIV/AIDS. All casual sex should be avoided or strictly protected with the use of condoms. Danger from intravenous drug use with sharing of needles and syringes cannot be overemphasized. However, blood transfusion at all medical centers in Thailand is considered safe as intensive screening of donated blood for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis is implemented nationwide.

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