malaria tablets? where to stay in bangkok?

aidan12124

whats the deal with malaria tablets? do you need to take them if you are going to thailand + neighbouring countries. have got a ton of vaccinations + i dont want ot spend any more money on this.

also does anyone know of somewhere really nice but cheap to stay in bangkok for a week or two. thanks ..

shrapnel222

i 've never bothered to be honest- but then again someone might come along and say the opposite- it's up to you, but personnally i wouldn't even consider it.

Glowing

You can buy anti-malarials when you're over there, we took Doxycycline for most of our trip in SEA. It's just an antibiotic you take once a day and has few side-effects (although you're better off consulting your doctor first).

I'd go see the doctor here then buy the medicine over there for a fraction of the price. Boots and Tesco in Bangkok sell it over the counter for about 2c per tablet. Just check the expiry date before purchase.....

For peace of mind, it's a good idea, but you could probabaly get away without it if you were not going too far off the beaten track. If you're going trekking in the jungles of Laos, then I might reconsider .....

Edit: For accommodation in BKK, you can't beat this place for cleanliness, location and value for money - book well in advance: http://www.suk11.com/

aidan12124

thanks a lot, had allready checked out suk11, looks very good indeed.
so u reckon malaria tabs would be important if going trekking in chang mai

aidz

beware that bangkok opened up a new international airport about 9 months ago.
so dont fall into the trap i fell into in february last; i had booked a hotel close to the airport (according to the website) only to find that it had been beside the old airport. had to get another one at 00:30 that night there and then..

WindSock

Khao san rd is where all the backpackers and tourists are. There is a nice cheap place on it and the name has escaped me. It's called the Dmd or something. Maybe someone else knows where I am talking about.

I wouldnt advise Bangkok for more than a week though. It's exhausting, smelly and humid. Just see what you want to see then get out of there asap.

I went trekking in Chiang Mai and to neighbouring countries. I took the tablets for about a week and a half, then said feck it.

H2G2

aidan12124 wrote:

i dont want ot spend any more money on this.

Don’t forget a prescription for these tables is valid for the Drug Refund Scheme, so its worth your while getting all from your local pharmacy in one month (if you registered) or at least claiming back from HSE.
Personally I always go on the side of caution and take them, juts in case.

littlesurfer

I took doxycycline too,...it didn't do me any favours and i heard that the other options gave a lot of people halucenegenic side effects..If your staying in Bangkok, most people will tell you its not necessery...although thats not medical advice. Unless I was visiting the jungle i wouldn't consider it and even then i'd probably not bother....

...other advice should be taken re: buying em over there.....WAY cheaper!

killbillvol2

You don't need malaria tablets in any of the main urban areas of Thailand. Most of Thailand isn't malarial. If you're trekking it depends on the location. If you're near the Burmese border or the Laos border the safest thing would be to take them. (Chiang Mai is a long way from either). Doxycyclene only needs to be taken for a couple of days before you enter a malarial area and for a few days afterwards.
The best person to ask is actually the pharmacist in Bangkok. Pharmacists in even the tiniest town in Thailand all seem to have good English and are very helpful. Tell him / her where you plan to go and they'll look after you. You can't beat local advice.
As for Bangkok, you'll either love it or hate it. personally I think it's one of the world's most vibrant cities and still full of surprises (my first visit was in 1990). The Khao San Road is fine for organising tours or whatever on your first visit. You'll get a much better flavour of the place staying somewhere else. Sukhumvit is ideal.
Enjoy!

xorcist

Try the Travel Medical Bureau at www.tmb.ie for detailed advice too. Remember a good DEET impreganated mosquito net is the biz too.They're a private operation but v.comprehensive. DOXYCYCLINE is awell tolerated anti-malarial treatment as it's also used longterm for acne. Beware of any effects on foetal teeth/biones however girls if you're pregnant or conceive on it.

empirix

killbillvol2 wrote:

You don't need malaria tablets in any of the main urban areas of Thailand. Most of Thailand isn't malarial. If you're trekking it depends on the location. If you're near the Burmese border or the Laos border the safest thing would be to take them. (Chiang Mai is a long way from either). Doxycyclene only needs to be taken for a couple of days before you enter a malarial area and for a few days afterwards.
The best person to ask is actually the pharmacist in Bangkok. Pharmacists in even the tiniest town in Thailand all seem to have good English and are very helpful. Tell him / her where you plan to go and they'll look after you. You can't beat local advice.
As for Bangkok, you'll either love it or hate it. personally I think it's one of the world's most vibrant cities and still full of surprises (my first visit was in 1990). The Khao San Road is fine for organising tours or whatever on your first visit. You'll get a much better flavour of the place staying somewhere else. Sukhumvit is ideal.
Enjoy!

Spot on - Thailand is malarial free with rare outbreaks in remote regions - you'll here about these if they occur. Cambodia, Laos Burma - its knocking about the place, in any main city there wont be malaria. Personally i didnt bother and just used deet and covered up with light clothing at night time in the above conutries(except Thailand and Nam), still got a few bites - its a chance you take, you would be very unfortunate to contract malaria this way but its still a possibility - very unfortunate to die from it - i met quite a few people who had it (once you catch it it stay in your blood with recurring outbreaks over the years).

Then theres dengue fever (infected with 3 different strains of malaria) - well thats just damn unlucky! Dengue fever will Fcuk you up good if your lucky enough to survive.

The choice is yours do it your way.

S.M.B.

I arrived into Bangkok 4 weeks ago and haven't left the place. I think it's a great city, it's good points far outweighing its few bad points.

Stayed in Suk 11 for quite a while but their contiuous questioning of when I was leaving the place started to annoy me so I rented out a serviced apartment for a month.

Glowing

S.M.B. wrote:

Stayed in Suk 11 for quite a while but their contiuous questioning of when I was leaving the place started to annoy me so I rented out a serviced apartment for a month.

You have to admit though they do a great breakfast!!

I love Bangkok, stayed there for weeks. It has bad points alright but you can live like a king for nothing and the city has a great energy. I love the Sukhumvit area the most, but Soi Rambuttri off Koh San has some great accomodation and restaurants.

Eoin

aidan12124 wrote:

thanks a lot, had allready checked out suk11, looks very good indeed.
so u reckon malaria tabs would be important if going trekking in chang mai

We are just back from Thailand, and were in Chang Mai for 4 days, so decided to err on the site of caution and get Malaria tablets. I don't think they were particularly expensive; the shots were the most expensive part of it, and you've already that done.

If you decide to go trekking or go to the hill tribes etc, you may find yourself closer to the borders of Cambodia, Burma etc, so it may be worth your while. I'm sure there are other ways you can save your money if needs be.

WRT Bangkok - we were there for 5 days, and found that more than enough time - though it really depends what you want to get out of your trip. We thought Chang Mai was a nice spot, and much cheaper. Even in really touristy restaurants - e.g. in the middle of the night markets, we were paying about 450 baht between us for two courses with a few drinks each.

killbillvol2

S.M.B. wrote:

I arrived into Bangkok 4 weeks ago and haven't left the place. I think it's a great city, it's good points far outweighing its few bad points.

Stayed in Suk 11 for quite a while but their contiuous questioning of when I was leaving the place started to annoy me so I rented out a serviced apartment for a month.

Be careful. On my third visit I stayed for 2 years!

empirix

I worked in Bangkok for 3 months, had a ball, the only downsie was the early closing times of Bars - but there are lock ins - if your in the know;)