Rabies

Mr. Tom was mildly bitten while playing with a dog in Bangkok. No one knew if the dog had injections or not.

To play it safe Tom took the course of five injections mentioned below. These were given over a period of around seven weeks. Pattaya Bangkok Hospital here (the most expensive) quoted 470 Baht per injection. They give an initial jab then five injections. So multiply 470 Baht by 6 to arrive at 2,820 Baht.

A cheaper alternative is the government Banglamung Hospital in Nah Klua. Each injection will cost you around 200 Baht. Read more about cheaper ways of surviving in Pattaya in "After-The-Rush".

Vaccines prepared from rabies virus can be used to protect people who are likely to be in contact with infected animals. The safest and most effective vaccines are human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV), purified chick embryo cell culture (PCEC), and rabies vaccine adsorbed (RVA).

When a person not protected by previous immunization is bitten by a rabid animal, treatment is a dose of serum followed by a series of vaccinations. With the older vaccines, at least 16 injections were required, whereas with HDCV, PCEC, or RVA, 5 are usually sufficient.
There are still lots of stray dogs in Pattaya.

Bitten by dog behind the Jomtien Complex

Editor;

I was bitten by a dog right down the street from my favorite restaurant L Tollover. So an evening of good food and wine ended with a visit to Pattaya Memorial emergency room and an additional charge of 1,400 Baht for tetanus shot and start the series of 5 rabies shots.

I was bitten in front of the Iron Man Gym and there are several aggressive dogs there but when I went to police and contacted the security guards the dogs did not have an owner. The security guards were trying to catch the dog as I went to the emergency room. It is a narrow street with lots of cars and foot traffic so warn readers to beware. As for me, I will find another dining area.

Calvin Booth
(From Pattaya Mail News Paper)

Mosquitoes Dengue Fever

Malaria is not a threat in Pattaya but there are mosquitoes. There have been several cases of ex pats contracting dengue fever an infectious disease of the tropics transmitted by mosquitoes and characterized by rash and aching head and joints.

An ex pat friend who operates a maintenance company here contracted dengue in Pattaya in 2002.

He was quite ill for two weeks and was admitted to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for 4 days of rest.

The perpetrating mosquito, Aedes species, is a day biter; so during daylight hours, in areas where mosquitoes are present, protect yourself by properly using anti-mosquito measures. These include wearing repellents, such as DEET (20-30% is safe and effective) and spraying clothing with permethrin (if you are camping spraying mosquito nets and tents is important, too ).

Alternatives include Neem oil from India, which can be drunk as a tea or worn as a lotion. Wearing clothing is usually a good idea, especially long sleeves, long pants or skirts. To keep from over-heating and from aggressive mosquito punctures one should wear loose-fitting clothes.

Aedes mosquitoes like to breed in standing water such as may be found in empty tires, flower pots, artificial ponds, etc., especially after rain. The local council are diligent with fogging low lying areas during the wet season.

While there is no guarantee against contracting dengue fever, the odds are definitely in your favor of escaping unharmed.

Dengue Fever in Pattaya:
Read More

Pattaya Hospitals

Each of the private hospitals has its own ambulance service and 24 hour emergency facility.

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Private Clinics

There are many private clinics in Pattaya. One recommended by this website is the clinic of:

Drinking Water

When in Pattaya do not drink water from the tap in your hotel room or any water tap. Bottled drinking water can be purchased from small convenience stores, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, petrol service stations, bars, sidewalk vendors etcetera. The bottles are sealed and distributed by licensed drinking water companies.

STD's and AIDS

There are numerous clinics in Pattaya offering treatment for STD's. They are usually open from 9:00 am till 9:00 pm. It is surprising how many foolish foreigners take the risk of no protection during intercourse. The most common disease NSU will cost around 1,500 Baht to eradicate. But the risk taken could cost your life if you contract HIV.

There are published statistics of girls in Pattaya infected with STD's probably including only the diagnosed cases. More information on this topic can be found in:
Pattaya Bar Girls Report e-book.

Be warned that for Thais death is not really the end of life. Observe how they leave food and drink out for dead relatives. Death is merely the stepping stone to the next life.

Some will perform unsafe sex for a little extra money and if they get HIV and die so it shall be. Bring some condoms with you to Thailand. Most Thai condoms have a bad reputation for breaking so buy some

Note: In some cases the Thai condoms seem to be too small in diameter and are difficult to fit. That is also one of the reasons why they break.

If you are planning a sex vacation to Thailand you would be advised to buy some western size condoms.