Vaccinations in Bangkok, Thailand

These are just some short comments on where to get vaccinations for various diseases while in Bangkok as a a resident or visitor (though we think if you need any vaccinations for your travel, you should probably get them in advance in your home country). Our experience : nowadays, travelers are advised to get quite a few vaccinations. A few years ago, I noticed some relatives of mine had gotten a lot of shots in preparation for their travel. Strangely, while having stayed in Thailand for many years, I found out I was seriously under-vaccinated.

Doubtless, a lot of hospitals in Bangkok and major cities, can provide most vaccinations, but sometimes at a price, and sometimes it involves some hassle.
A while ago, we decided to get a 'tetanus' shot, since we did not have a booster in more than 15 years, and each time we had some minor trauma, it got us worrying a bit. We went to BNH Hospital, and while it was somewhat late in the afternoon, we were directed to the emergency room. We were directed to a cubicle, and a nurse gave us the shot (painful at the site for a day or so), and a junior doctor came to say hello. One thing we noticed : they are not quite used to provide vaccination s ervices.
Since the fee was added to some other fees for services the same day, we do not actually know how much we paid for it all, but looking at the total bill for that day, it was possibly close or around 1000 baht.

Therefore we checked afterwards if there would not actually be better places for this type of service.
We found two candidates (continued below image), likely both providing excellent services :

Thai Travel Clinic, during the midday break.

1. The Thai Travel Clinic is part of Hospital of Tropical Diseases, Mahidol University. Prices for different vaccinations are listed. Most are not expensive, and there is only a charge of 200 baht for required available counseling with a qualified physician. Since this is part of a hospital for tropical diseases, there is a 24 hours a day emergency service for malaria screening. Mahidol University is located at Ratchawithi Road, and is within walking distance of the Ratchathewi skytrain (BTS) station. It takes about 10 minutes, and just opposite (other side of the road) the massive main building of Phramongkutklao Hospital. Follow this link (from their website) to get there from the main road.

We personally have been there at the end of 2022, after making an appointment throught their website, which is recommended. You can also fill out a questionnaire online, so you do not have to do it anymore at the clinic. The experience was great, and we surely can recommend this facility. We were first seen by a physician to answer some questions and to get some relevant information. The doctor will actually go through a list of vaccinations that are possibly beneficial (besided the one vaccination you came to get) depending on your travel itinerary, age, etc. Apparently quite a few Europeans come to the clinic to get vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis, a disease we are hardly aware of. You can now even get a vaccination for Rabies before being bitten by a dog (needs to be completed after the bite), which was news to us. You are also entitled to a booklet that records your vaccination (if you do not have one yet). The clinic is well organized and you want have to spend a lot of time there waiting.

Scroll below for list of available vaccinations and prices, as of November 2022. When compared to an earlier price list, prices fluctuate a bit, and we think it is simply related to the exchange rate of the U.S. Dollar. In any case, prices are not higher than 2 years ago, which is a good thing. Please be advised that there are some additional costs regarding the doctor's fee, and use of clinic facilities. The total of these additional costs is about 350 Thai Baht.

2. The Thai Red Cross Society is located on the grounds of Chulalongkorn University. Vaccinations are given in a separate building, the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute. You can make good use of your time and stroll through the wide open spaces around Chulalongkorn Hospital and University. Maybe you can visit the closeby Snake Farm, if it is still operational for tourist visitors. Below a recent price list, doctor's fee is included, as far as we can judge, but there are small additional costs totalling 70 Baht (registration fee, and service fee). A quick glance : prices seem to be quite similar, when comparing this clinic to the Thai Travel Clinic.

The Thai Red Cross Society can be reached best from the Silom (probably best option) or Sam Yan stations of the subway (MRT).
There is a small map on the website of the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, and it should be easy to locate it.

Chulongkorn University has some wide open spaces. The building in the background is part of the Faculty of Architecture.