If a dog, cat, monkey or bat bites or scratches you in Thailand, wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes, then go to a hospital the same day to be assessed for rabies treatment. Do this even if the wound looks small and even if you had the rabies vaccine before your trip.
Rabies is present in Thailand, mainly in dogs, and once symptoms appear the World Health Organization (WHO) says it is virtually 100% fatal. The good news is that treatment given promptly after a bite, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), works. The CDC says rabies vaccines for this treatment are typically available throughout most of Thailand. This page is about what to do after a bite; whether to get the vaccine before you travel is covered in our guide to vaccinations for Thailand.
After an animal bite: the short version
- Right away
- Wash with soap and water for at least 15 minutes (WHO)
- Same day
- Hospital or clinic that gives rabies vaccine; say "rabies" and which animal
- Treatment
- A course of rabies vaccine, plus immunoglobulin for deeper wounds if you were not vaccinated before
- Emergency
- 1669 ambulance; 191 police; 1155 Tourist Police
- Keep
- Your vaccination record card, receipts and the doctor's note for insurance
The first 15 minutes: washing the wound properly
The WHO's first step is simple and matters a lot: wash the bite or scratch with water and soap for at least 15 minutes, as soon as possible. Use a tap, a shower or bottled water if that is all you have. Clean scratches and licks on broken skin the same way. Cover it with a clean dressing and head for a doctor.
Then go. UK health advice for Thailand (TravelHealthPro) says to get urgent local medical assessment after any bite, scratch or lick from an animal, even when the wound looks trivial. Do not wait to see whether the animal looks ill, and do not wait until you get home. The WHO puts the usual incubation period at two to three months, but it can be as short as a week.
A street dog that "looks healthy" is not a reason to skip treatment. You usually cannot find the animal again, and you cannot check its vaccination history. Let the doctor decide; that is what the assessment is for.
Which contacts need treatment
Doctors use the WHO's three exposure categories to decide what you need. The doctor makes the call, but knowing the categories helps you explain what happened.
| Category | What happened | WHO recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| I | Touching or feeding the animal, a lick on unbroken skin | Wash; no rabies treatment needed |
| II | Nibbling of bare skin, small scratches or grazes without bleeding | Wash and start the vaccine immediately |
| III | Bites or scratches that break the skin, saliva on broken skin or in the eyes or mouth, any direct contact with bats | Wash, start the vaccine and give rabies immunoglobulin (or monoclonal antibodies) |
Most dog and monkey bites that draw blood are Category III. Bats are a special case: the WHO treats any direct contact as Category III, and TravelHealthPro notes that bats can carry rabies-like viruses.
Monkey bites count too
Many visitors think of rabies as a dog problem and treat a monkey nip as a funny holiday story. A monkey bite or scratch that breaks the skin is a potential rabies exposure and needs the same assessment.
Bites happen most where monkeys are used to being fed: temple hills, viewpoints and beach car parks. Lopburi is the best-known example. The authorities have been catching, sterilizing and sheltering the town's macaques since May 2024, but monkeys were still on the streets in 2025; our Lopburi day trip guide covers the current rules. The national park at the southern tip of Koh Lanta, described in our Mu Ko Lanta guide, is another place where monkeys come close. How to avoid bites in the first place is covered in our article on dangerous animals in Thailand.
What the rabies treatment involves
According to the WHO, post-exposure treatment has three parts: thorough wound washing, a course of rabies vaccine, and, for Category III exposures, rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) or monoclonal antibodies. The vaccine is given as several injections over a few weeks. The immunoglobulin is given at the start of treatment, to protect you while the vaccine takes effect.
The exact schedule depends on the hospital and on whether the vaccine is injected into the muscle or into the skin. The WHO recommends the intradermal (into the skin) method, which it says cuts vaccine use and cost by 60 to 80% without losing safety or effectiveness. We do not print a schedule here: follow the one the clinic gives you, and write the dates of your next doses in your phone.
If you had pre-exposure rabies vaccination before the trip, you still need treatment after a bite. The WHO is clear that the earlier vaccine does not replace post-exposure care. It does make it simpler: fewer doses, and no immunoglobulin. Bring proof of your earlier vaccination if you have it.
Your vaccination card is the document that matters. The clinic will usually record each dose. Keep that record with your passport, photograph it, and show it at every follow-up visit, in Thailand or at home, so the next doctor can continue the course correctly.
Where to get rabies shots in Thailand
Go to a hospital, not a pharmacy. The UK Foreign Office's list of medical facilities with English-speaking staff includes private hospitals in Bangkok and the main tourist areas, and government hospitals treat animal bites too. Our guide to hospitals in Thailand explains the difference in cost and service. If the injury is serious or the person is in shock, call 1669 for an ambulance; the other key numbers are on our emergency numbers page.
In Bangkok, the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, part of the Thai Red Cross Society, is the country's best-known rabies center and runs a clinical service. Its official website is saovabha.org. A look-alike address ending in .com is an unrelated travel blog, so make sure you are on the .org site. We could not read the institute's current opening hours, so check them on its site or phone ahead.
On small islands, clinics may not stock every product. We could not confirm which smaller hospitals keep rabies immunoglobulin in stock, so when you call ahead, ask specifically for "rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin". If they do not have it, ask where the nearest hospital that does is, and go there the same day. Our page on medical care on Koh Lipe shows how this works on a remote island.
Paying for treatment and what to tell your insurer
The UK Foreign Office says all hospitals in Thailand require a guarantee of payment before they treat patients. If you are insured, call your insurer's 24-hour assistance line from the hospital so it can send a guarantee; if not, expect to pay a deposit or pay as you go. We found no official price list for rabies treatment, so we do not quote one.
Whether your policy pays depends on its wording, so read the medical section of your travel insurance and keep:
- the doctor's note or medical certificate stating the injury and treatment;
- itemized receipts for every visit, including the follow-up doses.
Finishing the course after you leave Thailand
The follow-up doses are spread over weeks, so many travelers start the course in Thailand and finish it elsewhere. Before you leave, ask the clinic for a written record of the product used, the method (into the muscle or the skin) and the dates of the remaining doses. At home, contact your doctor or a travel clinic straight away rather than waiting for the next due date, so there is time to arrange the next dose. If you are moving on through Asia, plan the next stops around the dose dates.
Cyclists and runners meet territorial dogs more often than other visitors. Our sister site has practical advice on dogs and cycling in Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need rabies shots after a dog scratch in Thailand?
Probably, if the scratch broke the skin. The WHO puts minor scratches without bleeding in Category II (vaccine) and scratches that bleed in Category III (vaccine plus immunoglobulin). Wash it for 15 minutes and let a doctor assess it the same day.
I had the rabies vaccine before my trip. Do I still need treatment?
Yes. The WHO says pre-exposure vaccination does not replace post-exposure care. You will usually need fewer vaccine doses and no immunoglobulin, so bring proof of your earlier vaccination to the hospital.
Is a monkey bite dangerous in Thailand?
A monkey bite or scratch that breaks the skin falls in the same WHO category as a dog bite and should be treated as a possible rabies exposure. Wash it for at least 15 minutes and go to a hospital the same day.
Can I wait until I get home to start rabies treatment?
You should not. Treatment works best when started as soon as possible after the exposure, and the WHO says the incubation period can be as short as a week. The CDC reports that rabies vaccines are available throughout most of Thailand.
Is rabies treatment available on the Thai islands?
Islands with a hospital can be a good first stop, but we could not confirm which small clinics stock immunoglobulin. Phone ahead, ask for rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin by name, and travel to a bigger hospital the same day if needed.
Sources
- World Health Organization – Rabies fact sheet (checked October 2026)
- CDC – Travelers' health: Thailand (checked October 2026)
- TravelHealthPro (UKHSA) – Thailand (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: health (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Post – Lop Buri monkey-catching operation resumes (June 2025) (checked October 2026)