In Thailand, call 1669 for an ambulance, 191 for the police, 199 for the fire service and 1155 for the Tourist Police. If you can remember only one, 191 is the general number the UK government lists for police, ambulance and fire.
Thailand does not use one single emergency number for everything the way Europe uses 112 or North America 911. Each service has its own short code, and all of them can be dialed from a Thai SIM card or a foreign phone on roaming. Save the numbers below in your phone before you need them, and read the short section on what to say, because the person who answers may not speak much English.
| Number | Service | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 1669 | Emergency Medical Services (ambulance) | Accidents, collapse, serious illness, stings, near-drowning |
| 191 | Police (general emergency) | Crime in progress, road accidents, any emergency if unsure |
| 199 | Fire | Fire, smoke, people trapped |
| 1155 | Tourist Police | Scams, theft, disputes with businesses, help for foreign visitors |
| 1784 | Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation | Floods, storms, landslides |
| 1672 | TAT Contact Centre (Tourism Authority of Thailand) | Travel information and tourist complaints, not emergencies |
| 1386 | Office of the Narcotics Control Board | Reporting drug sales or drug nuisance (24 hours) |
The first five numbers are confirmed by the UK Foreign Office's getting help page and the Tourism Authority of Thailand's visitor updates (both checked October 2026). Some websites also list special numbers for water and boat accidents. We could not confirm those on an official page that is online today, so we leave them out. At sea or on a river, call 1669 for an injured person and 191 for everything else, and tell the boat crew at once.
1669: the ambulance number and when to use it
1669 is the national emergency medical number. It is the number to call when someone is badly hurt in a scooter crash, collapses in the heat, has trouble breathing after a jellyfish sting, or is pulled from the water after a rip current. Thailand's Department of Disease Control gives 1669 in its own first-aid advice, for example for box jellyfish stings. The UK health advice for Thailand adds that you can also dial 191 and ask for an ambulance.
The responders who arrive may be a hospital ambulance or a local rescue team, and they will normally take the patient to the nearest suitable hospital. The UK government warns that all hospitals in Thailand require a guarantee of payment before treating patients, so call your travel insurer's assistance line as soon as you can. Our guides to hospitals in Thailand and travel insurance explain why this matters.
191 and 1155: ordinary police or Tourist Police?
Call 191 when something is happening now: a robbery, a fight, a serious road accident. The Tourist Police (1155) are a separate national unit set up to help foreign visitors. They are the better call for problems that are not life-threatening but need an officer: a rental shop holding your passport, a taxi or bar dispute, a theft you need a report for, or a scam that has just happened.
The Tourist Police Bureau lists 1155 as its hotline on its official website. It also runs an app called "Thailand Tourist Police". According to the UK government, the app lets tourists contact the Tourist Police online, works for visitors who do not have a Thai SIM card, and sends notifications about natural disasters or safety concerns nearby. Install it before you travel if you will rely on roaming or Wi-Fi.
Short numbers need a working mobile connection. A foreign SIM on roaming can normally dial them, but an eSIM set to data only cannot make calls at all. If your phone plan is data only, save the Tourist Police app and your hotel's landline number, or buy a local SIM with calls; our article on SIM cards and eSIMs compares the options.
What to say when you call
Speak slowly, use short sentences and give the most important facts first. The call taker needs to know where to go before anything else.
- What happened, in a few words: "motorbike accident", "man not breathing", "fire in hotel".
- Where you are: the hotel or beach name, the road, the nearest 7-Eleven, temple or landmark. Thai addresses are hard to describe, so a landmark is often better than a street number.
- How many people are hurt and whether they are conscious and breathing.
- Your phone number, and stay on the line or keep the phone free so they can call back.
If language is a problem, hand the phone to a Thai speaker nearby, such as hotel staff, a shopkeeper or a security guard. Sharing your live location in a map app with a Thai-speaking helper also saves time. A few words help: "chuay duay" means "help", and our list of essential Thai phrases has more.
Do not count on 112 or 911. The UK government's official list for Thailand gives 191, 1669, 199 and 1155, not 112. Some phones may connect 112 anyway, but we found no official Thai source that says it works everywhere, so dial the Thai numbers.
Other numbers worth saving
Not every problem is an emergency. These hotlines were listed by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in its visitor information during the Bangkok floods of September 2026:
- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration call center: 1555
- Thai Meteorological Department weather hotline: 1182
- Airports of Thailand contact center: 1722
- State Railway of Thailand and Red Line: 1690
- Transport Co. (interprovincial buses): 1490
Also save your embassy's emergency number and your insurer's 24-hour assistance line. British travelers can have relatives at home call the Foreign Office in London on +44 20 7008 5000. For everything else about staying healthy, start at our health and safety hub.
Frequently asked questions
What is the emergency number in Thailand?
There are several. Call 1669 for an ambulance, 191 for the police, 199 for fire and 1155 for the Tourist Police. The UK government lists 191 as a general number for police, ambulance and fire if you are unsure which to use.
Is the Tourist Police number free and does it work with a foreign SIM?
1155 is a short national hotline that can be dialed from Thai and roaming phones. If you have no calling plan, the Thailand Tourist Police app lets you contact the unit online, and the UK government says it is available to tourists without a Thai SIM card.
Does 112 work in Thailand?
Do not rely on it. The official lists we checked give 191, 1669, 199 and 1155. Some mobile phones may route 112, but no official Thai source we found confirms it, so use the Thai numbers.
Who do I call after a scam or theft?
Call the Tourist Police on 1155, or 191 if the crime is still happening. Ask for a written police report afterwards, because travel insurers and card issuers usually require one before they consider a claim.
Sources
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: Getting help (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: Health (checked October 2026)
- Tourist Police Bureau – Official website (hotline 1155) (checked October 2026)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand – Weather and travel conditions in Bangkok and surrounding areas: visitor information (checked October 2026)
- The Nation – Department of Disease Control first-aid advice for jellyfish stings (October 2025) (checked October 2026)
- The Nation – ONCB 24-hour hotline 1386 (July 2026) (checked October 2026)