Malaria tablets ??

Going to thailand for a month going to bangkok,phuket,pattaya, chaing mai, phi phi, ko samaui will i need to get malaria tablets i have got deet 50%

thanks matt

The best thing you could possibly do is ask a doctor. As far as I know, none of the regular posters here are qualified medical professionals. That being said, going to those locations won't expose you to malaria. The tablets aren't needed unless you are in remote border regions, etc. Check the CDC website or others for which areas are problematic.

Bring the deet. 50% is a bit strong! At some point it isn't any more effective than lower strength versions. Dengue fever is your primary concern, so you want to avoid those little bastards as much as possible. It is alive and well here, and a good friend is currently recovering from the nasty bug here in Bangkok.

and of course the "medical professional" will say yes, you need it.
They have a duty of care,

Enjoy the nightmares that the tablets will produce.
Those tablets are headbanging crap.

I agree with losing_touch about the strength. I had Bushman's with 20% deet which was very effective.

Enjoy the nightmares that the tablets will produce.
Those tablets are headbanging crap.

I would take that with a grain of salt. Took anti-malarials on two separate occasions and had no ill effects. From my experience, doc recommended them because I was in border regions.

Hey Mat
Just use the Aeroguad everyday and she be right mate, and dont forget to spray your feet, thats where the buggers bite you the most when you are sitting down having dinner or a beer,
and get your self a can of insect spray from the 7/11 or supermarket to spray your room everynight.

I don't think any of those areas are infected with Malaria. Chiang Mai sprays for mosquitos and I believe beach areas are not infected nor is Bangkok. I have have lived in Asia off and on for 5 years, and I never took malaria medication nor did I ever get so much as a high fever. However, I did get stomach bugs a few times.

And, no, I am not a doctor either.

No you dont need to have malaria tablets ,but all other precautions are advisable ..

I have never taken Malaria medication in the 20 years Ive been floating around Asia.
Not every day of the 20 years in Asia, but a minimum of a couple of months a year for the past 10.

Never had a problem.
My comment about the nightmares comes from many backpackers who have offered thier experiences of using Malaria medication.
When your hanging out with dudes long term and thier behaviour becomes quiet erratic at times, some aggresive, some have flipped out enough to cut their holiday short, others simply worn out from the nighttime dreams, others get sick in the stomach...

Each to thier own, the drugs will affect different folk in different ways.

All the very best of luck if you decide to take them.

Edited by: clarkey

Yeh i have been to the doctors the other week and they said the same thing as "losing_touch" i will only need malaria tablets for border crossing etc !!!! but i will be flying over the borders if i venture out of thailand.

Reason im asking but malaria is i no i only need them for the border crossing but i just get worried im gonna catch something and it will ruin my travels

Just needing them for a border crossing makes little sense.

Anywhere you have stagnant water and a tropical climate, you have the potential for problems.
Even in tropical Australia.

can you buy the malaria tablets over in thailand ?

'Reason im asking but malaria is i no i only need them for the border crossing but i just get worried im gonna catch something and it will ruin my travels '

A month stay requires no visa run if you fly in. The are no border crossings on the places you mentioned. If you did need a visa run, and you were at a border for say 2 hours, you'd me MAD to take medicine for that.

Unless you plan an extended jungle stay of say 3 months or so, you just don't need them.

Normal DEET precautions apply.

i will only need malaria tablets for border crossing etc !!!! but i will be flying over the borders if i venture out of thailand

And the other countries you visit of course - all Thailands neighbours except Malaysia have malaria.

if for some strange reason you do catch the bug then a visit to a local drug store will see you supplied with the correct medication ( a bomb ) for the "local strain" of Malaria / Dengue.

the locals dont live on Malaria medication for ever in a day, of course.. that would be very bad for health.

As L_T said, go see a medical practitioner (with a specific expertise in tropical medicine). You will get lots of opinions here, but I wouldn't like to be taking the risk without consulting someone who knew what they were on about, in a professional sense.

Just my ha'penny's worth, I used to take malaria meds when I was cycling in the boonies a long time ago (well, I never actually made it into the jungle and saw any cannibals, but I have cycled in some reasonably remote parts of SEA), but stopped about 10 years ago. I got the nightmares when I was taking that large weekly pill (can't remember the name). Now I always have a bag of doxy with me, but never take it (which I know is pointless, but it gives my small brain some level of comfort). Hey ho, I reckon that it is all a lottery. Go see a professional (in tropical medicine). Planning a trip to find Pol Pot's grave, some remote cycling involved, I will have my bag of doxy on a wing and a prayer....

'As L_T said, go see a medical practitioner (with a specific expertise in tropical medicine). You will get lots of opinions here, but I wouldn't like to be taking the risk without consulting someone who knew what they were on about, in a professional sense.'

A doctor will always cover his/her ass and say take the medicine.

Go to a doc, but generally I'd say you wont need them where you are going, and from that list you shouldn't need to cross any borders especially into remote regions.
A doc won't neccesarilly say it to cover themselves, my doc and the nurse at my local practice were both very well travelled and said I would not need them for Thailand unless i was going to go somewhere very remote and jungle. That was coming from a doc who had malaria as well.

Ive been to a doc a few times about this (Travel Doctor here in Australia) and they've never told me yes or no. They've always told me about the risks and the side affects and all the other information you need to know. Ive always made my decision with their advice in mind - but they've never made my mind up for me.

no need for the tablets, just take anti-mozzie protection

you can get antibiotics that you take 5 days prior, through out the entire trip and 2 weeks after you get back. no side effects and worked a treat for me. i constantly get bitten! drives me insane!
also, try and get indoors at dusk - its the worst time!
Good Luck!

'also, try and get indoors at dusk - its the worst time!'

Or wear long shirts and pants and use deet-simple huh?

no need for the tablets, just take anti-mozzie protection

And you tropical medicine PhD thesis was in what?

I really dont know why on earth we bother..

If the OP wants the EXACT, PIN POINT, PROFESSIONAL, Phd, answer...

THEN GO PAY A DOCTOR FOR ADVISE..

it just toooooo easy, hey ....lol...

Edited by: clarkey