The Ministry of Public Health opens tourist vaccination points

        After the COVID-19 situation subsided, many countries began to gradually open their borders to tourists. Since Thailand is considered a very popular tourist destination, measures must be put in place to accommodate the arrival of millions of visitors for the prevention and control of COVID-19.

        The Ministry of Public Health met with relevant agencies to establish a system and guidelines for providing COVID-19 vaccines with appropriate fees through the Medical Hub mechanism. The agreement was to allow each province to open at least one vaccination service point for foreign tourists, without interfering with Thai vaccination services.

        The Department of Disease Control has prepared two areas in Bangkok for tourists: (1) Bang Rak Medical Center, which is open every day, and (2) the Urban Disease Prevention and Control Institute (BKK), which is located in Bang Khen District. There will also be service points added to travel and tourism clinics in Chiang Mai, Chonburi, and Songkhla.

        Meanwhile, the Department of Medical Services has piloted vaccination points for tourists at five locations: the Institute of Dermatology, Rajavithi Hospital, Lerdsin Hospital, Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital, and Chiang Mai Prasat Hospital; the main injection site is at Rajavithi Hospital.

        The vaccination fee for foreign tourists who get the AstraZeneca vaccine is set at 800 baht per dose. The Pfizer vaccine costs 1,000 baht per injection and 380 baht in medical fees, as determined by the National Communicable Disease Committee meeting. The service is now available in tourist areas such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket. Foreigners who stay in Thailand for an extended period of time can still receive the vaccine for free.