Sorting out vaccinations and a general health check before relocating is one of those tasks that’s easy to leave until the last minute, but genuinely benefits from starting early, since some vaccines need weeks between doses to take full effect.

What’s actually required versus recommended

Thailand has no mandatory vaccination requirements for most travellers and movers. The one exception: proof of yellow fever vaccination is required specifically if you’re arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic, not simply for visiting or moving to Thailand itself. Everything else on the list below is recommended, not required, meaning the right combination depends on your specific situation rather than a single universal checklist.

The baseline: routine vaccines and Hepatitis A

Start by confirming your routine vaccines are current, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis), and polio. Beyond that, Hepatitis A is the most broadly recommended addition, given it’s spread through contaminated food and water, a genuine consideration for most people relocating to Thailand, regardless of lifestyle.

Vaccines that depend on your specific plans

Hepatitis B is generally recommended for unvaccinated adults relocating long-term. Japanese encephalitis is typically recommended for those planning extended stays, particularly in or near rural areas. Rabies pre-exposure vaccination is worth considering if you expect significant outdoor activity, hiking, cycling in rural areas, or regular contact with animals like stray dogs or temple monkeys, rather than being a default requirement for a city-based move. None of these are wrong to skip if they genuinely don’t match your circumstances, this is a conversation to have with a travel health provider based on where and how you’ll actually be living.

Why timing matters

Some vaccines, including the Japanese encephalitis and Hepatitis B series, require multiple doses spaced weeks apart to reach full effectiveness. Booking a travel health consultation 6 to 8 weeks before your move gives enough runway to complete a full schedule properly, rather than scrambling for a rushed single dose right before departure that may not offer full protection in time.

Malaria: less of a concern than people expect

Malaria risk in Thailand is largely confined to specific rural border regions, not the country’s main tourist and expat hubs like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Phuket. Routine antimalarial medication generally isn’t necessary for a standard relocation to these areas. If your specific plans involve extended time in border regions, this is worth raising directly with a travel health provider.

What vaccines can’t cover

Some genuine health risks in Thailand, including dengue fever, aren’t preventable through vaccination and instead rely on behaviour: covering exposed skin, using insect repellent, and being mindful during peak mosquito activity periods. Food and water safety habits, sticking to busy, freshly-cooked food stalls and being cautious with tap water, matter just as much as any vaccine on this list.

The rest of your pre-move health checklist

Beyond vaccinations, it’s worth using the lead-up to your move for: a dental check-up (genuinely cheaper to sort out before you leave if you have existing dental insurance at home), an eye exam if you wear glasses or contacts, arranging prescription refills or getting prescriptions in a transferable format, and gathering copies of your medical history and vaccination records to bring with you, useful for any doctor you see in Thailand going forward.

Final thoughts

None of this needs to be complicated, but it does benefit from starting 6 to 8 weeks out rather than the week before you fly, particularly if any multi-dose vaccines are relevant to your situation. A single travel health consultation can typically sort out a tailored plan for your specific move in one visit.

Browse doctors and clinics through JLIT, or explore guidance on health insurance to have in place before you arrive.