Free services in 2026
The BMA offers free microchipping, registration and rabies vaccination on the first weekend of each month during 2026, including at ICONSIAM (level B1, 10:00–18:00), at ten BMA veterinary clinics and through mobile units.
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JLIT field guide · Last checked 4 November 2026
Vaccinations & microchipping in Thailand
Which vaccines dogs and cats need in Thailand, when to give them, what Thai law requires for rabies, how microchips and registries work, Bangkok's free microchip service and 2027 registration rule — and what to do after a bite.
2–4 monthsage for a dog's or cat's first rabies vaccine, then every year (Department of Disease Control)
15 digitsan ISO 11784/11785 microchip — the standard most countries accept
Freemicrochipping and rabies vaccination at BMA services in Bangkok during 2026
2027Bangkok's pet registration and microchip rule takes effect on 10 January
The essential answer
Rabies every year, the core vaccines on schedule, and a 15-digit microchip.
Rabies is present in Thailand, so rabies vaccination is the one vaccine no dog or cat here should miss. Thai rules require it for dogs and cats, and the Department of Disease Control (DDC) advises a first rabies vaccine at 2–4 months old and a booster every year. Alongside it, dogs need the core vaccines against distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis) and parvovirus, and cats against panleukopenia, calicivirus and herpesvirus. Leptospirosis vaccination is strongly recommended for dogs in Thailand.
Every pet should also carry an ISO-standard 15-digit microchip, recorded on every vaccination certificate. It is the microchip that links your pet to its records — at the vet, at a border, and from 10 January 2027 under Bangkok's registration rule.
Chapter 01
Vaccinations
What dogs and cats need in Thailand
Dogs
Vaccines for dogs in Thailand
Based on the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) 2024 vaccination guidelines, which group vaccines as core (every dog), core where the disease is common, and non-core (depending on lifestyle), plus Thai rules on rabies.
| Vaccine | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies | Essential in Thailand; required by Thai law | First dose at 2–4 months (DDC), then yearly. WSAVA: essential wherever rabies is endemic. |
| Distemper (CDV) | Core | Part of the standard combination vaccine. |
| Adenovirus / hepatitis (CAV) | Core | Part of the standard combination vaccine. |
| Parvovirus (CPV) | Core | Especially important for puppies. |
| Leptospirosis | Highly recommended where common | WSAVA treats it as core where the disease is endemic; also required (or a test) for dogs entering Thailand. Protection usually lasts about a year. |
| Kennel cough (respiratory) | Non-core for pet dogs | Some boarding kennels and pet hotels ask for it — check before booking. |
Cats
Vaccines for cats in Thailand
Indoor cats need protection too: rabies is a legal requirement for cats in Thailand, and viruses can be carried into the home on clothes and shoes.
| Vaccine | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies | Essential; required by Thai rules for cats | First dose at 2–4 months, then yearly (DDC advice). |
| Panleukopenia (FPV) | Core | Also called feline distemper; required for cats entering Thailand. |
| Calicivirus (FCV) | Core | Part of the standard combination vaccine for cat flu. |
| Herpesvirus (FHV-1) | Core | Part of the standard combination vaccine for cat flu. |
| Feline leukaemia (FeLV) | Core for some cats | WSAVA: core for cats under one year, and adult cats that go outdoors or live with outdoor cats, where FeLV is common. |
A typical schedule
Puppies and kittens: the first year
The principles from the WSAVA guidelines and Thai rabies advice. Your vet will set exact dates for your pet and the vaccines used.
- First vet visit
Start core vaccines
Your vet starts a series of core vaccine doses, given every 2–4 weeks.
- 2–4 months
First rabies vaccine
The DDC advises the first rabies dose between 2 and 4 months of age. Fit a microchip before or at the same visit.
- 16 weeks or older
Final puppy/kitten dose
WSAVA: the last dose of the core series should be given at 16 weeks of age or older.
- At or after 26 weeks
First booster
WSAVA recommends revaccinating at or after 26 weeks rather than waiting until 12–16 months.
- Every year
Rabies booster
The DDC advises a rabies vaccine every year. Leptospirosis protection also usually needs yearly boosters.
- Adult life
Core boosters as needed
WSAVA advises giving core vaccines no more often than necessary; ask your vet about the interval for the vaccines it uses.
Rabies and the law
What Thai law requires
Thailand's Rabies Act of 1992 made rabies vaccination a duty of dog owners. A later regulation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives extended the rule to cats, requiring a first rabies vaccine between two and four months of age; Khaosod English reported a penalty of up to 3,000 baht or three months in jail, or both, for owners who do not comply.
In practice, the DDC's advice is simple: vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies at 2–4 months and every year after that, keep pets on a lead outside, and report aggressive or unusually lethargic animals to the local livestock office.
Thailand recorded seven human rabies deaths in 2025, and the first death of 2026 followed an untreated puppy bite. Vaccinating your pet protects your household as well as your pet.
Pets that moved to Thailand
Continuing an imported pet's vaccinations
If your pet arrived from abroad, it already met Thailand's import rules: rabies plus the core vaccines (and leptospirosis or a test for dogs), given at least 21 days before travel. A Thai vet can continue that schedule — there is usually no need to start again, as long as boosters are not overdue.
Bring the vaccination records, the import health certificate and the microchip number to your first appointment. Ask the vet to note when each vaccine is next due, and whether the vaccines it uses have a one-year or longer licence.
If you may take your pet to the UK, the EU, the USA or Australia later, never let the rabies vaccination lapse: a gap can mean a new vaccine, a new blood test and a new waiting period of months.
Planning to leave? Read the export guide →Chapter 02
Microchipping
Standards, registries and Bangkok's rules
Microchips
What kind of microchip, and where it is recorded
A microchip is a tiny transponder injected under the skin between the shoulder blades. Choose an ISO 11784/11785 chip with a 15-digit number: it is the standard most countries accept, and the one Bangkok's registration rule specifies. Some older chips fitted in Thailand use other formats, which can cause problems at borders — ask before the chip is fitted.
A microchip is only useful if the number is linked to you. In Bangkok, clinics typically register the chip in the Department of Livestock Development's national database or an international registry such as PetLink. Keep the registry details, and update your phone number and address whenever they change.
A 2026 Bangkok guide puts the cost of microchipping at a private clinic at about ฿800–฿1,500, sometimes bundled with vaccination packages — and the BMA has offered it free during 2026.
If your pet may travel
Get the order right: chip before rabies vaccine
Most countries only accept a rabies vaccination given after the microchip was fitted or read. The UK says a vaccine given before the chip must be repeated; the USA treats it as invalid; the EU will not accept it.
So fit the chip first, or at the same appointment before the vaccine, and make sure the chip number is written on the vaccination record. Australia also refuses chips whose numbers start with 999.
Getting this right in Thailand can save months if you ever move on with your pet.
Bangkok
Bangkok: free microchips now, compulsory registration from 2027
Bangkok's pet ordinance requires dogs and cats to be registered and fitted with an ISO 15-digit microchip within 30 days of ownership (or 120 days of birth), and limits the number of pets per home. Enforcement was due on 10 January 2026 but the Bangkok Metropolitan Council postponed it to 10 January 2027. Registering early is voluntary — and free services make it easy.
How to book
Add @TraffyFondue on LINE and choose "BMA Dog and Cat Registration". A city official follows up to arrange an appointment. Already-chipped pets can be registered online.
Register online
Use petregis.bangkok.go.th, confirming your identity through the ThaID app, or register at your district office or a BMA veterinary clinic.
Documents to have ready: a property guide to the ordinance lists the rabies vaccination certificate, microchip certificate, sterilisation certificate if any, the owner's ID, the house registration for the pet's home, and a landlord's consent letter if renting. The BMA has said it will review the landlord consent requirement, so check the current list before you go.
Chapter 03
If someone is bitten
Rabies is fatal once symptoms start — act at once
After a bite or scratch
What to do after an animal bite in Thailand
The Department of Disease Control's guidance for a bite, scratch or lick on broken skin is: wash the wound, apply antiseptic, keep the animal under observation, see a doctor, and complete the full course of rabies vaccine. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water, then go to a hospital the same day.
Do this even if the animal is your own vaccinated pet, and even if the wound looks minor. Once rabies symptoms appear, the disease is untreatable and fatal; the incubation period is usually two weeks to two months, but can be up to a year.
If your pet bites someone, keep it confined, have your vaccination records ready, and follow your vet's and the local authorities' instructions on observing the animal.
Vaccination and microchip checklist
Is your pet protected?
Ticks are kept for this visit only.
Why it matters
A small routine that protects everyone
A yearly vet visit for the rabies booster is the moment to check the other vaccines, refresh parasite prevention and confirm the microchip still reads. It keeps your pet healthy, keeps your household safe from rabies, and keeps the paperwork ready for boarding, registration or a future move.
Quick answers
Vaccinations and microchips in Thailand: FAQs
Is rabies vaccination compulsory for pets in Thailand?
Yes. The 1992 Rabies Act requires it for dogs, and a later regulation extended it to cats, with the first dose between two and four months of age. The DDC advises a booster every year.
How often does my dog need a rabies shot in Thailand?
Every year, according to the Department of Disease Control's advice, after a first dose at 2–4 months.
Which vaccines does my dog need in Thailand?
Rabies, plus the core vaccines against distemper, adenovirus (hepatitis) and parvovirus. Leptospirosis vaccination is strongly recommended. Some boarding kennels ask for kennel cough vaccination.
Which vaccines does my cat need in Thailand?
Rabies, plus the core vaccines against panleukopenia, calicivirus and herpesvirus. FeLV is recommended for young cats and cats that go outdoors.
Does an indoor cat need vaccinating?
Yes. Rabies vaccination is required for cats in Thailand, and the core viruses can be brought into the home. Your vet may adjust non-core vaccines for an indoor-only cat.
How much does a microchip cost in Thailand?
A 2026 Bangkok guide puts it at about ฿800–฿1,500 at a private clinic. The BMA has offered free microchipping in Bangkok during 2026.
Is microchipping compulsory in Thailand?
In Bangkok it becomes compulsory with registration from 10 January 2027. Elsewhere, ask your local municipality. A microchip is required to import a pet into Thailand and to take one out to most countries.
Where can I get my pet microchipped for free in Bangkok?
During 2026 the BMA offers free microchipping, registration and rabies vaccination on the first weekend of each month — including at ICONSIAM level B1 — plus at BMA veterinary clinics and mobile units. Book through @TraffyFondue on LINE.
My pet has a non-ISO microchip. What should I do?
Ask your vet whether to add a second, ISO-standard chip and record both numbers. If you plan to travel, check the destination's rules on microchips first.
What should I do if a dog bites me in Thailand?
Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, apply antiseptic and see a doctor the same day to start rabies vaccination. The DDC hotline is 1422.
Sources & verification
How we checked this guide
Last checked 4 November 2026. Vaccine guidance is general and based on international veterinary guidelines and Thai government advice; your vet will tailor a plan to your pet. Bangkok's rules and free services may change — check BMA channels.
WSAVA: 2024 vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats ↗
Nation Thailand: DDC rabies advice (Feb 2026) ↗
Khaosod English: rabies rule extended to cats ↗
Nation Thailand: Bangkok pet ordinance postponed to 2027 ↗
Nation Thailand: Bangkok registration and microchip rules ↗
Thai Government: free microchipping and rabies vaccination in 2026 ↗
Superagent: pet microchipping in Bangkok (Apr 2026) ↗
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