ABOUT HUA-HIN

Visa types HUA HIN & Illness HUA HIN

Fruit/Vegetable & Hurbs HUA HIN

Visas & extensions/Driving Hua-Hin: buy-rent vehicles/Illness HUA HIN

There is a huge variety of visas available to foreigners wishing to enter Thailand - it's really all a matter of making the correct decision as to which best suits your purposes. Some will allow you to stay only 30 days at a time, while others lead to annual extensions and permit you to remain indefinitely (as long as you continually meet the financial and other requirements). For a full list of visas see:

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php
http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

In reality, most ex-pats here will get by on Non-Immigrant Visas (issued on the basis of retirement, marriage to a Thai national, support of a Thai child or work). There are other ways to stay in The Kingdom long-term, but they involve a lot of travelling and are increasingly becoming the object of scrutiny by immigration. Short details of the main visa types are given below. Always read these in conjunction with the above links.

Visa types

30 Day Visa Exemptions
Nationals of 40 countries and one special administrative region (Hong Kong) are allowed to enter Thailand for a period of not more than 30 days, without a visa. The countries are listed below in this link :

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2490

Many foreigners made use of this visa exemption to stay "permanently" in The Kingdom by making a visa run to a neighbouring country every 30 days. Immigration law on this changed on October 1st 2006 and there is now a limit to the number of days you can stay in Thailand on these stamps during any 180 day period. That limit is currently 90 days. So, in the simplest situation, you can only make three consecutive "runs" in a 180 day period. That period begins with your first arrival. When you exit the country after the third 30 day visit, you will not be permitted to re-enter Thailand on a 30 day visa exemption stamp for 90 days. NOTE: you can do so with a proper visa (Tourist or otherwise).
Quite evidently, this method of staying here for any great length of time, or permanently, is hardly ideal. For those who still want to chance this method (when combined with Tourist Visas), just make sure you don't get "stranded" in Cambodia, Laos or heaven forbid, Burma (Myanmar).

Tourist Visas
These must be obtained at a Thai Embassy/consulate outside of Thailand. They permit the holder to remain in The Kingdom for 60 days and the visa can be extended at any Immigration Office for a period of 30 days.
A Tourist Visa can have one to four entries, although NOTE that the entries must be utilised before the visa itself expires. In cases where the traveller uses and extends each entry to its fullest extent, the visa will normally have expired before the fourth entry can be utilised. Where the visa has more than one entry, the holder must leave the county after the extension date and re-enter to get a further 60 day stamp that can again be extended by 30 days. This process continues until either the visa expires or the maximum number of entries is reached.

Currently, there is no offical limit to the number of Tourist Visas you can obtain "back-to-back", but since October 1st 2006, some Thai Embassies/consulates in neighbouring countries are only issuing single-entries and it's always possible that you might be told to use a different country the next time. It is therefore important to check all the time as to what the current mood is in any particular country. As a result, it is not possible for us to provide a definitive guide to user-friendly missions and it is probably best that you only rely on getting a single entry for the time being (other than your home country). Again, whilst theoretically possible to remain indefinitely on Tourist Visas, your situation will always be somewhat uncertain.

Non-Immigrant Visas
These again must be obtained at a Thai Embassy/consulate outside of The Kingdom. They can be either single entry which allows the holder to remain here for 90 days on arrival, or multiple entry when the visa is valid for a year and the holder can exit and re-enter as many times as desired during that year and receive a 90 day entry stamp each time. At the end of the year/90 days, the visa is "used". NOTE: for those on multiple-entry visas, you can exit just before the year's visa validity is about to expire and benefit from a "bonus" 90 day stay, thus making the original visa work for almost 15 months.

With the exception of some consulates in the UK, Australia and the US, an applicant must have a solid reason for obtaining a Non-Immigrant visa (visiting a Thai spouse and seeking retirement are the usual reasons). The main benefit of holding a visa of this type is that it can be extended for a year at any immigration office (it should be the one that deals with the locality in which you reside and the application made between 7-21 days before any entry expires) as long as you meet certain financial and other criteria. The annual extension can be obtained indefinitely, so this is quite simply the best visa option to choose if you are going to live here. You must have some basis under which to apply and be granted this visa and the main three, as mentioned before, are marriage to a Thai national, retirement and working. (Working is dealt with in a separate section).

Marriage/family extension
If you are married to a Thai national, you can extend your Non-Immigrant Visa for a year at an immigration Office within Thailand. The financial requirements to qualify for this changed on October 1st 2006. If you are applying for the extension for the first time after the above date, your wife/husband and you must be able to demonstrate an average combined monthly income of no less than 40,000 Baht per month. Naturally, your income will have to be derived from abroad (otherwise you would be working in Thailand and need the relevant visa and work permit). Any income that is contributed towards the 40,000 baht by your Thai spouse must be backed up with tax receipts that equate to the claimed amount.

For those of you who already have an extension granted prior to October 1st 2006, you're likely to know the situation already. People in this category can still apply for further extensions based on 400,000 Baht in a Thai bank account (BUT it must have been there for at least 3 months prior to application and not fallen below that amount) or on the basis of combined monthly income of 40,000 Baht (as above), or on a combination of the two, as long as the total exceeds 400,000 Baht. Proof of income from abroad exceeding 40,000 Baht is quite easily demonstrated by transferring that amount to a Thai bank account each month. The bank pass book will verify it. For those who choose to leave their money in their home country, a certified letter from your Embassy will be required to confirm your income. The supporting documents will then be determined by The Embassy, so you need to contact them first.

Once an application is submitted, your passport will be stamped "under consideration" and it can take up to 3 months for final approval to come through. The year's extension will start from the time of the original application. During the consideration period, you can expect a visit from immigration to your residence checking that the marriage is bona fide.

Retirement
The requirements for this type of extension are straightforward. You must be over 50 years of age and able to demonstrate 800,000 Baht in a Thai bank account (this must have been there for at least 3 months and not dropped below that amount at any time), or an average monthly income from abroad of 65,000 Baht per month, or a combination of the two as long as the total is 800,000 Baht minimum. As with the above, if you are applying on the basis of monthly income, a certified letter from your Embassy will be required.

As long as you meet these requirements, the extension will normally be issued with less fuss and delay than the "marriage/support" visa which is an obvious advantage. There are, however, some medical certificates that you will need - please refer to the above links.

NB - when applying for an extension on the basis of either of the above, it is worth thinking ahead about any travel you may want to do over the year outside of Thailand. If you intend to do so, it's worth applying for a multiple entry extension. It costs more, but if you happen to leave the country without a re-entry permit (these can be obtained individually prior to departure), your visa will be invalidated and you'll have to start the whole process again.

It must be stressed that legistlation changes in Thailand, so you must keep yourself abreast of current situations. There are many other ways that you can extend your Non-Immigrant visa here, but the two described above are the most common. Please refer to :

http://www.mfa.go.th/web/2482.php?id=2493http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/2notice/rtp606EN.pdf

We purposely have not indicated the fees applicable for any type of visa or extension. These are subject to change.

Driving HUA HIN

Staying safe on the roads
Traffic in Hua Hin is becoming an escalating problem as the number of cars on the roads here increases every year.
The once sleepy fishing village gets completely swamped with SUV's from Bangkok every weekend and public holiday, this coupled with the increasing number of motorists living here can make for some scary road encounters. In the last six months alone three new motor dealerships have opened up so the trend is likely to continue.

Whether in a car, on a motorbike, bicycle or walking you should be have some basic road awareness in Hua Hin as motoring here is a far cry from what you will be used to in the west. You drive on the left in Thailand but as you are about to find out things are not all what they seem on the roads.

Things to look out for

Pedestrians
If you are driving be on the constant look out for people crossing the road, there are few pedestrian crossings and people are generally too lazy to use the foot bridges. With pavements being narrow and often in disrepair people often tend to walk in the road, it is your job to avoid them. As in any country schools are particularly dangerous when adjacent to a busy road. You may come across huge carts being pushed down the middle of the road or cattle further out in the sticks, just be patient and you will soon be able to pass.
If you are the pedestrian try to stick to the pavements as much as you can although sometimes this just physically isn't possible. When crossing the road look both ways as vehicles here often drive up the wrong side to take a short cut. Watch for the traffic lights as many now have counters so you know when they are due to change.

Cyclists
If you are the cyclist be aware that you are the lowest form of road user here, the bigger vehicle wins so make sure your bike has good brakes. It maybe a good idea to stick to smaller back roads unless you are comfortable with motorbikes buzzing past inches from you. There are some great cycling roads out of Hua Hin centre and a bicycle makes a great form of transport here as the town is relatively compact. Make sure you wear a helmet and use lights after dark, drivers will not move for you.
When driving keep an eye open for cyclists, many of them are on old bikes with bad brakes so give them a wide berth. Be extra vigilant at night as most local cyclists do not have lights.

Motorbikes
You either love them or hate them but sooner or later you will come into contact with one if you are driving in Hua Hin. Motorcyclists in Hua Hin generally have little or no respect for the roads so again, if driving, it is your job to avoid them. They will come at you from all angles but do generally abide by the premise that the larger vehicle has right of way. One particular annoyance is motorbikes driving down the wrong side of the road, make sure you look out for them when attempting any manoeuvre. They also all seem to be in a mad rush to reach their destination so will crowd to the front at junctions and level crossings, just let them all move on and proceed when clear. Often they will turn or pull out without looking, be prepared!

When on a motorbike in Hua Hin you are literally taking your own life in your hands. First and foremost wear a helmet, your head is worth more than the 200 baht fine you will get if the police catch you. It is also law that you drive with your lights on, this theoretically increases your chances of being seen by other road users, but it doesn't really work here. Keep to the inside as much as possible allowing larger vehicles to pass and use your mirrors at all times - you seriously need eyes in the back of your head for driving in Hua Hin. If you have never ridden a bike before it really is not recommended that you drive one in Hua Hin - it is a busy town with many road hazards - including novice riders. Use the horn liberally to warn other drivers of your presence and be prepared to slam on the brakes should they pull out on you anyway. Expect the unexpected.

Other drivers
Other cars, pickups and motorbikes will without a doubt be your greatest annoyance. A strange phenomena occurs on the roads in Thailand, Thai people are generally very laid back and easy going where time is of little consequence, this completely changes when they get on the road and all become Formula One drivers racing impatiently to their destinations without a second to spare. If you leave a gap of a couple of meters between you and the vehicle in front someone will fill it. If you're not driving close enough to the vehicle in front someone will over take you. As much as the temptation to get annoyed takes you try to stay calm and let the racers go, you will all get to where you are going at the same time. Thailand has only had this influx of motorcars in the last twenty years or so therefore it stands to reason that driving standards and general road safety and etiquette is severely lacking here. Be aware - they will pull out on you, fail to signal, cut you up, brake in front of you, undertake you, and even drive into you in the worse case, all this with very little regard or consequence of their actions - be aware.

Signaling
There are a number of road signals and gestures that differ slightly here. The main one is flashing the headlights, contrary to the west this actually means get out of the way, I have no intention of stopping or moving for you - you will see it often. When approaching an intersection vehicles that turn on their hazard lights generally do so it indicate that they are going straight ahead. There is absolutely no general courtesy on the roads here, nobody will wait or let you go, which is why drivers simply pull out - it is that or sit there all day. Locals will simply smile sheepishly at you if they have almost caused an accident by pulling into your path.

U-turns
These are one of the most dangerous aspects of driving in Hua Hin and you will find several along Petchkasem Road. Unregulated u-turns are a magnet for accidents as traffic is pulling out into a fast moving highway often with little regard of what is approaching and at what speed. Be prepared to brake hard when approaching a u-turn and if turning in one give way to what is coming, also watch for vehicles driving up the wrong side of the road while making your turn.

Driving at night
Driving after dark is extremely hazardous, drink driving is a major problem here and while it is against the law it is not enforced or regulated. There is no social stigma attached to drink driving in Thailand besides that most people are likely to get away with it so there is no deterrent. Traffic lights are also switched off at night so look out in all directions when crossing a junction. Many road users here fail to see the importance of lights when the sun goes down so again you will need eagle eyes to spot them.

Highway driving
When on the open road the situations change but the danger remains. Always drive to the conditions of the road and traffic, be extremely careful of the u-turns mentioned above, vehicles will still pull out on you regardless of what speed you're doing. Large slow moving trucks and busses will think nothing of pulling directly into your path to overtake a slower moving truck - give them a wide berth and keep your distance. You will also get the odd pickup driver who thinks he has a Ferrari coming up behind you, flashing, then swerving to undertake you - let them go. Tailgating is a common occurrence here, you will often find the car behind is so close to you that your exhaust fumes begin to oxidise on their bumper, let them pass and allow plenty of space between you and the car in front, however be ready for someone undertaking you and moving into this space - use your judgment.

Road law
The law of the road in Thailand is actually quite similar to that in the west, it is based on UK road law. The problem is that none of the laws are enforced so there is no incentive to obey them - people drive how they like because they can. Traffic police are underpaid so tend to do as little as possible aside from the odd road block to nab motorcyclists without helmets. Do not be surprised if you see a vehicle coming at you down the wrong side of the street, or a truck that is so overloaded that its axle scrapes the ground, or a clapped out motorcycle with two adults, three children, a dog, and full shopping, with no helmets, lights or brakes pulling out in front of you - it will be your fault if you hit them. Things are slowly changing however it seems to start in Bangkok and slowly filter down, it is still a jungle out there.

Parking
Finding a place to park in downtown Hua Hin is simply a nightmare, if it is a weekend forget it. The town's roads simply have not been able to expand to cater for the number of vehicles that now occupies them ... and there are no car parks except for the hotels that are reserved for customers only. You may find yourself driving around the block looking for a space while some SUV double parks and causes a tailback, this is commonplace. Another major problem in Hua Hin is the presence of taxis and tuk-tuks that sit parked up all day waiting for a fare, there are hundreds of them in the centre. It has even become difficult to find a parking spot for a motorcycle on extremely busy days.

Accidents
If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in a road accident there are a number of things you should be prepared for. The police will not help you, their job is to report the accident, clear up the mess and get rid of the problem as quick as possible regardless of who is at fault. A farang involved in an accident will usually be blamed for causing it, be ready for this and make sure you have good insurance cover or legal support. Be prepared to stand your ground if you are in the right, do not back down and above all be polite and do not lose your temper, go to the police station to report it and call your lawyer or embassy if necessary. Driving without insurance is illegal here but not a lot is done about it, just hope you are not involved in an accident with someone who doesn't have enough money to pay for the damage or medical bills or it will come out of your wallet.

Despite all of the above there are very few incidences of "road rage" and anger is rarely displayed between drivers in Hua Hin, the whole "mai bpen rai" attitude prevails, usually followed by a smile. For most of the time it all seems to flow on the roads here ... most of the time.

Vehicles HUA HIN

Legal documentation for vehicles
There are a number of steps you need to take as a foreigner to legally drive in Thailand or to purchase and register a vehicle.
The first would be to ensure you have a valid Thai or international drivers license (details below), secondly make sure your vehicle is insured, this is often difficult to determine with rentals so go with a reliable company. Although it is illegal to drive without insurance in Hua Hin it is not enforced so if you end up in an accident with someone without it it could get messy.

Buying a car
Buying a car and registering it in your name is relatively straightforward. You must have a Non-Immigrant visa and either a Work Permit or proof of address document (bai rup rong tee yuu asai ใบรับรองที่อยู่อาสัย) from local Immigration (cost 500 Baht). You may need the house document (tabien bahn) of where you are living to get this.

Once you have made the purchase, the dealership will supply you with a blue book and other paperwork to confirm you as the registered owner. If it is a second hand vehicle the buyer and seller will need to go to the DLT test centre in Pranburi (กรมการขนส่งทางบก) to have the details changed.
Purchasing new cars is also easy however car dealerships in Hua Hin will not give finance to foreigners without a Thai national to guarantee the loan. The Thai equivalent to road tax costs approximately 2,000 baht per year and insurance can range from 700 baht to 20,000 depending on your level of cover and the vehicle. They insure the vehicle here, not the driver.

Buying a motorbike
As above, except you will receive a green book, together with papers showing you as the registered owner. You will need to pay the annual insurance and tax fees for the bike which are approximately 5-600 baht, this can be done through the dealership where it was purchased.

Thai drivers license and test
If you want to drive in Thailand, you'll need a Thai driving license. The procedure for getting one is as follows:
Go to the test centre in Pranburi (กรมการขนส่งทางบก) it is actually about 3km before Pranburi town on the right hand side (coming from Hua Hin).

= Supply your passport and photocopies of the details page, your visa (which must be a
Non-Immigrant),the departure card, last arrival stamp and the last application of stay stamp.
= Personal photographs - these must be 2.5cm square after the white border has been cropped.
= Medical certificate which can easily be obtained at any hospital or clinic for a small fee.
= Letter from immigration confirming your address (bai rup rong tee yuu asai ใบรับรองที่อยู่อาสัย).
= 105 Baht for car and 55 Baht for motorcycle license, valid for one year.
= An existing driving license, preferably international, otherwise you will have to sit an exam and take a test in your own vehicle. (You might get away with not sitting the above if you only have a national license, but most times they will be required).

Your first license will be valid for 1 year.
After this has expired, you can apply for a 5 year license. Paperwork is the same as above (except for the medical certificate which isn't needed and you should have the original and copy of the expired 1 year license) and the fee is 505 Baht for car and 255 Baht for motorbike.
The driving test is very simple, motorcycles simply need to circumnavigate the car park and stop in a straight line and cars do a couple of manoeuvres between parallel poles, no actual road driving or awareness is tested. You will need to do the test and exam if you do not currently hold a drivers license.

The official website for the Department of Land Transport in Thailand can be found at:

http://www.dlt.go.th/
http://www.dlt.go.th/prachuab/index.htm

Illnesses HUA HIN

It must be stressed that this section has not been compiled by doctors. It is meant as a guide only to some of the more common health problems you may encounter in Hua Hin.
Should you be unfortunate to be stricken by one, you must seek proper, qualified medical advice. We have indicated some remedies for the less serious afflictions, but have purposely not attempted to advise on more serious conditions. Nevertheless, this page will hopefully make you aware of what can happen to you health-wise in Hua Hin.

Disease and illness

Water and food-borne diseases
The simple rules are don't drink the tap water and be careful of ice. Although tap water is cleaner in Hua Hin than in other areas of Thailand, it's not worth the risk to drink it as bottled water is so cheap. Likewise, ice can be contaminated, but you'll not have trouble with it in restaurants or bars and when you buy it for home make sure it is correctly packaged. Again, it is cheap. Food is almost always clean and fresh, so you're not likely to pick up any real nasties from eating out or at home. The most usual complaint will be an upset stomach. There are however some diseases that can get serious and are most likely contracted through dirty water, food or sanitation.
Of these, the most common will be diarrhoea. Attacks will normally be no more than a nuisance and pass within a day or so. The main thing is to remain hydrated, so drink plenty of bottled water and soft drinks (ideally still rather than carbonated) and avoid alcohol. Keep your diet bland until you have recovered. If the diarrhoea persists for more than 3 days, it is probably wise to seek medical advice.

More extreme forms of stomach complaints include dysentry, cholera and giardiasis. If you suspect you have contracted any of these, get to a doctor quickly. Plenty of medicines are available to cure the symptoms, but get them early and you'll generally not suffer any lasting complications.
Another quite common ailment to include in this category is hepatitis, partucularly the A strain which is extremely infectious for the first few weeks. Immunisation against certain strains of hepatitis are now readily available and they provide good protection. Do allow enough time for them to become effective though. If you do contact hepatitis A, you will feel lethargic, generally unwell and not have much of an appetite. It will develop into jaundice, so your skin and whites of the eyes will turn yellow. Urine will be dark in colour and stools will be light in colour. Normally, rest is the cure. Alcohol will definitely be off the menu for up to a year and a low fat diet is advised. You and your liver will eventually recover naturally, but it does take time.
Another serious condition is typhoid. This fever is spread through the gut and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated in time. Fever will be high and pulse rates drop (as opposed to normal fevers when the pulse rate increases). After a couple of weeks, pink spots may develop on the body and delirium, trembling, vomiting, weight loss and dehydration will set in. It is vital that medical help is sought before further complications such as pneumonia set in. With correct medical care, your body will recover after about 3 weeks.

Diseases spread by humans and animals
Tetanus is a serious condition that can be fatal. Always make sure your immunisation is up-to-date. It is treatable with difficulty and the first symptoms will be a high fever and discomfort when swallowing together with stiffening of the jaw and neck. Convulsions of the whole body will eventually set in. Be sure to clean all wounds, even scratches, and disinfect the area. Tetanus is spread by a germ that lives in human or animal faeces.
Rabies is a disease spread by the bite or scratch of an infected animal. If not treated quickly, it is 100% fatal. This serious condition is present in Hua Hin and surrounding areas, so you must be really careful around street dogs, monkeys and other wild animals. If you feel that you may be living in a high risk area, a vaccination is available now.

STDs
These diseases are spread through sexual contact with an infected person. The most common forms in Hua Hin are gonorrhoea and syphilis. Both are treatable with antibiotics, but it is important to get medical help as soon as possible to avoid serious health problems later on. There is currently no cure for herpes or HIV/AIDS.
Whist total abstinence from sexual contact is the only certain way to avoid STDs, the use of condoms greatly reduces the chances of contracting them. If you are sexually active over here, protect yourself and others.

HIV/AIDS
Despite this modern disease carrying the social stigma that it does and the seeming reluctance of authorities to publicise the extent of it, it is present in Hua Hin and all over Thailand. Most ex-pats will be exposed to the infection through sexual activity, rather than intavenous drug abuse, but the threat is real, so protection with condoms is essential if you are sexually promiscuous. We're sure that all readers will appreciate the seriousness of this infection.

Insect-borne diseases
We are lucky in Hua Hin in as much as malaria and dengue fever are not common and the town is regarded as very low risk. There have been instances of these diseases being caught locally, however, and the best advice is to cover up and use mosquito repellant when the insects are most active at dusk through to dawn. Dengue fever is spread by a daytime mosquito. If you are going to visit a high risk area around Hua Hin for any length of time (say to the Burmese border) you may want to consider taking anti-malarial tablets before you go. There are many strains of malaria, so it's important to consult local medical advice to ensure you take the right precautions and do so in time for them to be effective before venturing into a high risk area.

Climate and weather complications
These are most likely to be experienced when you first come over to live in Hua Hin as your body will eventually adapt to the heat and humidity. However, if you have been here for years and are simply sunbathing, playing a round of golf or enjoying some other sporting activity, care should always be taken.
It's easy to get sunburnt, especially from March-September when the sun is at it's strongest. We've all probably suffered from it at some time and needless to say it can be painful and easily avoided if sun creams and blocks are used.

Prickly heat can afflict those who are newly arrived and is caused by the build up of perspiration below the skin. An itchy rash will develop until your pores have opened up enough to cope with the extra sweating. Powders are readily available all over Hua Hin to take care of this and using a mild talcum powder, bathing often and air-conditioning will help you until you acclimatise.
Be careful not to suffer from heat exhaustion in Hua Hin. This can be brought about through dehydration or lack of body salt. You will be left feeling lethargic and maybe suffering from muscle cramps, nausea and giddiness. Salt tablets and and plenty of water are the answers and as opposed to other conditions brought about by the inability to sweat, heat exhaustion is more likely to affect those who have been here for some time, rather than newcomers.

Heat stroke is different to heat exhaustion, can be extremely serious and potentially fatal. You are most at risk through long exposure to high temperatures. You will not be sweating much, your skin may turn reddish and bad headaches and lack of coordination can develop. Eventually, derilium and convulsions will occur and hospitalisation is essential. Until there, keep the victim out of the sun, wrap them in a cold, wet towel and fan them constantly to lower body temperature.
Fungal infections of the feet, scalp and groin area are common. Wear loose-fitting clothing, shower often and get an anti-fungal powder that is readily available in Hua Hin. NOTE: ringworm is actually a fungal infection, not a worm and the same remedies can be used as above.

Hospitals HUA HIN

As Hua Hin has grown as a tourist destination and the number of ex-pats living here has risen, so the medical facilities have started to improve.
It would be wrong to describe Hua Hin as having developed the same standard of care as can be found in other large tourist areas, but it is equally only correct to appreciate that things are changing for the better, quickly.

Nevertheless, it should be emphasised that if you are unfortunate enough to either have a serious accident or come down with a complicated medical complaint, you're probably still better advised to seek out top-quality hospitals in Bangkok or nearby Petchaburi.
Be aware that minor ailments, cuts and scapes will be taken care of in Hua Hin professionally, quickly and cheaply - compared to the western world. However, if you are admitted to a hospital for major surgery or similar, costs can get extremely expensive, so it's worth thinking about some form of medical insurance.

Bear in mind that Thailand and Hua Hin do not have a history of free public health care. Although locals can now benefit from the 30 baht health scheme, private hospitals remain outside the financial reach of most Thais and the public hospitals therefore can get extremely busy. The doctors and nurses do their best, but quite often they are always overworked, underpaid and lacking essential equipment and beds.

Hua Hin hospitals and clinics

The main medical centres, with contact details are listed below:

San Paulo Hospital
A private hospital in central Hua Hin. It is well organised and staff speak English. This will probably be the best hospital to visit first as long as your ailment is not too serious. The accident and emergency ward is always efficient and attention to detail is good. Rooms are comfortable and the level of patient care is exemplary. For more serious conditions, however, Petchaburi or Bangkok may be your best bet. San Paulo also has dental and physiotherapy clinics. Prices for treatment in San Paulo can be extremely expensive so it is advisable to have health insurance if you need to go here.
Tel: 032 532576-85.

Hua Hin Hospital
This is the main public hospital in Hua Hin. It can get extremely busy, but is certainly a good option for minor ailments. There is an extension currently under construction which is likely to ease congestion and the standard of care and facilities are likely to improve as well. We will bring you more details once they are known.
Tel: 032 520401.

Hua Hin International Polyclinic
This clinic is staffed by doctors and nurses from Petcharat Hospital in Petchaburi. As a result, the standard of care and medical advice is some of the best in town. They do not offer rooms, but this is as good a medical facility as any in Hua Hin for an initial consultation with a doctor and has first-class dressing facilities for wounds and a dental clinic.
Tel: 032 516424.

Hua Hin Red Cross
As the name suggests, this facility is able to provide good and efficient medical care for non-serious conditions. It's always busy with locals, which is a good indicator of its professionalism and price.
Tel: 032 512567.

Petcharat Hospital, Petchaburi
This is quite simply the best hospital in the vicinity of Hua Hin if you have a real emergency or complicated complaint. It is private, so prices will be relatively high, but all serious medical cases, especially those involving damage to the head, will be referred here from Hua Hin. NOTE: the hospital is an approximate 45 min drive from Hua Hin.
Tel: 032 417070-8.

Pranburi Hospital
This facility is situated some 25km south of Hua Hin on an army base. As a result, it has an excellent reputation and will accept foreigners.
Tel: 032 612757.

Cha-am Hospital
Tel: 032 471808.

Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic
se and Throat Clinic Situated on Petchkasem Road, on the west side just before you get to Hua Hin Polyclinic, this is run by a doctor who has residence at the military hospital in Pranburi. Although small and busy, the service is excellent. During the week, the clinic is open after 5PM. At weekends, there is a limited service during day hours. Appointments can be made and are advisable as it gets busy but they cannot be made by phone, only in person.

Dr Sumet Clinic
Located at 87/5 Petchkasem Road opposite soi 80 this clinic specialises in babies and children offering vaccinations and full diagnosis. Dr Sumet is a very good pediatric doctor which is why the place is always full! Opening times are Monday - Friday 07.30-12.00 and 16.00-21.00 and Saturday 08.00-12.00 and 16.00-21.00 call them on 032-533404.

Contact person	:Mr.Veera (Mobile No.66-086-3350007, Fax. 66-032-522848 )
E-mail	: reservation@huahintagteam.com
Hua HIn Office	: 9.00 a.m. - 06.00 p.m. Monday - Saturday