Tourist Police and urgent assistance
The Thai government’s tourist assistance list gives 1155 for Tourist Police, 191 for police emergencies and 1669 for medical emergencies. These are distinct services; choose the one appropriate to the situation and explain what is happening. In an emergency, contact the relevant service promptly. Give your location, a nearby landmark, a callback number and any immediate access information requested. Save the exact accommodation entrance before you need it: an apartment or hotel name without a street or map location can be difficult to explain.
Medical care and insurance logistics
Before travel, keep your insurer’s assistance contact, policy reference and the policy documents in a secure place you can reach without mobile data. Review how your policy handles the activities you plan, payment and contacting assistance. For non-emergency care, discuss the appropriate facility and payment arrangements with the provider and insurer directly. For a pharmacy question, speak with a qualified pharmacist and bring the existing packaging or prescription so the medicine can be identified accurately. Ask about the active ingredient and required documentation rather than choosing a substitute only by its box colour or brand name. This page does not diagnose symptoms, rank hospitals or establish insurance coverage. Keep receipts and care documents you are given, and ask the issuer for clarification if a document or charge is unclear.
Find your embassy or consulate
The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes a diplomatic and consular directory for foreign missions in Thailand. Use it to locate your own country’s representation, then verify the current service and appointment information on that mission’s official website. A consulate in Phuket may offer a different range of services from an embassy in Bangkok. For a lost passport, ask your mission about replacement or emergency travel documentation and the steps relevant to your journey. Do not assume that an old honorary-consul address or telephone number remains valid.
Keep a small, useful information kit
Store the address of your base, essential contacts, insurance assistance details and a trusted contact together. If travelling as a group, agree how to reconnect if phones or data fail. Share only the information needed with a verified recipient, and keep original documents and sensitive copies secure. Ask your accommodation about its ordinary after-hours contact separately from public emergency services. Our visa and arrival-document guide covers preparation, while the transport guide helps you plan everyday journeys before there is a problem.
Useful links
- Thailand Government — essential tourist assistance contacts
- Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs — diplomatic and consular list