Videos · Guides · 25 Aug 2023 · 7 min
Thai pharmacies: what you can buy over the counter and what to bring
Pharmacists sell far more without a prescription than at home, but controlled drugs still need one. What to buy, what to carry in, and who to call.
Video: What you need to know about PHARMACIES in THAILAND before you visit!
Filmed 25 Aug 2023. Rules and prices in Thailand change often: check entry rules right now and the daily news before you rely on anything here.
The short version
- A pharmacist must be on duty while a pharmacy is open. Ask for the generic name of what you need and show your old packaging.
- Many everyday medicines sell over the counter, but opioid painkillers, sedatives and other controlled medicines need a prescription.
- Carry your own medicine in its original packaging with a doctor's letter naming the drug and dose, and only a small personal supply.
- Some medicines, including ADHD medicines, need a Thai FDA permit before you fly, and a few may not be allowed in at all. Never assume yours is cleared. Check each one on the Thai FDA traveller permit portal.
- A pharmacist is the right stop for a cold or an upset stomach. Fever that lingers, chest pain or anything severe means a clinic or hospital.
Thai pharmacies are a good first stop for a cold, a stomach upset or a minor injury: a pharmacist is on duty, and you can buy many medicines without a prescription. Controlled medicines are different, and if you arrive with your own prescription drugs you need to check the rules before you fly.
Who this is for: anyone who might need a remedy on holiday, and anyone arriving with regular medication.
Who can skip it: if you carry no prescription drugs, skip “Bringing your own medicine”.
How Thai pharmacies sort medicines
Thai law divides medicines into groups, and the group decides who can sell them and whether you need a prescription.
| Group | What it means at the counter |
|---|---|
| Household remedies | Low-risk products, sold without a pharmacist |
| Non-dangerous drugs | Sold over the counter |
| Dangerous drugs | Handed over by the pharmacist after asking about your symptoms, no prescription required |
| Specially controlled drugs | Prescription required |
| Narcotics and psychotropics | Controlled; prescription and tight records. Opioid painkillers and sedatives sit here |
The classification of individual drugs can change by ministry notice, so the same product can sit in a different group from the one you are used to. Ask the pharmacist rather than assuming.
The flaw: being allowed to sell a medicine without a prescription is not advice that you should take it. Antibiotics are the clearest case. If you think you need one, see a doctor.
Chains and independents
You will meet two kinds of shop.
Mall and chain pharmacies sit in shopping centres and on busy streets. A pharmacist handles the medicines counter. The flaw: the range of medicines can be narrower, and for anything controlled they will ask for a prescription.
Independent pharmacies line Sukhumvit and Sathorn and most district streets. The pharmacist will usually talk you through a cold, a stomach upset, a sprain or a rash. The flaw: English may be thin. Ask to speak to the pharmacist, who should be on the premises whenever the shop is open.
Names and labels
Thai packaging uses the generic drug name, often in smaller print than the brand. Write down the generic name of anything you take at home, because brand names change from country to country. Paracetamol is the same drug as acetaminophen, and a pharmacist will recognise either.
Some everyday examples to ask for by generic name:
- Paracetamol for pain or fever.
- Oral rehydration salts for a stomach upset or dehydration.
- An antihistamine for hay fever, bites or hives.
- An antacid for heartburn.
Generics are normally cheaper than imported brands. Show an old box or a photo of the label, and say the dose you are used to.
Bringing your own medicine
Rule of thumb: carry each medicine in its original labelled packaging, with a doctor’s letter naming the drug and dose, and only a small personal supply. For ordinary medicines that is all you need.
Controlled medicines need homework before you fly:
- Strong painkillers, sedatives and similar medicines: each medicine has its own permit check on the Thai FDA traveller portal (permitfortraveler.fda.moph.go.th). Search for yours by name before you pack it.
- ADHD and other restricted medicines: some medicines, including ADHD medicines, need a Thai FDA permit before you fly, and a few may not be allowed in at all. Never assume yours is cleared.
- Cannabis: cannabis flower is sold only on a prescription, and a tourist should not bring any.
Permit rules differ by medicine and change, so confirm with the Thai embassy as well, and apply well ahead. Ask your doctor for the letter in English. For the wider customs list, see what you can’t bring into Thailand.
If you need a prescription for the road
The big private and public hospitals have outpatient departments with English-speaking staff, and private clinics also see patients. Ask for a written prescription with the generic name, and ask the doctor for a letter as well.
For prices and insurance, see the healthcare guide.
Emergencies
Call 1669 for an ambulance anywhere in Thailand. The Tourist Police line is 1155; it can help with language problems but cannot send an ambulance. If your problem is severe, skip the pharmacy and go to a hospital: chest pain, difficulty breathing, a high fever that does not drop, severe allergic reaction, or any head injury.
Chapters
Watch next
35 minCondo & house tours · $2,500/month · Written guideA 145 m² Soi 8 corner condo for 85,000 baht, down from 110,00028 Oct 2026
28 minGuides · Written guideYour first hour in Bangkok: Suvarnabhumi arrival, step by step23 Oct 2026
48 minGuides · Written guideThailand first visit: fewer stops, the free arrival card, app rides29 Jun 2026Thailand, every Thursday.
One email a week. Free, and you can leave in one click.
- What's on in Bangkok this weekend
- Entry and visa changes, in plain English
- One guide worth reading, kept up to date