UK prescription renewal options when moving to Thailand

Simon

You can get all these medicines in a Thai hospital or clinic, cheapest at a government hospital...

Importing from UK, you will need a specific letter from the government (forgot the name) to ship you those medications, but it can still be denied when the stack if for more than 30 days,  and then still customs could charge you a fee for anything with a higher value of 1.500 thb (since 1.1.2024)

Contact the Thai embassy in the UK for more information

Importing it without the letter, buying online, risks a) added costs from customs b) more frequently they will ask you to come and open package, check and if it meds they will be destroyed or sent back to sender, your choice.

I think the chance of getting in something is 10%....

Another thing to try is the herbal way...or acupuncture...

Can't answer for all your medecines, but I have a prescription for blood pressure control issued originally in NZ. Went to a local pharmacy with my prescription and they were happy to issue those medications without a Thai doctor's prescription.

Only wrinkle was that one of the tablets is a combination and they didn't stock the exact percentages as my original. No worries, they ordered it in. Another thing is they gave me an option on the other tablet, I could order in the original manufacturer or I could purchase a Thai manufactured equivalent, exactly the same active ingredient and dosage, but 1/10 of the price.

@simonbolton79

Many medicines can be purchased at Thai Pharmacies while others are only available at hospital's Pharmacies with a previous visit/conversation with the doctors there showing your prescription and asking how much is the price.

Better in government hospital's, much cheaper, than private big hospital's where you pay 10 times more the doctor's fee and depends in which city you are too. Famous holiday locations are more expensive.

Statins like Simvastatin or Atorvastatin or blood thinners are available at Pharmacies (like MiniAspirin or Clopidogrel) Betablockants should also be but must be made a research on your brand, cause each pharmacy makes his own free price and is not a central regulated price level like in Europe.

First collect in your country a stock and bring it with you to have a reserve for at least 6 month/1 year. So you have time to look around and understand how it's in Thailand when you here. What city do you plan to stay?

@Maxi Mari Udon Thani, well a town two hours away.

@simonbolton79

In Udon I don't know how is but things are developing and often in smaller province if you find a government hospital can be convenient, provided that can comunicate with staff/nurses in Thai first before reaching the doctor.

You must arrive here and learn step by step like all of us did. We did not learn it on a book or instruction leaflet, we move and research untill find out how. And things here evolve quickly, not slow like in Europe.