The heedful traveller’s guide to Thailand’s emergency services
Thailand’s emergency services have garnered acclaim on a regional and international scale because of their remarkable humanitarian ideals, efficacy, and efficiency. Nestled in the centre of Southeast Asia, the nation is home to a plethora of committed emergency response teams that go above and beyond 24 hours a day to guarantee the safety and welfare of the populace in the event of both minor emergencies and major catastrophes.
When in Thailand, there will be a time when you will come across an emergency situation. However, even if you think it will not be necessary, it pays to be aware of the Thai emergency services in case you need it or when you have the chance to help others.
The emergency services
Phone numbers for the emergency services to remember
Police = 191
Calling the police is an occasion for a wide occasion of scenarios that occur in Thailand. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) are a great resource to rely on if you have a wide array of trouble going on in Thailand. One thing that you will want to remember as an expat is that the Royal Thai Police will side more with the Thai side on occasion as has been the experience for a lot of people. With that, you can rely on them in the most dire of occasions where other help is not available.
In the case of road accidents, it is imperative to call the police in some form, even if it is not severe, and the RTP are one of the options. However, you will find that they may not speak English so an alternative will be the other services mentioned below
Ambulance (Public) = 1669
Thailand has a multitude of hospitals, some with enough influence and money to have their own ambulance services with their own respective numbers who will bring patients to them. However, more commonly, you will find that you would be encouraged to call the public ambulance with the number 1669 in the case of medical emergencies.
For road accidents, it is encouraged to call the ambulance on the occasion that any injury occurs. Calling a private ambulance may incur a fee so a public ambulance is considered a free service. If you are worried about the language barrier though, you do not need to fret as you can be directed to the Tourist police who can speak English and relay the info to the ambulance service.
Fire = 199
The fire department in Thailand specialises in dealing with fighting fires. At the same time, they also have the equipment to be involved in search and rescue, rescuing flood victims, freeing trapped individuals from cars or structures, chemical incidents and more. In the case of house fires, forest fires, and any other incident, you can call their number and there should be English speakers to assist you.
For road accidents, you will need to call them in severe cases to deal with car fires that may occur or if the crash is bad enough, they will be able to free the stuck individuals and perform many more technical tasks.
Government = 1111
The government service exists to receive complaints from foreigners and possibly act upon them. They can also assist foreigners who may be confused about certain procedures or things that may go on in Thailand. Keep in mind that based on reputation, they are notorious for not acting on things too often so you can call them in the more extreme cases.
For road accidents, it will not be necessary to call them at all as they do not take care of this situation and you will be redirected to other services instead.
Tourist Police = 1155
The tourist police are one of the main law enforcement agencies in Thailand that work to promote the safety of foreigners and tourists as their name suggests. With that, if you are a foreigner in Thailand, you will be more inclined to call them to solve your issues. They can speak English and are great to call when you do not have a good grasp of speaking Thai. They are also reputable for being less biased toward locals.
For road accidents, they will be one of the choices that you may want to rely on when in an incident. They will serve the same function as the police but you will feel more confident in dealing with them especially if you are a foreigner.
Highway Police = 1193
The highway police are another pillar of Thailand’s law enforcement structure who as the name suggests, are more responsible for handling incidents that occur on the road and along the highways. With that, you will see them commonly when commuting or driving along the roads of Thailand and are useful when in more remote areas.
For road accidents, they are quintessential as it does fit their job description. When on the highways, they will be a common sight and essential to the initial response of an incident but as a foreigner, you will be more inclined to call the Tourist Police instead.
Surprise phone number
One phone number that you will be surprised by is that 911 also works in Thailand as well. Considering the nature of tourism in Thailand, this phone number was established to consider the instinct and the fact that a tourist or foreigners may not know what the emergency numbers are. So if you ever find yourself in a panicked situation where you might have forgotten all of the other numbers by chance, then this is a viable number to call emergency services with.
Steps towards improvement
Despite these challenges, noteworthy strides have been made towards strengthening the sector. Steps like intensive training programs for first responders, the establishment of a centralised command unit, and overcoming language barriers through translator services, have paved the path for a more efficient and robust emergency services system in Thailand.
A great example of a system that remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting and serving its citizens is the emergency services in Thailand. They are a shining example of effectiveness, awareness, and readiness. Thus, comprehending the functions of Thailand’s emergency services allows us to gain insight into their dedication to responding to emergencies and knowing which numbers to call benefits both the everyday lives of Thais and provides a high degree of comfort for foreign guests.
If you are ever caught in a road incident, you will need our article on what to do after a car accident to stay on top.
