Emergency Numbers in Thailand Teachers Should Save
Save 1155 and 1669.
Thailand Does Not Use 911
We keep these numbers on the wall by the phone in our Ban Lum office. Put them in your phone today, before your first week: 1155 for help in English and 1669 for an ambulance. Thailand does not use 911. This page is a quick card, not medical advice.
Tap-to-Call Emergency Numbers
Tap a button to filter. Every number here works nationwide from a Thai mobile.
Tourist Police: 1155
Start here if you need English. The Tourist Police can help with theft, assault, road disputes and translation, and can link you to the local station.
Ambulance: 1669
National emergency medical line. Sends a public ambulance or a rescue team, usually to the nearest suitable hospital. Say where you are clearly, or hand the phone to a Thai speaker.
Police: 191
The main police emergency number. For crimes in progress and urgent danger. Outside Bangkok the operator will probably speak Thai; call 1155 if you need English.
Fire and Snakes: 199
Fire, gas and electrical hazards. The government list also gives 199 for animals, including snakes, that get into a house. Local rescue teams or volunteers usually come.
Highway Police: 1193
For crashes, breakdowns and hazards on the national highways between provinces.
Stolen Vehicle Hotline: 1192
Police hotline for stolen cars and motorbikes. Call as soon as you notice, then file a report at the local police station too.
Land Transport: 1584
Department of Land Transport complaints line. Report a taxi that refuses the meter, overcharging or dangerous bus driving. Note the plate number first.
Immigration Bureau: 1178
Immigration hotline for questions about visas, extensions, TM30 and 90-day reports. For a lost passport, see the passport steps below.
TAT Tourist Hotline: 1672
Tourism Authority of Thailand helpline for travel questions: routes, ferries, border checkpoints and travel notices.
Social Security Office: 1506
Social Security Office hotline (part of the Ministry of Labour) for questions about your section 33 cover and registered hospital.
Red Cross Blood Centre
Thai Red Cross National Blood Centre, Bangkok. Useful if you have a rare blood type and want to ask about donating or registering. In an emergency, the hospital arranges blood, not you. As listed on the Red Cross website. Office hours, not a 24-hour line.
Emergency Thai: What to Say on the Phone
Say the short phrase, or show the Thai script to someone nearby. Add khrap (men) or kha (women) at the end if you have time.
| English | Thai (Show the Screen) | Say It | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Help! | ช่วยด้วยครับ/ค่ะ! | Chuay duay khrap / kha! | Shout this first in any emergency. |
| There's been an accident! | มีอุบัติเหตุครับ/ค่ะ! | Mi ubatti-het khrap / kha! | First line when you call 191, 1155 or 1669. |
| Someone is hurt! | มีคนเจ็บครับ/ค่ะ! | Mi khon jep khrap / kha! | Tells the operator you need an ambulance. |
| A lot of bleeding! | เลือดออกมาก! | Lueat ok mak! | Say it early so they send help fast. |
| Please call an ambulance! | เรียกรถพยาบาลให้หน่อย! | Riak rot phayaban hai noi! | Say to people nearby if you can't use your phone. |
| A snake got into the house / school! | มีงูเข้าบ้าน/โรงเรียน! | Mi ngu khao ban / rongrian! | Say to 199 or the school guard. |
| Fire! | ไฟไหม้ครับ/ค่ะ! | Fai mai khrap / kha! | For any fire, including electrical fires. |
| Bad allergic reaction (medicine / food)! | แพ้ยา/แพ้อาหารอย่างแรง! | Phae ya / Phae ahan yang raeng! | For a strong reaction to medicine, food or a sting. |
| Police report | ใบแจ้งความ | Bai jaeng khwam | The paper you ask for at the police station after a crash, theft or lost passport. |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →
Scooter, Snake, Passport: What to Do
Three situations teachers ask us about, step by step.
🛵 Scooter Crash
Road crashes are the most common emergency we deal with. Before you ride, read our Thai motorcycle licence post.
Check Injuries
If anyone is hurt, call 1669. Don't move an injured person unless there is fire or traffic danger.
Take Photos
Photograph the vehicles, number plates, road markings and the scene, before anything is moved if it's safe.
Call 1155
Call the Tourist Police for help in English. Ask them to explain any paperwork before you sign it.
Get the Police Report
Ask for a police report (ใบแจ้งความ, bai jaeng khwam) at the local station. Insurers usually ask for it.
🐍 Snake in the Classroom or House
Thailand has around 200 kinds of snake, a few of them venomous (cobras, kraits, pit vipers). If one turns up at school or home:
Keep Your Distance
Stay at least 3 to 4 metres away and keep an eye on it. Don't corner, poke, trap or kill it. Some cobras can spit venom, so keep back.
Call 199 or 191
They can send local snake catchers; in many areas these are volunteer rescue foundations.
If Someone Is Bitten
Keep the person and the bitten limb still. Don't cut the wound, suck the venom or use a tourniquet.
Call 1669
Call 1669 or get to the nearest hospital. Take a photo of the snake only if it's safe.
🛂 Passport Lost or Stolen
Do these in this order. Your embassy and Immigration will both ask for the police slip.
Police Report Slip
Report it at the nearest police station and get a police report slip (ใบแจ้งความ, bai jaeng khwam).
Your Embassy
Contact your embassy for an emergency travel document or a new passport (numbers below).
Thai Immigration
Take the new passport to Immigration and ask what they need to move your visa and permission to stay across. Tell your school too.
🦟 Dengue Warning Signs
Spread by mosquitoes that bite in the daytime. It usually starts with a sudden high fever, pain behind the eyes, aching joints and sometimes a rash.
⚠️ If dengue is possible, the usual advice is to avoid aspirin and ibuprofen and use paracetamol for fever, and to see a doctor. Go to a hospital straight away for repeated vomiting, bad stomach pain or bleeding gums. More in our travel health tips.
🩸 Rh-Negative Blood
Rh-negative blood is much rarer in Thailand than in many Western countries; figures of well under 1% of Thais are commonly cited.
If you are Rh-negative: carry a blood-type card in your wallet and tell the hospital as soon as you arrive. The Thai Red Cross National Blood Centre (02 256 4300, as listed on its website) in Bangkok can tell you about donating or registering.
Embassy Numbers and Hospitals
Main Bangkok numbers for the nationalities we place most often. Each embassy's website explains what to do out of hours. Call for arrests, serious injury, a death or a lost passport.
U.S. Embassy Bangkok
Wireless Road, Bangkok. For US citizens facing arrest, hospital or the death of a family member. Commonly listed — confirm on the embassy site.
British Embassy Bangkok
AIA Sathorn Tower, Bangkok. For UK nationals who need emergency travel documents or urgent help. Commonly listed — confirm on the embassy site.
Australian Embassy Bangkok
181 Wireless Road, Bangkok. Out of hours, the main number can put you through to the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra. Commonly listed — confirm on the embassy site.
Canadian Embassy Bangkok
Abdulrahim Place, Rama IV Road, Bangkok. Out of hours, Canada's Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa handles emergencies. Commonly listed — confirm on the embassy site.
South African Embassy
M Thai Tower, All Seasons Place, Wireless Road, Bangkok. Consular help for South African citizens. Commonly listed — confirm on the embassy site.
Irish Embassy Bangkok
208 Wireless Road, Bangkok. Out of hours, the main number takes you to a duty officer voicemail. Commonly listed — confirm on the embassy site.
Hospitals: Public or Private
Provincial government hospitals handle most emergencies, and 1669 will usually take you to one. Once your school registers you for Social Security (section 33), you have a registered hospital; ask your school which one it is and save its number. Private hospitals (such as Bangkok Hospital branches, Samitivej or Bumrungrad) run 24-hour emergency rooms with English-speaking staff, but check what your insurance covers before you need it. More in our travel health tips.
Emergency Questions
What is Thailand's version of 911?
Which emergency number has English-speaking operators?
What should I do if a snake gets into my classroom or house?
What if I have Rh-negative blood?
What is the difference between 1669 and a private hospital ambulance?
What should I do after a scooter crash?
What should I do if my passport is lost or stolen?
Written by Matthew John
Co-Founder & Operations Manager : 20 Years in ThailandI'm Matthew, co-founder of Kids English Thailand. I've lived in Thailand for 20 years and work from our office in Ban Lum, Sukhothai. Since 2009 we have placed over 1,500 teachers in Thai schools. This is the card we go through at orientation, and our team is a phone call away if something goes wrong.
