Thai mosquito repellant - your experience?

[henrik2000]

Hello, which mosquito repellant easily available in Thailand do you recommend? It should deter usual garden mosquitoes in Bkk and East and North thereof, not in South Thailand.

I once read a good mosquito repellant should have 67% of DEET. I had a repellant from the West with 75% of DEET, and yes – Thai mozzies bounced right offa my skin with a shriek.

When that DEET repellant was finished, Thai people from the lakeside recommended this stuff from 7-Eleven:

It seems to draw the mosquitoes my way and make them sting me lustily.

Can you recommend any alternatives that are easily available in chain stores (preferred) or at Lazada, if need be? I’d love something with 67% or more of DEET.

If you have something to recommend, please explain or show it so that it can easily be found. I do speak some Thai, but can’t read Thai except throug Google Lens. So i wouldn't find a brand name that's written in Thai only.

Aware that staying in, wearing covers, eating garlic, burning coils, fans etc. etc. are considered other ways to keep mosquitoes off.

Thanks for your local experience!

[isaanistical]

OFF.

Bright orange spray can, get it in Big C, Tops etc, plenty of deet, works for me.

[novacova]

This, sold on shopee or lazada. works great…

[scubascuba3]

The ones from 7 Eleven in the first image work ok, often only need it below the knees

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks for good tips, I will look for the stuff you recommend.

[harryviking]

On 1/25/2025 at 9:38 PM, henrik2000 said:

Hello, which mosquito repellant easily available in Thailand do you recommend? It should deter usual garden mosquitoes in Bkk and East and North thereof, not in South Thailand.

I once read a good mosquito repellant should have 67% of DEET. I had a repellant from the West with 75% of DEET, and yes – Thai mozzies bounced right offa my skin with a shriek.

When that DEET repellant was finished, Thai people from the lakeside recommended this stuff from 7-Eleven:

It seems to draw the mosquitoes my way and make them sting me lustily.

Can you recommend any alternatives that are easily available in chain stores (preferred) or at Lazada, if need be? I’d love something with 67% or more of DEET.

If you have something to recommend, please explain or show it so that it can easily be found. I do speak some Thai, but can’t read Thai except throug Google Lens. So i wouldn't find a brand name that's written in Thai only.

Aware that staying in, wearing covers, eating garlic, burning coils, fans etc. etc. are considered other ways to keep mosquitoes off.

Thanks for your local experience!

After many years in Thailand, I have ended on a repellent with the name "SKETOLENE". It is not always easy to find, but that one work the best. Just get the orange one. You might find it in 7-11 or similar places by the sea.  

[bokningar]

On 1/25/2025 at 10:00 PM, isaanistical said:

OFF.

Bright orange spray can, get it in Big C, Tops etc, plenty of deet, works for me.

This brand works quite well against ticks as well. Most other stuff wont.

 

[Homburg]

On 1/25/2025 at 8:59 PM, scubascuba3 said:

The ones from 7 Eleven in the first image work ok, often only need it below the knees

That one works for me also, although I have always bought the cream rather than the spray.  No idea if the spray works as well or better than the cream?

[henrik2000]

On 1/26/2025 at 3:59 AM, scubascuba3 said:

The ones from 7 Eleven in the first image work ok, often only need it below the knees

As said before, for me it doesn't work (tried and failed again last night), but I'm alone. Maybe you have a tastier human being near you that attracts the mozzies away from you?

 

So far I have only tried the spray variant, because that had been recommended by Thai people from the lakeside. I could try the cream, as recommended above, if I manage to find it.

[Homburg]

18 minutes ago, henrik2000 said:

As said before, for me it doesn't work (tried and failed again last night), but I'm alone. Maybe you have a tastier human being near you that attracts the mozzies away from you?

 

So far I have only tried the spray variant, because that had been recommended by Thai people from the lakeside. I could try the cream, as recommended above, if I manage to find it.

 

I've always found the cream in 7 Eleven although it's been harder to find of late, maybe Big C has it also.  Here's a pic of the bottle in case that helps.

 

[buick]

i also prefer the orange can noted by a couple others.  

[Finspin]

I had a serious problem with being bitten by mosquitoes, the cheap sprays didn’t really work for me. Someone suggested “Off “ which is the bright orange can. This stuff was excellent and really worked for me.

someone stated that mosquitoes really like O resus positive blood, it’s like the best wine for them. That is my blood group, and “ Off “ worked for me.

i think the makers wanted to call it something similar starting “ F “

[PETERTHEEATER]

I am O Rhesus positive and get occasional bites whereas my wife and our son are absolute mossie targets. Look on the bright side, it could be worse. Only female mosquitos bite and then only those that are pregnant. That said, it may only take one bite from an infected insect to transmit malaria or dengue.

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks again for all tips.

 

Today I was in the big Tesco Lotus in the provincial capital (not a Lotus Express), and they had NONE of the stuff recommended in this thread.

 

 

(Oh no, now in the picture in the top left I see the orange OFF can recommended here. And I didn't see it when I was there. What a failure. But I was totally numbed by the mayhem from the Lotus loudspeakers and the intentionally irritating layout of the shopping maze.)

 

I went to one CJ More and one 7-Eleven, and they had none either, but some lotions with 12 and 13%  DEET, which I find not enough.

 

Well following advice here I did mail order Skinter Guard 95, and it might arrive tomorrow if Chinese New Year doesn't come in between. At least in the shops I got some coils and the mosquito bite relief balm.

[pizzachang]

19 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

Well following advice here I did mail order Skinter Guard 95, and it might arrive tomorrow if Chinese New Year doesn't come in between. At least in the shops I got some coils and the mosquito bite relief balm.

4th shelf down on the right side of this photo. The second spray cans - green and purple - these are pyrethrum flower sprays and IMO, work the  best for inside the house/ porch. The pyrethrum derivatives are non-toxic to humans, dogs & cats. Mosquitoes hate this stuff. 

[Will B Good]

 

 

Hate putting that stuff on....and burners......I avoid going outdoor half an hour before sunset, and half an hour after .....also avoid  going out in the morning till the sun is up.....rarely get bitten.

[jvs]

Ever since i was a young adult i have been using Off!

Some of the other stuff also works but this works much longer,put some on and it is ok for at least a few hours.

If 7-11 does not have it try the pharmacy.

 

[Bangkok Black]

I can get bitten all over by mosquitoes, those small sand flies and you name it.

And I do mean all over ,: head, neck,fingers , hands, arms legs,feet. It usually starts when I leave the house within 10 seconds of stepping outside.I am not joking.

I don't get left alone; my wife can't believe how bad I get it. When we are out somewhere and spot a nice place to eat for example usually I cant go there if it means sitting outside.

 

[henrik2000]

Hi all, now I received the Skinter Guard 95 within 48 hours by mail order. My personal experiences on the first evening:
-- Trying to open the brand new bottle, the spray top falls apart and not sure I am able to reassemble it correctly
-- Spraying then seems irregular and wayward (worse than other bottles with a similar spray top)
-- Burns on the skin (I don't remember that feeling from any other mosquito repellent)
-- Mosquitoes avoid me like the plague
 

 

[novacova]

11 hours ago, henrik2000 said:

Burns on the skin (I don't remember that feeling from any other mosquito repellent)

The more fair skinned the more it will have a burning sensation, 95% DEET. I do a lot of walking in the hills and the koon flies and skitteres are never a problem using 95% DEET.