Udon Thani - Malaria Tablets Etc

[Padrino]

I live in BKK and I am going to be taking a trip to Udon Thani in a few weeks. I have been to many places in Thailand and never taken Anti malaria tablets, but a friend suggested I might need them in some of the Isan region. Can anyone who lives up there advise me on this please. I am also considering going to Laos for a visa run while I am up North, would I need malaria tablets for Laos? Any tips on great places to see in and around Udon would be appreciated, is there still a US air base there? I heard there was one there during Nam?

Thanks

[kimamey]

I live in BKK and I am going to be taking a trip to Udon Thani in a few weeks. I have been to many places in Thailand and never taken Anti malaria tablets, but a friend suggested I might need them in some of the Isan region. Can anyone who lives up there advise me on this please. I am also considering going to Laos for a visa run while I am up North, would I need malaria tablets for Laos? Any tips on great places to see in and around Udon would be appreciated, is there still a US air base there? I heard there was one there during Nam?

Thanks

I don't have any great knowledge of this but when I went to Mahasarakham in February I took anti malaria tablets in case I went to the border areas as this seems to be the problem area. I think Thailand has dealt with the malaria issue quite well but in neighbouring countries it's still common and of course mosquitos don't respect national boundaries so there is a spread into Thailand.

The main problem for me was that I had no fixed plan for travelling in Thailand and the tablets you need are dependant on which area you are going to. I would think that you would need them for Laos but I'm not sure if there is any difference which area of Laos you are visiting. You probably need the advice of a doctor although I seem to remember there are a lot of travel websites that have information.

Have a good trip.

[maxjay]

I live in Udon and haven't heard of any cases of malaria. You might take a look here:

http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/mala...l?hilit=Malaria

[Thanyaburi Mac]

I live in BKK and I am going to be taking a trip to Udon Thani in a few weeks. I have been to many places in Thailand and never taken Anti malaria tablets, but a friend suggested I might need them in some of the Isan region. Can anyone who lives up there advise me on this please. I am also considering going to Laos for a visa run while I am up North, would I need malaria tablets for Laos? Any tips on great places to see in and around Udon would be appreciated, is there still a US air base there? I heard there was one there during Nam?

Thanks

Re malaria, buy the local book, in English, HEALTH LIVING IN THAILAND, at Asia Books, or many other outlets. It pretty well recommends not taking malaria drugs, not needful for the most part. Just wear long pants and long sleeved shirts in the evenings, especially. Use a mosquito repellent that has a good portion of DEET, and use a spray on your bedroom in the evenings.

Above seems to work, last malaria pill I took was in 1964!

FYI, the wife & I were up to Laos for a week + end of June, used above rules, no problems, not bites, and we got pretty well out in the bush, too.

The USAF departed Udorn by March 1976, have only been back now and then in small numbers for exercises, such as Cobra Gold. The RTAF is still at Udorn.

Udorn area? Ban Chiang, 45 minutes east, do a google for the place, interesting.

Phu Phra Bat Historical Park, an hour NNW, also interesting, and a healthy walk-around if it's not raining.

Mac