Warning : Codeine DO NOT BRING INTO THAILAND

[rhythmworx]

So glad I read this thread, I always take a box of co-codamol just in case I might need it sometime.

I knew it was prohibited in UAE but thought it was OK in Thailand.

[brewsterbudgen]

So glad I read this thread, I always take a box of co-codamol just in case I might need it sometime.

I knew it was prohibited in UAE but thought it was OK in Thailand.

Me too. I have a few boxes of Nurofen Plus which have 12.8mg of codeine phosphate, bought legally over the counter in the UK, and highly effective painkillers, especially for a killer hangover!

[simondan]

People on heroin replacement drugs like methadone and suboxone can travel to Thailand with their drugs but must do it through official channels ie their home govt health dept contacts the Thai health dept, fills out the paperwork, and its legal. I know this firsthand, its not hearsay! These are class 1 drugs of dependance. So with codiene you should be OK with a doc letter and prescription. You could try contacting the UK health dept section that deals with drugs of dependance like alcohol, tobacco and methodone, there will be someone there who knows.

Funny how they sell valium on the street here and you can get all sorts of drugs inc antibiotics without a prescription but you cant buy low dose codiene, which is available over the counter in most Western countries.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[motorsaimang]

I do confirm that drugs containing codeine are only available at hospital.

Furthermore, only a certain amount of these medicines will be delivered even though the GP has prescribed a greater amount ( a maximum of 20 tabletts are given: 6 tabletts of this kind are equivalent to the dose of morphine ) meaning that one has to go back to the hospital every now and then although not necessarily in person

Ahh I've certainly been offered it by a normal pharmacy when I asked about it. Expensive though (800baht)

[alyx]

I do confirm that drugs containing codeine are only available at hospital.

Furthermore, only a certain amount of these medicines will be delivered even though the GP has prescribed a greater amount ( a maximum of 20 tabletts are given: 6 tabletts of this kind are equivalent to the dose of morphine ) meaning that one has to go back to the hospital every now and then although not necessarily in person

Ahh I've certainly been offered it by a normal pharmacy when I asked about it. Expensive though (800baht)

The place you are (not) mentioning is taking a huge risk: it is illegal Edited August 28, 2014 by alyx

[Sheryl]

People on heroin replacement drugs like methadone and suboxone can travel to Thailand with their drugs but must do it through official channels ie their home govt health dept contacts the Thai health dept, fills out the paperwork, and its legal. I know this firsthand, its not hearsay! These are class 1 drugs of dependance. So with codiene you should be OK with a doc letter and prescription. You could try contacting the UK health dept section that deals with drugs of dependance like alcohol, tobacco and methodone, there will be someone there who knows.

Funny how they sell valium on the street here and you can get all sorts of drugs inc antibiotics without a prescription but you cant buy low dose codiene, which is available over the counter in most Western countries.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

1. Codeine is a Category 2 narcotic in Thailand and to bring it in you need note only a prescrioption and doctor's letter but also a permit fro mthe thai FDA and a letter fo authorization from home country drug authority. http://narcotic.fda.moph.go.th/faq/upload/FAQ%20Restriction%20on%20Narcotics%20version%202.doc._cff2.pdf

2. Valium is NOT legal for OTC sale in Thailand. It can only be legally obtained from a hospital, on prescription.

[canman]

There is a woman in jail in Singapore and has been for a few year bringing a prescription and meds from the UK - legal in Europe but not there. She was lucky not to be executed...Be careful its the same as a Texan carrying a gun in Dallas or carrying the same gun in Bangkok

Do you have a reference for this? It does not sound right to me.

[alyx]

There is a woman in jail in Singapore and has been for a few year bringing a prescription and meds from the UK - legal in Europe but not there. She was lucky not to be executed...Be careful its the same as a Texan carrying a gun in Dallas or carrying the same gun in Bangkok

Do you have a reference for this? It does not sound right to me.

I'll second your thought

[brewsterbudgen]

So glad I read this thread, I always take a box of co-codamol just in case I might need it sometime.

I knew it was prohibited in UAE but thought it was OK in Thailand.

Me too. I have a few boxes of Nurofen Plus which have 12.8mg of codeine phosphate, bought legally over the counter in the UK, and highly effective painkillers, especially for a killer hangover!

So possessing Nurofen Plus in Thailand is illegal?

[adammike]

as others write in 30 years of visiting Thailand I have never been searched,I brought tramadol into Thailand and

Cambodia last year in the original box with a doctors note.

I would not dream of bringing them through any of the emerits or middle east airports.

[brewsterbudgen]

as others write in 30 years of visiting Thailand I have never been searched,I brought tramadol into Thailand and

Cambodia last year in the original box with a doctors note.

I would not dream of bringing them through any of the emerits or middle east airports.

Similarly, I usually stock up on Nurofen Plus when back in the UK and have never thought twice about bringing them into Thaland. I don't fly via the ME.

[i claudius]

In 23 years of flying in and out of Thailand my bags have never been searched ,just stick em in your bag with the prescription , stay calm ,dont panic.

And if you do get searched, or once inside Thailand get a drug search or are asked to piss in a cup you go to jail.

If your taking illicit drugs you may ,but not prescription ,a friend was stopped with his prescription and was told that you should not bring so much ,but was allowed on his way ,dont scaremonger unless you actually know something .

[animatic]

You can get codeine in Thailand very easily. Tramadol too. Sometimes even over the counter,

but easy to get a local MD to write a scrip, especially if you can show evidence

of your malady and previous scrips from your NHS MD.

Edited August 30, 2014 by animatic

[inbangkok]

In 23 years of flying in and out of Thailand my bags have never been searched ,just stick em in your bag with the prescription , stay calm ,dont panic.

And if you do get searched, or once inside Thailand get a drug search or are asked to piss in a cup you go to jail.

If your taking illicit drugs you may ,but not prescription ,a friend was stopped with his prescription and was told that you should not bring so much ,but was allowed on his way ,dont scaremonger unless you actually know something .

Yes....from my understanding, Thai law is very clear on prescription medications. As long as it is an actual "prescription" you can bring a one month supply with you. I have never seen anything stating that this excludes painkillers. I don't know what happens if you bring more than that.....probably what happened to your friend (told not to bring so much).

[Sheryl]

In 23 years of flying in and out of Thailand my bags have never been searched ,just stick em in your bag with the prescription , stay calm ,dont panic.

And if you do get searched, or once inside Thailand get a drug search or are asked to piss in a cup you go to jail.

If your taking illicit drugs you may ,but not prescription ,a friend was stopped with his prescription and was told that you should not bring so much ,but was allowed on his way ,dont scaremonger unless you actually know something .

Yes....from my understanding, Thai law is very clear on prescription medications. As long as it is an actual "prescription" you can bring a one month supply with you. I have never seen anything stating that this excludes painkillers. I don't know what happens if you bring more than that.....probably what happened to your friend (told not to bring so much).

http://www.fda.moph.go.th/eng/narcotics/index.stm

It most definitely excludes narcotics. As stated before, these require additional documentation to legally bring in. Codeine in Thailand is a Class II Narcotic.

[Sheryl]

You can get codeine in Thailand very easily. Tramadol too. Sometimes even over the counter,

but easy to get a local MD to write a scrip, especially if you can show evidence

of your malady and previous scrips from your NHS MD.

Tramadol does not require a prescription.

Codeine not only requires a prescription, by law, but can only be sold by pharmacies which have a special narcotics license and these must submit monthly reports to the FDA. Most pharmacies do not have this license nor want the headache, so in practice it is hard to get outside of a hospital pharmacy,

[inbangkok]

And if you do get searched, or once inside Thailand get a drug search or are asked to piss in a cup you go to jail.

If your taking illicit drugs you may ,but not prescription ,a friend was stopped with his prescription and was told that you should not bring so much ,but was allowed on his way ,dont scaremonger unless you actually know something .

Yes....from my understanding, Thai law is very clear on prescription medications. As long as it is an actual "prescription" you can bring a one month supply with you. I have never seen anything stating that this excludes painkillers. I don't know what happens if you bring more than that.....probably what happened to your friend (told not to bring so much).

http://www.fda.moph.go.th/eng/narcotics/index.stm

It most definitely excludes narcotics. As stated before, these require additional documentation to legally bring in. Codeine in Thailand is a Class II Narcotic.

Thanks....this is interesting.

Edited August 30, 2014 by inbangkok

[Pakeha]

Can anybody report an experience of applying for Form IC-1 - http://narcotic.fda.moph.go.th/faq/upload/Application%20for%20Carry%20In%20_Form%20IC-1_.doc._03f0.pdf

Is it more trouble than it's worth? Is it better to just leave codeine at home and get Tramadol there?

I have to have access to a strong pain killer for genuine medical reasons so no problem getting docs letter and prescription but just seems like a big hoop to jump through, Tramadol works as well as codeine for me but I find it has worse side effects so prefer not to take it.

It's funny because Tramadol is more restricted than codeine at home country.