Thailand forum

I'd get both. Nice of your travel agent to suggest they're not worth getting, but I'd beg to differ.

Typhoid is passed person to person through food and drink and/or contaminated water supplies, while Hep A can be picked up from another person with it, or by eating food contaminated by someone who has Hep A. Raw and/or undercooked shellfish that come from contaminated waters can also be problematic.

So the time you're planning on spending somewhere is pretty irrelevant -- if you're planning on eating out (highly recommended) then there is a chance (albeit remote) that you'll pick one of the above up.

In the end it's a personal decision -- in over ten years of travelling I've met one woman with typhoid and a handful with Hep A, so you;d have to be really unlucky -- but that's what vaccinations are all about -- peace of mind.

You can probably get the shots cheaper in Phuket. The international hospital there is very good (and cheap by western standards), quick visit on your first morning could be cheaper perhaps? Having said that I don't know if there is any requirement for a time interval before these injections become active.

Thanks to everyone for their contributions. I eventually ended up with two very sore arms and a whoosy body for a couple of days after getting a tentnus, a combined Hep A & B (it's cheaper than just getting a Hep A), and a Typhoid shot. It cost me $135 Australian which I thought wasn't too bad.

Apparently if you can find a medical centre with a nurse and drugs on-site it is much cheaper than if you got your doctor to write you out a prescription, go get it filled by a chemist, and then go back to your doctor for the injections. This was a lucky break on my part as the medical centre I chose happened to have a nurse's station out back, with a room full of the vaccinations. A friend of mine only got Hep A and Typhoid the other day and she paid $100 because she bought the drugs at a chemist. Hope this helps. Cheers