Health and safety forum

Crossing borders with diazepam / valium in SE Asia

onefatmonkey

longtail driver
Posts: 6

Hi

First time poster... To help with the long and often uncomfortable travel around SE Asia (but hey it gives you good stories to tell) I intend to take some diazepam (aka valium) with me and probably pick up some more in Bangkok. I'm a tall lad so sleeping on coaches is often very difficult, if not impossible for me.

What are the rules with border crossings / airports with 'medicines' like this? I'm assuming it's legal to transport over borders (I'm doing Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam). Should they be in original packaging (not possible if I buy in Bangkok), would I need a prescription, is there a limit to how many I can take, is putting them in a vitamin bottle sensible/stupid etc? Any tips, advice, warnings, greatly appreciated.

Thanks all

#1 Posted: 11/7/2011 - 21:47
sayadian

under-employed
Posts: 952
Located in:

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That's an interesting one because I had some valium on me last week and came through Poipet and had my bag searched by the Thais for the very first time and I've come through that border on many occasions.Like you I only use this stuff for long uncomfortable bus journeys as it's a godsend when the seat is ricketty and the karaoke is on full volume for 8 hours.
I don't believe you can legally buy diazepam in Thailand and I think it is illegal to possess it so you can imagine I was sweating as this guy took a cursory look through my backpack.If you have a valid prescription it's a different matter but in my case I'd purchased them in Cambodia where almost everything can be bought in the pharmacy.
I don't know about Vietnam but most Embassy sites give advise on what you can and can't carry.I would be extremely careful crossing borders with any pharmaceutical drug.I'd certainly stick it in the bottom of the pack at the very least

#2 Posted: 12/7/2011 - 00:32

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onefatmonkey

longtail driver
Posts: 6

Cheers for your thoughts Sayadian. I'll mull it over a bit more and see what other people on here think before making a decision.

I guess it's pot luck if you get searched but it's what happens if they do search and find it that worries me. I think the quantity might have a bearing too.

I wonder if trying to convince them it's vitamin B1 or C would be likely to make things better or worse!?

From what I understand valium is a brand name for diazepam although I could be wrong. The ones I have came from Bangkok chemist which would suggest they are legal, but perhaps not without a prescription.

Thanks again.

#3 Posted: 12/7/2011 - 02:37