HIV Tests in Bangkok

There's no denying that Bangkok enjoys/endures/suffers something of a reputation for it's sexy nightlife. This is perhaps the reason one of the most common questions asked is 'Where can I get tested for HIV in Bangkok?', often by people terrified because they had got drunk, slept with a lady of the night and forgot to use a condom. There are also a significant number of people who want to test their partners, who they might have just met in the bars.

Thailand is in the grips of an AIDS epidemic and as a result, is one of the global focal points of the fight against the spread of HIV. Bangkok is one of the easiest places to get tested for the disease and there are plenty of anonymous STD clinics, where you can pay in cash and be safe in the knowledge that you will not have to reveal your identity.

The big international hospitals also have facilities to test for HIV although you may have to register first, thus showing your identification (some people report that if you say you forgot your ID, they will test you anyway if you use an assumed name).

One of the most well known is Bumrungrad Hospital just off Sukhumvit Soi 3, where 24 hour testing is possible in their in house laboratory. Note that both antibody and antigen tests are available here.

Other hospitals include the Thai Red Cross near the Bangkok Snake Farm, The Bangkok Nursing Home, Chulalongkorn Hospital (all three in the Silom area)... There is also a small clinic style hospital called Klong Tan Hospital on Petburi Road... The Siriraj Hospital (a major research and teaching hospital)... and the Paolo Hospital very near Saphan Kwai BTS.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of places to test for HIV as there are many in Bangkok, including a number of small STD clinics. Also, just about any hospital should be able to test you. You can usually get the results in just a couple of hours.

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