Hospital on Koh Phangan: Clinics, Emergencies and Where to Go

Need a hospital on Koh Phangan? In a medical emergency, call 1669 for an ambulance. For everything else, the island has a government hospital in Wok Tum, a private hospital in Thong Sala, and clinics and pharmacies around the busier areas. Serious cases are transferred to Koh Samui or the mainland.

This guide explains where to go for what, which numbers to call and how travel insurance fits in. The details were checked in October 2026. Services change, so confirm locally, for example with your accommodation, when you arrive.

One thing to be clear about first: we are a mobile IV drip service with licensed nurses. We are not a hospital or a doctor service, and we don’t handle emergencies.

In an emergency: call 1669

If someone has chest pain, can’t breathe properly, is unresponsive, has had a seizure or a serious injury, call 1669 straight away. It is Thailand’s national number for medical emergencies and ambulances.

What to tell them

1. Where you are. The beach or area, the name of your hotel, villa or bar, and a landmark. If you can, share a map pin with someone who speaks Thai.
2. What happened. For example, a motorbike accident, a fall, someone collapsed, or someone who can’t be woken.
3. How the person is now. Are they awake, breathing and bleeding? How old are they roughly?
4. A number to call you back on. Keep your phone on and nearby.

English on emergency lines can vary. If you’re struggling to be understood, ask a Thai speaker nearby, such as hotel staff, to help.

Other national numbers

Number	What it’s for
1669	Medical emergency and ambulance
1155	Tourist police, English-speaking help
191	Police
199	Fire

The tourist police on 1155 are useful when you need help in English, for example after a theft or an accident, or if you can’t make yourself understood elsewhere. Save these numbers in your phone today.

Which hospital on Koh Phangan should you go to?

There are several hospitals and clinics on the island, and the two best known are described below. Which one suits you depends on how serious the problem is, your budget and your insurance.

Koh Phangan Hospital (government), Wok Tum

The government hospital is in the Wok Tum area. It handles minor problems and emergencies. Facilities are more basic than at a private hospital, and the level of English can vary, so bring a translation app or a Thai-speaking friend if you can.

First Western Hospital (private), Thong Sala

First Western Hospital is a private hospital in Thong Sala and is popular with visitors. It has English-speaking staff and offers 24-hour emergency care and an ambulance. If you’re looking for an international hospital on Koh Phangan with English-speaking staff, this is the private option. As with any private hospital, check with your insurer about payment.

Finding a medical clinic or doctor on Koh Phangan

For problems that aren’t emergencies, such as an infected cut, an ear infection or a stomach bug that isn’t settling, a clinic is often the quickest way to see a doctor. Private clinics and international clinics exist around Thong Sala, Ban Tai and Haad Rin. Ask your accommodation which one they recommend, and check opening hours before you travel there.

Pharmacies

Pharmacies are easy to find in the busier parts of the island. They can help with plasters, oral rehydration salts, sun care and advice on minor problems. If symptoms are getting worse rather than better, or you’re unsure what you need, see a doctor rather than relying on the pharmacy counter.

When you may be transferred to Koh Samui

Koh Phangan is a small island, and some care isn’t available here. Serious cases are transferred to Koh Samui, for example to Bangkok Hospital Samui, which runs a boat ambulance from the nearby islands, or onward to the mainland.

If a transfer is suggested, contact your insurer as early as you can, keep your passport with you and bring a phone charger.

Travel insurance: call early, keep everything

• Call your insurer’s assistance line early. Many policies want to know before planned treatment or a transfer, and some may be able to deal with the hospital about payment.
• In a real emergency, get help first. Call your insurer as soon as it’s safe to do so.
• Keep your documents. Receipts, medical reports, proof of payment and any transfer paperwork. Take photos of everything.
• Read your exclusions. Many policies limit claims linked to alcohol or to riding a motorbike without the right licence.

If you’re thinking of a drip for dehydration, our guide on whether travel insurance covers an IV drip explains what insurers usually ask for.

When a home IV drip is and isn’t the right choice

We bring IV drips to your villa, hotel, bungalow or condo anywhere on Koh Phangan, every day from 8:00 to 22:00. A licensed nurse checks your blood pressure and heart rate first and stays for the whole drip. We don’t diagnose illness, prescribe treatment or replace a hospital or doctor.

A home drip can make sense when you know why you feel unwell and you mainly need fluids, for example:

• Mild to moderate dehydration from heat, sweat or a long night out, with our hydration IV drip
• A stomach bug that makes it hard to keep fluids down, with our food poisoning IV drip

It is the wrong choice for anything on the list below, for injuries, or if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18 or have heart or kidney disease and haven’t spoken to a doctor. Tell us about your health when you book; the nurse may refer you to a doctor instead.

Save the numbers above and note where the hospitals are before you need them. For help with a home drip, contact us or read more about IV Drip Koh Phangan and how our nurses work.