Free PrEP vs Clinic PrEP in Thailand: Which Suits You?
A doctor’s honest comparison: who can get PrEP for free, the pros and limits of each option, and when paying is worth it.
Dr. Krisada Uakridathikarn (Dr. Kris)Board-certified Family Medicine · Medical licence 48387 · Certificate in Clinical Sexology and Sexual Medicine · Reviewed · 6 min read
Free or paid
PrEP can be free in Thailand, so why do people still pay a clinic?
It is not that the medicine is better (it is the same regimen) but time, privacy and access. This guide helps you choose the option that keeps you taking PrEP consistently.
What matters most is taking it consistentlyPrEP works when taken consistently, wherever you get it. If free PrEP fits your life, that is a great choice. If travel, work hours or privacy worries make you stop and start, clinic PrEP helps keep your protection continuous.
Quick summary
Thai nationals at risk can get PrEP free under the NHSO benefit at participating hospitals and community services.
It is the same standard regimen; the difference is time, queues, privacy and delivery.
A clinic suits people who can’t attend in office hours, live far away, travel often, work abroad or are foreign nationals.
You can combine them: free PrEP as your base, a clinic when you run out or travel.
Either way, an HIV test is needed before starting and every 3 months.
"Free PrEP Thailand" is one of the most searched PrEP questions, so here is a straightforward answer: how to get it free, and when a clinic is the better fit. For prices and online PrEP, see PrEP in Thailand: price and where to get it.
Where can you get free PrEP in Thailand (NHSO)?
Who: Thai nationals at risk of HIV, under the National Health Security Office (NHSO) prevention benefit, following each service’s criteria.
Where: public hospitals offering PrEP (often the anonymous or infectious-disease clinic). In the south these include Surat Thani Hospital, Koh Samui Hospital, Vachira Phuket Hospital, Patong Hospital and Krabi Hospital, which appear on the NHSO list of PrEP services.
Community organisations: key-population organisations such as SWING are accredited to provide services under universal health coverage, mostly in Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket.
What to bring: Thai ID, and be ready for HIV, kidney and hepatitis B tests.
Foreign nationals: generally not covered and pay for the service.
Comparison: free PrEP vs Dr. Kris Clinic
Free (public / community)
Dr. Kris Clinic
Medicine cost
Free (Thai nationals under NHSO)
Paid, from 1,290 THB / 30 tablets*
Who can use it
Thai nationals at risk, per service criteria
Everyone, including foreigners and tourists
Opening times
Mostly office hours on set clinic days
Appointments, LINE consults incl. weekends
Waiting
Can be long, depending on the service
Booked ahead, short
Privacy
Inside a hospital or health centre
Consult from home, plain-box delivery
Getting the medicine
Collect in person
Collect at clinic or delivered nationwide
Blood tests
Per guidelines, free
Per guidelines, paid
Regimen choice
What the service stocks
Teno-EM, TAF-EM, Ricovir-EM as assessed
Other care
Varies by service
STI, Doxy-PEP, PEP, hormones, sexual health in one place
* Prices shown are as of November 2026 and are not fixed; they may rise with inflation or higher medicine costs. Please confirm the latest price with our staff on LINE @dr.krisclinic.
Why some people pay even when free PrEP exists
PrivacyNot wanting to meet people they know, especially in small towns
Can’t take time offMost PrEP clinics run in working hours
Far away or moving aroundLiving on an island, working in another province, travelling often
Night workSex workers and night-shift workers struggle with office hours
Working abroadNeed a supply before leaving and advice in Thai while away
Foreigners and touristsNot covered by the Thai scheme
Many people use free PrEP as their base and a clinic when they miss an appointment, run low or are about to travel. Tell the doctor which regimen you take and bring your latest blood results to avoid unnecessary repeat tests. If you ran out and had a risk within the last 72 hours, ask about PEP straight away.
How to start PrEP with a doctor
Starting PrEP with a doctorYou can only start PrEP after a negative HIV test
1Sign up as a member Register your medical record: sign up
2Consult on LINE Message @dr.krisclinic to assess risk and regimen
3Blood tests HIV · kidney function · hepatitis B
⚠ Had a risk in the last 72 hours? Tell the doctor right away; you may need PEP first
HIV test result?
✓ Negative
Doctor prescribes PrEP Chooses the regimen and explains dosing
Get your PrEP At the clinic or discreet delivery in Thailand
HIV test every 3 months then request refills (Refill)
✕ Positive
PrEP is not started PrEP cannot treat HIV and may cause resistance
Doctor continues your care Confirmatory testing and a confidential plan to start HIV treatment
Early treatment, normal life expectancy Read HIV treatment and U=U
Teno-EM (TDF/FTC) GPO1,290 THB*30 tablets · daily or 2-1-1 · about 43 THB a dayView detailsDispensed only after a doctor’s assessment
TAF-EM (TAF/FTC) GPO1,290 THB*30 tablets · daily only · gentler on kidneys and bonesView detailsDispensed only after a doctor’s assessment
Ricovir-EM (TDF/FTC) Mylan1,590 THB*30 tablets · generic TDF/FTC by MylanView detailsDispensed only after a doctor’s assessment
PEP Kocitaf (28 days)1,590 THB*Emergency pills after exposure, start within 72 hView detailsDispensed only after a doctor’s assessment
Doxy-PEP (Doxycycline)350 THB*Lowers syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia riskView detailsDispensed only after a doctor’s assessment
* Prices shown are as of November 2026 and are not fixed; they may rise with inflation or higher medicine costs. Please confirm the latest price with our staff on LINE @dr.krisclinic.
We do not sell medicines online. Every patient consults a doctor first.
Written and reviewed by Dr. Krisada Uakridathikarn (Dr. Kris)
Thai Board of Family Medicine · Medical licence 48387 · Certificate in Clinical Sexology and Sexual Medicine · Non-judgmental HIV prevention and sexual health care
Thai nationals at risk can get it at public hospitals offering PrEP and community services taking part in the NHSO programme. Check opening days before you go.
Is free PrEP the same medicine as clinic PrEP?
Yes, the same standard regimens such as TDF/FTC. The differences are cost, time, privacy and delivery.
Can foreigners get free PrEP in Thailand?
Generally no; the free programme is for Thai nationals. Foreigners can consult our doctor in English and pay for clinic PrEP.
Can I get PrEP delivered in Thailand?
Dr. Kris Clinic delivers anywhere in Thailand in plain packaging after a doctor consultation and blood tests.
I already get free PrEP. Can I also use the clinic?
Yes, for example when you run out or travel. Tell the doctor your regimen and bring recent test results.
Do I need tests for clinic PrEP too?
Yes. Every PrEP user needs an HIV test before starting and every 3 months, plus kidney and hepatitis B checks.
World Health Organization. Consolidated guidelines on HIV, viral hepatitis and STI prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for key populations. Geneva: WHO; 2022.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preexposure Prophylaxis for the Prevention of HIV Infection in the United States – 2021 Update: A Clinical Practice Guideline.
Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. Thailand National Guidelines on HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention 2021/2022.
National Health Security Office (NHSO), Thailand. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) benefit.
This article is general health information, not a diagnosis or prescription. PrEP is a prescription medicine and an HIV test must confirm you are HIV-negative before you start.
