Pharmacy & Health

1. มียาแก้ปวดหัวไหมครับ / คะ

   Mi ya kâe pùat hǔa mǎi khráp / khá

   Do you have headache medicine?

   Usage

   Basic phrase to ask for headache medicine at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Mi + item + mai?" is the standard "do you have...?" question. At pharmacies, follow "ya" (medicine) with a symptom to ask for various medicines

2. ต้องการยาแก้ปวดท้องครับ / ค่ะ

   Tông kan ya kâe pùat thóng khráp / khâ

   I need stomach medicine

   Usage

   Use when you have stomach problems or food poisoning at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Tong kan" means "need/want" and is a more formal request than "yak dai" (simply want). Useful in pharmacy settings

3. ต้องการยาแก้ท้องเสียครับ / ค่ะ

   Tông kan ya kâe thóng sǐa khráp / khâ

   I need anti-diarrhea medicine

   Usage

   Use when you have diarrhea while traveling and need medicine

   Grammar Note

   "Thong sia" literally means "spoiled stomach" — "thong" = belly, "sia" = broken/bad. Common enough that pharmacists recognize it immediately

4. มีไข้ครับ / ค่ะ

   Mi khâi khráp / khâ

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Tell the pharmacist you have a fever to get appropriate medicine

   Grammar Note

   Thai says "have fever" as "mi khai". Add "sung" (high) for "high fever" or "tam" (low) for "slight fever" to be more specific

5. มีอาการแพ้ครับ / ค่ะ

   Mi akan pháe khráp / khâ

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Inform the pharmacist of your allergy. Add the allergen after "phae" e.g. "phae penicillin"

   Grammar Note

   "Phae" means both "to lose" and "to be allergic". "Phae ya" = medicine allergy, "phae ahan" = food allergy

6. ต้องการพลาสเตอร์ปิดแผลครับ / ค่ะ

   Tông kan plâstôer pìt phlǎe khráp / khâ

   I need bandages/plasters

   Usage

   Ask for bandages or plasters for minor cuts and scrapes at a pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Plastoer" is borrowed from English "plaster". "Pit" = close/cover, "phlaeo" = wound. Also useful: "ya daeng" (antiseptic/iodine)

7. ต้องการสเปรย์กันยุงครับ / ค่ะ

   Tông kan sàprei kan yung khráp / khâ

   I need insect repellent

   Usage

   Essential for tropical travel — ask for insect repellent at the pharmacy

   Grammar Note

   "Kan + insect" = repellent for that insect. "Kan malaeng" = general insect repellent, "kan yung" = mosquito repellent. Choose DEET-based for Thailand

8. ต้องการครีมกันแดดครับ / ค่ะ

   Tông kan khrim kan dàet khráp / khâ

   I need sunscreen

   Usage

   Buy sunscreen at a pharmacy to protect from Thailand's strong sun

   Grammar Note

   "Kan" (protect) + "daet" (sun/sunlight) = sunscreen. SPF number is universally understood — just say the number after SPF

9. กินยานี้อย่างไรครับ / คะ

   Kin ya ní yàng rai khráp / khá

   How do I take this medicine?

   Usage

   Ask the pharmacist how to take the medicine when instructions are unclear

   Grammar Note

   Thai uses "kin" (eat) for taking medicine orally. "Than" is a more polite synonym. Both mean consuming something by mouth

10. ต้องใช้ใบสั่งยาไหมครับ / คะ

    Tông chái bai sàng ya mǎi khráp / khá

    Do I need a prescription?

    Usage

    Check if a prescription is needed. In Thailand, many medicines can be bought without a prescription

    Grammar Note

    "Bai sang ya" = prescription (bai=paper/document, sang=order, ya=medicine). Thailand has liberal OTC policies; even some antibiotics may be sold without prescriptions

11. ใบสั่งยา

    Bai sàng ya

    Prescription

    Usage

    Show this at the counter when requesting prescription medicine

12. ร้านขายยา

    Rán khǎi ya

    Pharmacy

    Usage

    Use when asking for directions to a pharmacy

13. ปรอทวัดไข้

    Pàròt wát khâi

    Thermometer

    Usage

    Use to borrow or buy a thermometer

14. ผ้าพันแผล

    Phâ pan phlǎe

    Bandage

    Usage

    Use to ask for bandages

15. ยาฆ่าเชื้อ

    Ya khâ chúea

    Disinfectant

    Usage

    Use to ask for antiseptic/disinfectant

16. หน้ากากอนามัย

    Nâ kàk ànamai

    Mask

    Usage

    Use to ask for a hygiene face mask

17. ผ้าอนามัย

    Phâ ànamai

    Sanitary pads

    Usage

    Use to ask for sanitary pads

18. ถุงยางอนามัย

    Thǔng yang ànamai

    Condom

    Usage

    Use to ask for condoms

19. ยาหยอดตา

    Ya yòt ta

    Eye drops

    Usage

    Use to ask for eye drops

20. แผ่นแปะบรรเทาปวด

    Phàen pàe banthao pùat

    Pain relief patch

    Usage

    Use to ask for medicated patches for muscle pain

21. ยาลดไข้

    Ya lót khâi

    Fever reducer

    Usage

    Use to ask for fever-reducing medicine

22. ต้องการยาแก้ท้องผูกครับ / ค่ะ

    Tông kan ya kâe thóng phùk khráp / khâ

    A laxative, please

    Usage

    Use at a pharmacy to ask for constipation medicine; "ya rabai" (laxative) is understood too

    Grammar Note

    The same "tong kan ya kae + symptom" pattern as "tong kan ya kae thong sia khrap / kha". This is not a question, so the woman's particle is the statement form "kha" (ค่ะ)

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