How to choose a rehab in Thailand

The short answer

Ask every center the same 15 questions in writing before you pay a deposit or book flights, and check what you can yourself, such as the facility licence and the doctor's registration.

The answers that matter most cover licensing, medical detox and hospital back-up, therapy hours, the full price, aftercare and refunds. A center that won't answer clearly in writing, or pushes you to decide fast, has already told you something.

The 15 questions at a glance

Send the same list to every center you are considering, by email, so you get answers you can compare and keep. The table shows what to ask for and how you can check it. The sections below explain what a good answer looks like.

Swipe sideways to see the whole table.

Is the center licensed, and who works there?

1. Is the facility licensed, and does the licence match the center? Private medical facilities in Thailand need a licence from the Ministry of Public Health. Ask for a copy, then search the facility's name or licence number in the Department of Health Service Support's online register, which shows the licence type, operator, medical staff and whether the licence is current.^[1][2]

   The register is in Thai, so use your browser's translation or ask a Thai speaker. The name and address should match what the center tells you.

2. Who is the doctor responsible for my care? Thai clinics are expected to display their name, licence number and attending physician.^[2] Ask for the doctor's full name and check it in the Medical Council of Thailand's online search, which shows whether someone is a licensed doctor and any recognised specialty.^[3]

   Ask too whether the doctor is on site every day, visits a few times a week, or is on call.

3. Who will deliver my therapy, and what are their qualifications? Ask for the names, training and professional registration or certification of the counsellors and psychologists you would see, and who supervises them clinically. Some centers employ counsellors who are in recovery themselves; that experience can help, but ask about formal training as well.

   If the center claims accreditation, ask for the certificate and look it up on the accreditor's own website. Thailand's Healthcare Accreditation Institute, for example, publishes certificate status and expiry dates.^[4] Accreditation is a plus, never a substitute for the licence.

How will medical detox and emergencies be handled?

4. Will I need medical detox, and where will it happen? Stopping alcohol suddenly can be very dangerous if you are dependent, and severe withdrawal can include seizures.^[5] Some medicines, such as benzodiazepines, also cause withdrawal symptoms if stopped suddenly.^[6]

   Ask whether withdrawal is managed on site or in a hospital, who is on duty at night (a nurse, or a doctor on call), and whether detox is in the price. Talk to your own doctor first about how much medical support you are likely to need.

5. Which hospital will you use in an emergency, and who pays? Ask for the hospital's name, how long it takes to get there, who goes with you, and who pays for hospital care. Then check your insurance: most travel insurance policies do not cover planned treatment abroad.^[7]

6. Can a psychiatrist assess and treat mental health conditions? Depression, anxiety, trauma and ADHD often come with addiction. Ask for the psychiatrist's name (check it in the same Medical Council search), whether they are on site or visit, and how often they would see you.

   Ask which of your current medicines you can keep taking there. Our guides to dual diagnosis and bringing medication to Thailand explain more.

What treatment will I get, and how much of it?

7. What treatment approach do you use, and why? Ask the center to describe its program in plain words: 12-step or not, which talking therapies (such as CBT or motivational interviewing), and how the plan is tailored to you. Both main models have research behind them: a 2020 Cochrane review found that structured 12-step programs did as well as, or better than, other established treatments such as CBT for staying abstinent from alcohol.^[8]

   Organisation matters too. UK clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment note that people who saw their residential program as cohesive and well organised had better drinking outcomes.^[9]

8. How many hours of one-to-one therapy will I get each week? Ask for a sample weekly timetable. Count the one-to-one sessions, the hours of group therapy led by a qualified therapist, and the number of people in each group. Activities such as yoga, fitness or outings can help, but they are not therapy, so compare like with like.

9. How will my family be involved? Ask about family sessions (online or in person), visits, and any family program. Ask who the center may talk to about you, and how it records your consent. If you are the family member doing the research, read helping a loved one go to rehab abroad.

What does it cost, and what's included?

Published prices run from about US$4,300 to US$25,700 per 28–30 days, with an average of about US$12,000.^[10]

Two centers with the same headline price can include very different things, so compare itemised quotes rather than totals.

10. What is the full price, in writing? Ask for an itemised quote: the program fee per 28 days, room type, VAT (some centers add 7%), medical detox, medication, psychiatrist visits, airport transfer and the cost of extra weeks.

    Ask for the total price of the whole stay rather than multiplying the monthly rate. Our cost guide explains the price tiers.

11. What can you give my insurer, or my super fund? If you plan to claim, ask which documents the center can provide, such as its licence, itemised invoices and clinical reports, and whether it has worked with your insurer before. Get your insurer's pre-authorisation in writing before you travel. See does insurance cover rehab in Thailand?

What happens when I go home?

12. What will my discharge plan include? The weeks after residential treatment carry a high risk of relapse, and UK clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment say a plan for continuous care between the residential program and services at home is very important, with information sent to the GP in writing.^[9]

    Ask for a written discharge summary in English, a relapse-prevention plan and referrals to services where you live. Make sure you leave with copies of all your medical records.^[11]

13. What aftercare is included, for how long, and who delivers it? Ask whether aftercare means online sessions, groups or check-in calls, how long it lasts, whether it is in the price, and whether your own therapist delivers it. Research suggests continuing care works more consistently when it lasts longer and actively keeps people engaged.^[12]

What do the contract, deposit and refund policy say?

14. How much is the deposit, and what is refunded if plans change? Published examples include a deposit of about US$2,000, sometimes non-refundable, and 50% of the fee before arrival.^[10] Ask in writing what happens to your money if you cancel, leave early, are asked to leave for breaking rules, or need to move to a hospital.

15. Can I see the full contract before I pay? UK travel health guidance says a clinic abroad should provide a written contract setting out who pays for additional treatment, aftercare and discharge medication.^[11] Check the house rules too: phones, visitors, leaving the grounds and what leads to discharge.

    Ask how complaints are handled. The NHS, for example, is not liable if treatment abroad goes wrong, so you need to know how to complain to the provider itself.^[7]

Which red flags should make you walk away?

Any one of these is a reason to slow down and ask more questions. Several together are a reason to look elsewhere.

• Pressure to decide. "Today only" discounts, or pressure to pay or fly within hours.
• No licence or doctor's name. Or details that don't match the Thai register.
• Promises of a cure. Thai rules on advertising medical facilities prohibit false or exaggerated claims, including promises of specific results or a permanent cure.^[13] Success rates with no explanation of how they were measured deserve the same caution.
• Detox without medical staff. Any suggestion that withdrawal can be managed without a nurse or doctor.
• Prices only by phone. No itemised, written quote, or vague answers about what costs extra.
• A "free helpline" that steers you to one center. Ask whether the person you are speaking to works for, or is paid by, the center they recommend.
• No interest in your life after discharge. No discharge summary, no aftercare plan, and no wish to involve your doctor at home.

For a wider look at safety, licensing and accreditation, read Is rehab in Thailand safe? For an overview of centers, costs and locations, start with our guide to rehab in Thailand.