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Medical
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| The good
news is that the quality of medical care in most major cities has
improved markedly over the last ten years. In most major cities,
there is generally one to two good quality medical facilities that can
provide
most basic medical support. However, in the countryside this is
oftentimes not the case.
Further,
many of the high tech and even sometimes basic procedures practiced in
the U.S., Canada and Europe in the event of a heart attack or other
medical emergency are not as readily available in Asia.
Therefore, medically before you travel, especially to some of the
lesser developed areas of
Asia, the most important thing you can do is to get medical insurance
that will pay for a medical evacuation in the unlikely event that your
require this service. Every year thousands of Americans fall sick
overseas only to find out that the local foreign hospital often
requires
payment upfront for medical services and that their medical insurance
will not cover the cost of medical evacuation to the nearest western
quality medical facility specializing in dealing with the medical
condition
that ails them. The time to check your medical insurance and to
correct this problem is NOW, before you travel. Get additional
insurance if necessary but ensure you have medical coverage that will
protect you on your trip.
Medical
Emergencies in SE Asia
insight on medical care, preparation and emergency
When
traveling in Asia, have an adequate supply of any regular medications
you take. Also take headache medications, Band-Aids, ointment,
sunscreen, and
mosquito repellent if you are traveling to the tropics. Chances
are you will have a great trip and won’t have a problem but it is
always
better to be prepared so that your relatives aren’t required to try to
assist you from around the world and you don’t have to deal with a
medical
emergency in a new and difficult environment.
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| Vaccinations |
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Make sure
you review your vaccination record and get any necessary shots.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control determines recommended inoculations
or shots for all countries visited. Information on required
inoculations for Asian countries can be secured at the websites below:
Website:http://www.cdc.gov/travel/eastasia.htm
or
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/seasia.htm |
| Passports |
The
Department of State has Passport Offices in many major U.S.
cities. Passports are also available by mail. Please see
the website below for information:
Website:
http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html
Passport
questions can also be directed to (202) 647-0518
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Per Diem
(Estimating
the cost of your Trip)
|
| The U.S.
Department of State office of Allowances sets U.S. government daily per
diem rates for food and lodging in U.S. cities and foreign
countries. These amounts are used by major corporations and
international organizations for reimbursing their own employees.
This information can be
useful in helping you know how much your trip will cost. Click here to see
the website and the most recent report date |
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| Hospitals |
For
Vietnam:
For Thailand:
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| Our
Travel
Tips |
|
The Department
of State Bureau’s of Consular Affairs and Bureaus of Diplomatic
Security also offer useful travel tips for business and other
travelers. Please visit their websites at:
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Lost
Passport
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| f you lose
the passport, you need to promptly report this information to your
countries nearest Embassy or Consulate. Usually the Consular
Section is the place who will receive this report. For
information on replacing
a lost or stolen passport, please see the website below:
Website: http://travel.state.gov/lost_stolen.html
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|
Lost
Wallet
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| If you
wallet is lost or stolen while you are overseas, you will immediately
need
to report the loss to the local authorities (your hotel Concierge can
help with this) and cancel all your credit cards.
If you have
read the security tips and other considerations of this page, you will
have listed the numbers separately and be in a better position to
quickly
cancel your cards. First steps should be to call the hotel
operator
and get the phone number of the local number for American Express,
Diners,
Mastercard and Visa. If the hotel cannot provide this
information,
please call the U.S. Embassy Consular Section and they should be able
to help you. If your credit card company does not have an office
in the country you are visiting, the best alternative is to call your
family and have them call the U.S. number and cancel the card.
They
can also inquire how and where you can get a new card reissued either
in
the country you are visiting or in a following stop.
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|
Reporting a Crime
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| If you
have
properly prepared for your trip and followed the security and other
travel tips given in the first steps portion of this page, chances are
you will not be a victim of a crime. In the less likely event
that you do find yourself a victim, you should report the crime to the
hotel security staff and to the U.S. Embassy Consular Section.
Both the hotel staff and the Embassy staff will endeavor to help you
report the crime to local police and get any required copy of the
police
report, which may be necessary for insurance purposes. |
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Security and other
Considerations
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| The
Department of State Diplomatic Security Bureau website provides useful
information on security and other recommendations for business
travelers, Click here to see their
website |
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