Gonorrhea Treatment in Bangkok | Confidential Same-Day Care

Quick answer

Gonorrhea treatment in Bangkok at our walk-in clinic on Sukhumvit Soi 13 follows current international guidance: a confidential consultation, NAAT-based STD testing from the relevant sites, a single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone 500 mg (with oral doxycycline added if chlamydia co-infection is possible), partner notification advice, and follow-up testing where indicated. Most patients are seen within thirty to sixty minutes and treated the same day.

What is gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner, and from mother to baby at delivery. As a sexually transmitted disease it can infect the urethra, cervix, rectum, throat, and conjunctiva, and in rare cases it can spread infection through the bloodstream causing disseminated gonococcal infection with skin lesions and joint inflammation.

Globally, the World Health Organization estimates 82 million new gonorrhea infections each year. The infection is increasingly resistant to older antibiotics, which is why treatment now relies on injectable ceftriaxone rather than the oral tablets historically used. Untreated gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy in women, epididymitis in men, and increased risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Early diagnosis and treatment prevent all of these.

The infection is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide and a frequent reason for walk-in visits at our Bangkok clinic, particularly among travelers and expats who have had a new sexual partner. The infection spread quickly without screening, which is why on-site STD tests and counselling are the cornerstone of our approach.

Symptoms in men and women

Symptoms typically appear two to fourteen days after exposure but can be delayed or absent entirely. Asymptomatic infection is common, especially in women and at rectal and pharyngeal sites, which is why test results from regular STD screening matter even when nothing feels wrong.

In men, urethral gonorrhea usually causes burning on urination, a thick yellow or green discharge from the penis, and sometimes pain or swelling in one testicle. The picture overlaps with chlamydia, which is why both are tested together. Rectal infection in men sex with men populations may cause anal discharge, itching, soreness, or bleeding, or may be silent. Pharyngeal infection from oral sex is usually asymptomatic.

In women, cervical gonorrhea may cause increased vaginal discharge, bleeding between periods or after sex, lower abdominal pain, and pain on urination. Women may also have rectal or pharyngeal infection without symptoms. Untreated infection can ascend into the fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease with severe abdominal pain, fever, and long-term fertility consequences. Men women alike can develop conjunctivitis if infected fluid reaches the eye.

Same-day evaluation is essential if you have a confirmed exposure to a partner with gonorrhea, if you have symptoms, if you are pregnant, if you have severe abdominal pain or testicular pain, or if you are concerned about an exposure that may also have involved HIV.

Causes, transmission, and risk factors

Gonorrhea is acquired through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner. Mother-to-baby transmission can occur at delivery, causing a serious eye infection in the newborn. Sex toys shared without disinfection can also transmit the bacterium. Spread infection between body sites within a single patient is possible, for example from the throat to the eye via hands.

Risk factors include a new or multiple sexual partners in the past year, condomless sex, sex men who have sex with men, commercial sex contact, a previous sexually transmitted infection, and a partner with known or suspected sexually transmitted disease. Risk hiv exposure overlaps significantly with gonorrhea risk because the routes of transmission are the same. Comprehensive testing covers both.

In Bangkok, the clinic sees a regular stream of travelers and expats who present a few days after a holiday or business trip with new symptoms or after a partner notification. We approach these visits without judgement and with the goal of confidential, accurate, same-day care.

Diagnosis at our Bangkok clinic

Take Care Clinic is a walk-in primary care and sexual health clinic in central Bangkok that handles transmitted sexual infections daily. Diagnosis begins with a confidential history that asks about symptoms, exposure date, partner gender and number, condom use, sexual practices, prior STD testing, vaccination status, allergies, and pregnancy status. The history determines which sites need testing.

We use nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) on first-catch urine in men, vaginal or cervical swab in women, and rectal and pharyngeal swabs where indicated. NAAT is the most sensitive method available and detects both Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis on the same sample. Most results return the next working day. For symptomatic men with a clear urethral discharge we can also perform a Gram-stain microscopy in clinic for an immediate working diagnosis. Where antimicrobial resistance is a concern, a culture is added so antibiotic susceptibility can be confirmed.

We routinely offer concurrent screening for chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV because co-infection is common and risk hiv exposure usually overlaps. A health screening panel that includes hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and a pregnancy test is offered where appropriate, see our comprehensive STD screening page for details. Patients in higher-risk groups are offered an HIV test using a fourth-generation antigen-antibody assay or rapid HIV test, see our HIV testing page.

Treatment options

The first-line treatment for uncomplicated gonorrhea of the urethra, cervix, rectum, or throat in adults is a single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone 500 mg (or 1 g in heavier patients or in regions with higher resistance). If chlamydia infection has not been excluded, oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for seven days is added. For penicillin-allergic patients without a serious reaction history, ceftriaxone is usually still safe; in confirmed serious cephalosporin allergy, alternative regimens are chosen on a case-by-case basis with culture and susceptibility guidance.

Pregnant patients are treated with ceftriaxone in the same dose and with azithromycin instead of doxycycline. Disseminated gonococcal infection with skin lesions and arthritis requires intravenous ceftriaxone for several days and is referred to a partner hospital. Newborn eye infection is a paediatric emergency and is referred urgently.

Patients are advised to abstain from sex for seven days after treatment to avoid passing the infection on, and partners from the previous 60 days should be notified, tested, and treated. We provide written advice and partner notification scripts in English, and we can refer to anonymous notification services for sensitive cases.

Test-of-cure is not routinely needed after treatment of urethral or cervical gonorrhea with ceftriaxone but is recommended for pharyngeal infection, for pregnant patients, and where symptoms persist. Re-testing for re-infection at three months is recommended for all patients because re-infection is common.

Prevention and aftercare

Prevention rests on consistent condom use during vaginal, anal, and oral sex, knowing your partner’s status, regular STD testing for sexually active people with multiple partners, prompt treatment of any infection in either partner, and avoiding sharing sex toys. Sexual health screening every three to six months is recommended for those at higher risk. Hepatitis A and B vaccination is offered as part of the sexual health package because both viruses can also be sexually transmitted.

For ongoing HIV prevention, we offer PrEP and PEP, see our PrEP and PEP page for details. The doctor will discuss whether either is appropriate based on the exposure history.

After treatment, follow up if symptoms persist beyond seven days, if symptoms return at any time, if a sexual partner tests positive, or for the recommended three-month re-test for re-infection. Most patients recover completely with no long-term consequences when diagnosed and treated promptly.

For travelers and expats in Bangkok

Travelers and expats presenting at Take Care Clinic with possible gonorrhea typically need three things: a confidential and non-judgmental clinical visit, accurate same-day or next-day testing for the right organisms at the right body sites, and prompt treatment when indicated. We provide all three. The visit is private, the testing is comprehensive, and treatment is on site so you do not need to chase another pharmacy or specialist.

For travelers concerned about post-exposure HIV risk after a recent encounter, we also offer same-visit PEP starter packs when indicated, see our PEP page. For business expats whose schedule does not allow a clinic visit, we offer hotel and home visits across Bangkok, see our hotel visit service.

Related services include STD treatment, comprehensive STD testing, HIV testing, chlamydia treatment, syphilis treatment, hepatitis C treatment, HPV treatment, cold sores (herpes) treatment, PrEP and PEP, bacterial vaginosis treatment, and yeast infection treatment.

FAQ

How fast can I be seen?

Most patients are examined within thirty to sixty minutes of walking in or messaging on WhatsApp. The clinic provides extended hours and no appointment is required.

Do I need a referral?

No. Gonorrhea treatment in Bangkok at Take Care Clinic is direct walk-in care. Confidential and same-day, with no need for a GP letter.

Will insurance cover this?

We provide an itemised receipt with diagnosis codes that most international travel insurers accept for reimbursement. Some insurers offer direct billing, please share your policy details in advance. Note that some travel insurance policies exclude sexually transmitted infections; check before relying on reimbursement.

Hotel-visit option?

Yes. A doctor can visit your hotel or apartment in central Bangkok for the same consultation, sample collection, and treatment if needed. This is useful for patients who prefer absolute privacy or who are too unwell to travel.

Is the visit confidential?

Yes. Sexual health visits are private, results are returned only to you, and no information is shared with employers or other parties. We use neutral diagnosis codes on insurance receipts when patients prefer.

What about my partner?

Partner notification is important and we provide written advice on how to inform partners, anonymous notification options, and partner-pack prescriptions where appropriate. Partners from the past 60 days should be tested and treated.

How long after treatment can I have sex again?

Seven days after the ceftriaxone injection and after all symptoms have resolved, assuming partners have also been treated. Condoms are recommended at all times to prevent re-infection and other STIs.

Closing summary

Gonorrhea treatment in Bangkok at Take Care Clinic delivers confidential, same-day care that follows current international guidance: NAAT testing of the relevant sites, intramuscular ceftriaxone with doxycycline if chlamydia is not excluded, partner notification support, and concurrent screening for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C. Whether you are a traveler who needs to clear a recent exposure before flying home, an expat dealing with a partner notification, or a Bangkok resident booking a routine sexual health check, our clinician-led model gets the diagnosis and the right treatment into your hands within an hour. As our medical lead summarises, “Gonorrhea is one of the most curable infections we treat when diagnosed early. A few minutes of honest history, the correct test from the correct sites, and a single injection cures the infection and protects future partners. The hard part is just walking in.”

References

1. World Health Organization. Multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea fact sheet. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/multi-drug-resistant-gonorrhoea.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gonococcal infections among adolescents and adults. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm.

3. NHS. Gonorrhoea: symptoms, treatment, and testing. Available at https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gonorrhoea/.

4. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV. UK national guideline for the management of gonorrhoea. Available at https://www.bashh.org/_userfiles/pages/files/resources/gonorrhoea_2019.pdf.

5. Mayo Clinic. Gonorrhea diagnosis and treatment. Available at https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gonorrhea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351780.

6. Thailand Department of Disease Control. STI guidelines. Available at https://ddc.moph.go.th/.

Medically reviewed by Dr Ponlawat Pitsuwan, MD. Last updated 24 May 2026.