STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) are common, treatable, and rarely as catastrophic as patients fear walking into a clinic. The hard part is getting tested and treated quickly, confidentially, and by a doctor who explains what is going on. At Take Care Clinic on Sukhumvit Soi 13, our English-speaking doctors provide same-day STD testing, treatment, and counselling for travelers and expats in Bangkok. We test for the full spectrum of sexually transmitted infections including HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HPV, herpes, hepatitis B and C, mycoplasma, trichomonas, and ureaplasma. We treat what comes back positive, and we offer hotel visits anywhere in Bangkok for patients who would rather not be seen walking into a clinic.
Most bacterial STDs are cured by a short course of antibiotics. Viral STDs are managed, sometimes suppressed long-term, and in the case of hepatitis C now genuinely cured. PrEP prevents HIV before exposure; PEP prevents HIV after a high-risk exposure within 72 hours. The page below covers when to test, which tests are useful for which infections, how window periods work, and what we charge.
Get STD Testing and Treatment Today in Bangkok
Same-day appointments and discreet hotel visits across central Bangkok. Call or WhatsApp now for confidential STD testing or to start treatment.
Phone: +66 62 674 6771
WhatsApp: +66 95 073 5550
Clinic: Take Care Clinic, Sukhumvit Soi 13, Khlong Toei, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
When You Should Test for STDs
The most common reason patients walk in is a specific high-risk exposure: unprotected sex with a new or casual partner, a condom break, a sex worker encounter, or a known positive partner. Beyond single exposures, anyone with new symptoms suspicious of an STD (unusual discharge, genital sores, painful urination, pelvic pain in women, testicular pain in men, rashes) should be tested promptly. Routine screening is worth doing every 3 to 6 months for anyone with multiple partners, sex workers and their clients, men who have sex with men, and patients on PrEP. Before a new committed relationship is a sensible moment to clear the record. Pregnant women should be tested early in pregnancy.
A practical complication is the “window period,” the time between exposure and when a test can reliably detect the infection. Testing too early gives a false sense of security. HIV antibody tests turn positive 3 to 6 weeks after exposure; fourth-generation HIV antigen-antibody combination tests detect from about 2 to 4 weeks; HIV PCR (RNA) can detect within 10 to 14 days but is reserved for specific situations. Chlamydia and gonorrhea PCR are reliable from 1 to 2 weeks after exposure. Syphilis blood tests turn positive from 3 to 6 weeks. Hepatitis C antibody tests become positive 4 to 10 weeks after exposure. We schedule the test for when it is actually informative, not when it is convenient.
Which STD Tests We Offer
STD testing is not one test but a panel matched to the patient’s exposure history and symptoms. Standard panels at our clinic include HIV (fourth-generation antigen-antibody combo), syphilis (RPR/VDRL plus confirmatory treponemal test), chlamydia and gonorrhea PCR (urine for men, vaginal or cervical swab for women, and throat or rectal swabs when those exposures are reported), hepatitis B and hepatitis C blood tests, and where indicated, herpes simplex virus type-specific antibody testing, mycoplasma genitalium PCR, trichomonas PCR, and HPV testing. For comprehensive screening, our full STD screening panel is the most thorough option.
Results turnaround varies by test. Rapid HIV finger-prick tests are available within 20 minutes. Standard blood panel results are usually back within 24 to 48 hours. PCR results for chlamydia, gonorrhea, mycoplasma, and trichomonas typically take 2 to 3 days. We send results in writing by email or messaging app with a clinician’s interpretation and next-step plan rather than just a numeric value. Positive results are followed up by a call to discuss treatment.
Common STDs and How We Treat Them
HIV. We test for HIV with rapid 20-minute tests and laboratory fourth-generation antigen-antibody combination tests. Patients diagnosed with HIV are referred to specialist HIV services for antiretroviral therapy and ongoing follow-up; we coordinate that referral and prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for prevention. Detailed information about HIV testing in Bangkok and our PrEP and PEP medication services sits on dedicated pages.
Chlamydia. The most common bacterial STD worldwide, often silent in both men and women. Untreated it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women, epididymitis in men. Treatment is usually a single 1 gram dose of azithromycin or a week of doxycycline. Full detail on chlamydia treatment in Bangkok covers symptoms, complications, and partner notification.
Gonorrhea. Often co-infects with chlamydia, and increasingly resistant to multiple antibiotics worldwide. Current first-line treatment is a single intramuscular dose of ceftriaxone, given in clinic. Symptoms include discharge, painful urination, and in women may extend to pelvic pain. See gonorrhea treatment for symptoms, testing, and follow-up.
Syphilis. A bacterial infection that progresses through stages over years if untreated, with potentially devastating late complications. Diagnosis is by blood test, treatment is intramuscular benzathine penicillin. Earlier stages need a single injection; late or unknown-duration syphilis needs three weekly doses. Our syphilis treatment page covers the staging system and treatment in detail.
HPV. The most common viral STD; many strains clear on their own, but some persist and cause genital warts, cervical disease, or anal and oropharyngeal cancers. We do HPV testing, treat visible warts, and counsel on vaccination. See HPV treatment in Bangkok for the full picture.
Herpes (HSV-1 and HSV-2). Two related viruses causing oral and genital ulcers. Most adults have HSV-1 from childhood; genital herpes is usually HSV-2 but increasingly HSV-1 from oral-genital contact. Suppressive antiviral therapy reduces outbreaks and transmission risk. For oral herpes (cold sores) we treat both episodically and prophylactically.
Hepatitis C. A blood-borne virus that used to be a lifelong disease and is now genuinely curable with 8 to 12 weeks of direct-acting antiviral therapy, with cure rates above 95%. Hepatitis C in travelers and expats is usually discovered incidentally during screening. The hepatitis C treatment page covers screening, confirmatory testing, and the current treatment regimens.
Less common but routinely tested when indicated: hepatitis B, trichomonas, mycoplasma genitalium, ureaplasma, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), and bacterial vaginosis (which is not strictly an STD but is sexually associated). Yeast infections are not STDs but are often diagnosed during the same visit.
HIV Prevention: PrEP and PEP
Two highly effective HIV prevention tools sit alongside our STD service. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a daily pill taken by HIV-negative individuals at ongoing risk; it reduces HIV transmission risk by over 99% when taken as prescribed. We initiate PrEP after baseline HIV testing, kidney function, and hepatitis B status, then review patients quarterly. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a 28-day course of antiretrovirals started within 72 hours (ideally within 24 hours) after a high-risk exposure. The earlier it is started, the better it works. If you have had a possible HIV exposure in the last 72 hours, contact us urgently. Detailed dosing, side effects, and follow-up are on the dedicated PrEP and PEP medication page.
Confidentiality and Discretion
Confidentiality is the foundation of an STD clinic. Records are accessed only by treating clinicians. Results are sent in encrypted channels and worded so that anyone glancing at the message would not know what it is. Discreet receipts are available on request without diagnostic codes. We do not contact partners on patients’ behalf unless asked. For patients who prefer not to be seen walking into a clinic at all, our doctor hotel visit service brings the same testing and treatment to your hotel room anywhere in central Bangkok, with sample collection on the spot.
STD Treatment Costs in Bangkok
STD testing and treatment in Bangkok is significantly less expensive than equivalent care in Western countries and easy to claim back on travel insurance. A standard consultation runs 1,500 to 2,500 THB (about USD 45 to 75). Single-pathogen PCR tests (such as chlamydia or gonorrhea alone) are typically 1,500 to 2,500 THB each. A comprehensive STD panel covering the major pathogens is in the range of 6,000 to 12,000 THB depending on how many tests are included; a more limited panel for a specific exposure can be 3,000 to 6,000 THB. Treatment cost depends on the diagnosis: a single ceftriaxone injection for gonorrhea, a short course of azithromycin or doxycycline, or longer courses for syphilis or hepatitis C all sit at very different prices. PrEP is around 1,500 THB per month for generic tenofovir/emtricitabine; PEP is a 28-day course costing 4,000 to 8,000 THB plus baseline tests. Hotel visit fees add 2,000 to 3,000 THB. All visits come with an itemised English-language receipt suitable for insurance claims.
Get STD Testing and Treatment Today in Bangkok
STDs are treatable and most are curable. Earlier testing means simpler treatment, less risk of complications, and protection of partners. Same-day clinic appointments and confidential hotel visits are available across central Bangkok with English-speaking doctors.
Phone: +66 62 674 6771
WhatsApp: +66 95 073 5550
Clinic: Take Care Clinic, Sukhumvit Soi 13, Khlong Toei, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after exposure can I test for STDs?
It depends on the infection. Chlamydia and gonorrhea PCR are reliable from 1 to 2 weeks after exposure. HIV combination testing detects most infections from 2 to 4 weeks. Syphilis turns positive on blood testing from 3 to 6 weeks. Hepatitis C antibodies take 4 to 10 weeks. We schedule the test for when it is actually informative.
Are the tests confidential?
Yes. Records are restricted to treating clinicians. Results are sent on secure channels. Receipts can be issued without diagnostic codes. We do not contact partners without your explicit consent.
Can I be tested at my hotel instead of coming to the clinic?
Yes. Our doctor hotel visit service covers the same testing and treatment we offer at the clinic, with samples collected on site. Blood, urine, and swab samples are processed in the laboratory exactly as they would be at the clinic. Results come back on the same schedule.
Do I need to test for everything every time?
No. The right panel depends on your exposure, symptoms, last screen, and risk profile. Asking for everything wastes money on tests with low yield in your situation. The first part of the consultation is matching the panel to the picture.
What if I had a possible HIV exposure last night?
Contact us urgently. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is most effective when started within 24 hours of exposure and must be started within 72 hours. It is a 28-day course of antiretrovirals plus baseline and follow-up testing. Earlier is better.
Can STDs be treated without antibiotics?
Bacterial STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, mycoplasma) need antibiotics for cure. Viral STDs (HIV, herpes, hepatitis B) are managed with antivirals rather than antibiotics. Hepatitis C is genuinely cured with direct-acting antiviral courses. HPV is managed by treating visible lesions and monitoring; the virus itself is cleared by the immune system in most people.
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines. Available at: cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines.
2. World Health Organization. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — key facts. Available at: who.int.
3. British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH). UK national guidelines on the management of STIs. Available at: bashh.org/guidelines.
4. International Antiviral Society-USA. Prevention and treatment of HIV: 2024 recommendations. JAMA. Available at: jamanetwork.com.
5. AIDS Healthcare Foundation Thailand. Free HIV testing and care. Available at: aidshealth.org/thailand.