Children aged 2 to 12 months covered by Thailand's National Health Security scheme can now get the PCV vaccine free. The vaccine protects against serious pneumococcal infections. The Ministry of Public Health began offering it nationwide on 2 November 2026, at hospitals and public health facilities near home.
Most children get 3 doses, at 2, 4 and 12 months. Children at higher risk get 4 doses, at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months. Children born on or after 1 October 2025 who have not yet been vaccinated can catch up.
The Thai source report ties the free service to the national health security scheme and does not say whether children without that coverage, such as non-Thai children, are included. Ask the facility or call 1422 first.
What PCV protects against
PCV stands for Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine. It protects against pneumococcal disease. The Office of Disease Prevention and Control Region 11 (ODPC 11), based in Nakhon Si Thammarat and part of the Department of Disease Control, says the disease can cause pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream infections. Severe cases have a high death rate and can leave children with brain damage.
The official notice calls the shot the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Parents may see either name on clinic paperwork.
Vaccination schedule
The Ministry of Public Health sets two standard schedules.
- Most children (2p+1 schedule): 3 doses at 2 months, 4 months and a booster at 12 months.
- Higher-risk children (3p+1 schedule): 4 doses at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months.
The only difference is the extra dose at 6 months for higher-risk children. ODPC 11 gives examples of higher-risk children: those with weakened immune systems, those without a spleen and those with chronic illnesses. If you are unsure whether your child is in this group, ask your doctor or the clinic that looks after your child.
Each dose is 0.5 millilitres, injected into the thigh muscle. ODPC 11 asks parents to bring the maternal and child health record book (สมุดบันทึกสุขภาพแม่และเด็ก) or the child's vaccination record book to every visit, so staff can see the full vaccine history.
Catching up after a missed appointment
ODPC 11 says children born on or after 1 October 2025 can receive the vaccine late. If your child was born in that period and has not had PCV, or has not finished the doses, go to a nearby facility and ask where to start or which dose comes next.
If your child was vaccinated elsewhere, or you are unsure about eligibility or the spacing between doses, ask the facility or call the Department of Disease Control hotline on 1422 before your appointment.
Before you go:
- Check your child's vaccine history in the record book.
- Bring the record book to every visit.
- Go to a hospital or public health facility near home.
- Ask the facility who is eligible and how the service runs locally.
- Call 1422 if you have further questions.
Legal basis for the free service
The entitlement rests on a notice from the National Health Security Board, published in the Royal Gazette on 30 April 2026. It lists PCV as a health service essential to health and daily life. It is a right under Thailand's national health security law, funded from the National Health Security fund for fiscal year 2026.
The notice also counts PCV shots given from 2 March 2026 up to the day before it took effect as services covered by the notice. It took effect the day after publication. The Secretary-General of the National Health Security Office (NHSO) administers it and has the power to settle disputes over how it is applied.
Frequently asked questions
Does this cover children who are not Thai citizens? The source report describes it as a service under the national health security scheme and does not say how it applies to children without Thai health coverage. Ask the facility or call 1422 before you go.
Who should I ask about my child's own schedule? Ask a doctor or pharmacist before starting or changing a child's vaccine plan.
As of 5 November 2026, ODPC 11 was still urging parents to check their children's vaccine records and take eligible children to a nearby facility. Details differ by area, so ask the facility you plan to visit.
Source: Office of Disease Prevention and Control Region 11 (Nakhon Si Thammarat), Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, and the National Health Security Board notice published in the Royal Gazette.
This article is adapted from ViewNews' Thai-language report.
