Hyperbaric Chamber Koh Tao: Emergency Contacts & Dive Safety Guide

Featured image (a hyperbaric chamber outside Thailand, shown for illustration; not the Koh Tao chamber): Thedougthe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Emergency first: who to call

General information only, not medical advice. DAT's chamber directory tells divers to contact emergency services and to call the chosen chamber before traveling. That call lets the medical team prepare staff and equipment. DAT also says to give 100% oxygen as soon as it is available. A diver with a suspected injury should not fly until qualified medical staff have assessed and treated them.

• Thailand EMS (national emergency call center): 1669
• SSS Koh Tao chamber, 24-hour emergency hotline: 08 1081 9777
• DAN Asia-Pacific (Divers Alert Network): +61-8-8212-9242
• Ocean Medical Clinic, Mae Haad: 077-423-801, daily 09:00-24:00

Is there a hyperbaric chamber on Koh Tao?

DAT's directory lists "SSS Koh Tao — Koh Tao Hyperbaric Chamber" at 1/124-1/125 Moo 1, Koh Tao Subdistrict, Surat Thani 84360. DAT shows emergency treatment services 24 hours a day on that entry. A second Koh Tao provider, Ocean Medical Clinic at 1/53 Moo 2, Mae Haad (pier), lists diving medicine and a hyperbaric chamber for decompression sickness among its services. Published listings do not say whether the two entries are the same facility or separate ones. Treat them as two contacts and ask whichever you reach where the patient should go. Directory details were checked in November 2026.

Suspected decompression sickness: what to do first

Numbness, tingling or other unusual symptoms after a dive deserve a report to the crew, even if they look like a posture problem. Decompression sickness is a medical emergency, so waiting to see if it passes is the wrong call. Use these if-then steps and leave diagnosis to doctors.

• If symptoms appear on the boat or shore: tell the crew and ask for the oxygen kit.
• If oxygen is available: DAT advises 100% oxygen as soon as possible.
• If anything feels wrong: call 1669, then the chamber hotline on 08 1081 9777.
• If symptoms show up hours later: call anyway, since a delayed start is still a reason to phone.
• If you want advice from a dive-medicine team: DAN runs an emergency line, listed on Divers Alert Network.

How to get to the chamber from where you are

Mae Haad is Koh Tao's main pier, and Ocean Medical Clinic sits in the main village beside it. No published source describes who provides transport from a dive boat or resort to the SSS Koh Tao address in Moo 1. Ask the hotline on 08 1081 9777 who sends a vehicle or boat, and tell the dive operator first so staff can help. Clinic hours end at 24:00, so use the 24-hour line overnight. Rough seas also change transfer options. Our guides to the Best Time to Dive Koh Tao: Month-by-Month Guide and to night dive logistics show when conditions and darkness matter most. Remote trips such as a Koh Tao Liveaboard: Options, Alternatives & When to Go add transfer time, so ask the crew about their emergency plan before boarding.

If Koh Tao can't treat it: mainland options

DAT lists 24-hour chambers across the mainland. Phuket's SSS Hyperbaric Services Thailand at Bangkok Hospital Siriroj opened in 1996. Its operator describes a multiplace chamber that holds up to four occupants, including an inside attendant, and pressurizes to 165 ft (50 m). Those specifications belong to Phuket, not Koh Tao. Ask the hotline, DAN or your insurer who arranges any transfer off the island, since no source here names a standard route.

Costs, insurance and who pays

No source publishes recompression prices, so ask the chamber and your insurer for a written estimate. Bangkok Hospital Siriroj in Phuket has an International Services Department that liaises with international insurers. Your dive price and your emergency cost are separate things, and our Koh Tao Diving Prices: Courses, Fun Dives & Hidden Costs guide covers only the first. Check these points on your policy before you travel.

• Does cover include recompression treatment and hyperbaric oxygen?
• Does it include evacuation, including transfer off Koh Tao?
• What depth and activity limits apply to your certification level?
• Must you pay up front and claim back later?
• Which phone number and policy number do you give on a call?

Why not fly after a suspected dive injury

DAT says a diver must not fly until qualified medical professionals have assessed and treated them. Cabin pressure at altitude is lower than at sea level, which is why suspected symptoms and flights do not mix. After normal diving with no symptoms, wait times follow your training agency and DAN guidance. Read the exact interval in your course materials rather than relying on a rule of thumb.

Reducing your risk on Koh Tao dives

Conservative planning is your first line of defense. Stay inside the depth limit for your certification and keep a margin below your computer's no-decompression limit. Learn how your dive computer shows mandatory stops before you rent one. Hydrate between dives and take extra care on multi-day diving trips. Read whether Koh Tao suits your level before booking. Compare options in our Koh Tao Dive Resort Guide: Where to Stay and Dive guide, and pick an operator that explains its emergency plan at the briefing. Water conditions also matter, so see Koh Tao Water Temperature by Month: What to Wear Diving for seasonal context.

Pre-trip checklist for divers

Set this up at home, before your first dive. A few minutes of preparation saves time when every minute counts.

• Save 1669, 08 1081 9777 and the DAN number offline in your phone.
• Screenshot DAT's chamber directory page.
• Carry your insurance policy number and the insurer's emergency line.
• Ask your dive operator where the oxygen kit is kept and who is trained to use it.
• Confirm how the operator would reach the chamber from the boat.