Travel preparation
Visas
How long do you want to be in Thailand? The answer to that question combined with the citizenship you hold will determine what kind of visa you need. Check with your local embassy and consulate and don't forget about your companion(s), if you intend to take somebody along with you to Thailand. This is particularly important if you plan to stay for more than 30 days in the country.
Vaccinations and anti-malaria tablets
Where in Thailand do you want to visit after surgery? Are you suffering from diseases that lower your immunocompetence, like diabetes or HIV? Are you traveling with infants or children? The answers to these questions will influence what kind of precautions you need to take. While Bangkok is considered Malaria free, some more remote locations still report cases. Discuss this with a specialist in your area six weeks before your planed departure. Key 'travel doctor' into a search engine if you are looking for someone who specializes in the field. Keep in mind though that these specialists make money with vaccinations and have an incentive to 'err on the side of caution'. If you want to read for yourself the information many doctors rely on, check out the South-East Asia pages of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
Other travel tips
If you are somebody who plans his future activities with a lot of attention to detail, check out http://www.freetraveltips.com - you will find thousands of tips and checklists for months ahead, three weeks ahead, two weeks ahead, one week ahead, one day before and the day you leave. While you probably will never leave if you follow every single tip, some of them are going to remind you of things you might otherwise have forgotten.
