Owning a pet in Pattaya
Microchipping your pet in Pattaya
A microchip is small, quick and inexpensive — and it is the single best way to give a lost pet a route back home.
Last updated 30 May 2026
What a microchip is
A microchip is a tiny identifier, about the size of a grain of rice, placed under the skin by a vet in a routine procedure much like an injection. It carries a unique number. It is not a GPS tracker — it does not show where your pet is — but when a pet is found, a vet or shelter can scan the number and trace it to the registered owner.
Why it matters here
In a busy city with open-gate housing, free-roaming animals and noisy festivals, pets do get out. A collar and tag can be lost; a microchip cannot. It is also a requirement for bringing a pet to Thailand and for the export process, and there have been moves toward wider registration of pets in Thailand.
Getting your pet chipped
Any vet in Pattaya can microchip a pet — it is quick, low-cost and can be done at a routine visit, often alongside vaccination or neutering. Ask the vet which database the chip is registered with and make sure your pet is actually registered, not just chipped: an unregistered chip leads nowhere.
Keep your details current
A microchip only works if the contact details attached to it are right. This is the step people forget. Whenever you change phone number, move home, or take on a pet from someone else, update the registration. Keep a note of the chip number and the database yourself. An out-of-date record is the most common reason a chipped pet still does not get home.
Frequently asked
Is microchipping a pet painful or risky?
It is a quick, routine procedure - the chip is placed under the skin much like an injection - and any vet in Pattaya can do it, often alongside a vaccination or neutering visit. It is low-cost and complications are rare.
Does a microchip track my pet's location?
No. A microchip is an identifier, not a GPS tracker - it does not show where your pet is. Its job is that when a found pet is scanned by a vet or shelter, the number traces back to you.
My pet is already chipped - is there anything I need to do?
Yes: make sure it is registered on a database and that your contact details are current. Update them whenever you change phone number or move. An unregistered or out-of-date chip cannot bring a pet home.