If you are in the United States and something goes seriously wrong, there is one number most people know by heart: 911.
But what if you are in Southeast Asia?
The answer depends entirely on which country you are in.
Some use a single emergency number. Others have separate numbers for the police, fire department and ambulance. And in one Southeast Asian country, you can literally just call 911.
Here are the numbers to know.
Indonesia: 112
112 is the country’s integrated emergency number.
According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, the 112 service is designed to handle different types of emergencies and connect callers with agencies such as police, firefighters, health services and disaster management authorities.
There is an important catch.
The system is implemented decentralized by local governments, so availability depends on whether a particular region has implemented the service. Indonesia also maintains specialized numbers such as 110 for police and 119 for medical emergencies.
Philippines: 911
911 is the national emergency hotline.
The Philippine government’s official emergency hotline portal currently lists 911 as the National Emergency Hotline.
So yes, if you’re in Manila, Cebu or elsewhere in the Philippines, 911 actually works.
The country’s adoption of 911 is also relatively recent compared with some Western countries, replacing the older 117 system as the national emergency hotline.
Malaysia: 999
999 is the country’s main emergency number under the Malaysia Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999 system.
The system connects multiple agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department, Ministry of Health, Civil Defence Force and Maritime Enforcement Agency.
According to the Malaysian government, the system is designed around a single emergency number so that callers don’t have to figure out which agency to contact first.
Singapore: 999 or 995
Singapore keeps things split by service.
- 999 for police emergencies,
- 995 connects you to the Singapore Civil Defence Force for fire and emergency ambulance services.
The Singapore government explicitly lists both numbers as its main emergency contacts.
So if you see someone collapse, 995 is the number to remember. If you need the police, it’s 999.
Thailand: 191, 1669 or 199
Thailand uses three major emergency numbers:
- 191 is the main emergency number for police.
- 1669 for a medical emergency
- 199 for a fire
The Thai government’s emergency number directory lists all three services separately. So knowing just one number isn’t necessarily enough.
Vietnam: 113, 114 and 115
Vietnam traditionally uses three major emergency numbers:
- 113 for police
- 114 for fire and rescue
- 115 for medical emergencies
But the system is changing.
In June 2026, Vietnam’s government approved a plan to integrate the three emergency services into a centralized system. Local authorities have already begun implementing the transition, with 113 being used as the common number in some areas during the rollout.
So Vietnam is moving toward something closer to a unified emergency system.
Brunei: 991, 993 and 995
Brunei also separates its emergency services.
- 991 for ambulance
- 993 for police
- 995 for fire and rescue
- 998 for search and rescue
These numbers are listed by Brunei’s Ministry of Health and other government agencies.
Cambodia: 117, 118 and 119
Cambodia has one of the easiest systems to memorize.
- 117 for police
- 118 for fire
- 119 for ambulance
Cambodia’s Telecommunications Regulator officially lists all three as emergency short codes. They’re almost consecutive numbers, making them surprisingly easy to remember.
Laos: 1190, 1191 and 1195
Laos also uses three major emergency numbers:
- 1191 for police
- 1190 for fire
- 1195 for ambulance
The Lao government postal service lists 1190 for fire and 1195 for hospitals, while current government travel information also confirms 1191 for police.
Myanmar: 199, 191 and 192
Myanmar also uses three major emergency numbers:
- 199 for police
- 191 for fire
- 192 for ambulance
Myanmar’s Posts and Telecommunications Department officially assigns these three numbers to the respective emergency services.
It also lists 112 as a single emergency number reserved for future use, rather than the main number currently used for emergencies.
Timor-Leste: 112, 110 and 115
Timor-Leste also separates its services:
- 112 for police
- 110 for ambulance
- 115 for fire
These numbers are listed by Timor-Leste’s official tourism portal.
However, travelers should be aware that emergency numbers in Timor-Leste can be unreliable, according to current UK travel advice.
Save These Numbers Before You Travel
Before traveling to a Southeast Asian country, take a moment to save its emergency numbers on your phone.
You can also write them down somewhere accessible in case you cannot use your phone normally.
To make things easier, save the infographic below for a quick reference to emergency numbers across Southeast Asia. You never know when you might need it.
