All you need to know about the land of silk and smiles
Combining Health And A
More than a million people visit
It is one of the fa
stest growing sectors of tourism in
The attractions are the low cost and high quality of care that is available. Many of the kingdom’s 500 private hospitals and clinics are operated more like five star hotels than medical centers. They don’t have the smell or aura of a hospital. Gone are the antiseptic aromas replaced by the gentle fragrances of jasmine, lemon grass and lotus. Soothing music plays in sitting areas and behind the scenes the most modern equipment is in the hands of top technicians and highly trained medical staff able to perform all modern day medical procedures.
Many of the medical vacationers come for minor surgery, dental check ups or eye examinations. Some take a day away from the beach for an extensive but inexpensive general physical examination. Others are here for major items like cancer treatments, cardiac surgery or joint replacements. A major benefit for those undertaking major treatment is that convalescence can be taken at one of
Surprisingly, perhaps, the number one operation sought by foreigners is the sex change procedure from male to female for which
The basic physical examination attracts a greater number of patients. Most hospitals don’t require appointments for these visits. You arrive early in the morning and a few hours later leave with a book giving you a breakdown of what’s right and wrong. If you take the more expensive packages you can expect an in-depth examination which will normally include a discussion with a specialist about how you can maintain or improve your health.
Others come for more elaborate procedures. Knee and hip replacements are a common procedure. And a great benefit here is that if you opt for a hospital in a tourist area you can enjoy all the benefits of a beach resort for convalescence.
To add to the healthy atmosphere many of the resorts have expanded their spas and renamed them wellness centers. There is an abundance of massage specialists in
Patients from the 
mates put it as high as 50,000 a year. Considerably more Europeans, dissatisfied with the health systems in their home countries, welcome the rapid response that the Thai hospitals and doctors offer.
A hospital official in Phuket said that in normal circumstances a patient can be seen the day after he or she arrives in
An American woman who came to
Why Is Medical Care Cheaper In It is extremely unlikely that western doctors would recommend or forward their patients to Insurance companies, in business to make money, normally have no problems settling claims with Thai hospitals. Provided their client has coverage for a particular medical procedure the lower the claim the better. Most insurance companies insist that they give approval prior to any work being undertaken. One insurance agent did tell us that many insurance companies were now asking for more than one quote for elective surgery since there had been wide deviations in prices from Thai hospitals. Thai hospitals don’t disclose how much of the medical vacation income comes from insurance companies but one source said it was less than 50 percent. What happens if something does go wrong? Unhappy patients can make a formal complaint to the Thai Medical Association which investigates. On some occasions that org Many visitors say that the amount they save on their bills with doctors and hospitals more than covers their airfare and hotel stay. There are those contemplating surgery who first visit for a medical check up just to get an insight into the hospital’s operations before committing to something more extensive. The idea of coming to Since then things have grown to the multi-million dollar business th The government saw the benefits of the medical vacation and decided to establish three areas in the country – Hospitals catering to the foreign visitors deliberately train their staff in creating a friendly environment more like a hotel than a hospital. Gone is that cold antiseptic aura. Replacing it is pleasant music, delicate aromas from scented oil burners and quiet cafeterias. If anyone doubts the efficiency of the hospitals, they should have been here after the tsunami struck southern
anization has taken criminal proceedings against doctors and hospitals. It is also possible to sue doctors and hospitals. Most of these cases get settled out of court but don’t expect the mega compensation payments that plague the
The Major Providers The Bangkok Phuket Hospital is part of the The entire operation is operated more like a quiet resort. In the central lobby, where you wait to settle your account, gentle Thai music is provided by a lady playing a khim the Thai instrument that looks like a small xylophone. The hospital rooms are large, fully equipped with TV and refrigerator and enjoy pleasant views. They cost a reasonable $92 a night. You can pay more for a very elaborate suite. Contact details: The Bangkok Hospital is the parent of the Bangkok Phuket hospital. The hospital, by far the largest of all the The Phuket International Hospital is a major competitor for the
The four hospitals, described below, handle more than 70 percent of the medical vacation market in
The Bumrungrad Hospital is where the 
r everything. Prices in
Hospital charges start as low as $45 for a basic check-up and if you’re prepared to share a room with three others the nightly charge is only $25. A VIP suite costs $230 a night. The hospital also operates the BH Residence, a 74-room serviced apartment complex that caters to the needs of patients, family and visitors to
Contact details: Tel: 02310 3101, fax 02310 3367 www.bangkokhospital.com 
gardens across from the Tesco Lotus shopping center. In addition to modern day medicine, the hospital has a large unit devoted to traditional Oriental remedies. The hospital was founded in 1982, the first private hospital to open in the area. It has over 50 full and part time physicians. The hospital has an International Office with multi-lingual staff that assists international patients and referring physicians looking for a consultation, a second opinion or treatment for a complex illness or injury. The hospital’s motto: Caring People, Curing People.
Contact details: 44 Chalemprakiat Ror 9 Road, Phuket. Tel: 07624 9400, fax 07621 0938.
www.phuket-inter-hospital.co.th
Check Up In Chiang Mai
Like so many men I kept on delaying having a medical check-up. When I was in Chiang Mai I decided to take the plunge. I called the Chiang Mai Ram hospital to make an appointment and was told just to arrive early and I would be attended to. One stipulation: Nothing to eat or drink on the morning of the test.
The hospital is in a fine looking 12-story building – more the elegance of a hotel than that of a hospital located close to Chiang Mai’s largest shopping center Kad Saun Klaew. The facility can handle up to 1,000 outpatients a day with accommodation for 350 in patients. There is a heart center and there are clinics to tackle infertility, pain and plastic surgery. And every Saturday morning there is a varicose vein clinic.
After completing the necessary forms about name, age, aches and allergies I met Dr. Kiti Ratdilokpanich, a genial medic who I learned later is not only the general service director of the hospital but was one of the founders of the establishment and is a member of the board of directors.
He asked about family history and life style and checked a list of tests I should undergo. Having agreed on what was to be done, my tour of the facilities began. I was scanned, scoped, weighed and X-rayed. Several hours later I was sent off to eat – something much needed by this time – and told to return in the late afternoon when all would be revealed.
Dr. Kiti was clutching a large yellow folder when I returned for the results. All was well he said. After explaining about excess weight and several things I never knew I had, he said all would be put in order with a little less eating and a little more exercise. He handed me the folder, which bore my name, and had all the test results tabulated inside.
The whole visit cost just under $160 and that included some calcium tablets which the good doctor had prescribed. He had me take a bone density scan which showed I needed a calcium boost. I am told that scan – which took some 40 minutes – would have cost more in the
Dentists in For some reason Chiang Mai is filling up with dentists and dental clinics. It could be thanks to the fine dental school at the I have been treated by other dentists in Chiang Mai and can highly recommend these two clinics. The first is the M Square Dental Clinic, telephone 05328 4959 and the second is the Payon Dental Clinic at
For several years Dr. Supachai and his team of dentists have been at work on my teeth at the
He suggested the Grace Dental Care Clinic. When I returned to
and see where problems and infections were.
Many of their clients were foreigners who were repeat customers. Replacing the filling wasn’t a simple job. The dentist rebuilt the tooth and it took him close to two hours. The bill for his efforts was $56. It had been a while since I seen a dentist and he suggested I return the following day for a cleaning. That was with a young lady Thai dentist who spent an hour cleaning and the bill for that was $40. Contact details for the
