Comments on: A Few Thoughts on Thai Healthcare

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:28:25 +0000

I have had excellent care at Bumrungrad and all of my trips to Bangkok Hospital Dental Clinic have been first class. One of the reasons why doctor's in Thailand prescribe so many meds at a private hospital is the fact that they earn a percentage of every baht they prescribe. If your insurance plan is limited/non-existent, you can get the prescription filled off-site for a fraction of what they would charge you in the hospital.

By: Big C

Big C — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:55:26 +0000

Thai "Doctors" lol.

I had 2 skin specialists from hospitals misdiagnose skin problems (chicken pox = diagnosis flea bites, then a bacterial infection = diagnosis eczma). Another told an ex-girlfriend that a common uninary tract infection was a "farang disease" and that was "what you get for sleeping with farangs".

I prefer to self diagnose using wikipedia, then self mediacting from a friendly pharmacy.

By: Mike in Taipei

Mike in Taipei — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:53:09 +0000

I've been treated at the big B and received excellent care. When I move to Bangkok I plan to use the Chula night clinic. Same excellent doctors but not motivated by the bottom line so the prices are much lower than private.

By: Kevin - The Mad Traveler

Kevin - The Mad Traveler — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:49:15 +0000

I've been in to the major three hospitals and one "lesser" place. My health insurance had a maximum per visit limit, and every time (except the "lesser"), they charged just enough to either max it or go a bit over, no matter how big or little the problem. They also prescribe absurd numbers of medications. I found that some Western management practices are on at the biggies, so they are probably trying to figure out how to take you for all they can so they can pay for the sort of medical "arms race" that results when state-o-the-art hospitals compete, getting all the latest bells and whistles to draw the lucrative foreigner market. No one seems to question their doctor, there is no Be your own advocate. Thai friends get meds and I ask them what they are taking and why, and they tell me they don't know. That just spooks me out.