T

We visited hospitals in three different cities in Thailand. That was not because Thailand made us sick, but rather because we had been away from the US for a couple of years and were in need of a number of check-ups. We had heard that Thai hospitals offered a high-standard of care and charged very reasonable rates (for foreigners).

Public Health Clinic, Chiang Rai Suburb

Health clinic near Phayao, Thailand

Health clinic workers at work

Two of Jan's sister-in-law's family work in health care in northern Thailand. We went one day with one of them who was preparing a program about AIDS avoidance and helped her stuff some folders. In return we were treated as honored guests and served tea and sweets.

Chiang Rai - Hospital

Jan came down with some virus or other and we rushed out of Laos two days ahead of schedule, because we feared it might be something more serious like Malaria. Getting into Thailand was a grand relief and we immediately went to a private hospital seeking an explanation of her dizziness and chills. The very nice young doctor at Chiang Rai's hospital made some tests that happily ruled out Jan's worst fears, malaria, but still left her feeling like a wet rag for ten days.

Chiang Mai - Rama I Hospital, University Medical Center, & Specialist Radiology Center

Ram I hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand

We had been away from the States for two full years and since our departure had not had any of the usual annual checkups that we were used to. We wandered into the Ram I hospital in Chiang Mai to see if we could get them there and wondering how we would make out not speaking any Thai. We were very surprised and pleased to find that they offered a choice of check-up packages, all explained in a simple booklet in English.

Gerry opted for the "standard plus" check-up for $80 (1800 baht) and Jan the more extended checkup for women including the usual gynecological tests at $125; it would have cost far more in the USA and had proved difficult to get for a non-member via the NHS in the UK. Sadly it doesn't quite make economic sense to pay $500 for a flight to Thailand to save $400. But it probably does make sense to pay $500 to save on the cost of a hip replacement for example.

Checkup Booklet

Jan getting her results

Having make our choice we arranged to come back the next day because some tests required fasting overnight and others required an appointment. We came back early the next morning and completed all the tests in a couple of hours and came back that same afternoon for the all-clear.

We still had two things to accomplish for Jan: remove some mole-like growths and have a bone-density scan to enable us to judge how well her Evista pills were performing. We had gone the night before to the dermatologist's private office to arrange the work; that afternoon we went to another building in the hospital compound and got about half of Jan's moles removed. All done very easily.

Bone Density Scan

The machine

The client

We had to travel out of the center of town to get Jan's bone-density scan. It was done in a small private clinic that had one of only two scan machines in Thailand at the time. The owner was working very hard to convince Thai women to pay attention to bone density problems. She was also trying to get some financial help to carry out a variety of health studies.

Bangkok - Bungrumrat

Waiting room at Bungrumrat hospital

Bungrumrat Dermatologist at work on Jan's "moles"

A couple of months later in Bangkok, Jan had decided that she was ready to complete the process of removing the ugly growths on her body that she had had partly done in Chiang Mai. The Chiang Mai work was healing nicely and there seemed to be no after-effects.

Since Bungrumrat had been recommended by Americans we met in Chiang Rai and was one of the BUPA recommended hospitals for Bangkok, it was an easy choice.

Once again it was a big, new, modern hospital, very well-equipped with all the latest equipment and staffed with very good doctors who all spoke great English. The procedure was quick and efficient and amounted to a total out-patient visit of about 3  hours.