Work Permit In Thailand As A Doctor

[MichaK]

I am a german general practitioner and chiropractor and as this i worked since last July in Koh Samui in my own practice. Last week the health department visited me and asked me to stop working because my work permit is not legal. They told me i should do the examination in the physician´s council in BKK or ask for a work permit only as a chiropractor. But they let me know, that they are waiting for a mistake in my job description like a wrong word e. g. "acupuncture" to stop my work permit. Different lawyers told me that i can get a licence from a thai doctor who is allowed to open a clinic and work with him together. Next possibility might be to get the licence because of a special qualifikation which seems to be hard as a general practitioner but being as well a chiropractor is outside Germany unusual so somebody could call it a specialization.

Anybody got good ideas, information or experiences?

Thank you for your help

Sincerely Michael

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Michael.

A Thai doctor would not get permission to practice in Germany would he/she ? Have a bit of a think about it. You are lucky they didn't lock you up and deport you.

[MichaK]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

[lingling]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

I think you are mixing up work permit and license to practice medicine. I am pretty sure that foreign doctors wanting to practice medicine in Germany will need to get something similar.

Anyway, there are farang doctors working in some of the international hospitals in Bangkok and Phuket. It is probably a good bet to look up one of them and ask them for advice on what you need to do. Some of them don't practice medicine, probably because they haven't been able to get a license to practice here.

Also check out this thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=23396

And this website:

http://www.tmc.or.th/

http://www.tmc.or.th/news02.php

Edited January 22, 2007 by lingling

[Tywais]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

A Thai would have to be re-certified in Germany as well as a foreign doctor needs to go through the re-certification process to practice here. I'm also surprised that they allowed you to practice if you did not go through the certification process. Best to try and contact a foreign doctor practicing here and see what he was requuired to do.

[LivinLOS]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

Why is it illogical or wrong..

I see no reason why you should assume that because you were certified in germany you can be fine here..

Does a german licence make you legal on the road ?? Would you be happy if a Nigerian Doctor just set up shop and started to practice ??

[Prakanong]

My friend who I am meeting in an hour practised medicine in Thailand - I will ask him about his WP.

He was at Bumrungrad but is now in Singapore - he is an American if that makes any difference.

PS - just asked my Dr colleage who specialises in Medical afffairs who sits next to me about practicing in Thailand - he was going to once as a Singaporean but would have to work under someone else as pointed out above.

The guy he was going to work with was American who had his own practice - the American guy had to sit exams both spoken and written (in Thai) to do this.

Basically the same as anywhere really - get certified in the country?

Edited January 22, 2007 by Prakanong

[lingling]

<comment deleted>

Edited January 22, 2007 by lingling

[apetley]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

Why is it illogical or wrong..

I see no reason why you should assume that because you were certified in germany you can be fine here..

Does a german licence make you legal on the road ?? Would you be happy if a Nigerian Doctor just set up shop and started to practice ??

This may be seen as picky but yes, most western licenses can be swapped for a Thai license. Why? Maybe they recognise the higher standard of driving and tuition?

And when I did get my Thai driving license I had to get a doctors letter saying that I was healthy. Said doctor didnt even look at me, just took the 50 Baht and signed the form.

Call me old fashioned but I expect higher standards from doctors and generally would get them from a westerner I think.

Still, this is Thailand and ever you have to play by their rules, just accept that they are in favour of the home team.

[grtaylor]

There is a Swiss doctor practising in Pattaya, Dr. Olivier Meyer. He has a Thai doctors licence on his surgery wall, along with his Geneva certificates. I believe he learnt Thai, and then took the Thai medical exams in order to qualify. He is fluent in English, French, German and Thai. I'm sure he would know what you would need to do.

G

[laowai1960]

Dr Ian (an Australian) of Pattaya Mail fame works (or used to work) at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital. His work permit was for a consultant and he was not permitted to actually treat patients himself. He could only discuss patients with Thai doctors.

If you check the Pattaya Mail archives you will find a story of a French doctor who got a license to practice medicine in Thailand. The exam he had to pass was in Thai language only.

Another story in an old Pattaya Mail is about a German (I think) surgeon who, again, had a work permit as a consultant. He set up a plastic surgery clinic in Pattaya and got busted for performing surgery himself.

[Badbanker]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

Why is it illogical or wrong..

I see no reason why you should assume that because you were certified in germany you can be fine here..

Does a german licence make you legal on the road ?? Would you be happy if a Nigerian Doctor just set up shop and started to practice ??

This may be seen as picky but yes, most western licenses can be swapped for a Thai license. Why? Maybe they recognise the higher standard of driving and tuition?

And when I did get my Thai driving license I had to get a doctors letter saying that I was healthy. Said doctor didnt even look at me, just took the 50 Baht and signed the form.

Call me old fashioned but I expect higher standards from doctors and generally would get them from a westerner I think.

Still, this is Thailand and ever you have to play by their rules, just accept that they are in favour of the home team.

I do have very direct experience with getting a American Doctor certfied by the Thai Medical Council.   

It is a difficut process that involves studying Thai for 2 years solid (12 hours a day) to gain fluency!  You are not allowed to work as a doctor during this time.  Then after 2 years get yourself on a house registration certificate at the Amphur.  This in itself is not easy.  This is a necessity to allow you to sit the exam

Then when you sit the 3 board exams in written Thai language.  I think it is a basic medical science exam, a medical exam and then a practical hands one diagnosis of a number of patients in hospital.

All Thai people who do their studies for medicine and pass the boards in any other country have to redo the fullboards in Thailand.

It can be done but it is REAL hard to succeed.

Badbanker

[Prakanong]

The guys above are saying exactly what my pal told me last night who is a senior Radiologist here in Singapore and what a Singaporean Dr sitting about 1 metre away from me right now said.

Get qualified - written and oral exam in thai

Would a Thai no have to do the same in Germany in your language - I hope so

[maccaroni man]

lets be honest, when you applied for your WP did you state that you were planning on practicing medicine? I know for a fact that there is a highly qualified healer in koh samui that can not get a permit. The doctors at bumingrad(sp) are all us board certified. Hence it is logical that if you want to practice medicine as a doctor with your own private practice that you get thai certified otherwise continue making black money and keep quiet.

[MichaK]

At first thank you all for your opinions and helpful advices. Let me answer to some of them. Nobody thinks that a german doctor per se is higher qualified than any other on this planet. The advantage is just the mothertongue. How somebody wants to tell his symptoms of a complicated diagnosis i. e. "fever unknown origin" if the conversation is not good enough. Most of the german tourists have an insufficient english. So with a disease longer than 3 days they start thinking going back home. Even i´m only interested in the thai law referring to get a legal work permit, a lot of participants discussed about the german law i. e. the question "would you like to meet a nigerian doctor in germany?". My answer is "yes", we have already. And we have to, because most of german doctors are going to leave germany. To get a certification in germany you can visit us, get a place in an university for free and study for free! More or less. If you studied in another country, just show the government your diploma and find a job. But the foreign doctors who came already are leaving us too of the same reasons the germans are leaving.

I know that i can do the examen in BKK, but i was seriously told that studying the thai language for the medical exam will take 5 or more years.

[LivinLOS]

Hello ,

they didn´t deport me because i got already a legal work permit but the health ministry told me that it is illegal from now on. But there are different possibilities in the thai law i have to check and exactly this is the reason asking in this forum for advices. Anyway here is the need for a german doctor too as i found out already. Just to say like you did the comparison that a thai doctor is not allowed to work in Germany so the german doctor is not allowed to work in Thailand is too easy, ilogical and at last it is wrong too.

Why is it illogical or wrong..

I see no reason why you should assume that because you were certified in germany you can be fine here..

Does a german licence make you legal on the road ?? Would you be happy if a Nigerian Doctor just set up shop and started to practice ??

This may be seen as picky but yes, most western licenses can be swapped for a Thai license. Why? Maybe they recognise the higher standard of driving and tuition?

And when I did get my Thai driving license I had to get a doctors letter saying that I was healthy. Said doctor didnt even look at me, just took the 50 Baht and signed the form.

Call me old fashioned but I expect higher standards from doctors and generally would get them from a westerner I think.

Still, this is Thailand and ever you have to play by their rules, just accept that they are in favour of the home team.

My English or American licences cannot be 'swapped' for a Thai.. I had to get an international licence to do this (proving I had passed a test) and still was tested for eyes / color blind / peripheral vision / reaction / etc.. So was then 'recertified' to drive here.

Similarly I would expect anyone practising medicine would also need to apply to local laws and recertify. To me it seems arrogant to assume that because you have a licence for the west you can just assume to use it here.

[lingling]

At first thank you all for your opinions and helpful advices. Let me answer to some of them. Nobody thinks that a german doctor per se is higher qualified than any other on this planet. The advantage is just the mothertongue. How somebody wants to tell his symptoms of a complicated diagnosis i. e. "fever unknown origin" if the conversation is not good enough. Most of the german tourists have an insufficient english. So with a disease longer than 3 days they start thinking going back home. Even i´m only interested in the thai law referring to get a legal work permit, a lot of participants discussed about the german law i. e. the question "would you like to meet a nigerian doctor in germany?". My answer is "yes", we have already. And we have to, because most of german doctors are going to leave germany. To get a certification in germany you can visit us, get a place in an university for free and study for free! More or less. If you studied in another country, just show the government your diploma and find a job. But the foreign doctors who came already are leaving us too of the same reasons the germans are leaving.

I know that i can do the examen in BKK, but i was seriously told that studying the thai language for the medical exam will take 5 or more years.

Maybe you can work as a "health advisor" / "medical interpreter" or similar. As long as you don't treat patients, and/or prescribe treatments to patients then noone can really say that you are practicing medicine. A very gray zone though, so you better find a lawyer who can figure out what you are allowed to do and not allowed to do in order to not classify as practicing medicine.

I know of one farang doctor who worked as a doctor at an international hospital for years without a Thai medical license. Someone ratted him out, he got in trouble with the law and had to leave the country for a short while. He returned and continued to work at the same hospital but in a role where he was not practicing medicine (i.e. treating patients, prescribing meds etc).

You are more likely to get around this working for a larger hospital than running your own clinic. JMHO. Or team up with a Thai doctor and he will be the one practising and you just advise/translate/attract German patients/whatever. All prescriptions etc will be signed by the Thai MD and all treatments done by Thai doctor(s) and nurses.