Thai citizens can use any government hospital?

[DaRoadrunner]

Anyone got experience of using Ramathibodi? Seems you have to make one trip to get an appointment and then return another day. No means of booking an appointment online?

[Sheryl]

No. Not in any govt hospital.

 

Ramathibodhi much like Chula. 

[allencraig]

14 hours ago, Sheryl said:

No. Not in any govt hospital.

 

Ramathibodhi much like Chula. 

I'd been going to Chula and tiring of the effort to get reliable information from anyone there when navigating a visit. I eventually see a competent doctor, but it often requires three days of early am visits. No one seems to know anything other than what their exact day-to-day job requires—even which building has which specialty seems to allude most staff there—as friendly and helpful as they are (and I love them.)

 

So I'm considering Ramathibodi now and just looking at and reading their website implies they are a MUCH better-organized hospital. My question is this: when registering for the first time online, they are clear to state that foreigners only have access to "premium" clinics. So does this mean they will charge comparable to what private clinics charge? (Negating the attraction of going there at all.)

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

26 minutes ago, allencraig said:

So I'm considering Ramathibodi now and just looking at and reading their website implies they are a MUCH better-organized hospital. My question is this: when registering for the first time online, they are clear to state that foreigners only have access to "premium" clinics. So does this mean they will charge comparable to what private clinics charge? (Negating the attraction of going there at all.)

 

I don't think so. I've been to Rama a few times in the past, and made use of their afternoon clinics as mentioned above. The rates for those, unless they've changed markedly in the past couple years since my last visit, should be less than what a typical private hospital in BKK would charge.

 

The challenge, though, unless you're a Thai speaker or bring one along, is navigating the staff there in terms of how to access the afternoon clinics, where to go for what, etc etc...  The doctors there will tend to speak English, but in my experience, the front line clerical/support staff typically do not.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

On 12/23/2019 at 7:09 AM, Sheryl said:

(2) Very large number of people never change their tabian ban listing - fear of dealing with the bureaucracy etc (granted the bureaucracy doesn't make it super easy, but it can be done.)

 

I think my wife is an example of that. She's lived in BKK now for 8 years, but is still registered on her family's tabien ban upcountry hundreds of miles away. We rent in BKK, don't own. So it's never been clear to me what a Thai renter is supposed to do in that kind of situation.

 

I've heard the wife could ask the Thai family we rent from to be added to their tabien ban, but she seems reluctant to do that.  But more broadly, what does that mean in terms of TBs and medical access for the average Thai who's renting a room in BKK in some hundreds of units apartment building somewhere when their family TB is upcountry somewhere?

 

[BritManToo]

5 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I've heard the wife could ask the Thai family we rent from to be added to their tabien ban, but she seems reluctant to do that. 

Find a little old lady living alone near by, offer her 1,000bht to go on their house book.

Worked for me.

[Sheryl]

45 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

 

I've heard the wife could ask the Thai family we rent from to be added to their tabien ban, but she seems reluctant to do that.  But more broadly, what does that mean in terms of TBs and medical access for the average Thai who's renting a room in BKK in some hundreds of units apartment building somewhere when their family TB is upcountry somewhere?

 

If not listed in a TB in Bangkok then except in a real emergency she has to travel upcountry to avail of free health care...and people do exactly that.

 

Usually it is a financial decision, for small things they pay out of pocket and for big ones they make the trek.

 

Any TB listing in Bangkok will work and indeed not uncommon to be added to a friend's TB rather than listed in that of the landlord

 

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, allencraig said:

I'd been going to Chula and tiring of the effort to get reliable information from anyone there when navigating a visit. I eventually see a competent doctor, but it often requires three days of early am visits. No one seems to know anything other than what their exact day-to-day job requires—even which building has which specialty seems to allude most staff there—as friendly and helpful as they are (and I love them.)

 

You need to use the after hours clinic rather than the public channel

13th floor main OPD building. 4 pm onward plus Saturday mornings.

 

Badically analagous to Ramathibodhi "Premium Clinic".  Rajawithi slso has an equivalent.

 

None of them would I describe as well organized, in none can you make appt without going in person,  and all are  crowded but less so than the public channel.  And all let you  directly consult a senior doctor. But there can be a wait list especially for the doctors most in demand.

[allencraig]

Long wait list—months!, not particularly well-organized (better than Chula maybe), minimal, but some English, BUT prices as high as private clinics I've just learned! Foreigners can only use their "Premium" clinic, and my one consultation with a psychiatrist was billed at 3000thb. That's more than, say, Bumrungrad. (although I was able to brow-beat it down to 1000thb.)

 

As long as I have to lose at least a half-day for any visit, I'm going back to Chula. 

[Chazar]

On 12/22/2019 at 9:27 PM, Yinn said:

Very good answer. 

 

also

Sometimes eg if machine is broken at the government hospital, the government hospital will give you document for do at private hospital and the government hospital will pay. 

 

if NCCA friend want to do it at Hua Hin just register the patient use NCCA housebook. 

 

 

Ps I see news today. Before Prayut was anti the 30 baht plan so much (because it Thaksin) 

But when he go to UN meeting he tell everybody it wonderful.

yeah Im sure he  will use it when he needs to????