Colonoscopy Tests Costs In Thailand

[Sheryl]

37 minutes ago, Iamloki said:

You seem quite knowledgeable Cheryl. Can you make any recommendations (private or public facilities) for Chiang Rai?

Or, will I need to go to Chiang Mai / Bkk?

Is this for routine screening or for a specific problem?

[Iamloki]

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

Is this for routine screening or for a specific problem?

Routine screening. I am way past due for my 5 year screening. The screening before last, they removed some polyps. The last screening there were none. Based on that history and time, I anticipate some polyps this time...

[paul1804]

 Last year I went to a public hospital in Koh Samui, saw a doctor and requested a colonoscopy due to the fact that I had lost a lot of weight in the last 6 months, the following week I had the colonoscopy which cost around THB 20,000. I had no polyps so no extra charges. I also received quotes from several hospitals in Surat Thani and Bangkok who willingly quoted me for the procedure. Reading comments from others on this forum where they say public hospitals will not perform this is incorrect. 

Edited October 30, 2023 by paul1804

[brianthainess]

11 hours ago, Mitkof Island said:

But if the doctor at the public hospital requested it I could have it done there?

I had the camera up the bum in a public hospital, perfectly fine, it wasn't very expensive I'd say 10k tops.

[brianthainess]

10 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

It's completely painless and not even uncomfortable, you;ll wake up and be fairly clear headed quickly and not know anything about what happened. The hardest part is emptying your bowels the evening before, find a good book and be prepared to be on the toilet for a while.

I spent the night before in the hospital, and they gave me a foul tasting drink that cleared me right out.

[Mike Lister]

8 minutes ago, paul1804 said:

 Last year I went to a public hospital in Koh Samui, saw a doctor and requested a colonoscopy due to the fact that I had lost a lot of weight in the last 6 months, the following week I had the colonoscopy which cost around THB 20,000. I had no polyps so no extra charges. I also received quotes from several hospitals in Surat Thani and Bangkok who willingly quoted me for the procedure. Reading comments from others on this forum where they say public hospitals will not perform this is incorrect. 

What was the name of that so called "public" hospital? Presumably you mean a government hospital but honestly, I kinda doubt that it was. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

9 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

It's completely painless and not even uncomfortable, you;ll wake up and be fairly clear headed quickly and not know anything about what happened. The hardest part is emptying your bowels the evening before, find a good book and be prepared to be on the toilet for a while.

I remember waking up and asking the staff if it'd already been done.

[nglodnig]

Had one this this year five years after last one where they found a couple polyps. Cost was approx 20kbaht so 32-39k even in CM Ram sounds expensive.

 

Nurse couldn't get the needle in for anesthesia without mucho pain so doc suggested it would be less painful to do without. It was uncomfortable as Sheryl says then mildly painful but was all over in 15 minutes. Saying that I don't think I'll want to do it again.

 

Good news was it was clear so next one in ten years.

[BusyB]

13 hours ago, Sheryl said:

It does save money to forego IV anesthetic but you do not want to do that.

 

It starts out uncomfortable then becomes severely painful. There is a reason IV sedation is the norm.

 

Been there, done that. Won't do it again under any circumstances short of wartime shortages.

[Jaxxper]

Two years ago I had one in Bangkok Pattaya hospital. Including Dr fees etc it was Thb  18k.

[RocketDog]

Just the facts:

I live near Huahin. Had colonoscopy a year ago at San Paulo private hospital. Cost 18000฿. Took about an hour. Excellent equipment, very clean OR and professional staff. Anesthesia was excellent. Woke up clear headed. No polyps found. Polyp removal would have added to cost. Provided me with a complete report including photos.

I've had two I USA and this one as as good or better.

I highly recommend San Paulo.

[paul1804]

17 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

What was the name of that so called "public" hospital? Presumably you mean a government hospital but honestly, I kinda doubt that it was. 

Koh Samui general hospital which is the government public hospital in Nathong, doubt what you like Mike!

Edited October 31, 2023 by paul1804

[Sheryl]

19 hours ago, Iamloki said:

Routine screening. I am way past due for my 5 year screening. The screening before last, they removed some polyps. The last screening there were none. Based on that history and time, I anticipate some polyps this time...

 

Dr Jeerasak Intarukka in Chuang Mai is well recommended.  Rajavej Hospital,. 053 801999

[Expat68]

I had one done at public hospital Loei 3 months ago 8,700 baht. Local anaesthetic, painless, watched it on tv

Edited October 31, 2023 by Expat68

[Dazinoz]

On 10/30/2023 at 7:14 AM, Mitkof Island said:

Is it painful and takes long time? This is a private hospital?

The worst part is the preparation. The stuff you take to "clean you out" isn't very nice. 

[Tropposurfer]

Last time I had to pay it cost me about 900 AUD - BNH hospital. First time was back in 2009 and it cost about 750 AUD.

 

Kind and efficient service. Post-procedure consult with specialist to go through the filming of my insides.

 

2 small polyps removed as well.

 

I pay through insurance now (no co-pay) and it hasn't increased much, well that's as of my last butt-camera exploit early 2023 ... lol 🤣

[Dazinoz]

On 10/30/2023 at 12:27 PM, Will B Good said:

Who gives a ****?

He will before it and a lot of it?

[Aldo123]

I don't think these 20-30k private hospital 'packages' you see advertised reveal the full amount of having both endoscopy and colonoscopy. What I've been quoted (in Bangkok) is up around 65-85k, because it also includes the anesthetist's fee and the Consultant Doctor's fee (the physician actually doing the investigation). You need to make your own enquiries before 'buying' these packages advertised. Also, health insurance companies stipulate they will only cover this depending on age (usually over 50 or 55), any indication like symptoms that need proper internal investigation or previous record. So you need to check your policy. 

[Mike Lister]

15 minutes ago, Aldo123 said:

I don't think these 20-30k private hospital 'packages' you see advertised reveal the full amount of having both endoscopy and colonoscopy. What I've been quoted (in Bangkok) is up around 65-85k, because it also includes the anesthetist's fee and the Consultant Doctor's fee (the physician actually doing the investigation). You need to make your own enquiries before 'buying' these packages advertised. Also, health insurance companies stipulate they will only cover this depending on age (usually over 50 or 55), any indication like symptoms that need proper internal investigation or previous record. So you need to check your policy. 

I did have the combination package a couple of years ago in Chiang Mai and the price of 36k was accurate. I think the standard price in Bangkok is perhaps quite a bit higher.

[tandor]

On 10/30/2023 at 7:14 AM, Mitkof Island said:

Is it painful and takes long time? This is a private hospital?

no pain.

Edited October 31, 2023 by tandor

[helloagain]

On 10/30/2023 at 7:14 AM, Mitkof Island said:

Is it painful and takes long time? This is a private hospital?

5y ago I was on holiday for a month and everyday I was passing blood. On my return my doc was a professor and I was sorted out within 2 days of him seeing me. He cut out 5 polyops one was quite big and changing structure, all not cancer, there's a history in my family, 120,000. 1 year later he found 1 small one, not cancer, 79,000. 3 year later he found none. Next is in 5y. He was a professor, Bangkok hospital phuket town. I feel he saved my life as did I looking for immediate surgery. I had general anathestic. I felt nothing. It's your life. 

[Lacessit]

I would suggest a fecal blood test should be the first port of call, probably less than 1000 baht. If that is clear, why proceed to a colonoscopy unless there is a family history?

[KhunLA]

6 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I would suggest a fecal blood test should be the first port of call, probably less than 1000 baht. If that is clear, why proceed to a colonoscopy unless there is a family history?

My stool blood tests were negative, yet polyps were removed during my colonoscopy.  If you're 60 yrs or older, get scoped.  Inexpensive and painless, or become a statistic.

 

The death rate has dropped the past few decades, because of early detection.  It's not rocket science.

 

And if just unlucky enough, and you don't die, well, who doesn't want to sh!t in a bag the rest of their life.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Lacessit said:

I would suggest a fecal blood test should be the first port of call, probably less than 1000 baht. If that is clear, why proceed to a colonoscopy unless there is a family history?

Because  fecal blood test does not detect all cancers.

 

And will certainly not detect pre-cancerous polyps. 

 

Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon cancer screening. 

[bangkok19]

The Colonoscopy is the easy part!

The laxative 'fruit juice ' you drink the day before is best drunk chilled, after the first litre it tastes like sh*t.

Then, after the Op, when you go home, be prepared for several very long f*rts...  they pump a bit of wind into your rear during the Op. and it blows out later!

[Scouse123]

On 10/30/2023 at 5:36 AM, Mike Lister said:

Costs at a PRIVATE hospital in the north run to around 36k and up for a combined endoscopy and colonoscopy.

 

A government hospital would not administer the test unless the doctor that you saw said it was medically necessary, even then the exam is likely to be administered by a junior doctor rather than a gastroenterology specialist. It's not possible to simply walk into government hospitals and request elective tests, just because you want them done there, just because they are cheaper.

 

 

I don't know where you get your information from.

 

I put on this forum recently that I had just a colonoscopy.

 

My local government hospital in Kalasin was actually advertising them within the hospital for people over 55 years old.

 

To answer the question from the OP I think it was around 10,000 baht I paid.

 

That included a private VIP room, polyp removal and sent to Kalasin central for testing.

 

I am back there in December for a follow-up to make sure there has been no reoccurrence.

[Scouse123]

4 hours ago, Sheryl said:

Because  fecal blood test does not detect all cancers.

 

And will certainly not detect pre-cancerous polyps. 

 

Colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon cancer screening. 

 

And as stated in a previous thread I recently had one done at around 10,000 baht with a follow-up in December to ensure no reoccurrence.

 

You are correct Sheryl.

[it is what it is]

1 hour ago, bangkok19 said:

The Colonoscopy is the easy part!

The laxative 'fruit juice ' you drink the day before is best drunk chilled, after the first litre it tastes like sh*t.

Then, after the Op, when you go home, be prepared for several very long f*rts...  they pump a bit of wind into your rear during the Op. and it blows out later!

 

spot on, i'd forgotten about all the prep involved, pretty grim. the procedure itself is fine. as for the cost, 38K baht is around what you'd pay in a uk private hospital, so sounds a little high.

[Lacessit]

6 hours ago, KhunLA said:

My stool blood tests were negative, yet polyps were removed during my colonoscopy.  If you're 60 yrs or older, get scoped.  Inexpensive and painless, or become a statistic.

 

The death rate has dropped the past few decades, because of early detection.  It's not rocket science.

 

And if just unlucky enough, and you don't die, well, who doesn't want to sh!t in a bag the rest of their life.

My mistake, I thought polyps were not dangerous until they started bleeding. As Sheryl said, there are other cancers FBT does not detect.

I've never had a polyp. I have regular colonoscopies due to family history, an uncle dying of bowel cancer. My last check in August was clear.

I do have moderate diverticulitis, which does not seem to bother me. Kelloggs All-Bran and bamboo are great sources of fibre.

[Mike Lister]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

 

I don't know where you get your information from.

 

I put on this forum recently that I had just a colonoscopy.

 

My local government hospital in Kalasin was actually advertising them within the hospital for people over 55 years old.

 

To answer the question from the OP I think it was around 10,000 baht I paid.

 

That included a private VIP room, polyp removal and sent to Kalasin central for testing.

 

I am back there in December for a follow-up to make sure there has been no reoccurrence.

Perhaps this a regional difference or perhaps it varies by hospital size, I'm unsure. In Chiang Mai, where I live, I did explore having a 10 year colonoscopy and endoscopy at a government hospital. My local Amphur  hospital (quite large and fairly new) said I would need to go to the District hospital where my (Thai) wife and I discussed things with the gastroenterology department who said the things I posted above. I understand that the Amphur hospital doesn't have a the facilities, which is why I was referred up the chain. This is also why I was surprised when the earlier poster said he was able to get one on request, from the Koh Samui government hospital.