Is there anywhere in Thailand I can get an endoscopy for under $500?

[GeorgeJones99]

Hello all,

I need an endoscopy with a biopsy to check for celiacs disease. Where I currently reside its over $1500 which is a bit pricey for me. I'm travelling to Thailand in March so I'm wondering whether anyone knows a hospital where I can get it significantly cheaper. I've emailed some hospitals but no one will give me a straight up price, they say I have to talk to a doctor first. 

Thank you,

George

[Neeranam]

16 minutes ago, GeorgeJones99 said:

Hello all,

I need an endoscopy with a biopsy to check for celiacs disease. Where I currently reside its over $1500 which is a bit pricey for me. I'm travelling to Thailand in March so I'm wondering whether anyone knows a hospital where I can get it significantly cheaper. I've emailed some hospitals but no one will give me a straight up price, they say I have to talk to a doctor first. 

Thank you,

George

I'm looking into getting something similar.

I went to a govt. hospital today and they have a very long waiting list for GI. So thinking about private.

A govt hospital should be around $150 I think.

[Lacessit]

I am guessing here, but I would say a private hospital endoscopy here would be in the region of $800-900. A public hospital would be much cheaper, although with a long waiting list.

 

AFAIK both would be with local anaesthetic only, for some reason a general anaesthetic makes the procedure much more expensive.

 

For example, Bangkok Hospital does my cystoscopies under local for 18,000 baht. With a GA, I was quoted 55,000.

[K2938]

Try Malaysia.  The problem in Thailand is that government hospitals probably will have a long waiting list and private hospitals might well charge you more than in many Western countries outside the U.S.  So just search on Google and you will find a lot of good offers in Malaysia.

[Keeps]

I'll do it for $150 then I can use the fee to purchase some modern equipment.

 

[GeorgeJones99]

Yeah just had a peep at malaysia's healthcare and it looks good and a fraction of the price. I think that's my best bet, thanks.

[proton]

Had one at Bangkok Hospital a few years ago 11.500 baht, with anaesthesia. Look for a Dr trained or worked in the west as well as the price. 

[QuantumQuandry]

31 minutes ago, GeorgeJones99 said:

Yeah just had a peep at malaysia's healthcare and it looks good and a fraction of the price. I think that's my best bet, thanks.

 

Can you expand on that?

[GeorgeJones99]

Looked at the state of their health tourism industry, quality of private hospital care and the prices (about half the price of Thailand for endoscopies) and all seemed good

[Sheryl]

Yes Malaysia is good idea.

 

Thai private hospitals are usually around 22-32k baht. Government hospitals are much less but red tape, wait lists and language barriers make them not very feasible for short term visitors.

 

They don't usually  do colonoscopy (which is what he means) under local. Use IV sedation. 

 

 

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, GeorgeJones99 said:

Hello all,

I need an endoscopy with a biopsy to check for celiacs disease. Where I currently reside its over $1500 which is a bit pricey for me. I'm travelling to Thailand in March so I'm wondering whether anyone knows a hospital where I can get it significantly cheaper. I've emailed some hospitals but no one will give me a straight up price, they say I have to talk to a doctor first. 

Thank you,

George

Plenty of places, as I'd be surprised if many govt hospital charge $500, if those are USD.   I had one, and think it was around the 12k baht mark.

[sqwakvfr]

From Chiang Mai Ram:

 

[Mike Lister]

3 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

From Chiang Mai Ram:

 

There may be some add-ons to that price such as the cos of biopsies.

[TheFishman1]

I’ve had 2 at Ching Mai Ram hospital I think the second one was right around US$500. I would definitely check them out.

[poobear]

I had it done in Prachuap Khiri Khan government hospital.  It was about $40 with excellent profession service. Bangkok hospital in Hua Hin was something like $1000, more than in U.S.A.

[CMBob]

7 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

There may be some add-ons to that price such as the cos of biopsies.

Not in my case.  Had both colonoscopy and endoscopy 2 weeks ago today at CM RAM and the total fee (including removing and pathology report on a bunch of polyps) was 38,000 baht.  I have no complaints.  

[sqwakvfr]

8 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

There may be some add-ons to that price such as the cos of biopsies.

3 years ago I had the combo(Gastro and Colonoscopy).  Had a polyp removed and biopsy was done.  Back then the total came to 39000.  Probably I will do the same sometime 2025 if I am still in CNX.  I have had two Gastro's and one Colonoscopy at Ram Gastrol and so far no complaints.  In 2019 the Gatrol was 17,000.  

[nana kid]

I would skip Bumrungrad                    very expensive

[Puccini]

56 minutes ago, CMBob said:

Not in my case.  Had both colonoscopy and endoscopy 2 weeks ago today at CM RAM and the total fee (including removing and pathology report on a bunch of polyps) was 38,000 baht.  I have no complaints.  

 

Is the CM RAM a government hospital?

[CMBob]

Just now, Puccini said:

 

Is the CM RAM a government hospital?

Nope, it's private.

 

[ChaiyaTH]

Ram hospital is quite reasonable, I once did a surgery there on my hand for only 45K while the doctor was former head of medical council and studied in USA + Japan (microsurgery). Mc cormick is a potential cheaper alternative. It's best to shop around as the prices differ while the doctor is the same in CM, as I ended up in ram after mc cormick quoted me 75K for the same surgery and doctor, while that hospital is normally cheaper.

[bwanajohn]

I just had a colonoscopy and endoscopy at the Centre for medical excellence across from Sripat in Chiang Mai.

Cost for everything was under.30,000 baht including biopsies for celiac.

I think the endoscopy only would not be more than 500usd. 

Lots of English spoken 

[Stevemercer]

I had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy (and abdominal and chest CTs) at a government hospital late last year. It was an overnight stay. I didn't have to pay (my wife is a government worker) but the charge on the invoice for the two endoscopy procedures was 2,800 Baht.

 

As stated by other posters, waiting times are a problem. Based on advice from others, I went to a doctor's after-hours private clinic (he was the chief gastric surgeon at the government hospital) who offered a 'facilitation' service. For 5,000 Baht, he booked/arranged the endoscopy procedures at his hospital for the next day, and the CTs at another government hospital the following week, together with a follow-up appointment to go through the reports (which were in English).

[Luuk Chaai]

as a side note .. I had some tests done @ Bangkok Hospital in Hua  Hin ..   then went for a repeat follow up 6 months later @ Hua Hin Government Hospital

where  it was 10% of the price  and as a foreinger with a Thai wife,,,  I got to go on the  "Premium List"   where I went straight to the front of the line ! 

 

[ThaiFelix]

Had an endoscopy check up for my bladder cancer today at Kalasin Hospital (government).  This is the 6th so far over the past 2 years and todays was 2,135 baht all up.  Dont know what it is in where-ever dollars.  Msg me and I can give you a copy of the bill.