Like many of you, I guess, I was very doubtful about local hospitals. At one point I was driving for 2 Hours to get to a “Farang hospital” in Korat every three months.

Taking relatives to the local hospital (Lamplaimat), over the years, I noticed that the “foreign visitors” booth was empty, and in fact I have never seen a Farang there. but there was a notice indicating (Google translate) that I could have a complete blood, heart and urine test for ฿ 1760.-. So I did. Once I was registered, the service was very efficient, and I received the results, hundreds of them, within an hour or two.

So last week I fainted, food poisoning as it turns out, and lost consciousness for 10 minutes or so, wife frantically trying to wake me up. I cracked my scalp on a chair, lots of blood, requiring 4 stitches. The SiL got me to said local hospital, the guys in emergency saw me arriving in the car and were already there with the gurney, 5 minutes later the lady doctor was calming me down, cleaning me up and stitching away. CAT scan, X-ray, then on to observation ward overnight. Went home next day with meds, total cost ฿ 6000. AND of course, the Thai smile was worth gold. My sexy lady doctor spoke good English, but without my wife I would have been lost. Alas, I’m 60 years too old for her. Follow up: the village clinic inspects and cleans the wound for ฿70.

So what wasn’t good? I made the wrong decision, didn’t take a private room, a lady started screaming at about 2am in our ward of 10 beds, nobody got much sleep. Also, on probably the coldest day of the year, we didn’t think to take a quilt, or something for my wife to sleep on. I was happy that she was there to help as I was pretty helpless initially.

That really is a plus concerning Thai hospitals, nobody is going to look after you better than a family member.

All local hospitals won’t be the same, of course, but this was an eye opener for me and I'm ashamed that I had such a bad opinion. I am Swiss and we are supposed to be the best health service in the world. For run of the mill stuff like this, I disagree. I won't even try to compare it with the UK health service.

I liked the Christmas tree.

Moved to main Hralth forum.

It is possible to get very, very good service at a local hopsital, but frankly it is a bit of Russian roulette -- maybe the same is true for the big private hospitals.

You can get a doctor that had afirst-rate international education; or a guy who arguably knows less about health care than I.

Example in case: the uncle of my wife went to hospital with pretty clear symptoms of a large intestinal tumor. The first doctor could feel it, but said, it can be operated. The second opened him up, but then did not remove the tumor or even make a biopsy, because "this is not cancer" -- of course he was happy and did not even think to question this analysis.

After symptoms got worse rapidly, the third doctor determined, that he was already that weakened by the senseless operation that he would not survive any additional intervention and that the tumor was so large that it was late stage 4 anyway. Mai bpen rai then.

The last doctor was, unluckily, right, he died days later due to sepsis from the first operaton, after bleeding from the intestines into the body never stopped. The hospital, of course, racked up a rather largish bill and he was sent home so late, that he was already unable to communicate at that stage.

So, if in doubt, at least get a second opinion if it is something important.

Most hospitals in Thailand range from good to excellent. In over 50 years I've never experienced a bad one.

35 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Most hospitals in Thailand range from good to excellent. In over 50 years I've never experienced a bad one.

I have, but only one, and the one that is always touted as the best, which I always refer to as 'BumCrap'

Yea, that one

I can confirm that the government hospital in Nakhon Sawan provides excellent service at a tiny percentage of the many private hospitals here.

Example, I required a malignant tumour removed from my scalp.

Private hospital estimate THB 75,000

Actual price in government hospital THB 9,500 including 2 night stay.

Only drawback being the often long wait to see doctor.

2 hours ago, Thingamabob said:

Most hospitals in Thailand range from good to excellent. In over 50 years I've never experienced a bad one.

Agree. I’ve received treatment at several different Thai hospitals and clinics. Not all are as competent as one might hope, but they have always been caring. Bumrungrad has been the best in my experience. I’ve been a patient there for 39 years, and they’ve saved my life at least twice.

My limited experience has shown that Thai hospitals really are excellent

As to staff- well we are all human and there are good and bad in all health services in all countries

Overall though I rate Thai hospitals as being easily as good as the NHS in the UK- spoken by one whose life was saved by the NHS some years ago

1 minute ago, Divorce Lifeline said:

My limited experience has shown that Thai hospitals really are excellent

As to staff- well we are all human and there are good and bad in all health services in all countries

Overall though I rate Thai hospitals as being easily as good as the NHS in the UK- spoken by one whose life was saved by the NHS some years ago

Last time I was in a NHS hospital was with my dad. Appointment was 08.30am, 6 hours later we were still waiting. Even the longest wait I ever had in Thailand was 1 1/2 hours and that was during Covid.

Local hospitals are good for most immediate emergencies, but always ask for a private room if staying overnight. If available, the extra cost is worth it.

One thing about public hospitals is that a family member usually stays with the patient and does all the routine cleaning, hygiene tasks etc. Although there are plenty of nurses, they only seem to do medical things and distain routine patient care in the public wards. Fortunately, this is not usually the case if you get a private room in a public hospital. The care and attention is often first rate.

On 1/13/2026 at 12:19 PM, cooked said:

I was driving for 2 Hours to get to a “Farang hospital” in Korat every three months.

What's a 'Farang hospital' ?

48 minutes ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

What's a 'Farang hospital' ?

White folk only?

20 hours ago, jts-khorat said:

So, if in doubt, at least get a second opinion if it is something important.

100% agree. Gotta follow your instincts sometimes.

But I think this kind of heartrending story can happen anywhere. Sorry for your loss. A really sad story but it's like the young woman in the UK a few years ago who repeatedly presented with breast cancer symptoms and was fobbed off by a series of doctors only to be told after a couple of years it has advanced to Stage IV. She only a had a few weeks with her family after that.

Thing I think is: Passing exams, 'qualifying', be they for flying, diving or doctoring, in my experience only really means someone's demonstrated a level of proficiency that means they can probably let be loose on the world without them posing too much of a danger to themself or others. (That should also mean knowing when to ask for advice/second opinion as well!)

Then it's about learning on the job - why doctors e.g. have to work for years in hospitals before they set up 'practice'. Practice. A word with a double edged meaning. Sadly some don't learn as fast or well as others. Some people's 'practice' is sloppy and slow.

There are good pilots and bad pilots for instance. Seen it close up. Very extremely. Usually the bad ones give up or die before they go commercial. Fortunately not many slip through the net but when they do ... the good ones land in the Hudson River or Tokyo ...

7 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

Local hospitals are good for most immediate emergencies, but always ask for a private room if staying overnight. If available, the extra cost is worth it.

One thing about public hospitals is that a family member usually stays with the patient and does all the routine cleaning, hygiene tasks etc. Although there are plenty of nurses, they only seem to do medical things and distain routine patient care in the public wards. Fortunately, this is not usually the case if you get a private room in a public hospital. The care and attention is often first rate.

In my experience in public wards in hospitals they not only stay , but sleep on the floor under the bed. Buy food too if available.

Just now, emptypockets said:

In my experience in public wards in hospitals they not only stay , but sleep on the floor under the bed. Buy food too if available.

My SS hospital is private.

I sort my own food as theirs is terrible bland <deleted>e.

5 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

My SS hospital is private.

I sort my own food as theirs is terrible bland <deleted>e.

Good for you.

Fortunately I've never had a hospital stay in Thailand.

My grandkids have and I pay extra for a private room.

But for the average Thai it's a bed in a multi ward with a carer under the bed.

1 hour ago, BusyB said:

100% agree. Gotta follow your instincts sometimes.

But I think this kind of heartrending story can happen anywhere.

Indeed, the same thing could happen anywhere, I agree; and medical service in Thailand has often also been excellent.

For example, I had an episode of severe lower back pain and the doctor -- his clinic little more than a desk in a room open to a side road in some Isaan village -- described a combination of pills (white and green ones, of course he did not write it on the little plastic bag and I forgot to ask) that helped basically immediately -- something a German doctor could so far not replicate. I have kept two of the pills and will ask next year, when I pass thzorugh this place again.

But, all my experiences with the Thai medical system have been about non-lifethreatening issues. So, if I get to a doctor who thinks Paracetamol is a magic cure for everything, I will catch it out quickly by myself. And this has happened to me several times, too, where the medication did not even remotely make any sense with regard to the symptoms.

In case of something serious and complicated, I would therefore never trust only the opinion of one doctor.

On 1/14/2026 at 11:42 AM, Jonnapat said:

I can confirm that the government hospital in Nakhon Sawan provides excellent service at a tiny percentage of the many private hospitals here.

Example, I required a malignant tumour removed from my scalp.

Private hospital estimate THB 75,000

Actual price in government hospital THB 9,500 including 2 night stay.

Only drawback being the often long wait to see doctor.

Jonnapat that's good to hear, I am familiar with Nakhon Sawan and wondering if this was a recent experience and if you tried any local private hospitals for a price.

SORRY, just realised you already said it was a fraction of the price of local private hospitals.

23 hours ago, IvorBiggun2 said:

What's a 'Farang hospital' ?

What's a stupid question?

On 1/15/2026 at 3:16 PM, cooked said:

What's a stupid question?

Why is it?

On dear. Farangs tend to use certain hospitals. Those are farang hospitals. The local hospitals can quite validly be called Thai hospitals, etc, etc. It's not rocket science, as Elon Musk might say.

10 hours ago, cooked said:

It's not rocket science, as Elon Musk might say.

Correct, and Elon should know.

I would not hesitate to go tot he government hospital (Chiang Mai University Hospital), although I choose Ram Hospital to avoid the waiting...

I have had good success with this hospital in the past.

One can make appointments there to see your doc of choice, if you do your research.

The prices are extremely LOW....

But, you can get lost in the place, with all the corridors, and long hallways.

Probably best to take along a Thai friend, but definitely not necessary.