What Hospital To Choose In Sukhumvit Area?

[Doi Thong]

My company do some kind of medical insurance, now I have 3 hospitals to choose from in Sukhumvit area:

1. Prommitr

2. Camillian

3. Kluaynamthai

I would like to get an advice which one to choose. I know that Burmungrad or Samitivej is the best ones in this area, but they are not on the list. Thanks in advance.

[PvtDick]

All of your choices are public hospitals, so are not going to be anywhere near the quality of Samitivej or Bumrungrad. I'd choose Camillian myself, because it is the smallest and the wait for treatment will probably be the shortest there.

[Doi Thong]

Thanks for your answer, I will consider. Hope I never will be in need of their services.

All of your choices are public hospitals, so are not going to be anywhere near the quality of Samitivej or Bumrungrad.  I'd choose Camillian myself, because it is the smallest and the wait for treatment will probably be the shortest there.

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[charles]

I presume the scheme you are referring to is the Social Insurance scheme (Prakan Sangkhom) which allows you to choose from a range of public and PRIVATE hospitals as your designated place for free medical treatment. The list does not include the 5-star hotel private hospitals as you mention but it does include many middle of the road decent enough private hospitals without the carpets, customer service assistants, and to some extent, doctors who speak decent English.

Don't know about Prommitr, but I thought both Camillian and Kluey Nam Thai were PRIVATE hospitals. I think Camillian is a sort of catholic mission place, probably non-profit. Both these places should be fine. You might also consider Petchawej hospital, not on Sukhumvit but pretty close on Petchaburi road just past the end of Ekamai road. I'm registered for prakan sangkhom there and have found it fine for out patient stuff, no experience of in-patient. Don't know how well you speak Thai, if you don't, at a guess I'd say Camillian might be best. Being on Thonglor and a Christian place, probably more chance of Western patients and English speaking staff. Just a guess though.

[Boon Mee]

Bumrungrad is where all the "Hi So" folks go. They speak English and it's overated.

Best Hospital in BKK from what I've heard is the Government one - Zaa-ree-rat. Forgive my spelling...anyhow, the care is supposed to be the best.

Hope I don't have to find out first-hand.

[MistaDorn]

in Sukhumvit area I can say Bumrungrad hospital. www.bumrungrad.com have you've been here? I am treating my cancer there. It is high tech tools and very comfortable to me, cuz it is closed to my house . but if the 3 listed you gave, I think the best one is Cammilian? but it's a bit deep from the main Sukhumvit road.

[Digger]

Bumrungrad is where all the "Hi So" folks go.  They speak English and it's overated.

Best Hospital in BKK from what I've heard is the Government one - Zaa-ree-rat.  Forgive my spelling...anyhow, the care is supposed to be the best.

Hope I don't have to find out first-hand.

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You mean Siriraj Hospital. Its associatted with Mahidol medical school and is indeed I believe where the King goes for any medical attention. My experience is that Bumrungrad has a mix of doctors from both a Mahidol and a Chula background (Chula, being the other main medical training facility in BKK). Personally I dont think there is a lot to choose between them. As for Bumrungrad being overrated, its a bit like splitting hairs on the differences between the top 3 football teams in any given league. They are invariably good, have some areas of recognised expertise and probably some prima donnas on the team - but can they play football - you bet they can. Where Bumrungrad excels is in its care and focus on foreign customers and cutting edge equipment. Not sure that Siriraj has the latest GE MRI scan which costs over $1,000,000 - quite important if you have been in a car accident and they have no idea what internal organs have been damaged - these machines can tell them in about 3 minutes flat. Quite re-assuring I think and I know which medical card I keep in my wallet and stored on my mobile.

Edited February 14, 2005 by Digger

[Boon Mee]

Bumrungrad is where all the "Hi So" folks go.  They speak English and it's overated.

Best Hospital in BKK from what I've heard is the Government one - Zaa-ree-rat.  Forgive my spelling...anyhow, the care is supposed to be the best.

Hope I don't have to find out first-hand.

You mean Siriraj Hospital.

That's the I mean, Digger. Sorry about my bastardized mis-spelling.

Anyhow, it's right on the river there and not too far from Sukhumvit - unless you're in a traffic jam!

My recommendation came from middle-class Thais and this slightly uninformed farang really can't speak from personal experience.

Edited February 14, 2005 by Boon Mee

[Vagin]

What do you mean, "some kind of medical insurance"? Be very careful to find out exactly what it is, and what you are likely to get for it. Health insurance in Thailand is very important. I know one farang who had a stroke. His company said that he was covered by medical insurance, but it turned out that the insurance only covered about 25% of the cost (although admittedly, he was staying in a better hospital). He was given a bill of around 90,000 baht.

If you are working legally with a work permit and you are paying taxes then you are entitled to the same free treatment at a public hospital that a Thai would get - Your company should have givcen you two socal insurance cards (regardless of whether or not you have also been given "somekind of private health insurance".) 1) a social insurance card with the name of a designated hospital, your name and social insurance number. 2) The second card, which compliments the first, has your name and passport details on it. Both cards should be handed in at the hopsital, to get free treatment.

Very seriously consider taking out your own private insurance eg. Bupa's Emerald or Gold service, is quite good, which costs around 11,000bhat for one years covereage - this can act as a back up, or as a first choice.

Edited February 15, 2005 by Vagin

[PvtDick]

Sirirat is "not far from Sukhumvit"? Are you going there for Alzheimers' treatments???

[bangkokian]

Simitivej and Bangrungraj hossi are the most beautiful hospitals, but if you're really really looking for the best doctors, it is siriraj, where the King goes to. Payathai (2 or 3), a four star hossi should be in the Prakan sang khom list too--It's not in the 30 baht plan, which is only for Thai nationals anyway... Kluay Nam Thai Hossi, even though a private hospital, as I understand it, participates in this 30-baht plan.

Bangkok Hospital speaks 13 langs or so as they advertise, but the upkkeep may not be so good-- It was not very nice the last time I went there, which was quite a few years back.

Edited March 17, 2005 by bangkokian

[Khun Larry]

Personally I dont think there is a lot to choose between them.  As for Bumrungrad being overrated, its a bit like splitting hairs on the differences between the top 3 football teams in any given league.  They are invariably good, have some areas of recognised expertise and probably some prima donnas on the team - but can they play football - you bet they can.  Where Bumrungrad excels is in its care and focus on foreign customers and cutting edge equipment. 

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Well, I know a US DR training some of the staff at Bumrungrad and what he had to say was not encouraging. Sure it may be the best in BKK but the analogy you use may be more accurate if limited to a kids soccer league. They are Thais after all which does not give me much confidence in their capabilities.

I would not want to have an operation in T-Land. If something went wrong you know they would freeze in their tracks.

Good luck

[Sheryl]

Simitivej and Bangrungraj hossi are the most beautiful hospitals, but if you're really really looking for the best doctors, it is siriraj, where the King goes to.  Payathai (2 or 3), a four star hossi should be in the Prakan sang khom list too--It's not in the 30 baht plan, which is only for Thai nationals anyway... Kluay Nam Thai Hossi, even though a private hospital, as I understand it, participates in this 30-baht plan.

Bangkok Hospital speaks 13 langs or so as they advertise, but the upkkeep may not be so good-- It was not very nice  the last time I went there, which was quite a few years back.

Most of the top doctors at Siriraj have private practices too, I have found some of then at the following private but relatively inexpensive hospitals:

Chao Phya (located right near Siriraj)

Phayathai 2

I've also found some at Bangkok General but that's in the private/expensive category.

Aside from avoiding long waits, the advantage of seeing Siriraj docs privately is that you can choose your doc...at the govt hospital you get whoever is on duty and often a resident in training, with limited time from the top folk. See if your insurance extends to Chao Phya or Phayathai 2 (the latter is near Victory Monument).

I needed hand surgery and got it done a Phayathai 2 by the Chief of the hand/microsurgy dept at Siriraj....chance of having the procedure done personally by him had I gone to Siriraj itself would have been slim.