Sawasdee Khrup, CM TV Friends,

Note for clarification: many of you may refer to the Maharaj Hospital Complex, on Thanon Suthep, associated with the Medical School, associated with CMU, as "Suan Dok" Hospital: and the name "Sriphat" refers both to a specific building in the complex, as well as to a special administrative unit through which most farangs receiving medical services are handled.

A friend of ours, a farang here in Chiang Mai, with retirement visa, recently was able to use Maharaj Hospital for a major surgical procedure without "passing through" the "Sriphat" administrative service unit. Of course that did mean he had to wait in long lines, but it also meant he paid much less over-all, while having access to the same high-quality western-trained surgeon. And it did mean his post-op in hospital time was on the public wards, rather than in Sriphat's very nice rooms.

We went through Maharaj/Sriphat for cancer treatment over four years ago, and were very satisfied with all aspects of treatment, and our experience during required in-hospital stays for chemo, and a few "emergency" short stays for nutritional IV supplementation, and rehydration (when we couldn't eat for a week or so, and could barely drink water). We would go to Maharaj/Sriphat as our first choice for whatever (and, for various reasons, we'll never go again, to CM Ram).

Is it correct to asssume that only farangs with permanent resident status (via marriage, via retirement visa, etc.) can "bypass" registering and paying via Sriphat in using Maharaj's medical services, thus receiving the medical care at a lower rate ?

thanks, ~o:37;

Interesting points but I am a bit confused about your last paragraph

If you have permanent residency then surely you do not have a visa ( marriage, retirement or anything else)

caf

... If you have permanent residency then surely you do not have a visa ( marriage, retirement or anything else)

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Caf,

The only farangs resident in Thailand who are not required to have visas are those very rare farangs who obtain Thai citizenship: they have Thai passports. That is, obviously, not the issue discussed here.

best, ~o:37;

... If you have permanent residency then surely you do not have a visa ( marriage, retirement or anything else)

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Caf,

The only farangs resident in Thailand who are not required to have visas are those very rare farangs who obtain Thai citizenship: they have Thai passports. That is, obviously, not the issue discussed here.

best, ~o:37;

Thanks for that reply.

My confusion was your comment "Is it correct to asssume that only farangs with permanent resident status (via marriage, via retirement visa, etc.) can "bypass" registering and paying via Sriphat in using Maharaj's medical services, thus receiving the medical care at a lower rate ?"

Someone with permanent residence does not require a marriage or retirement visa

Your topic is of interest because it seems even those without residency can avail themselves of the same medical facilities available to thais albeit, as you say, with certain delays.

caf