Hi all,

I need to get a medication prescribed and filled when next in Bangkok. I just need to have a chat with the doctor and then off I go. Shouldn't be a problem. Are all the hospitals going to charge more or less the same for this or is there a wide range of cost depending on the quality of the hospital? I will need the doctor to speak English, but this should be a five minute thing. Somewhere along the Skytrain/MRT would be good.

Thanks!

TT

Can you say what medication you need?

Many medications which are prescription only in the West are available over the counter in Thailand.

However some medications are strictly controlled and not simply available on request.

no need to go to a hospital unless your talking about very exspensive meds.and as for talking to an english speaking doctor try and ask sheryl here on this forum you might find you will get more sense out of her.and what meds.do you require

Tramadol. I'm not concerned about buying it, I'm concerned about leaving the country to the next posting for a few months and being questioned about it in various airports. I've been to hospitals in BKK for sleep meds and they'll happily right up a prescription. I don't understand how people buy this stuff "under the table" and then cross international borders.

But I'm assuming Bumgrungrad or similar hospitals would charge an arm and a leg for sitting down with you, when the smaller hospitals might not. Is that the case?

i have bought med.for bp,cholesterol,hiatus hernia,warfarin and carried them in my hand luggage on to the plane,only once i had to show them the scare on my chest that was enough for them at customs.

and you dont buy them under the counter you buy over the counter.

By the under the table thing I meant you can easily get prescription medicine from a doctor in Bangkok in a perfectly legal way, so I don't know why people would buy things off the street and then try and cross an international border. You pay an extra 400 baht for a doctor's visit....no big deal.

Hi TravelTeach

I think you are missing the point that some are trying to impart.

Tramadol is not a medication that requires a prescription in Thailand.

It is legally available over the counter at any (full) pharmacy under a wide variety of brand names:

Amanda

Anadol

Analab

Ambron

Madol

Madola

Modesnal

Pacmadol

Paindol

Pharmadol

Ramadol

Sefmal

Tamolan

Tracine

Tradolgesic

Tramada

Tramadil

Tramadol Stada

Tramadol T.P.

Tramadol Utopian

Tramadan

Tramal

Tramamed

Tramax

Phrases like : "under the table" and "off the street " are non applicable when purchasing Tramadol in Thailand ---- why use such terms for a perfectly legal medication??

You belatedly mention crossing a border -- why do you assume that a (photocopy of a) prescription in Thai would assist you?

You belatedly mention crossing a border -- why do you assume that a (photocopy of a) prescription in Thai would assist you?

Because whenever I've had prescriptions in Thailand they've been in English. So if I were to cross into Japan say, and the customs officer said "Do you have any prescription medicine?" I would say "Yup." and produce the script. However, if my answer was "Yes, and although I legally purchased this in Thailand, I don't have a prescription". He would then confiscate the medicine because Tramadol is controlled in Japan. And then, the next time I had scoliosis-related pain, I would ask a Japanese doctor for Tramadol and would be given ibuprofen, which works alright but not as well as Tramadol.

Tramadol. I'm not concerned about buying it, I'm concerned about leaving the country to the next posting for a few months and being questioned about it in various airports. I've been to hospitals in BKK for sleep meds and they'll happily right up a prescription. I don't understand how people buy this stuff "under the table" and then cross international borders.

But I'm assuming Bumgrungrad or similar hospitals would charge an arm and a leg for sitting down with you, when the smaller hospitals might not. Is that the case?

Your in luck I have just recently approached about 10 drug stores including my 2 regulars in Bangkok and was shocked to find out that its now on the "control substance" list and not in stock any more

bad news for people with pain. Here is the deal

You can not buy from a drug store, period.

You can only get them at the hospital as an inpatient

Yes, there is another thread running about this, seems it is no longer OTC.

Even if it still was, OP may travel to countries where it is not, in which case having it prerscribed would be advisable.

As to cost:

- consultation fees vary by both hospital and doctor

- pharmacy mark-up also varies a bit by hospital

- it will make a big difference which brand is prescribed, specify you want a locally made brand not import. However some of the fancier private hospital pharmacies may not carry any but imported brands.

For reasonable consultation rates and minimal pharmacy mark-up I'd suggest you try St Louis Hosp (Sathorn) or Bkk Christian (Silom), both are convenient to the BTS

Thank you Sheryl, much appreciated.