More than a million people visit Thailand every year for medical attention. Many believe that the money they save on treatment pays for a happy holiday in the kingdom noted for its silk and smiles.

It is one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism in Thailand but the least explored by guidebooks or promoted by the tourism authorities. The attractions are the low cost and high quality of care that is available. Many of the kingdom’s 500 private hospitals and clinics are operated more like five star hotels than medical centers. They don’t have the smell or aura of a hospital. Gone are the antiseptic aromas replaced by the gentle fragrances of jasmine, lemon grass and lotus. Soothing music plays in sitting areas and behind the scenes the most modern equipment is in the hands of top technicians and highly trained medical staff able to perform all modern day medical procedures.

Many of the medical vacationers come for minor surgery, dental check ups or eye examinations. Some take a day away from the beach for an extensive but inexpensive general physical examination. Others are here for major items like cancer treatments, cardiac surgery or joint replacements. A major benefit for those undertaking major treatment is that convalescence can be taken at one of Thailand’s luxury resorts.
Surprisingly, perhaps, the number one operation sought by foreigners is the sex change procedure from male to female for which Thailand is noted as the world leader. Many of the country’s top surgeons give symposiums sharing their knowledge with visiting physicians from different parts of the globe. Thai doctors have also developed expertise in the complex operation of turning females into males, a procedure that has proved popular with many clients from Japan.

The basic physical examination attracts a greater number of patients. Most hospitals don’t require appointments for these visits. You arrive early in the morning and a few hours later leave with a book giving you a breakdown of what’s right and wrong. If you take the more expensive packages you can expect an in-depth examination which will normally include a discussion with a specialist about how you can maintain or improve your health.

Others come for more elaborate procedures. Knee and hip replacements are a common procedure. And a great benefit here is that if you opt for a hospital in a tourist area you can enjoy all the benefits of a beach resort for convalescence.
To add to the healthy atmosphere many of the resorts have expanded their spas and renamed them wellness centers. There is an abundance of massage specialists in Thailand and many been renamed therapists because of their prowess in providing soothing comfort for the tired and weary.

Patients from the U.S. are attracted by the low costs. Despite the weakened dollar some procedures can cost one eighth of the price charged in the U.S. There are no official figures of how many North Americans visited Thailand for a medical vacation but some estimates put it as high as 50,000 a year. Considerably more Europeans, dissatisfied with the health systems in their home countries, welcome the rapid response that the Thai hospitals and doctors offer. A hospital official in Phuket said that in normal circumstances a patient can be seen the day after he or she arrives in Thailand. It is not unusual for a hip replacement, as an example, to be carried out within 48 hours of the patient first visiting the hospital.

An American woman who came to Thailand for a breast implant was first seen within hours of arriving. She said she paid a total of $2,500 for the procedure. That price included all the doctors and nursing costs, medicine and an overnight stay in a very pleasant room. She was impressed with the attention she received, the fine food and most of all she was delighted with her new look. She said that she would have paid $5,000 in the U.S. for just the surgeon’s fee.

It is extremely unlikely that western doctors would recommend or forward their patients to Thailand, however, two U.S. doctors who visited hospitals in Phuket offered no negative comments about medicine in Thailand. One, in fact, had previously had dental work done in Bangkok and he was extremely complimentary about the work. Insurance companies, in business to make money, normally have no problems settling claims with Thai hospitals. Provided their client has coverage for a particular medical procedure the lower the claim the better. Most insurance companies insist that they give approval prior to any work being undertaken. One insurance agent did tell us that many insurance companies were now asking for more than one quote for elective surgery since there had been wide deviations in prices from Thai hospitals.

Thai hospitals don’t disclose how much of the medical vacation income comes from insurance companies.

Major reason for the lower Thai costs is lower payroll. Many Thai doctors who are qualified to practice in the U.S. and other parts of the world opt to work in their homeland. And the reason isn’t money. Doctors’ salaries in Thailand are a third lower than their counterparts in the U.S. Another major cost saving is that Thai hospitals and doctors don’t have to pay the extraordinary costs to protect themselves against horrendous malpractice claims.

What happens if something does go wrong? Unhappy patients can make a formal complaint to the Thai Medical Association which investigates. On some occasions that organization has taken criminal proceedings against doctors and hospitals. It is also possible to sue doctors and hospitals. Most of these cases get settled out of court but don’t expect the mega compensation payments that plague the U.S. medical system.
Many visitors say that the amount they save on their bills with doctors and hospitals more than covers their airfare and hotel stay. There are those contemplating surgery who first visit for a medical check up just to get an insight into the hospital’s operations before committing to something more extensive.

The government recently saw the benefits of the medical vacation and decided to establish three areas in the country – Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai – as the kingdom’s major medical centers. All three continue to attract the medical visitor but the major markets for North Americans and Europeans have been Bangkok and Phuket.
Hospitals catering to the foreign visitors deliberately train their staff in creating a friendly environment more like a hotel than a hospital. Gone is that cold antiseptic aura. Replacing it is pleasant music, delicate aromas from scented oil burners and quiet cafeterias.

If anyone doubts the efficiency of the hospitals, they should have been here after the tsunami struck southern Thailand on December 26, 2004. Phuket’s hospitals were swamped with patients and handled everything efficiently. In addition to handling the medical problems, the hospitals set up special multi-lingual teams to help foreigners who were searching for relatives and friends lost in the tragic event.



Four hospitals handle more than 70 percent of the medical vacation market in Thailand. All have elaborate websites and international sales departments.
The Bumrungrad Hospital, (33 Sukhumvit 3, Wattana, Bangkok. Telephone (66) 2667 1000, fax (66) 2667 2525. www.bumrungrad.com) is where the Thailand medical vacations began. And it has to be the number one spot in Thailand for foreigners seeking medical help. The hospital sees more than a million Thais and foreigners a year. Patients come from over 100 countries and the hospital’s web site is available in 15 languages. You can select prices from a menu for operations or for specific needs they’ll promptly send you a quote. This is a big hospital with centers for everything. Prices in Bangkok will tend to be higher than in Phuket simply because capital cities are always more expensive than other areas. Hospital charges start as low as 1,350 Baht ($35) for a basic check-up and if you’re prepared to share a room with three others the nightly charge is only 800 Baht ($21). A VIP suite costs 7,200 Baht ($189) a night. The hospital also operates the BH Residence, a 74-room serviced apartment complex that caters to the needs of patients, family and visitors to Bumrungrad Hospital. The Residence is connected by an air conditioned elevated walkway to the hospital and provides several kinds of accommodation at reasonable prices.
The hospital recently entered a partnership agreement with a major travel organization, Diethelm Travel Thailand (DTT). Under the agreement, DTT will act as Bumrungrad International’s exclusive ground service agent, providing support services for inbound patients coming to Bangkok for treatment. DTT Managing Director, Richard Brouwer, heard a presentation by Bumrungrad Group CEO Curtis Schroeder and decided a partnership with the hospital was a necessity. Brouwer said he had no idea the hospital was handling more than 400,000 foreign patients annually. Bumrungrad CEO Schroeder said the benefits in associating with a strong travel partner were obvious. “Our business is medicine, not travel. The partnership with Diethelm Travel allows us to focus on our core business, and provide our patients with expert ground handling services.
The Bangkok Phuket Hospital, (2/1 Hongyok Utis Road, Phuket. Telephone (66) 7625 4421, fax 07625 4430. www.phukethospital.com) is part of the Bangkok Hospital group, the largest integrated hospital group in Southeast Asia. The hospital is designed rather like a shopping mall with its varied assortment of services. They include a heart center, manned by some of the top cardiac surgeons in Thailand including the King’s personal physician; the rejuvenation center where Thai traditional medicines are combined with modern day techniques to help alleviate stress-related illnesses; an aesthetic center devoted to all forms of cosmetic surgery including sex reassignment operations, a procedure in which Thailand leads the world; dental center which handles everything from laser cleaning to denture construction; eye center where the latest laser technology is used to correct vision; and cancer center offering a full range of treatments and support services and a hyperbaric oxygen therapy center originally designed to help SCUBA divers in distress but also being used to help with a range of diseases. There are also centers for dialysis, (6,500 Baht -$ 170 - a session) hearing, and rehabilitation.
The entire operation is operated more like a quiet resort. In the central lobby, where you wait to settle your account, gentle Thai music is provided by a lady playing a khim the Thai instrument that looks like a small xylophone. The hospital rooms are large, fully equipped with TV and refrigerator and enjoy pleasant views. They cost a reasonable 3,000 Baht ($79) a night. The hospital has a total of 200 rooms and is able to handle 1,000 outpatients daily. The hospital is managed by doctors, not by businessmen or accountants and the Bangkok hospital company was founded by a doctor.
The hospital employs 500 people, 60 of them doctors and 55 of those are specialists. The hospital’s travel center offers a complete range of packages for people who want to link a hospital visit with their vacation. Costs start as low as 1,500 Baht ($39) for a basic health check-up to 300,000 Baht ($7,900) for sex reassignment surgery. For a more comprehensive check-up expect to pay 10,000 Baht ($262). At the end of that you get to discuss the results with a specialist physician. You leave with a booklet detailing the results of all the tests. The hospital retains the information too for comparison purposes should you return for a later examination.
The hospital offers a number of all inclusive packages. Most include being met at the airport and a hotel stay after medical procedures. An eight-day breast augmentation package, which includes all the medical costs and a stay at a hotel after the procedure costs around 100,000 Baht ($2,620). A three-day tooth whitening by laser package sells for around 20,000 Baht ($524) depending on the resort you pick. And you can get a week long stay in Phuket and have both your eyes adjusted with the Lasik laser treatment for as little as 85,500 Baht ($2,240). The travel center can also arrange packages for knee and hip replacements with the added advantage you can recuperate on the beach.
The Bangkok Hospital (Telephone (66) 2310 3101, fax 02310 3367 www.bangkokhospital.com) is the parent of the Bangkok Phuket hospital. The hospital, by far the largest of all the Bangkok hospital chain, offers all the services of the Bangkok Phuket Hospital, plus a few more. Since it is in the capital prices tend to be a little higher than the regional hospitals.
The Phuket International Hospital (44 Chalemprakiat Ror 9 Road, Phuket. Telephone (66) 7624 9400, fax (66) 7621 0938. www.phuket-inter-hospital.co.th.) is a major competitor for the Bangkok Phuket Hospital and is presently undergoing a multi million dollar major expansion. The hospital offers many similar services, some of which are at a lower price. The hospital, with 105 beds and more planned, is centrally located amid pleasant gardens across from the Tesco Lotus shopping center. In addition to modern day medicine, the hospital has a large unit devoted to traditional Oriental remedies. Director of that center is Dr. Wang Pengyao, a graduate of China’s Tianjin University. The center specializes in acupuncture, Chinese massage, cupping – using a partial vacuum in jars placed on the skin to draw out underlying tissue – and herbal medicines. These treatments are used for numerous problems including allergies, asthma, arthritis, stress, weight control, strains and sprains and can assist in helping smokers quit. The hospital offers a basic health check-up for 2,100 Baht. A more in-depth check-up for women over 40 is available at 9,100 Baht. No appointments needed for the check-ups. Just be at the hospital any morning at 9am Monday thru Friday and don’t eat or drink anything for at least 10 hours before going to the hospital. Room rates as low as 600 Baht ($16) climbing to 2,000 Baht ($52) a night for an impressive private room. Those prices do include meals but not nursing fees.
The hospital was founded in 1982, the first private hospital to open in the area. It has over 50 full and part time physicians. The hospital has an International Office with multi-lingual staff that assists international patients and referring physicians looking for a consultation, a second opinion or treatment for a complex illness or injury.
The hospital’s motto: Caring People, Curing People.