Life in Thailand: A visit to a private hospital

Lung addie has had a pacemaker for 15 years. Regularly, ie. it should be checked annually for operation and the condition of the battery. This is possible here in Bangkok, in the Rajavithi hospital, because that's where my very first pacemaker was placed 15 years ago. However, Lung addie is hesitant to go to Bangkok, especially now, due to the fact that there is only 1 daily flight from Chumphon to Bangkok.

Had already inquired in Hua Hin, as I go here regularly, Surat Thani, which is also not too far, but everywhere the answer was negative. Lung addie happened to be with my girlfriend in the Thonburi hospital in Chumphon last week because she had to undergo a check up for her hospital insurance.

During the time I had to wait for her I saw a man, clearly from the hospital staff, in a busy conversation with a Farang. In my opinion this conversation was not in Thai as very few Farangs are able to engage in such a fluent conversation in Thai. So, my curiosity was piqued and I moved closer so that I could hear in which language the conversation was going on. And yes, it was, as thought, in English. I had to speak to this person to get information….

After his conversation with the other Farang, I approached him. Turned out to be the Hospital Service Department Manager Mr Wayne Tun. Submitted my question to him and he started calling. After a few minutes I already had an appointment with the cardiologist on Sunday at 09.00:XNUMX.

So Lung addie well in time by appointment. As always, he was immediately weighed, measured and blood pressure taken. Then a cardiogram was taken. Then it was a matter of waiting for the cardiologist, who arrived very punctually. 

But as it turned out, he could not measure the type of pacemaker, a St Jude, due to lack of the necessary equipment…. Already thought: yes was to think, come for nothing…..

But other news came. After a telephone conversation he made, he told me that from now on, and this is the first time, a team of cardiologists from Bangkok will go to every province in Thailand to carry out this task. This is done in the provincial state hospital. More and more Thai people now also have a pacemaker and, to prevent them from not making the trip to Bangkok for an annual check-up, they are now organizing this themselves. Appointment was not necessary as it was a 'walk in'. Only prior registration at the state hospital was advisable so that they have the necessary information and no longer have to do this on the day itself. The team will only stay on site for half a day.

So, my visit to Thonburi hospital would not have been useless at all, otherwise this information would never have reached me.

For taking the cardiogram and the consultation with the cardiologist, Lung paid addie, as a farang in a private hospital, exactly 600 THB…. The pacemaker check up at the state hospital, on 21 07, is FREE, both for the Farang and for the Thai.

Can it be better?