Bangkok

We spent time in Bangkok with our family. This is what we figured out about hospital.

Practical Info

Bangkok is one of the best cities in Southeast Asia for medical care. Bumrungrad, Samitivej, and Bangkok Hospital are all internationally accredited and feel closer to a hotel lobby than a hospital. We took one of our kids to Samitivej Sukhumvit for a fever that wouldn't break, and the whole experience from registration to seeing a pediatrician took under an hour. The public hospitals like Siriraj and Ramathibodi are excellent too, but the wait times are longer and English support is less consistent.

Cost

Private hospital visits start at around 1,500 to 3,000 THB (40 to 85 USD) for a basic consultation. Bumrungrad is the most expensive, with ER visits running 5,000 THB and up depending on what's needed. Samitivej is slightly cheaper. Public hospitals are dramatically less, sometimes under 500 THB, but you'll wait. Blood work and imaging add to the bill, but even a full workup at a private hospital tends to be a fraction of what it would cost in the US.

Practical tips

Bumrungrad is near BTS Nana, Samitivej Sukhumvit is near BTS Thong Lo. Both are easy to reach by Grab or BTS. If you're staying in the Khao San area, Bangkok Christian Hospital on Silom is closer. For non-emergencies with the kids, the pediatric floors at Samitivej have play areas and the staff is used to treating foreign children. Most private hospitals have 24-hour pharmacies on-site.

Language

English is standard at the main international hospitals. Bumrungrad has interpreters for dozens of languages. At Samitivej and Bangkok Hospital, the doctors and nurses all speak English comfortably. Public hospitals are more hit-or-miss but you can usually find someone who speaks enough to get by.

With kids

Samitivej Sukhumvit has one of the best pediatric departments we've seen anywhere in Asia. The pediatric ER is separate from the adult one, which makes a big difference when you've got three little ones and it's 2am. Bangkok Hospital also has a dedicated children's center.

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This page is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Information may be outdated or inaccurate. Always call ahead to confirm. See our full disclaimer.

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Sources: WHO Thailand · CDC Travel Health: Thailand · Bumrungrad International Hospital