The Wonders of Hospital Visits

A few months ago my Thai girlfriend spent a week complaining of really bad stomach pain, which, being that time of the month, we assumed it was just a bit worse than normal.

I was sitting in my office at my place of employment after going through my monthly salary and smiling at the balance which would be finding its way into my wallet and possible several bars over the weekend, when the phone rang.

The girlfriend was in so much pain she couldn't walk, so her mother had swung by and taken her to hospital. I quickly made my exit from work and drove to the hospital.

I walked into the a cheap looking hospital just off Pattaya Klang road, and boy was there a crowd. I finally found my girlfriend hunched over in a seat with her mum cuddling her and near crying.

I asked what's wrong and she said that the pain was too severe and she decided it may be worse than a bad monthly. I said did she want me to stay, because I'm a Farung and once they see me who knows what ailments they'll come up with to make more money.

My partner said no, it's a hospital, and I'm told it's a good one, they won't do that. So I stayed. She went to see the doctor after 2 hours, for 5 mins, and was told to sit and wait. Another hour later and she went to see the doctor again, and once more was told to sit and wait.

By this time I was getting extremely pissed off, why couldn't the doctor do the checkup all at once? Am I going to be charged for each separate consultation? On the third visit finally some information came our way. My GF had a stomach infection and had to stay in hospital for 3 days.

What will the cost be? I'm told around 600 baht per night for a communal room, or 1,500 baht per night for private room. I don't like communal hospital rooms, so I agreed to a single room. Any other costs? Yep, around 9,000 per day for medical costs.

WHAT???!!!??

Had she gone to the communal room, then only 7,000 per day for medical costs, but 2,000 more for single? Preferential treatment? Bloody hell, there goes my extra drinking money. My girl was sick so I agreed put her up, I love the girl, what more can I do? I said I'll pay at the end of the month when I get some more money. Nope, I had to pay up front.

WHAT???!!!??

I didn't have that sort of money, so I said can I pay some now, some later? Ok. Off we went. All was good then.

But it didn't end there. 2 days later my girlfriend checked herself out, and was worse than when she went in. She said all they did was keep her on a drip, and if she wanted to eat, she had to pay extra. She didn't feel like they cared, so she left.

A day later, she was even worse, so we took her, on her Auntie's advice, to Sri Racha, to Queen whatever it is hospital there. Within two hours of tests they had determined the real problem, admonished her for going to the other hospital, and admitted her over night. The cost was slightly higher, but upon seeing her smiling face once they found the problem, I didn't care, I just wanted this over with.

The following evening they allowed her to leave, and she was fine. A few weeks of medication, some repeat visits, but that’s it.

I can't believe how one hospital can completely stuff it up, and extort money, (I feel sorry for the Thai with no money to get help like this), and the other hospital within a few hours finds the problem and fixes it almost straight away.

I know one hospital I'll never go to again. I hate knowing it's even allowed to practice in a city so large as Pattaya.