Looking for a Doctor

It is my understanding that all Thai doctors speaks fluent English. You can validate this point on your own.

Thanks  Bill,

Was really looking for a little more info ,  As such for a specific Doctor and Pratice Office located near Nakhon Ratchasima

Best Regards
Bob T

I'm in Chiang Mai, sorry I can't help you.

Ok Thank You anyways Bill.

Best Regards
Bob T .

In my experience all legitimate doctors with outside clinics have a day job at one of the hospitals and go to their clinics after-hours to make extra money.  So you might want to work backwards by finding a doctor you like at one of the hospitals and asking him or her if they have a clinic which you might find more to your liking. 

While most doctors will know the relevant english medical terminology they sometimes struggle conversationally and may not completely understand attempts to explain nonspecific symptoms.  Many are not very receptive to being grilled by their patients, either, and language problems make that worse.  Good luck with your search.

Good strategy for looking for a doctor.

Yes doctors do speak English, but not all are comfortable conversing in English.

With my hospital stay I noticed something else as well. There was a kind of trickle down style. The doctor would speak with the head nurse. Then the nurse would instruct a subordinate. And then there might be another subordinate. With this trickle down effect at times some of the information may be mixed up. It would appear that the Thai Way is simply to accept the treatment without discourse or questions.

In my case they started out with a major mistake that could have been fatal. Thereafter I required that I be an informed patient.

I participate with a group that helps Farang patients. It seems that a common occurrence is that the Farang is not informed and can readily have problems. While I was in the hospital there was a Farang that was taken somewhere for a procedure and the Farang said no. Come to find out the nurse pulled the wrong patient. Yes, I know such a thing can happen in the states too. The point being is that the language barrier can create complications that are not necessary.

There are a couple of things one might want to consider when dealing with doctors in Thailand, in addition to the language issue.  First, in this highly class structured society doctors hold a position of high status which causes most people to treat them with great respect and deference, something they in turn come to expect. 

Secondly, a large percentage of the population still cling to a belief in rather primitive superstitions, rituals and ceremonies.  They are very susceptible to snake oil salesmen, village gossip and old wives' tales.  Knowing this, doctors are perhaps conditioned to pay even less attention to what their patients say or ask, if the speak at all.

Knowing this going in, may help people to be a bit more sympathetic to where the doctor is coming from and avoid a negative confrontation which won’t help in getting the treatment you need.  It is important to assert yourself in a way that does not cause your doctor to lose face and become defensive.

I never going to use a clinic, So many Fake Doctors in Thailand.
Even if i know the Doctors work at a hospital or so, I never use it.
When i first move here, I found out that 4 or 5 clinic i go to, Use medicine / vaccine that was year(s) over last use date.
The Doctors did try to convince me, It was "normal" in Thailand, And it was "Safe".

I like using military hospital, Same price for Thai and Foreigner for everything.
All Doctors speak perfekt English, Can explain every thing and answer every questions one have.
I all so like that have my medical records in Thai And English in military hospital , And in "real" English not some not easy to read google translate.

I all so use the Public Universitet Hospital here in Bang Saen, And every Doctors speak perfekt English all so, Never a problem.

If a Doctor one day Don´t speak English, I ask to see other Doctor, But i am sure that never going to happened.

Thai Doctors i see over the years, Like that i questions them, That i Don´t agree (If i Disagree that is).
It make it easy for them to pindpoint the problem, And make it easy for them to find the correct treatment.

That's an interesting explanation. In general I agree with your statements. But there are exceptions as well. A Thai doctor, MD can also fall pray to an old belief or medical practice that is no longer valid. They may even violate their own Hippocratic oath.

I was subordinated to a Thai medical procedure that three American MD's called barbaric. One of those doctors is in Boston, Another is in Phoenix, and the other is in Chiang Mai. All three doctors stated that a simple sedation could have been applied to prevent complications. It could have been a topical or full sedation. Instead the Thai doctor forced an intubator tube down my throat without any regard. As she continued to force the intubator down my throat she hit my gag reflex and created additional problems. A topical sedative would have completely solved the problem, but the old Thai way was much more important then the condition of the patient, me.

There are now available something to the extent of Medical Letters of of Instruction in which the doctor is to comply with. This letter can include that the doctor be required to provide some form of sedation. It is also helpful to have an advocate to assist in this matter. From what I have been told Thai MD's, especially those serving Farangs are learning the importance of this. If they do not Thailand will begin to lose this business called "Medical Tourism".

I've been happy with the medical services in Thailand. I also understand that even the doctors have varying attitudes, both in the US and in Thailand. But it does not excuse a doctor for a practice that is antiquated, wrong, and potentially causing irreversible damage. (It took almost a week for me to be able to talk because of the damage that one doctor did to my throat.)

Hello Never Done That ,

Thanks for the feedback

I’ve been leaning towards a Military Hospital as well , There is one near me in
Nakhon Ratchasima called Fort Suranne.

I was just trying to see if there are some other options and staying open to any info and feedback.

Thanks Again
Best Regards
Bob T.
U.S. Citizen / Retired Resident
Nakhon Ratchasima Thailand

IF you can, go to Malaysia for any medical treatment.   
It is best and def worth it to hire a good nurse to be with you during a hospital stay and def if you have to have surgery.
Ask questions, where are you taking me, what are you doing, what are you giving me?  They might just do things and not discuss with you what is happening. 
As mentioned, the lack of communication can get you killed here.

Yes Bob, Fort Suranaree Military Hospital or Bangkok Hospital is a good option.

Thank You