Describing a symptom in your second language is harder than describing it in your first. “Sharp” versus “dull,” “since Tuesday” versus “on and off for months” — the details that shape a diagnosis are exactly the ones that get lost. Add unfamiliar billing and a hospital directory in Thai, and a straightforward problem turns into a stressful afternoon.
It doesn’t have to. Bangkok has excellent private medicine, and for anything that isn’t an emergency you have more control over cost, speed, and clarity than most new arrivals realise.
Hospital, clinic, or app?
International hospitals are the right call for surgery, complex diagnostics, inpatient care, and anything urgent. They are also the slowest and most expensive route to a sore throat. You’ll register, wait, see a doctor, be sent to a separate department for tests, wait again, then queue at a cashier. Budget half a day.
Private clinics cover the same routine ground — infections, skin problems, blood work, vaccinations, prescriptions, ongoing conditions — usually in one room, with one doctor, at a published price. Same clinical standards, far less walking.
Telemedicine apps are fine for a prescription refill or a second opinion on a rash. They cannot take your blood pressure, swab your throat, run bloods, or administer an injection, which rules them out for a first visit about anything undiagnosed.
Public hospitals are inexpensive and staffed by capable doctors, but waits are long and English is inconsistent outside the international wings.
What it actually costs
Vagueness about price is the most common complaint expats have about healthcare here, so we’ll start with ours: a standard Doctor Consultation at MedConsult is ฿1000. Certificates, blood panels, screening packages, and treatment programmes are all listed on our services and pricing page — every fee published, none of it quoted only after the fact.
The principle matters more than any single number. Tests and medication are priced for you before we proceed, so nothing on the bill is a surprise. If a clinic anywhere in Bangkok won’t quote you a routine appointment over the phone, that reluctance is worth taking seriously.
Getting more out of a fifteen-minute appointment
Write three things down before you come in:
- Your medications and allergies, including supplements and anything bought over the counter at a Thai pharmacy. Brand names differ here; the generic name is more useful.
- A timeline. When it started, what makes it better or worse, whether it’s changed. This is the single most useful thing you can bring, and the hardest to reconstruct on the spot in a second language.
- What you actually want. A diagnosis, a document for your employer, reassurance, a repeat prescription — say it early.
Bring your insurance card and any records from home, even as photos on your phone.
Judging a clinic before you book
- Are prices published? If a clinic won’t quote a routine appointment over the phone, that’s your answer.
- Where did the doctor train, and where are they registered? Foreign registration — GMC in the UK, for instance — is verifiable online in about a minute.
- Is there a lab on site? It’s the difference between results today and a second trip on Thursday.
- How wide is the service list? A clinic that handles sexual health, mental health, and hormone care under one roof saves you re-explaining your history to three strangers.
- Will you feel comfortable raising the awkward thing? Most people’s real reason for booking isn’t the one they say at reception.
About MedConsult
Dr. Donna Robinson opened MedConsult in 2003. She holds both UK (GMC) and Thai medical licences, has practised for over 35 years, and has treated more than 22,000 international patients.
We have two locations:
Thonglor — Floor 3, Building 2, The Racquet Club, Sukhumvit 49/9 Alley
Silom — 3rd Floor, 64 Building, Si Lom Road
Alongside general practice, we cover comprehensive health screening, sexual health testing, psychiatric consultations and ADHD medication management, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), and personalised weight-loss programmes including GLP-1 treatment. Standard blood results come back the same day.
Walk in any time we’re open — no appointment needed for anything we offer. Booking online simply means you’re seen faster, usually within minutes.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Individual results vary. Please see a qualified clinician for an assessment of your own situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a private appointment cost in Bangkok?
MedConsult, 1000฿ for a standard Doctor Consultation. Our full fee list — certificates, blood work, screening packages — is on the services and pricing page. It varies widely across the city, so ask any clinic for the number before you book. One that won’t give you a figure is telling you something.
Do I need an appointment?
No. We take walk-ins for every service, at both branches, any time between 7 AM and 7 PM — seven days a week, including weekends. Booking online only affects how long you wait.
Do the doctors speak English?
Yes — the full clinical team, led by Dr Robinson, who is British and dual-licensed in the UK and Thailand.
Can I get a medical certificate the same day?
In most cases, yes, following a physical examination. We issue certificates in English for visa applications, work permits, sick leave, driving licences, school requirements, fitness to fly, and fitness to dive — written to the standards employers, airlines, and Thai government departments expect. Available at both branches.
Can I get a repeat prescription from home filled here?
In most cases, yes, following a physical examination. We issue certificates in English for visa applications, work permits, sick leave, driving licences, school requirements, fitness to fly, and fitness to dive — written to the standards employers, airlines, and Thai government departments expect. Available at both branches.