R

Railroads.  Thailand has a reasonably extensive railway system.  As is true in much of the world, the trains tend to be slower than what people from countries such as Japan, America, and western European ones normally experience.  But fares are extremely cheap, and trains offer a much safer mode of travel than do road vehicles.

Rainy Season.  Conventional wisdom holds that this runs from late May until early or mid November, but in recent years the pattern hasn’t been consistent.  In any case, it is the monsoon season, when virtually all the annual rainfall comes.  In 2000, there was heavy flooding, especially in the north, northeast, and far south, with numerous lives lost and billions of dollars in damage.  Bangkok itself was largely spared in 2000, unl;ike other years, the most recent being 1994, when huge swaths of the city were heavily flooded.  Entire harvests were lost in 2000.  One thing Old Thai Hands appreciate about the rainy season is that it mitigates the tropical heat.

Ramkhamhaeng Hospital.  This is an op-and-coming but well-established hospital in the Hua Mark area of Bangkok that's making a splash with its move into "medical tourism."

An idea once scoffed at but which has taken off here in Thailand is a wedding of medical treatment with tourism, a service aimed primarily at foreigners, especially those from countries where medical costs are prohibitive.

But those costs here are a fraction of what even the finest (and therefore most expensive) hospitals in Thailand charge for equally good -- in some cases better -- treatment.  To increase the lure, more and more hospitals are offering packages, through which a patient travels here, undergoes whatever procedure(s) are required, then enjoys a holiday here.  And the entire outlay, including airfare, weighs in at far below the medical treatment alone in many of the developed nations, particularly the U.S., where medical costs have gone beyond even the stratospheric.

Of course, people needing treatment urgently don't have time to set everything up then travel here, especially, of course, in emergency situations.  Realizing this obvious point, the folks here aim for people needing an elective procedure (or just plain wanting one, such as a face-lift or sex-change operation).

Ramkhamhaeng Hospital is, and is the "mother" hospital of a group of 8 hospitals around the Kingdom, Ramkhamhaeng itself near the city center.  If you look at their homepage, you'll see several packages offered, and their prices.  For example, laser surgery on one eye is priced at 30,000 baht (about US$755 at this writing).  The hospital's International Patient Support Team helps to arrange everything, including, if the patient wants, air passage, pre- and post-hospital stay accommodation, pick-up and return to the airport, and other customized services.  They also visit patients in the hospital to make sure everything is going smoothly.

While I have no vested interest in this project, I do want to commend my former partners, "Doctor" Dennis and "Cowboy Jon, for setting this program up for the hospital and for themselves being the International Patient Support Team.  Here is a letter the hospital received from a U.K. patient who had both knees replaced:

'50 something and crippled with arthritis in both knees, a failing NHS and very high private medical charges in the UK and to a lesser extent in Europe.  All  I needed was a less expensive option but it had to offer high standards of  surgery and  medical care - a tall order.   Using the internet I found the Ramkhamhaeng Hospital, after a lot of E-mails answering my details questions about what would happen to me I arrived in Bangkok - late Oct 03

Prior to the operation as is typical of OA of the knees suffers my legs were bowed and very odd shaped knees 26 pills a day did little to dull the pain. SIX weeks Post Op I now sport a very smart straight pair of legs, I also feel taller,  the transition is amazing.  Over the next few weeks I will be returning to swimming, then gentle cycling and by the Spring mountain biking my greatest passion A NEW PAIN FREE LIFE.  How did I get to this stage...? Thro the skill of the surgeon( Dr Sangad Limpiwattakee) and his surgical team,  the excellent nursing care 24 seven and the physiotherapy staff who literally got me back on my feet. within days of the operation.  The standard of nursing care I received was very much higher than I had experienced in the UK recently.

In my experience all the staff at Ramkhamhaeng Hospital could not do enough to help me and make my stay as comfortable as possible. An important feature was the support I had from the International Patient Support team(Jon and Dennis) collection from the airport, regular hospital visits and internet access in my room, importantly if I had any non medical problems they could help to resolve them.

Yours re-born 50 something male.

Rod Roberts

I remember when Mr. Roberts was here; he came to Washington Square, where I had the opportunity to meet him.  He came there only about a week or so after his surgery, and while he was walking a little slowly, he was doing so without any assistance, not even a cane.  It was an impressive sight, and he couldn't say enough good about the hospital and everyone connected with it.  

Ramkhamhaeng Hospital and its affiliated hospitals aren't the only ones offering such services, of course, but they are the newest entrants into the field and the program appears poised for great success.  If you are in need of an elective surgery but are either unable to afford it or put off by the high cost in your own country, definitely give Ramkhamhaeng Hospital a look.  You can contact Doctor Dennis at The_DocBangkok@yahoo.com.

Remittances. [See Electronic Funds Transfers above.]

Richard Diran. Diran is an American long resident in Thailand, but who spends much of his time in Burma [Myanmar] engaged in various pursuits, principally in the gem trade as well as trading in other natural products. He has written a coffee-table book about Burmese hill tribes, called, appropriately enough, The Vanishing Hill Tribes of Burma [see entry for The Vanishing Hill Tribes of Burma below.]. Beautifully photographed by Diran himself (an accomplished professional photographer), this handsome volume is available in both soft and hard cover. It is available at Asiabooks [see entry for "Asiabooks" above.]. Inquiries and orders to the following e-mail address: MekhongKurt@BangkokAtoZ.com

Rifles. FORBIDDEN!!! Firearms and anything connected with them are strictly forbidden to foreigners in Thailand, and stringently controlled even for Thai nationals. Bringing them in or being caught in possession of them are serious offenses for which Thai authorities neither have nor show any sympathy. Stiff fines and prison sentences are imposed for violations of the various laws regarding possessing or owning firearms and related paraphernalia. Your embassy won’t be able to do much to help you, besides seeing, once a month or so, that you are getting your maggot-infested bowl of rice daily, right along with the Thai prisoners, and that, if you’re lucky, there is a bucket for your sanitary needs. (Get used to this refrain; we repeat it for every entry having anything to do with firearms.)

Roger Beaumont [Local Humor Columnist]. Beaumont has been on the Bangkok scene a number of years, and writes humorously about people and their foibles --–ten making fun of himself – in his column "Slightly Out of Focus," carried somewhat irregularly by The Nation newspaper. He also prepares materials and columns for us to use on this website.