Healthcare in Bangkok
The widest choice of hospitals and specialist clinics in Thailand. Confirm current services, practitioners, fees and availability directly with each provider.
37 providers in BangkokBangkok is where Thailand's healthcare is most concentrated. The large public teaching hospitals — Siriraj on the Thonburi bank of the river, King Chulalongkorn Memorial on Rama IV Road and Ramathibodi on Rama VI Road — take referrals from across the country and train much of its medical workforce. Alongside them sit city and military hospitals such as Lerdsin in Silom and Bhumibol Adulyadej in the north of the city. Most Thai residents use these public hospitals through the national health schemes, and waits for non-urgent outpatient care can be long.
The private sector is just as visible. Large private hospitals cluster along Sukhumvit Road and the inner business districts: Bumrungrad International on Sukhumvit Soi 3, Samitivej Sukhumvit on Soi 49, BNH on Convent Road in Silom, MedPark on Rama IV Road and the Bangkok Hospital headquarters on Soi Soonvijai off New Petchaburi Road. Around them is a dense layer of specialist and outpatient clinics, many on the BTS Skytrain and MRT lines.
Private hospitals in Bangkok serve Thai patients who pay privately or hold private insurance, long-term foreign residents and a large number of people who travel to the city for planned treatment. Short-stay visitors usually reach them through an emergency or a referral from a hotel doctor. Because the choice is wide, it pays to compare what each provider publishes — departments, named practitioners, accreditation and language support — rather than relying on a hospital's general reputation.
Comparisons in Bangkok
All comparisonsProviders in Bangkok
- Aspire Coaching and PhysioPhysiotherapy and exercise clinic
- Bangkok Heart HospitalPrivate specialist heart hospital
- Bangkok Hospital (Headquarters)Private tertiary hospital
- Bangkok International Dental Center (BIDC)Dental clinic
- Beyond IVFSpecialist fertility clinic
- BNH HospitalPrivate hospital
- Bumrungrad International HospitalPrivate tertiary hospital
- First Fertility PGS CenterSpecialist fertility clinic
- Jetanin Institute for Assisted ReproductionSpecialist fertility hospital
- Jintabutr Fertility CenterSpecialist fertility clinic
- Kamol Cosmetic HospitalSpecialist cosmetic surgery hospital
- Kanya Physical Therapy ClinicPhysiotherapy clinic group
- King Chulalongkorn Memorial HospitalPublic teaching hospital (Thai Red Cross Society)
- Lelux HospitalSpecialist cosmetic surgery hospital
- Manarom HospitalPsychiatric hospital
- Masterpiece HospitalSpecialist cosmetic surgery hospital
- MedPark HospitalPrivate tertiary hospital
- Mission HospitalHospital dermatology clinic
- New Counseling Service (NCS)Counselling practice
- Phyathai 2 HospitalPrivate hospital
- Praram 9 HospitalPrivate hospital
- Preecha Aesthetic Institute (PAI)Plastic surgery clinic
- Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (Thai Red Cross Society)Thai Red Cross institute and vaccine clinic
- Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child HealthPublic specialist children's hospital
- Ramathibodi HospitalPublic university teaching hospital
- Rutnin Eye HospitalSpecialist eye hospital
- SAFE Fertility Group (Gaysorn Amarin)Specialist fertility clinic group
- Samitivej International Children's Hospital (Srinakarin)Private children's hospital
- Samitivej Sukhumvit HospitalPrivate tertiary hospital
- Siriraj HospitalPublic university teaching hospital
- Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun HospitalUniversity hospital (self-funded)
- Skytrain Dental GroupDental clinic group
- Superior A.R.T.Specialist fertility clinic
- Thai Travel Clinic (Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Mahidol University)University travel medicine clinic
- Thantakit International Dental CenterDental clinic
- TRSC International LASIK CenterSpecialist eye and laser vision centre
- Vejthani HospitalPrivate tertiary hospital
Practical information for Bangkok
Emergencies
For a medical emergency anywhere in Thailand, call 1669, the national emergency medical line coordinated by the National Institute for Emergency Medicine. Be ready to give the location, what has happened and the patient's condition and approximate age. The Tourist Police answer 1155 around the clock and keep interpreters on call; 191 reaches the police, and the UK government's advice is that you can also ask for an ambulance there.
An ambulance sent through 1669 will normally take the patient to the nearest hospital that can manage the case, which is often a public one. Several private hospitals run their own ambulances: BNH says its ambulance carries emergency physicians and nurses across Bangkok, Samitivej says its ambulances are equipped to intensive-care level, and Bumrungrad publishes a 24-hour emergency and ambulance line, 1378, for calls within Thailand. If you are insured and would prefer a particular hospital, save its own emergency number before you need it.
Getting to hospital
Bangkok's traffic is heavy for much of the day, and a short distance on the map can take an hour by road at peak times. For a planned appointment, the BTS and MRT are usually the most predictable way to travel, and many central hospitals are a short walk or taxi ride from a station. In an emergency, an ambulance or the nearest suitable emergency department is safer than crossing the city to a preferred hospital.
Some hospitals also publish helicopter access for serious cases or transfers; MedPark, for example, lists a rooftop helipad.
Language and international patient services
English is widely used in the city's large private hospitals, and most run an international patient office that handles appointments, interpreters, insurance and, for longer stays, visa letters. Bumrungrad says it has more than 130 interpreters; BNH lists interpretation in several European and Asian languages; Bangkok Hospital runs an Expat Health Connect service with case managers for foreign residents. Public hospitals are improving their English services, but registration, signage and paperwork are often in Thai, so bring a Thai speaker if you can.
Costs and insurance
Private hospitals in Bangkok charge considerably more than public ones, and prices vary widely between them for the same service. The UK government notes that hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treatment, so carry your insurance details and your insurer's emergency assistance number. For planned care, ask for a written estimate and check whether the hospital can bill your insurer directly. Thai nationals are covered by the public schemes, including the Universal Coverage Scheme run by the National Health Security Office; foreign visitors generally pay in full or claim from their insurer.
Pharmacies and minor care
Pharmacies are found on almost every main road, in shopping centres and in BTS and MRT stations, and many have a pharmacist on duty who can advise on minor problems. The UK government says pharmacies and hospitals usually accept UK prescriptions, but warns that medicines sold on the street may be fake. For minor illness or injury, a hospital outpatient department or a clinic is usually quicker than an emergency department, and larger hospitals run extended-hours or walk-in clinics.
Frequently asked questions
What number do I call for an ambulance in Bangkok?
Call 1669, Thailand's national emergency medical number. The Tourist Police on 1155 can help with interpretation, and 191 reaches the police. Some private hospitals also run their own ambulance lines.
Are Bangkok's public hospitals an option for foreigners?
Yes. The public teaching hospitals treat foreign patients and handle complex cases, but expect queues, Thai-language paperwork and fees for non-Thai patients. Many have premium or special clinics with shorter waits at higher cost.
Do I need to pay before treatment?
Hospitals generally ask for a guarantee of payment before treatment, such as a deposit, a card or confirmation from your insurer. Contact your insurer or assistance company as soon as you are admitted or referred.
Which part of Bangkok has the most private hospitals?
Many of the large private hospitals are along or near Sukhumvit Road and in the Silom and Rama IV area, though there are also major private and public hospitals in other districts and on the Thonburi side of the river.
How do I check a provider before booking?
Look at what the provider publishes about the department, the named practitioners, accreditation and languages, then confirm current fees and availability directly. Each comparison on this site links to the pages it is based on.
Sources
Specific numbers, phone lines and hospital details on this page come from these pages.
- GOV.UK: Thailand travel advice, health
- National Institute for Emergency Medicine (1669)
- Thailand.go.th: Thai Sky Doctor air patient programme
- TAT Newsroom: 1155 Tourist Police call centre and 1111 hotline
- WHO Thailand: road safety
- National Health Security Office (Universal Coverage Scheme)
- Australian Embassy Thailand: hospital contact list (August 2025)
- Bumrungrad: Emergency Center
- Bumrungrad: Medical Coordination Office
- BNH: Emergency Department
- Samitivej: Trauma Center
- MedPark: Emergency Department
- Bangkok Hospital: Expat Health Connect
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