Dear Sirs,
Further to the letter from Jim Becker regarding hospital charges in Pattaya, I think my experiences will be of interest. I had been experiencing trouble in reading – mainly in one eye and was having to keep this one closed for this purpose.
Last summer I was told by a leading local hospital that I had cataracts on both eyes needing surgery and this would cost 95,000 baht for each eye. This was confirmed by another top hospital and the surgery was to be carried out by the first one at the same cost. An eye clinic confirmed the diagnosis and the cost would be 50,000 baht each eye. The Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattahip said my two cataracts were only about 40% and did not need immediate surgery which would cost about 40,000 baht each eye. The Banglamung state hospital in Naklua after 3 or 4 visits finally agreed that I had minor (about 30%) cataracts not needing immediate surgery which eventually would cost about 50,000 baht per eye.
Last week I visited an ophthalmologist at a local opticians and he told that my current glasses, some 7 months old were faulty in that the bifocal portion on one lens was out of place. He retested my eyes and prescribed new lenses. These were fitted and now I am back to normal with my reading and no immediate surgery. Cost 8,500 baht.
This experience does seem to confirm the theory that the top hospitals are only interested in taking as much money from patients as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Mike
