Thailand has two kinds of hospital: private hospitals, which are well equipped, English-speaking and expensive, and government hospitals, which are cheaper and busier and where fewer staff speak English. Both charge visitors, and the UK Foreign Office says every hospital requires a guarantee of payment before treatment, so your insurance details matter as much as the address.
For a medical emergency, call 1669. The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) describes it as a free, countrywide emergency medical line run by the Ministry of Public Health, which will usually take you to the nearest available hospital. Then call your insurer, or ask someone to call for you, as soon as you can.
This page explains how the two systems work for a visitor, how payment and deposits are handled, and what to ask for before you leave hospital. It is general information drawn from official sources, not medical advice. For minor problems, a pharmacy is often the first stop; our guide to what you can buy over the counter at Thai pharmacies covers that side.
Hospital care in Thailand at a glance
- Medical emergency
- 1669 (free, Ministry of Public Health network); 191 police and 1155 Tourist Police if you cannot get through
- Bring
- Your passport (required at public and private hospitals, per FCDO), insurance policy number and the insurer's 24-hour assistance number
- Payment
- A guarantee of payment from your insurer, or a deposit if you pay yourself
- Free care for tourists
- None; treatment is "rarely free of charge", even in an emergency (FCDO)
- Interpreting help
- Tourist Police 1155 can connect you to the Tourist Assistance Centre
- Complaints
- The hospital's international liaison officer first, then the government helpline 1111
Calling an ambulance: 1669 or the hospital's own
The 1669 line is part of a national network and the ambulance is free. It will normally take you to the nearest suitable hospital, which may be a government hospital. According to the FCDO's guide to healthcare and medical services in Thailand, most private hospitals also send their own ambulances within a reasonable distance, usually for a fee. If you are insured and conscious, calling a private hospital directly is an option; if the situation is serious, call 1669 first.
If the medical line does not answer, the FCDO suggests calling 1155 for the Tourist Police or 191 for the Royal Thai Police. Our page on emergency numbers in Thailand has the full list and what to say when you call. Save your hotel's address in Thai on your phone, and a few basic Thai phrases; both save time when you describe where you are.
Private hospitals: what visitors usually use
The FCDO calls Thai private hospitals "of a high standard" but expensive. The FCDO's list of facilities with English-speaking staff includes private hospitals in Bangkok and in the main tourist areas, from Phuket and Pattaya to Chiang Mai and Koh Samui. Most private hospitals have an international liaison officer whose job includes dealing with insurers, according to the FCDO; if you prefer another language, such as Chinese, ask the hospital before you go.
Walk-in consultations are normal. The FCDO notes that private hospitals usually have short waiting times at their outpatient departments, where you see a general doctor first and are referred to a specialist if needed. This is what most travelers use for anything from an ear infection to a suspected dengue fever test.
If you are paying yourself, expect to leave a deposit before treatment begins; the FCDO mentions cash, and our guide to using cards in Thailand covers card limits worth checking before a trip. The FCDO also warns that a patient who can no longer fund a private hospital stay may be moved to a government hospital.
Government hospitals: cheaper, busier, less English
Government (public) hospitals treat everyone, including foreigners, and their fees are lower. The FCDO describes the level of medical expertise as high, because many doctors in government hospitals also work in private practice. The differences are elsewhere: longer queues, crowded waiting areas, fewer English-speaking staff and more basic facilities.
Some practical points from the FCDO guide that surprise visitors:
- Large government hospitals in tourist areas may have an international liaison officer, but nurses and other staff often speak little or no English.
- Wards usually have 8 to 20 beds. Private rooms are few and cost extra.
- Bring your own towels and toiletries. Meals and nightwear are provided.
- Tourists and short-term visitors may be charged more than Thais and foreign residents.
- If no interpreter is available, call the Tourist Police on 1155 and ask for the Tourist Assistance Centre.
Islands and small towns often cannot treat major trauma. The FCDO warns that many government hospitals and clinics are not equipped for serious injuries, particularly on the southern islands and outside Bangkok and the provincial capitals. A bad scooter crash on an island can mean a transfer by boat or air, which is one reason insurers ask about motorbike riding and licences.
How paying works: guarantees, deposits and daily bills
"All hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treating patients," says the FCDO's Thailand health page. In practice there are two routes. If you are insured, the hospital contacts your insurer, and the insurer sends a guarantee of payment that covers the agreed treatment. If you are not, you pay a deposit and settle the bill yourself.
Without insurance, the FCDO says you are likely to receive regular invoices, sometimes daily, and you may have to pay daily or before you are discharged. Medicines, medical supplies and laboratory tests can add up quickly, and the FCDO recommends checking hospital fees before you are admitted if you can.
We do not print example prices for operations or hospital stays. No official source publishes them for foreign visitors, and costs depend on the hospital, the room and the treatment. Some private hospitals publish fixed-price packages for things like health checks on their own websites; those prices do not tell you what an emergency or an inpatient stay will cost.
Call the insurer's assistance line before you agree to an admission. The FCDO says to contact your insurer quickly if you are referred to a hospital. Insurers can refuse claims for undisclosed pre-existing conditions or for accidents on a motorbike you were not licensed to ride, so check your policy terms in advance.
A few points apply to particular groups. British visitors cannot use a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) in Thailand, because the two countries have no reciprocal healthcare agreement, and the British embassy cannot pay medical bills. A government compensation scheme for injured foreign tourists, which the FCDO described in 2024, was removed from its guidance in November 2024 as no longer available. Our page on travel insurance for Thailand covers what a policy should include, and people living in Thailand should read our guide to health insurance for expats and retirees.
What to bring and what to ask for at discharge
The FCDO says you must show your passport at both public and private hospitals, and you will be asked for an emergency contact. Bring a list of your regular medicines; the FCDO adds that hospitals and pharmacies usually accept UK prescriptions. For bringing your own medicines into the country, see prescription medicine and Thailand.
Before you leave, ask for these documents, because they are not always handed over automatically:
- A medical certificate with the diagnosis, and copies of all bills and receipts for your insurance claim.
- A fit-to-fly certificate if your airline requires one; the FCDO says you must ask the treating doctor for it.
- A full medical report. The FCDO notes these are not always readily available, notes are often handwritten and, in government hospitals, sometimes in Thai, so request it before discharge.
A long stay can collide with your permission to stay in Thailand. The FCDO says a private hospital's liaison officer can usually help with a visa extension on medical grounds; in a government hospital you may need a friend to help. Our guide to overstaying in Thailand explains why that matters.
If something goes wrong
Complain first to the hospital, usually through the international liaison officer. The FCDO also lists the Royal Thai Government's 24-hour helpline, 1111, for non-emergency complaints. The Medical Council of Thailand and other healthcare bodies publish a Declaration of Patients' Rights, which most hospitals post online. For serious disputes, the FCDO recommends an English-speaking lawyer and keeps a list of them.
Medical repatriation is possible but expensive and slow to arrange, and is normally paid by travel insurance. Tell your insurer as soon as you are admitted so that it can talk to the treating doctor early.
Frequently asked questions
Will a Thai hospital treat me if I cannot pay?
The FCDO says all hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treatment, and that treatment is rarely free even in an emergency. In a real emergency, call 1669; uninsured patients are likely to be taken to a government hospital, where fees are lower but still charged.
Are private hospitals in Thailand good?
The UK Foreign Office describes them as being of a high standard but expensive. Large private hospitals in Bangkok and the main tourist areas have English-speaking staff and international liaison officers who deal with insurers. Government hospitals are cheaper but busier, with fewer English speakers.
How much does a hospital visit cost in Thailand?
It depends on the hospital, the doctor and the treatment, and no official source publishes typical prices for visitors. Government hospitals are cheaper than private ones, but tourists may pay more than residents. Ask for an estimate before treatment and check what your insurance will cover.
What number do I call for an ambulance in Thailand?
Call 1669, the free emergency medical line run by the Ministry of Public Health. If you cannot get through, the FCDO suggests 1155 for the Tourist Police or 191 for the police. Many private hospitals also run their own ambulances, usually for a fee.
Sources
- UK FCDO – Healthcare and medical services in Thailand (updated 26 August 2026) (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: Health (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO – Thailand travel advice: Getting help (checked October 2026)
- Bangkok Hospital – Packages (published fixed-price packages) (checked October 2026)