Thai vs Australian Health System: A 17 Year Perspective

I have been married to a Thai for 17 years and have traveled to Thailand 28 times so I’ve had frequent interactions with the Thai health system dental visits doctor’s appointments surgery and emergency procedures. I also worked in the Australian public health system for 13 years so I’m very familiar with both health systems.

I recently read an article on SBS News that found that your first visit to a dentist involving just a checkup and an X-ray with no actual dental work taking place costs between 300 and 400 Australian dollars depending on what state you live in. I might also add that you could wait anywhere between a week and a month to see a dentist in Australia.

Compare this to Thailand where a dental checkup in Bangkok is free and you can see a dentist at 9:00 p.m. at night immediately no problem at all without an appointment. My Bangkok dentist charges about 700 baht for a filling 1000 baht for descaling and cleaning 1000 baht for a tooth extraction and 10,000 baht for wisdom teeth extraction. To have this done in Australia would be approximately $200 for a filling $150 for descaling $250 to $400 for an extraction and $1400 to $2500 for wisdom teeth extraction. Naturally if we need dental care we have it done in Thailand and our trips to Thailand always include an obligatory dentist visit just in case.

Medical Care in Australia

A few months ago I was in a lot of pain with my shoulder. I couldn’t sleep with the pain; I couldn’t move my arm. I tried to make an appointment with my usual doctor. He had no available appointments until 3 weeks. I contacted another doctor’s surgery and was told either that they were not taking on new patients or an appointment would be available in at least two weeks or wouldn’t be available at all. After much ringing around I found a doctor who could see me in a couple of days.

My Thai wife was furious as she kept saying “In Thailand a doctor would see you right away. I don’t understand why your health system here is so bad.”

After seeing the doctor I was referred for an ultrasound. I couldn’t get an ultrasound appointment for 2 weeks. I did a lot of ringing around and eventually found a clinic that could do it in 3 days. The ultrasound revealed that partial shoulder tendon tears and calcium deposits were causing my substantial pain. Another doctor’s appointment next I was told I would need an ultrasound guided injection into my shoulder joint and removal of the calcium deposits at the same time.

The city where I live has a population of around 70,000 people and there were no available appointments for the ultrasound injection for 6 weeks. I was in a lot of pain so I asked if there was any way it could be done sooner. The answer was yes if you drive 50 km to another city you could have it done in 3 days. Short answer was yes I will go to the other city and I received the treatment I needed.

Did all these medical dramas make us think we should just fly to Thailand? To answer truthfully yes it would have been easier and quicker if we had had medical treatment in Thailand.

Emergency Treatment in Thailand

I got very sick with asthma in rural Thailand and was having difficulty breathing. We drove to Nakhon Sawan and arrived at a large private hospital at 8:30 p.m. on a Sunday night. I was seen within 15 minutes by a doctor who arranged an X-ray PCR test and then had me treated to ease my congestion and open up my airways. I then was seen by the doctor again and she discussed the X-ray which had been reported on by a radiologist and I was discharged with all the medication I required.

From entering the hospital receiving treatment and leaving it took 80 minutes and cost around $150 including medication.

At the hospital where I worked in Australia it can take 3 to 4 hours just to be seen by a doctor in an emergency department and there is no way you would have a radiologist report on the same day. Try a week if you are lucky.

On another occasion I got a bad asthma attack in rural Thailand and went to a public hospital. I was seen immediately and given treatment medication for the princely sum of 200 baht.

Friends Cancer Treatment in Australia

A friend was diagnosed with very aggressive prostate cancer. He was told that his cancer on a scale of 1 to 5 as regards to seriousness and chances of spreading throughout his body was a 5 the most dangerous. Yet in spite of this diagnosis he had to wait 9 months to get a PET scan.

I pleaded with him to go to Thailand and get it done there where they could do the PET scan within a few days. But he insisted on staying in Australia and waited the 9 months. Once the PET scan was done it confirmed the seriousness of his cancer and he had his prostate completely removed after another 6 weeks’ wait and that was as a private patient. He had to pay over $20,000 to get this treatment. He is still waiting to determine if his cancer has spread to other parts of his body.

If he had gone to Thailand it probably would have been done for less than half the price and he would have been treated 9 months earlier and so he could have had a better outcome.

Our Thoughts on Aging

My wife and I have decided if we ever need urgent treatment we will get on a plane immediately and go to Thailand as it isn’t worth the risk to rely on the stretched Australian health care system. When we need care we will move to Thailand permanently as we have no faith in the Australian aged care system. We have insider’s knowledge as my wife works in aged care in Australia. I experienced what aged care was like in Australia through my mother’s care in what is the most exclusive and expensive private nursing home in Brisbane and it wasn’t good.

Story #2 The Gag Gift That Changed My Life Angeles City 1999

My story begins as a college kid in the mid ’90s in Canada. It was Christmas time at my fraternity and we did an annual gift exchange among members. My gift consisted of a six-pack of beer and a copy of Asian Babes Volume 4 magazine. Little did I know that this gag gift would change my life and put me on the path to Southeast Asia.

Back in the day we didn’t really have access to information like the internet and definitely not like YouTube. We would rely on stories from other friends and books or magazines. The magazine I received showed pictures about a place called Angeles City Philippines. I couldn’t imagine a place like that existed cheap booze and beautiful women. The thought of that place lingered in my mind.

After graduating from college like what most normal people do we all begin our career jobs and I suppose one day revisit our bucket list.

Fast forward a few years and in 1999 I was drinking with a college friend. And we know all good decisions are made when you’re drunk in a bar. At the end of the night we agreed that when we woke up we were going to buy plane tickets to Manila and head to Angeles City.

There were those feelings of excitement and nervousness as anyone in their 20s would feel. It wasn’t my first trip to Asia as my dad worked abroad and we would meet him there but it would be my first solo trip with just a friend.

The day finally came. With cash and traveler’s checks in hand I was ready to go. My friend was more of the extrovert type which was odd for a guy that worked in IT. He would always have the lines for the girls at strip clubs back home so I knew we wouldn’t be shy people tucked away in the corner just drinking beers.

A Gag Gift Starts a Conversation on the Flight

The humor started on the flight. My friend Mark was into video games. He pulled out his laptop and began to play. He became quite animated during his play forgetting about the orange juice he ordered and left on his tray. During his gyrations I watched that cup of juice get closer and closer to the edge of the tray. Eventually like Niagara Falls the cup went over the edge and directly onto his lap.

We arrived late at night and were messed up from the heavy drinking and lack of sleep on the flight. My friend with his juice stained crotch didn’t look or feel much better. Our game plan was to find a place to sleep in Manila and head out by taxi to Angeles City when we woke up.

Upon stepping out I was immediately overcome with thick humid air and just a different vibe. It was much less organized than so getting to meet our driver was a sweaty mess. We roamed around different sections of the airport until we finally found him. We didn’t have a hotel booked as online booking wasn’t really a thing back then. We asked the driver to take us to a hotel. Of course he asked how many stars. I figured it was just a night so I replied “A three star hotel would be fine.” He drove us into this very sketchy neighborhood. We were dropped off at the hotel and the driver quickly sped off leaving us in the middle of this squalor.

At the hotel we decided to eat something and then sleep. So the restaurant in the lobby would be as good a place as any. It was an odd menu things that you would eat but not together. Everyone likes spaghetti and everyone likes shrimp balls but spaghetti with shrimp balls was a little bit off. We decided to go out and just find a restaurant.

Upon exiting the front door there were many eyes watching you. We walked quickly and confidently like we knew where we were going. We were followed by this tout that kept asking us to go to his bar that had women. We ignored him and eventually found a Chinese restaurant to grab a quick bite to eat. Fried rice is always a safe choice in Asia.

Outside the restaurant we saw the tout waiting for us along with his tout buddies and a few beggars. Being unfamiliar with the area I was imagining getting robbed or worse. So our plan was to pretend we needed to get to the hotel to get some money if we got approached again. Upon exiting we were approached and he pointed out his bar Lady Boss which was just down the street from the hotel. We figured it was only a beer and might be a good way to cap off the night.

An Empty Angeles City Bar Sets the Scene

Inside the bar was empty but I could hear the murmur of singing in the back. We were sat on a large L-shaped sofa and we sat in the opening of the sofa. In my mind I was thinking “What a strange bar with absolutely zero women.” The lady that I now know was the mamasan asked us what we’d like to drink. We ordered a beer each. Then the lady clapped her hands and it was like the heavens opened up with about 30 girls coming from the back and they sat on the sofa around us.

The mamasan asked us to pick a girl. I remember being so nervous as these girls were all staring and screaming at you to pick them. I could feel myself shaking with nervous laughter. I know that seems like a man’s best dream but you have to realize it was an intimidating situation for a 20-something year old.

After the initial shock I got my composure and proceeded to drink my beer and even at times developing eye contact with the girls. I still felt uncomfortable and really wanted to get out of there. So upon finishing my beer I told my friend that I’ll just go to the toilet and for him to get the bill.

As I walked out of the bathroom I see Mark with a grin two fresh beers and two ladies. All the other ladies had left after he chose one for both of us I suppose. With just one girl I was finally able to pull out my proper monger swagger. Her name was Rose slim cute and that exotic dark skin with no tan lines. The four of us proceeded to have a few more drinks and then off we went back to the hotel.

My friend was all business. He was walking briskly to the hotel and his girl had a tough time keeping up with him in her high heels. Rose and I just walked at a normal pace and arrived at the hotel after them. I realized we were sharing a room and figured he was going to work. Rose and I stayed in the lobby and continued to have a few more drinks.

I finally reached my breaking point as the sun came up. I was in desperate need of a shower and maybe a few hours of sleep. Mark finally let us into the room and I saw his girl’s face planted on the pillow. This poor girl must have had a rough night. He continued playing video games on his laptop computer like nothing had happened. I jumped into the shower and when I came out I saw his girl and Rose having an animated discussion. At that point any sleep was out of the question so Rose and I just went downstairs for breakfast.

The Bar Girl Explains Why She Is Laughing

I asked her what they were talking about. She replied that she wasn’t sure if she should tell me. Of course with that statement I wanted to know even more. After several minutes of persuasion Rose finally disclosed the conversation. My friend’s companion said she followed all his instructions but he still couldn’t perform. I can’t imagine having those issues in your 20s.

It was the “instructions” part that was so bizarre. He made her dress in his favorite hockey team jersey and hat which he bought along for the trip. I was just in shock. This guy that I drank with for years and thought was normal had this freak side to him. When I got back to the room he was asking what my girl told him. Oddly enough he was proud of the Montreal Canadiens outfit like that was normal but was not so proud of his other issue.

The taxi had arrived and off we went to Angeles City. I don’t recall how long it took to get there or any of the journey. The driver announced we had arrived and I woke up from a deep sleep in the car. The Orchid Hotel still exists today.

I remember getting to my room and the setup was like a love hotel complete with mirrors on the walls by the bed. After a night of heavy drinking and cheap Chinese food all I could think about was using the toilet. Before we went out I sat down on the throne and saw multiple signs saying not to flush the toilet paper but rather put it in a waste basket beside the toilet. I thought keeping used toilet paper in the waste bin was disturbing. I struggled with my plan of action and decided to call my friend’s room. He also had the same dilemma. We agreed that it’s not like there’s toilet police waiting to arrest us so he flushed.

After exiting the hotel there were dirty streets the kind you’d see in a natural park or picnic area. The hotel was off the main paved road which is now known as Walking Street. It was like being in a Western movie set. It was a lot to take in rows and rows of go-go bars. The bars were all simple structures and reminded me of someone’s basement bar at home.

I wasn’t having much luck finding a partner and just proceeded to get drunk. At the end of the first night we ended up at a restaurant. It was the largest and most Western-style bar/restaurant in town. No girls but it was open 24 hours so you were able to get that greasy meal at 4:00 a.m. in the morning. I was in a reflective trance as the scene was different and I knew I’d have a mental snapshot of that moment for the rest of my life.

A Brightly Lit Bar Leads to a Personal Conversation

It was a scene of colored lights warm air circulating your legs while permanent flags flickered in the wind. There was an internet cafe in the corner and American tourists were offering their new girlfriends free tutorials on email and the internet. There was even a mini clothing store all under the same roof. It just seemed like everyone walking through the door was happy and the average age seemed a lot younger than now. The sun came up and when we were finished we staggered back to the hotel.

The following day we walked into a few bars and I remember one in particular called Private Dancer too. Once again I couldn’t really find anything but my friend hit the jackpot. She was just wearing normal clothes as opposed to a bikini. Maybe the appeal was that she seemed like a regular girl that you couldn’t pick up in your home country. Her name was Judy and she was stunning. I was feeling jealous and I turned to Mark and said “I guess your night is set then.” Not sure what happened but he never got the chance to pull out his Montreal Canadiens hockey jersey with her. To this day we still talk about Judy as “The One That Got Away.

On the walk to the restaurant bar there was this group of shacks with ladies sitting in front offering services. It wasn’t on my radar but I figured the final night might as well. So we started walking towards the shacks and the hotel guard calls out to us and motions us to come over. Confused we walked back to ask what was wrong. He informed us that the ladies were ladyboys. Unlike the ladyboy equivalent in the West they actually looked like ladies. I feel like this man saved our lives. We tipped him generously as I’m sure the recovery therapy would have cost significantly more.

It’s hard to believe 25 years have passed and with this in mind we decided to meet again in Angeles City for an anniversary trip this year. People change and drift apart over the years but guys have a way of not talking to each other for years and then over a drink it’s back to normal. Mark now lives half the year in the Philippines and half the year in Canada. Unfortunately he hasn’t held a real job in decades.

At first I was a little bit hesitant to meet him as making plans with him are never a sure thing but I figured if I’m there alone I’d be just fine. The last time we met in Subic about 10 years ago I distinctly remember being hustled by him for a pathetic $40. Not even a bogus excuse like a sick mother he simply asked to borrow it and said once he got to the ATM the next morning he’d pay me back. Of course when asked the following day he said he’ll get it at the airport and obviously I never got it.

I’ve learned over the years that rarely do the locals scam you but rather foreigners living in the host country do. With his profile in mind I knew I had to be cautious and be willing to ditch him if he started asking me for money. I didn’t mind covering food and drinks here and there but wasn’t going to give him actual cash.

Walking Through Angeles City 25 Years Later

So here we were 25 years later walking the same streets. The dirt roads were replaced with paved streets and had transformed from a shanty town into a commercial monger enterprise. It had the appearance of a mini Pattaya Walking Street and equally cheap.

We started off at a Mexican restaurant on Walking Street. I figured we’d ease into the evening with a few drinks and people watching. This gave us an opportunity to survey the landscape and plan our attack for the evening. All the old stories came out and it felt like yesterday. For a moment I was young again and it felt wonderful.

Nostalgia was one thing but we were there for business. Looking at the traffic flow I noticed that all the attractive girls were walking with their new Korean boyfriends from one end of the street by McDonald’s to the other end by the Walking Street sign. Whatever was on that end of the street we needed to see it.

As we left the restaurant Mark casually asked how much money I had. Already wise to the setup I just brushed it off quickly and said “Enough to have a good night.” I then walked a little ahead and went into the first bar I saw to hit the reset button. The main draw of the Philippines is that English is widely spoken so your jokes and conversation actually make sense to the bar girls. It adds to a more realistic experience.

We never discovered where all the hot girls were coming from but as there were not that many bars on that end of the street I suppose it’s a mystery to solve on another trip. We settled in at one of the larger bars called Dollhouse. It was a fun atmosphere complete with a very talented pole dancer. I actually got startled seeing her drop from the top of the pole to the ground headfirst. Mark had settled in and was hanging out with one of the waitresses an older model but then again so were we. Despite the shaky start the night was a lot of fun and lived up to our expectations.

The following day I saw a message in our chat group from Mark so I assumed he was awake. I let him know I’m going out for breakfast and if he wanted to meet up. At this point I had my guard down and we were just two friends from college that were reliving the past.

A Family Tragedy Changes the Meaning of the Gift

He began to tell me about how his Filipino relatives were always asking for money or inviting him to parties to pay for things. He also shared how he was scammed by another relative. The story continued and that is when I realized that I was being groomed for a cash scam. Mark then said he needed to transfer funds from a bank into his local bank account but his bank sent the verification pin to a SIM card he conveniently left at home.

I brushed it off again and simply replied “No problem because he’ll be home tomorrow.” I proceeded to pay the bill and walked out a bit angry. Later that day he messaged me to meet up at the same Mexican restaurant for one peso margaritas. Against my better judgment I agreed. Maybe after knowing someone 28 years it was tough to turn my back on him. He paid that bill and we were off down the strip again.

No more than five steps walking on Walking Street Mark asked me how much money I had on me. I couldn’t contain myself anymore. I looked at him with such disgust turned away and walked into the first bar I saw. I’m in there trying to cool down from the heat and from the potential scam setup. I’m having drinks enjoying company and Mark is in my rearview mirror. About 15 minutes later he walks in and obviously realizes I’m not giving him any money. I order him beers and even purchase lady drinks for his companion. In my mind this was a severance package.

I was in my own little world in the club and enjoying life. He eventually senses my cold behavior and leaves but says we’ll pick up later for dinner. I get back to my hotel to shower and head out for dinner solo. We were both leaving the next day and I had no intention of hanging out with him again. Mark did message me later that evening asking where I was and I made a cameo appearance to say goodbye.

As I think back about this trip it left a feeling of emptiness more than the usual sadness you experience leaving Thailand. A friendship loss never feels good. When I compare how we were back then young hopeful and how things are now I can’t help but feel pity. Over time the varnish wears off and you are left with your raw self that can’t be hidden anymore. In the end it never is as good as you remember and that is because you are not the same person you were back then.

A common theme in modern literature is innocence to experience and once you cross that line you no longer can see things the same way. The same excitement I felt in 1999 is long gone past. But I realize it’s just passed for me. Every week a new batch of folks visit and a new golden era and memories begin.

Story #3 Floaters Retinas and 6100 Baht Another Medical Tale

For the last 10 or so years I have spent the European winters in my condo in Pattaya. During my most recent stay I woke up one morning with large black shapes on one eye. These are called floaters. As you age the gel-like fluid that fills your eye sticks together and casts shadows on your retina the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. However the sudden appearance of floaters can also be a sign of a detached or damaged retina. In this case you need treatment otherwise you risk losing the sight in that eye.

At just after 9:00 in the morning I rang the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital to ask how I could make an appointment to see a specialist. They told me to come to the hospital whenever I wanted. So I showered took a Bolt car to the hospital. When I arrived and went to the reception I was pleasantly surprised that they knew I was coming and sent me straight up to the right department. There I explained that I was concerned about possible problems with a retina in one eye.

There were quite a lot of other people waiting there and I had to wait for over an hour before seeing a doctor. I found out later that I could have been seen by an eye specialist a little earlier but that I had been booked in with a doctor who specialized in retina issues and who had several other patients to see before me.

When I saw the doctor she sent me off for a series of tests. Then I had to wait another hour being given eye drops every 10 to 15 minutes as these apparently enlarge the retina making it easier for any problems to be identified. After around 3 hours at the hospital the retina specialist informed me that I just had normal floaters which would go away in a few weeks and that there was nothing to worry about.

The whole visit with two sessions with a doctor and all the tests cost me 6100 baht.

I had a similar experience the previous year. I started getting severe headaches and went to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. Within an hour of arriving there I was being seen by a neurologist and sent for a series of tests MRI and MRA scans and got the results the same day. MRI and MRA scans are pretty serious tests as a scanner typically costs over $1 million (or pounds or euros). I think that visit to the hospital cost me 31,000 baht though my travel insurance paid for everything.

Story #4 A Follow-Up From Rock Bottom to Marriage in China

My story ended with me being heartbroken and unhappy at work finally deciding to leave Bangkok and move to mainland China.

Right off the bat I would say that working as a teacher or in any other profession here is really not for everyone. There are many things that you must learn to deal with many restrictions that you will find annoying such as the Great Firewall but again life here just as everywhere else is what you make of it.

Okay I’m getting distracted and I promised a good and positive update.

After a couple of years of living here I once again hit rock bottom. I was sad all the time depressed etc. As I mentioned in my original story I had been dealing with mental health issues before and even though I was in a new country all my old mental health issues came right along with me.

After having a mental breakdown I finally decided to do something I should have done years ago get help. I feel very lucky to have found such a great psychologist who helped me navigate and work through all of my issues. I learned a lot about myself. I was diagnosed with mild PTSD and I was clinically depressed again. I don’t want to go into how or why I got there but the point is that after almost a year of regular therapy sessions I can say I was finally able to understand and cope with my emotions and my feelings.

By this point I had already been in China for about 3 years. And although I did try dating things just never seemed to go anywhere in that department. After that year of therapy I was truly unhappy with myself my job and my life and I decided to try dating once again but deep down inside I was happy being single for the rest of my life if necessary.

Finding Love After Therapy and Depression

Finally after trying dating apps for about 6 months I found the most wonderful girl I’ve ever met in my life. She is from Portugal but grew up around Southeast Asia because of her father’s job. We had so much in common and for reasons I can’t really explain we were always together. This has been the healthiest and best relationship I have ever been part of. We love each other and trust each other unconditionally.

I met her father after a couple of years that we had been dating and he agreed that we get married. And if you don’t know why I was so happy and excited you should go back and listen to my original story in Volume 242 Story Number Three. Needless to say I am in a really good place now. We have been married for over a year now and are still working in mainland China. We do have plans to leave here and work in the Middle East for a couple of years to get big paychecks before finally relocating back to South America where I am from.

Finally I will keep saying this to anyone who wants to listen mental health issues will not go away on their own. I would not be where I am today mentally had it not been for regular therapy. I still go to therapy now but not as often maybe every two months. All I can say is that it changed and saved my life.