Hello Everyone!
Thank you for welcoming me to your community!

I am a relatively new traveler, making my first large expedition out of the USA to go to Thailand and the surrounding South East Asia countries. I had two questions:

The first pertains to the health care in Thailand. What is the quality of the health care there? I do not have health insurance here so things are pricy to do here, but I would rather have them done right than done wrong for a lower price. I am specifically looking at doing some dental work, including cleaning and the possible cavity.

Second, I am debating on travel insurance. I have heard people say that the health care over there is so cheep that it is better just to pay out of pocket if something bad does occur. What are the prices over there for say- a broken arm, or hospitalization for a food borne lillness, etc? What have your experiences been with having health insurance, or more interestingly, not having insurance?

Lastly, I am trying to decide whether to vaccinate against malaria and Japanese encephalitis. The Japanese encephalitis is very costly here, and I have heard that malaria is only available by pills that make you slightly sick the whole time you take them. Thoughts?

Thanks everyone!

I have had Dental work done in Thailand (crowns etc) & 2 years later no problems at all, not that I expected any. It is a lot cheaper than at home & was not even worth me using my private health insurance. Cleaning & a small cavity (filling) cost me about 2000baht.

Travle Insurance is a totally different story, I look at it if you can afford to travel overseas then you can afford travel insurance, a night in hospital would cost more than your insurance. Then if the worst happened just say a car/bike accident you could be up for hundreds of thousands of baht with no coverage for a medi vac flight home. My opinion is it is a definate must have!!

We spend half the year in Thailand with visit to Cambodia, Borneo etc etc, vaccinations are really something you should speak to your doctor about as it also depends on what areas you will be visiting. Having said that we keep tetanus shots up to date & hep shots and thats it.
Cathy

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http://www.cathyandgarystravelpages.com

Travel insurance is so cheap these days I don't understand why someone would choose to take the risk to go without it. I recently got an annual insurance policy which is good for travel worldwide for multiple trips during a calendar year, each up to 30 days in length. It cost me less than £25 (AU$40) for the whole year!

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Owner, travelforum.org
My latest travels: Shikoku Pilgrimage

IMHO, the quality of healthcare, at least around Bangkok, is far superior to anything I had found in California and elsewhere in the States. Often, one can walk into a facility, see a doctor, usually a specialist, and be out in less than an hour. Even at big ticket, expat oriented facilities, such as Bumrungrad, a doctor visit, diagnosis and prescription will often run under $100, for everyday maladies.

If you need tests, these are usually performed onsite, results within minutes.

A very good Stateside dentist friend was impressed by the work that had been done on my wife's teeth by Thai dentists. This was the only time I have ever heard him say anything good about another dentist.

Dental work is also a fraction of the cost that you will find Stateside.

The only vaccinations I would say are "musts" would be you normal shots, like the childhood series and tetanus boosters, along with Hep A. Hep A can be contracted anywhere and regularly turns up in California. In SEA, the "local" toilets, and their proper usage, make Hep A transmission even easier. Some county's health agencies will offer Hep A vaccination free. Check where you live.

I have had dental work done in Thailand for over 12 years. Once or twice in the Philippines too. Nothing fancy and mostly cleaning and fillings. I did have some dental surgery to remove a broken tooth and put a cap on another tooth. Really cheap! I had the surgery done at Bumrungrad (cheap hotels in this Sukhumvit Road area.) But most of my other dental work was done in Pattaya. The last 5 years at Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Not a fancy looking hospital like Bumrungrad Hospital but cheaper. (I have also had minor dermatology work done at Pattaya Memorial.) The equipment looked modern enough for me in the dental office. Many tourists take the time to get some dental work done in Thailand.

I have managed care so I get my shots for free when available. One shot I always have updated is my Yellow Fever - not for Thailand - but because by accident or choice I may end up in a country where it is good to have. I keep all of my inoculations in a "shot record" with proper stamps and dates for the Yellow Fever and other shots. That is the way I had to do it in the military and I continue it. (Yellow Fever shot is good for 10 years.)

For Asia, besides some of the above shots in other posts, I always get the JEV shot. But I rarely see anyone ask about that shot on travel forums. More than one shot needed to be fully covered.
Japanese Encephalitis - Chapter 3 - 2012 Yellow Book - Travelers' Health - CDC

Years ago when I was more adventurous and taking boats up and down rivers and walking through more jungle type areas up north and in some area of Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia I did use some Doxycycline for malaria. Doxy is cheap in Thai pharmacies. Some expats and tourists use nothing at all for major cities like Bangkok and Pattaya. Doxy is about 4 baht to 10 baht a capsule. Read directions for this med. I always take with food. Some travelers have side affects like sensitivity to sunlight, etc.

See your own personal doctor for any specific medical advice because you may have allergies or other things to consider.

Thanks everyone! Sorry it took me so long to get back here, but the information is much appreciated. Another question, if anyone is still looking at this thread; what is the best way to find a good dentist or other doctor over there?
Cheers!