Hospital Care Southeast Asia

​Unfortunately my trip through Laos ended very abruptly, after a pretty bad Scooter accident on one of the very bad, rough and dirty roads in Laos, with a lot of wholes and puddles.
This post is not about the accident itself, but more about what to do if you are ever in a situation like this.
Let me tell you - it is NOT EASY! Especially travelling alone (this is the part where you wish a loved one or family member was with you, to not only help you figure things out, but for emotional support as well). Hope that the accident is not in the outback, far away from any civilization, in the middle of nowhere, because then you are screwed...

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Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand

​Which is unfortunately what happened to me. I was lucky enough to have someone with me for the day, who helped me out, brought me to the nearest nurse who at least cleaned my wounds and gave me pain killers to take away some of the pain (I was going through hell) and helped me sort out how to get back into civilization, which wasn't possible until the next day. Even the 'hospital' in Thakeh, the South of Laos, was nothing like what I would have expected or needed after such an accident. I needed x-rays, proper care of very bad burns and wounds, a wheelchair or crutches since I couldn't walk, a dentist to fix my tooth back on and so much more. It was a very basic 'hospital', two simple beds, a fan on the ceiling, dirty sheets from a bleeding person before that you were asked to lay onto.... Let me just say - not the place you want to be fixed up.
From the research I did and talking to different people, the care in all of Laos did not seem to be sufficient enough for the care I needed in this situation.

The choice I made was tough, but so worth it. I took my bags somehow (the mental strength you have when you are weak, in so much pain and can't even walk but know you have to do this), got on a bus (three buses to be exact and two taxis), arriving in Bangkok 22 hours later and in the middle of the night.

Bumrungrad Hospital was the best choice ever!! I can only recommend this place and only have amazing words to describe it!
I arrived in the middle of the night, being greeted by friendly staff and a wheelchair (FINALLY!) and taken immediately to the emergency room. They instantly started doing their work after checking things with my health insurance, and did what was obvious to me since day one. They went beyond what needed to be done, everyone spoke very good english and was able to explain all the procedures and what would happen now (in Laos, no one at the Hospital spoke English - try communicating and telling them what happened or what needs to be done). I was admitted to the Hospital and treated as an In-House patient for over a week (yes, that is how serious it was, which makes the superficial cleaning of only the wounds in Laos even worse), and taken care of so well. I was in the best medical hands I could be in, and was very grateful for that. Nurses who where constantly on call and always there, doctors who came twice or even three times a day to see me, being pushed in a wheelchair to anywhere I needed to go. It was a great Hospital to international standards, clean, sterile, amazing staff and doctors and all the equipment needed.

I was lucky to have such an amazing Health Care Insurance as well, that paid for every single thing (let me tell you it is expensive, but still cheaper than in Europe with, I must say, even better care than anywhere else I have been to or seen so far!). It is a very well known and renowned International Hospital and I can only agree and recommend it to anyone.

I hope all my readers are safe and nothing like this happens to any one of you, but if you need it, wherever in Southeast Asia you are (especially if you are in any of the less developed countries) this is definitely the place I would recommend to go!

Any questions, feedback or comments, let me know! Spread the word by sharing, liking or commenting!

Finally admitted to the Hospital days later...

The amazing view over Bangkok City from Bumrungrad Hospital