Pattaya Gogo Guide Information Pages

Subject:  Insurance and health matters

A few years ago, medical treatment was very cheap in Pattaya, but with the influx of a large Farang population, rates have risen out of proportion to other living costs. While we hope your holiday is accident free, you do not want to be saddled with unexpected costs. The roads are a minefield, with 2-3 deaths a day on average in Pattaya. On the less serious injury side, look around and you will see many Farangs scraped, scarred and bandaged due to falling off motorbikes and other reasons.

Before you travel, take out Holiday Insurance. Ensure it covers the TOTAL length of your stay. If you are over 55 and live in England, Companies like SAGA have 3+ months policies for people who migrate for the winter. Check with your local Insurance Broker or Travel Agent back home.

If you stay here a long time and cannot get cover due to holiday length or other reasons, take out BUPA Blue Cross or similar insurance here.

HOSPITALS: The standard of medical treatment and care is very high with the International Hospitals in Pattaya. While life saving work will be done if you are brought in, without proof that you can pay for treatment, nothing else will be done. The cost of most outpatient work is payable out of your pocket. Inside "Bangkok Hospital Pattaya" are 2 Bank branches, plus about 5 other banks ATMs. There is also an Immigration Police desk for long term patients. Pattaya Memorial is cheaper and located in the town centre, but more crowded. All these hospital offer an outpatients walk-in service where you see a doctor within 30 minutes.

Due to Pattaya's higher medical costs, many long term residents either go up North to the Sri Racha Hospitals or down South to Sattahip Naval Hospital for non-urgent treatment, where the rates are much cheaper. Both are about 25 Km away.

VEHICLE: All vehicles - Motor Bikes and Cars - have 3rd party insurance [No. 3 insurance]. Very few have First Class insurance [No.1 insurance] Usually only cars for rent have "Number 1" insurance, but check beforehand. Most bikes and jeeps only have No. 3 insurance, so YOU are liable for any accident repair costs. (The Number 3 insurance square sticker is no longer issued.) Do NOT believe them when they say it is No 1 sticker, as there is no such sticker. See the vehicle rental section for more information.

BEWARE OF SCAM: It was reported on Pattaya City News in April 2006 that a scam has been going round, where a customer rents a motor-bike and later parks outside their hotel. In the morning the bike is gone, so he has to pay 30-50,000 Baht compensation under the terms of the contract. After he has gone, the bike is recovered, but he does not get his money back. If this has happened to you, contact the tourist police on 1155.

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