I needed hernia surgery and ended up comparing three very different systems: a profit-driven “private” doctor in Russia, expensive Thai private hospitals, and Thailand’s public Maharaj Hospital in Chiang Mai.
The result? The same high-quality laparoscopic procedure (the modern, least-invasive kind) at the public university hospital cost me just $1,300 USD — roughly 60% less than private Thai hospitals and far cheaper than what I was quoted in Russia. No upselling, no surprise bills, excellent care, and I was home the day after surgery.
In this video I share:
• Why I walked out of two private hospitals
• My full day-by-day experience at Maharaj Hospital (public ward, no-frills, still great care)
• The real cost difference between public vs for-profit medicine
• Why Thailand’s public system delivers top-tier results without the profit motive
• Medical tourism tips for Americans and foreigners looking for affordable, high-quality surgery
If you’re considering hernia repair, medical tourism to Thailand, or just want to see how public healthcare actually works in practice, this is the no-BS story you need to hear.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Why I’m making this video
00:24 – The Russia “private doctor” experience
02:09 – Thai private hospitals (and why I left)
05:14 – Choosing Maharaj Public Hospital
08:57 – Surgery day & recovery
17:24 – Final bill: $1,300 vs $2,700+ private
20:47 – Why public/non-profit hospitals are cheaper and often better
Medical tourism Thailand | hernia surgery Thailand | Thailand public hospital | Maharaj Hospital Chiang Mai | cheap surgery abroad | public vs private healthcare
*****************************
As you can see, my work involves not just research but also travel, website and posting tools expenses. So if possible please help out. I will never charge for access, because ‘Truth is Priceless”. But if you’d like to help out, you can do it in different ways.
You can visit one of my shops where you can get an Awareness Building Item.
Use the items as conversation starter.
Or you can donate through my paypal email address, e_arnow@yahoo.com
Or on Substack
