There is one international hospital in Krabi, the 120-bed Krabi Nakharin International Hospital on Pisalpop Road in Krabi Town, which opened in February 2014. Though a full-service operation was planned, currently only around 60% of the departments are fully-functioning. Please contact the hospital’s customer service team on 075-626555 for more details. Existing services are generally of a high standard, and are recommended as your first choice, even for general treatment.
If Krabi Nakharin is not able to offer the treatment required, the nearest full-service international hospitals are currently in Phuket, some 2-3 hours’ drive away.
Krabi Municipal Hospital is definitely not of international standard, although some people find it adequate for minor treatments, particularly if you are able to tell them exactly what is wrong with you – diagnosis is not their strong point.
The private Muslim Ruam Paet Hospital in Krabi Town is cleaner and has quicker service. They accept patients of all denominations for minor treatments. There are also several private clinics in Krabi Town, some run by specialist doctors. One example is the the paediatric clinic on Maharat Soi 9 (opposite Seng Ho bookstore, run by a doctor from Bangkok-Phuket Hospital.).
Opthamologists are widely available – most expats use the excellent S.K. Optik shop, with branches in Ao Nang and Krabi Town.
There is a dental clinic at Krabi Nakharin Hospital; many expats also recommend Dr. Taksina’s clinic in town.
International networks such as BUPA offer health insurance in Thailand, or you may be covered by your insurance from home. These schemes usually cover treatment in international hospitals, although you still have the problem of getting there in the first place.
Many drugs that are prescribed in the west are available over the counter in Thai pharmacies; if you have a regular prescription, you should be able to get it here directly from a pharmacy – remember to bring the generic name, as some drugs are marketed under different names in the Asia-Pacific region.