In May 2025, myself and four other trans people traveled to Thailand from various places in the US and UK to successfully undergo orchiectomies without having to undergo the expense, discrimination, and medical humiliation rituals inherent in the American and British healthcare systems.
The overall cost of the 3 week trip, including surgery, medicine, doctor’s letters, flights, accommodation, transport, food, and numerous other miscellaneous expenditures totaled roughly $2,000 per person for its first iteration. However, having completed the trip, we believe it’s possible to further reduce this cost to $1,600-1,800, all included, if necessary.
Included here is a summary of the trip, as well as the general requirements and process. In a separate page is a more narrative summary of the trip.
We have received and expect no compensation in the making of this guide, and it is intended solely to inform and improve access to healthcare for our fellow trans people.
Thailand is a well-known destination for medical tourism, including gender affirming care. The latter is often offered as all-inclusive packages (except for flights) with surgeon where transport, lodging, surgery, and food are often provided.
This can often be a somewhat impersonal experience, even if you are placed within a large shared accommodation with other trans people who are likewise undergoing surgery for somewhat overlapping time periods. While undoubtedly useful, affordable, and overall beneficial for trans people who have historically lacked access to equitable medical care, these pathways undoubtedly operate along a more commercialized and conveyor-belt like pathway aimed to maximize throughput of trans people through the surgical suites and recovery rooms.
A lesser-known pathway, however, exists for orchiectomies that, while not cheap, can provide a means to reduce dysphoria and provide the basis for further surgeries with a lesser sense of urgency. As it did for our group, it provides the opportunity for group bonding in a beautiful location with excellent food, and the opportunity to experience a holiday with your fellow trans people in an affordable and trans-friendly destination.
A table of expected costs may be found below, with a broader breakdown of what to expect later on.
An approximate tabulation of expected expenses per person for a similar trip may be found below.
|
Estimated expenditures |
Per person, 5 people, 3 weeks |
||
|
Cheap |
Mid-range |
Expensive |
|
|
Flights (return) |
800 |
900 |
1000 |
|
Housing |
300 |
425 |
550 |
|
Food |
150 |
225 |
300 |
|
Transport |
50 |
75 |
100 |
|
Psychiatric Letters x2 |
120 |
120 |
120 |
|
Surgery |
180 |
180 |
180 |
|
Dtac eSIM (30 days, unlimited data + calls) |
35 |
35 |
35 |
|
Miscellaneous |
50 |
100 |
200 |
|
Optional expenditures |
|||
|
Wheelchair rental x1 (1 week) |
25 |
25 |
25 |
|
Gifts for doctor + clinic staff |
20 |
35 |
50 |
|
Total per person ($/p) |
1730 |
2020 |
2560 |
The most important factor of any surgery is of course the surgeon. For this we chose Dr. Thep Vechavisit from Pratunam Polyclinic.
Dr. Thep Vechavisit is an anomaly in the world of transgender surgeries. He serves mostly local Thai girls, performing sex changes and gender affirming surgeries, though he also does cosmetic surgeries for any and all clients, including cis women. Given his local clientele his prices are significantly cheaper than those of surgeons who cater to international travelers.
Low price is a poor reason in isolation to choose a surgeon, but Dr. Thep Vechavisit is likely one of the world's most experienced surgeons for gender affirming surgery. He's also one of the lesser known and talked about. This is likely due to tradeoffs he has made to achieve his goals.
Dr. Thep Vechavisit has likely done more to advance the wellbeing of trans people than almost any surgeon alive. He lives next to his clinic and rarely leaves it. He takes short breaks to eat and sleep. Otherwise he works every day of the year (or close enough for the difference to be purely academic) including weekends.
While other surgeons compete on facilities, on surgical techniques used, and a host of other metrics, Dr. Thep's goals can be reduced to a single aim: how can I help as many trans people as possible.
He operates out of a shabby clinic with only the necessities for what he needs. He prioritizes speed and low cost, and uses local anaesthetic and ketamine instead of general anaesthesia, since the latter would put the price of surgery out of the range of many of his patients - especially local Thai girls, a significant number of whom work in the local sex trade due to poverty.
For context, an orchiectomy costs 6,000 THB (~$180) and a breast enlargement 50,000 THB (~$1,500) at Pratunam Polyclinic. Whereas, the associated expenses of using general anaesthesia are, on their own, roughly 25,000-30,000 THB.
With a modern operating theatre, a larger surgical team, and a little more time, a surgeon of his experience would be more than capable of equalling results from surgeons more favored by international travelers. Dr. Thep Vechavisit's results are not the best, but they are "good enough". For mechanically simple surgeries like orchiectomies and breast augmentations (and likely several others), that gap between "good enough" and world class is very small indeed (and he is undoubtedly a world class surgeon by several metrics).
Thailand experiences a lot seasonal variation and tourist trends largely follow this, with peak-season being more expensive, and off-season being more affordable. While the weather does lead to sizable differences in tourist volumes, the impact of these weather differences are often wildly overstated. Even during rainy season, downpours often happen predictably, later in the day, and while heavy are not particularly long-lived.
The overall result of this is that accommodation and flights during certain seasons can be significantly cheaper during other times. As a primarily surgery-focused trip with a secondary focus on tourism, it’s therefore best to focus on planning trips during off season or shoulder season since this means less traffic and cheaper accommodation.
We’d recommend timing a trip between March and June. This is the transition between the hot and rainy season, but most places have air conditioning and the mornings and evenings are pleasant if you wish to go outside for tourism.
Flights to Thailand are likely to be the most expensive part of your trip and they will vary in cost between $600-1000 return, depending on origin airport. UK origin tends between $600-800 and US origins closer to $800-1,000. US flights often require a connection through Taipei (Taiwan), Seoul (Korea), or Doha (Qatar), while the UK/EU also has direct flights available in addition to these connections.
You will be flying into Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK).
Despite Qatar being an Islamic country, Doha international airport sees a large number of international travelers each year and cannot afford the reputational damage of detaining trans people simply looking to board a connecting flight.
However, Doha is still subpar as a connection destination due to airside security checkpoints for connecting flights (due to terrorism concerns inherent in the region), poor connection and transport to gates, and a general lack of amenities for anyone not travelling business class or above. This means that you are either stuck doing nothing in the airport for a long period of time during a layover, or forced to rush on foot across an overly large airport that lacks connecting transport between the areas you need to get to. Therefore, for reasons completely irrelevant to gender identity, it is recommended to seek flights with other connections.
You can find cheap flights on https://kiwi.com/
Thai customs and border patrol will not particularly care if you bring injectable estrogen or other medications with you, but under no circumstances should you bring narcotics or illegal drugs with you, since South East Asian countries have draconian policies regarding international drug smuggling.
You can also obtain cheap estradiol pills over the counter within Thailand.
Keep in mind that Thailand can get very hot if you need to bring temperature sensitive medications.
As a country whose economy significantly relies on tourism, the entry process within Thailand is incredibly streamlined. Travelers from the UK, US, CA, and most EU countries (with associated passports) are not required to apply for visas, but may receive Visa-exempt entry for 60 days.
This Visa-free entry does, however, come with conditions. While these conditions are rarely enforced for western travelers, it’s still recommended to adhere to them, just in case.
- You must have at least 6 months left on your passport from the time of entry, and preferably your time of exit. This is non-negotiable.
- You must have proof of ongoing travel. A return flight will suffice for this. This is again non-negotiable.
- You must show evidence of accommodation within Thailand. This can be an AirBnB. This does not seem to be strictly enforced for western travelers.
- You must show proof of funds equal to roughly 20,000 Thai Baht (~$600). This, again, does not seem to be strictly enforced for western travelers.
Additionally, you must fill out the Thai Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) before passing border inspection. You may do this no more than 72 hours before your day of arrival. The TDAC does not require a fee to submit, but if you fail to fill it out, the border guards will get annoyed at you and send you to the back of the line. The line can be very long, depending on what time of day you arrive, so have your TDAC already completed by the time you reach border control.
AirBnB is a good option for accommodation and during the off-season can be incredibly cheap for long stays. It’s recommended to get a place with space to spread out a bit, since recovery can take a while and it’s best not to be cooped up for the entire time. Likewise, Thai heat can be oppressive if you’re not used to it, so a place with air conditioning is a must. Given the timeframes, places with housekeeping/cleaners may also be useful, especially during recovery periods. Washing machines are also important. You will want to select a place that is somewhat central, just for the sake of convenience.
We recommend booking within the following area, since traffic can be an issue with Bangkok and the marked area is close to the clinic.
When you arrive, there will be multiple services throughout Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi airport that provide currency exchange and eSIMs. It’s advised not to go to the first kiosk you see, but rather to descend to the basement level of the airport where you’ll be able to obtain currency exchange and eSIMs at better rates. For currency exchange, the orange SuperRich kiosk often provides the rates closest to the current exchange rate.
When exchanging for cash, make sure to get lower denominations, since food and services in Thailand are very cheap and you might have difficulties getting change if you don’t have the exact amount.
You will need cash at multiple points throughout your trip.
For eSIMs, you will be able to obtain a cheap eSIM that includes unlimited data. It is advisable to get an eSIM that includes phone calls, since it will make things easier. As well as being available in Suvarnabhumi airport, you can also obtain one from the Airalo app.
Locals have a limited grasp of English that reduces the further out from a major tourist city you travel. While enough to ask basic questions, it is recommended to use Google Translate to translate text and images into Thai for easier communication.
You should learn words like thank you and hello, as long as the traditional respectful greeting/bow known as the wai. Learning even a few small words and actions like this will go a long way into ensuring that those you interact with are as friendly and helpful as possible.
The Thai version of Uber is called Grab. Like Uber, it provides a variety of services, including transportation. Taxis in Thailand are very cheap and safe to travel in. Be aware that a lot of the major roads in Thailand are toll roads, including those leading into and out of the airport. Tolls vary between 20-100 Baht, and while it’s best to have exact spare change to pay them (you are liable for them, not the taxi driver), if you are paying by card you can request that they add the toll to the final total (if they accept cash for the toll, make sure you’re not double charged in the app once you get the digital receipt).
Taxis can be paid for with cash or by a card connected to the app, but you will need to select which in advance. Tip where possible. Even with tips, it is incredibly affordable, and the locals live on horrifyingly low wages.
Tuk-tuks are an old and famous method of travelling through Bangkok, but they are not available through Grab and can be creative in their pricing. If you plan on travelling by tuk-tuk (or any other method of travel without a pre-set price), make sure to agree on the price beforehand to avoid a very expensive surprise. If you are taking a tuk-tuk to a tourist destination, the tuk-tuk driver may tell you it is closed (e.g. for a private ceremony) and he wants to drive you to a bunch of nice places instead for cheap. This is a scam and he will receive a commission for driving you to shops and restaurants with overpriced (and likely counterfeit) goods. The tourist destination is likely open (but check online, just in case).
Bangkok also has a fairly well developed metro and sky rail system that can be taken directly from the airport or from the city center, though if you travel further out of the city, you will need to take a taxi or hire a driver.
Bangkok can have major traffic issues so if you need to get somewhere fast, a motorbike taxi (also available via Grab) can be helpful.
Food delivery is also available through Grab, and it is so cheap that it’s affordable to order food every day instead of cooking, especially while recovering. Keep in mind that western food will be significantly more expensive than restaurants that serve local cuisine.
Food delivery can be paid for with cash or by a card connected to the app, but you will need to select which in advance. Tip where possible. Even with tips, it is incredibly affordable, and the locals live on horrifyingly low wages.
Before surgery, it’s advised to stock up on antibiotics (amoxicillin), NSAIDs and acetaminophen/paracetamol. You will also benefit from picking up extra wound dressings, wrap around bandages, and other helpful medical items from local pharmacies. Almost anything can be obtained over the counter in Thailand.
You will also need two psychiatrists letters diagnosing you with gender dysphoria. At least one of these needs to come from a Thai doctor/psychiatrist. You should obtain these from the Rama 9/Praram 9 Hospital and will need to provide these before you can book your surgery with any surgeon in Thailand.
For these letters, it is worth remembering that Thailand is a traditional culture with relatively traditional gender norms albeit with Thai characteristics. Women are expected to be straight (male-attracted) or bisexual (completely understandable as long as you eventually plan on settling down with a man), and are definitely not meant to be lesbians with female partners (if you put down your female partner as an emergency contact, you will likely be questioned on it). You will be expected to at least try and adhere to traditional female beauty standards, so don’t go in to get your psychiatrist letters with facial piercings in place unless you want to get questioned on them.
Being a computer scientist or some other form of high performance/intellectual career will raise an eyebrow or two but isn’t a dealbreaker as long as you mostly toe the line. You have never heard the words passoid, HSTS, AGP, hon, or luckshit and would never use them in a sentence. You have never been on 4chan.
You haven’t had any psychiatric issues besides gender dysphoria. You have been presenting female for several years now, and if your passport has your deadname in it, it’s because you’re scared of getting it changed because of the political situation in the UK/US. You are certainly not going to explain to the psychiatrist how your philtrum length is statistically longer than the average woman’s by 2.43%, and you are under no circumstances to respond to the question “what does it feel like to be a woman” with “I don’t know”, or “not me”.
If you are being asked why you’re getting an orchiectomy first, you may say that you’re considering getting SRS in the future, but you want to take getting surgeries slowly.
For the purposes of this guide, it is assumed you will be going with Dr. Thep Vechavisit at Pratunam Polyclinic for your orchiectomy, though you can of course go with whichever surgeon you’d prefer. It is likewise expected that there will be at least 4 people going on the trip (or at least 2 people, one of whom is not getting surgery).
Surgery itself will cost roughly $180-200 per person.
As stated previously, you will require two psychiatrist letters to get surgery with any surgeon. These will cost roughly $120 for 2, or $75 for 1. You need two letters, at least one of which must come from a Thai doctor.
It is best to stagger your surgery dates into 2 groups, with a 3-4 day gap between each other for recovery. This is so that each group can help each other as they’re recovering, since the first one or two days are often the worst.
For the surgery, it is best to be aware that excess weight seems to be associated with a greater risk of complications during recovery.
When arranging your surgery, turn up at Dr. Thep Vechavisit’s clinic one to two days before you intend to undergo surgery. You will schedule an appointment either that day or the next where you’ll be expected to undress and have your testicles palpated. Once this has happened, you’ll be able to schedule your surgery, usually for the next day.
The surgery, and especially the waiting room, looks run down and grubby, but the surgical areas and examination rooms are clean.
Keep in mind that the nurses do not speak English well and are not very used to westerners. Dr. Thep is one of the most affordable options. He is mostly used by local girls (and girls from other South East Asian countries) who often use sex work to fund their transitions and obtain surgeries that are too expensive for them to obtain elsewhere. Many of them have undergone serious surgeries with all the money they have to their names and are in the recovery ward a few flights of stairs above you, half delirious from pain. Be respectful, don’t be obnoxious, and keep in mind that the nurses don’t know enough English to answer most of your questions.
By contrast, orchiectomy is a very simple surgery. You will turn up on the day, undress, and put on a dressing gown (it’s best to wear a set of modest pajamas or loose fitting clothes, since you will be getting changed back into them when your surgery is over).
You will wait for a while in the lobby area, and when ready a nurse will bring you up several flights of stairs to the operating theatre. It is not a state of the art operating theatre (there is a plank with arm straps is used to hold your arms in place during surgery) but what is required for a doctor to safely perform SRS is present. An orchiectomy is a far more simple surgery. There are also leg stirrups for keeping your legs spread and immobilized during the surgery.
It is very important, if you are a frequent user of ketamine, to not use ketamine for at least one month, preferably two months, before the surgery.
In order to keep costs down for local trans girls, Dr. Thep Vechavisit uses a mix of ketamine and local anesthesia instead of general anesthetic for most surgeries. This is safe to use, but if you use ketamine frequently in your regular life, you will have built up a tolerance for the drug and will not be put as far under as would normally have been expected during surgery.
You do not want to be awake and aware during surgery, it may be slightly distressing for the doctor and surgical assistants.
If you have the normal lack of tolerance to ketamine, you will likely feel a slight prick in your arm, the doctor will tell you he’s going to put you to sleep. It’s best to just close your eyes here to ease the transition, you will not feel a thing for a short while and wonder if it’s not working for maybe fifteen seconds. Then there might be a rising sound of static, like the buzz of an old cathode ray tube tv set to the wrong channel; it will get louder and louder until it fills your head and then disappears like that same tv switching off.
You will return to consciousness in the recovery room, a strange mix between lucid and disoriented as if for who knows how long you ceased to exist, before spontaneously resuming as you were. But time will have passed and you are in a strange place. You are lying down and there is an IV in your arm, giving you fluids. You are safe. There might be people moaning in pain, asking for pain medication. They are not you. They have had significantly more major surgeries than you have.
You will be out of here in 3-4 hours. You might feel the urge to look under the covers pulled over you because you’re wondering if maybe there was a mistake and they didn’t perform surgery at all. Feel free to do so, but do it gently. You’ve just had surgery and there’s an IV attached to your arm. You’ve lost a bit of blood and you shouldn’t remove it too soon.
There are bandages around your groin, along with elastic holding everything in place. You can see blood and the yellow-brown stain of iodine on your skin. This is normal. It seems like there wasn’t a mistake after all and the surgery happened. Strange, because you don’t feel any different, you don’t feel any pain (the anesthetic will last for a while), and you don’t remember how the bandages ended up on you. This is normal.
You’ll be curious and want to look around. This is fine, just be careful with things. You’re healing and it’s best to be gentle. Try not to talk, people are trying to rest after much more grueling surgeries, you’ll be out of here soon. There is a nurse nearby. If you have glasses, she will give them to you if you catch her eye and mime putting on glasses. Try not to disturb her, she’s there to make sure nothing goes wrong with the patients who have had more serious operations.
When it’s time for you and whoever you came with to leave, you’ll be brought your things (including the clothes you changed out of) in a bag. Put them on, order a taxi on Grab, and go back home. The anesthetic will last a while, but get into bed and settle down for a while (or get some food delivered if you feel hungry). Try not to move too much if it’s not absolutely necessary, you’ll be better able to feel how much you should move tomorrow.
The worst day will be the one immediately after. You might feel more sore than you did the previous day, or you might not feel in any pain at all. Either way, you should be fine to move around a little.
If you rented a wheelchair (make sure it gets delivered before you need it), it can be helpful to move around in your accommodation for the first few days—less because it’s actually necessary, and more because it limits the amount of walking that could extend your recovery period.
If you recover well, you should be fairly mobile within 2 to 3 days, or even the day immediately after. Some people take a while longer and it mostly depends on the person.
You will have been provided two Ziploc bags with pills from the surgery, with very helpful labelling like “antibiotic” and “pain relief”. You should not take these, since language barriers will make it hard to figure out what they are, and several medications used in Thailand for routine pain management and prophylaxis are not used in best practice elsewhere due to higher levels of risk.
For peace of mind in not having to deal with the mystery pill grab bags, it’s often a good idea to stock up on antibiotics, acetaminophen/paracetamol, and NSAIDs before your surgery. They are available cheaply from your local pharmacy without a prescription.
You will not need benzodiazepines or opioids for pain management during recovery.
The biggest impediment to obtaining the proper medications in Thailand is language, you’ll be taken more seriously and be able to get the medicines you ask for more easily if have the name of the medication already translated into Thai script on your phone for your pharmacist to read.
3 days after surgery, you will need to return to the clinic to get most of your stitches removed. Wash beforehand and change your wound dressings if possible. You will be left with one more large stitch that will be removed in 4-7 more days, at which point you will not need any further visits to the clinic.
It’s recommended to avoid travelling on a flight (especially a long-haul international one) for two weeks after the surgery to allow better time for recovery and reduce the risk of complications from international travel.
Google Maps and the Grab app are good apps for navigation in Thailand. Apple Maps is subpar in the region and will not have everything you’re looking for.
Getting the right people is important. You’re going be living in close quarters with each other before and after surgery for several weeks. Getting surgery in Thailand is a crazy experience and you’ll either leave as mortal enemies or friends for life, hopefully the latter.
To make sure that you’re able to look after each other in the case of complications, it’s recommended that at least 4 people go on the trip, including you. This not only reduces the cost of accommodation, but lets you stagger your surgeries onto two separate dates so you can each look after each other the day after each other’s surgeries.
Make sure you get along with each other and it’s best if they aren’t too messy and know how to clean up after themselves.
While in Thailand, you’ll have the opportunity to do a lot more than simply recover from surgery. You’ll be comfortably mobile within a week (one person climbed a mountain in China three weeks after surgery) and there should be ample time to see some of the local sights.
Thailand is a beautiful country with a lot of incredible history. Ayutthaya is worth a daytrip to visit. There are temples all along the river which can be viewed on a dirt cheap riverboat cruise. The Grand Palace, the Floating Markets, walking with elephants, historic railways, waterfalls in nature reserves, or travelling up to Chiang Mai for two days.
Pratunam Polyclinic provides healthcare to trans people, including local Thai girls, at rates far lower than any other reputable surgeon in the country.
Dr. Thep Vechavisit is one of the most experienced surgeons for trans people in the world and with his focus on providing affordable healthcare to trans people, this often means a minor sacrifice of aesthetics and fancy techniques in exchange for providing affordable gender affirming surgery to impoverished trans people from many third world countries.
He is one of the few surgeons who has not grown rich off the exploitation of trans healthcare and has arguably done more to advance trans healthcare than any living doctor – and if not, he’s in the top 5 without a doubt.
Being a westerner able to travel for medical tourism puts you in an immensely privileged position and it is best to play the part of a grateful guest for the opportunity. We recommend setting a small amount of money aside to purchase a gift basket or a box of chocolates for the nursing staff and for Dr. Vechavisit.
There are various malls that sell food and have gift basket wrapping services. There is also a world-class chocolatier called PARADAi on the upper floors of the nearby Bangkok Art & Culture Center that provides selection boxes of high quality chocolates.
(Yes, the nursing staff and receptionists can be grumpy… Deal with it. They are locals who work there despite being able to take higher paying jobs at a nearby hospital. You are in their eyes a rich foreigner, who doesn’t speak the language, turning up for cheap healthcare. Be polite. Learn the traditional Thai wai greeting. Learn how to say thank you and hello in Thai and accept that communication barriers exist and you will have to use Google Translate to help communicate. Even a small amount of effort and respect can ensure that they’ll be helpful so that you can have a much more pleasant time.)
It’s technically possible to get an orchiectomy and be done and on your way home within 10-12 days. This would require flying in during the day, exchanging currency for Thai Baht in the airport, immediately taking a taxi to Rama 9/Praram 9 hospital before taking a taxi to Pratunam Polyclinic to schedule an orchiectomy. Then, check in at your hotel/AirBnB, return to Pratunam Polyclinic the next day for a physical examination and obtain extra medications from one of the pharmacies nearby. Get your orchiectomy the next day. Recover for the next 10 days and fly out immediately after.
Do not do this. It will be grim. It will be a rush. You will hate your life, and your body will hate you.
Donut Cushions – some people have more difficult recoveries. It’s a good idea to have a number of donut cushions equal to 50% of the people coming. These are hard to obtain in Thailand so should be brought from abroad
Wheelchair – this can be useful for the days after surgery if some people are having harder recoveries due to complications. You will only need one or two of these for a group, and you can rent them for one or more weeks (~1,200 THB per chair per week) and have them delivered (~900 THB per chair) to your accommodation by companies such as https://www.matsunaga.co.th/. Keep in mind that you’ll often need to provide a safety deposit (~8,000 THB per chair) that will be returned with the wheelchair. It’s best to just agree to each contribute for the wheelchair ahead of time
Portable Air Purifier – Bangkok can have quite poor air quality during the summer months. An air purifier can cut down on this for a more pleasant time if you are sensitive to pollution
Hibiscrub – this is useful for washing your skin before surgery and reduce your risk of infection
Razors – easily forgotten, but useful for shaving before and after surgery
Bottled water – use this for drinking and brushing your teeth. Tap water in Thailand is not always safe and large bottles of water are very cheap
A pair of pajama tops and bottoms – this is useful for post-surgery
Sunscreen – for obvious reasons
Games, books, etc – things you enjoy and can enjoy with other people you’re staying with, you’re going to be staying in an AirBnB for a while
Extra legroom seat for return flight – it may be worth getting a seat with extra legroom for extra comfort on your flight back
Before Travel
- Find friends to travel with
- Choose your dates. Allocate at least 2 weeks, but preferably 3 weeks or more for your trip
- Purchase return flights
- Purchase accommodation with friends
- Ensure your country has visa-exempt entry into Thailand here https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/publicservice/visa-exemption-and-visa-on-arrival-to-thailand – if not, you will likely be able to obtain a Visa On Arrival
- Proof of accommodation (or at least an address/contact) – you need this for your Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) but it’s also rarely checked
- Proof of funds (20,000 Thai Baht or ~$600) – you technically need this for your visa exemption, but it’s rarely checked
- Fill in your Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) no more than 3 days before the day of your scheduled flight’s arrival
- Install the Grab app https://www.grab.com/th/en/ – this is the Thai version of Uber
Arrival:
- dtac eSIM from basement floor of BKK with calls and unlimited data (dtac Happy Tourist Infinite eSIM) – having a Thai phone number is helpful when interacting with hospitals and the clinic. You can also get this before you travel using the Airalo app https://www.airalo.com/
- Currency exchange – You will need cash while in Thailand for most transactions. The best place to exchange is either in the orange SuperRich counter in the basement floor of Suvarnabhumi airport upon arrival or in various SuperRich kiosks and stores in the city center. You will be able to convert excess Thai Baht back into your currency of choice when leaving
- Book a taxi to your destination on the Grab app and move to the Grab Pickup Zone just outside the airport’s ground floor. You may need to pay a toll to use the highways. This is not a scam. There might be several toll booths and the total cost should be roughly 100 Thai Baht
- When arriving at your accommodation, you will need to provide your passport to your host – This is required because hotels, AirBnB owners, and anyone hosting a foreigner in their home is required to report to the government. This isn’t too stringently enforced by the government, but you will need to do so, either way
Before Surgery
- Obtain extra antibiotics from a local pharmacy (you can find one on Google Maps)
- Amoxicillin – 500mg amoxicillin every 8 hours for 5 days, for a total of 15 capsules per person
- Ciprofloxacin – 500mg ciprofloxacin every 12 hours for 5 days, in the case of an infection that fails to respond to amoxicillin. Get 20 capsules total to share between your entire group to use if needed, if you run out, you can get more
- Obtain extra NSAIDs and analgesics from local pharmacy
- Acetaminophen/Paracetamol – analgesic – 500mg acetaminophen every 6 hours for 5 days, for a total of 20 capsules per person. Or less frequently, as needed, depending on pain
- Celecoxib – NSAID – 100mg celecoxib every 12 hours for 10 days, for a total of 20 capsules per person. Celecoxib is a superior NSAID to ibuprofen that does not cause stomach bleeding like ibuprofen sometimes does. It may also cross the blood brain barrier and has shown some promising potential for treating chronic pain, brain fog, long COVID, etc
- Obtain extra wound dressings and bandages from a local pharmacy
- Obtain anti-septic cream
- Ensure you have food (e.g. instant noodles, snacks, etc.) and adequate non-alcoholic liquids available for your recovery
- Obtain two psychiatrist letters from Rama 9/Praram 9 hospital – you may just go up to the counter and ask for “Two letters/certificates” and they will know what you mean. You will need a physical copy of your passport to sign in with them, and will need to fill out several forms, including emergency contact details and the address of where you’re staying in Thailand. Ensure you are dressed femininely (tight-fitting jeans are acceptable) and do not have large or noticeable facial piercings in place
- Schedule your surgery at Pratunam Polyclinic, you will need a brief physical examination before surgery. You will also need your passport, the two psychiatrist letters from Rama 9/Praram 9 hospital, and the cost of the orchiectomy in cash
- If you decided to rent a wheelchair for a week, order it to arrive the day before your surgery
Surgery
- Wake up and leave early, traffic can be bad in the mornings
- Don’t bring too much with you
- You will need your phone
- A small amount of cash for a taxi if paying by cash
- Your passport
- An inflatable donut cushion, if you bought one
- You should wear a pair of modest pajamas or loose fitting clothes for the day of your surgery. You will need to get undressed for you surgery and will be placed in a dressing gown
- If you are waiting for your friends to finish having surgery, there is a small café two doors down where you can wait
Post-Surgery
- After 3-4 hours in the recovery room, you will be led downstairs
- You will be able to walk after surgery
- Book a taxi on Grab
- Return home
- Eat and drink something, if you are able
- Rest
- When you wake up, begin taking NSAID, analgesic, antibiotics, etc according to regimen or as needed
- Return to clinic for the majority of stitch removal when directed (3-4 days after surgery). Wash beforehand, including wound site
- Return to clinic for the removal of the final stitches when directed (7-10 days after surgery)