Breakdowns, Accidents & Emergencies:
BREAK DOWNS & REPAIRS
Should your bike break down, don’t worry. There are millions of bikes in Thailand, and almost every village has a bike repair shop where repairs and maintenance are done cheaply and quickly. If your bike breaks down or is not running well, take it to a bike repair shop and get it serviced so that you can continue your trip.
If the problem is not so simple, phone the motorcycle hire shop and explain the situation. They will advise you what to do or come and collect both you and the bike.
If you need tyres, chains, and sprockets, they can usually be delivered overnight via an efficient shop, provided they have stock. Piston Shop in Chiang Mai is a reliable company to use for this.
Bike Transport: Unlimited logistics transport vehicles deliver goods around the country 24/7. We recommend and use Auan So Good—PLN Transport. GTR was once broken down in Loei, 500 km from Chiang Mai, and needed transport home. I contacted Auan So Good, and within 45 minutes, the transport was arranged with a covered pick-up.
TOURIST POLICE
In Thailand, there is a special division of the Thai police force that assists tourists. They are always willing to help with any genuine complaints or problems a tourist may have. Don’t hesitate to contact them for help; they speak English and are friendly and efficient at settling any disputes that you may have.
ACCIDENTS
If you have an accident and require medical treatment, you will usually be taken to the nearest medical clinic or hospital.
Here, you will be treated, and an assessment will be made of your condition – do you need further treatment at another hospital?
Nearly all the small towns have some medical clinic, and all the main towns have a hospital with x-ray facilities.
There are millions of motorbikes in Thailand, and even young doctors have much experience with motorcycle accident victims. If you’re not satisfied with the treatment you are receiving, your next step is to be moved to the best hospital in the province. This transfer can be done by ambulance if necessary, and the staff at the hospital where you are can arrange this.
Before your ambulance ride, ascertain that your condition is stable and you can be transferred safely without further jeopardising it. The local doctors should be aware of this and perform any necessary emergency treatment—cleaning wounds, stemming blood loss, stitching, and bone fixation if the fractures are compound—before you travel.
If you’ve had a nasty knock on the head, you’re probably not in the best position to make rational decisions. So, don’t be excessively obstinate and tell the doctors what to do; they usually know best.
The first 6-8 hours are the most important with compound fractures, and if they are not compound, bone fixation can be done later. In Chiang Mai, you can reassess your situation with the help of the doctors. The Chiang Mai doctors are first-class, and there is no real need to be overly concerned about poor medical treatment. From personal accident experience the service and doctors at Kasemrad Sriburin Hospital in Chiang Rai are excellent.
The best doctors in Chiang Mai teach at Suan Dok Maharaj Hospital. Look through the list of doctors and see their specialities and qualifications—the ones who studied in the West are the ones to go for.
List of orthopaedic Doctors in Chiang Mai.
HOSPITALS
Every province has a large public hospital where you can get adequate medical treatment. However, communication and understanding the system and staff can be a challenge. Private hospitals are better.
The private hospital options in Chiang Mai are
Bangkok Hospital
Chiang Mai Ram
Lanna Hospital
Rajavej Hospital
Mc Cormick Hospital
Theppanya Hospital
The private hospital options in Chiang Rai are
Bangkok Hospital
Kasemrad Sriburin Hospital.
Overbrook Hospital.
MFL Mae Fah Luang University Medical Center Hospital is also good.
Chiang Mai Ram is a small 59-bed hospital.
From personal experience, Sriburin is highly recommended. GTR has personal experience of treatment at Sriburin after an unpleasant head-on collision in 2022. The care and treatment were absolutely first-class, better than anything I have ever had in Chiang Mai at multiple hospitals.
The private hospital options in Phayao are
Phayao Ram.
The private hospital options in Phrae are
Phrae Christian Hospital.
The private hospital options in Lampang are
Khelang Nakorn Ram Hospital.
See also
Health-facilities-in-northern thailand.
Note that in Laos if you have a bad accident & want good hospital treatment you need to get to Thailand ASAP.
Vietnam if you’re planning to ride Vietnam then read this GT Rider Vietnam accident report.
See more tips on what do at an accident scene. Note that in Thailand you don’t need a prescription to buy medicines. As a precaution you can help yourself with minor spills by carrying a small medical kit for treating bumps, cuts and grazes.
Falling off a bike is part of the fun of riding. It just hurts a little when you come to a sudden unplanned stop. The important thing to do is don’t panic or worry unnecessarily; your body’s the most amazing machine & can endure tremendous punishment. But when it does hurt just that much more…
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
We recommend and use
Dr Tawachai,
Loi Kroa Clinic
62 / 2 Loi Kroa Road. Chiang Mai.
Mon – Fri: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Saturday: 8:00 am – 1:00 pm
Sunday: 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Phone: 053 – 271 571.
Dr Tawatchai speaks fluent English. His charges are extremely reasonable, and a select few of the Golden Triangle riders have personally found him very good for cleaning & scraping general (road rash) wounds. The best time to visit his clinic is in the morning when there are fewer patients.
EAR NOSE THROAT DOCTOR
We use and recommend
Sopina Fooanant, MD
Rajavej Chiang Mai Hospital. Clinic Hours:
Monday & Friday: 09.00 – 12.00
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Wednesday: 15.00 – 20.00
Friday: 14.00 – 20.00
Saturday: 09.00 – 12.00
SKIN DOCTOR – DERMATOLOGIST
A highly recommended doctor for skin cancer & allergies is
Vachiraporn Sujaritwanichpong, M.D.
1. M.D. (1st honor) 2000, Srinakarinwirot University
2. Master in Dermatology (MSC. in dermatology), Boston University School of Medicine (honour), 2005
3. Research Fellowship, Boston University School of Medicine
Dr Vachiraporn is a charming woman who speaks excellent, clear English.
She is very popular with the expat community and many bikers in Chiang Mai.
Vachiraporn works out of the Chiang Mai Ran Skin clinic in the daytime or at her private clinic in the evenings. Her clinic is recommended for providing the best personal service.
She has been looking after the old GTR fellah for many years, treating my precancerous issues.
INSURANCE
Medical treatment costs money. So, before you hit the road make sure you have some decent insurance. Don’t ride without it or a licence. No licence and your insurance may be invalid. Accidents always happen when you least expect them, when you don’t need them and often are not your fault. Get yourself covered.
To protect yourself check out these GTR insurance recommendations
