GRS and payment methods

[Bird]

I am wondering about the best way to pay for GRS. I have the money.

I don't want to pay it before I get there. I want to talk with the doctor, I want to find out if I really want to do surgery there before paying.

I also don't want to bring all that amount of cash in hand. It is just too much money for me to carry it.

I have a visa travelmoney card. I was thinking about using it because I'd then be able to avoid creditcards completely. The one issue is that after I arrive I'd have go to more than one atm machine to cash the money. I am checking with my card company to see if its even allowed to expend the needed amount in a single day and then make arrangements for it. I guess going to the atms and chashing the money is my doubt at hand. I somehow am unsure if thats viable... I don't know. The ratio between dollars and thai bath being what they are, I'd be needing a lot of bath to cash in that amount.

If it doesn't works I will pay with a credit card.... but as a last resort.

[Nina_Ottawa]

I doubt there is a surgeon who doesn't expect payment in full before you arrive.
My surgeon certainly did (Dr. Brassard)

[FTMax]

I'm not 100% sure how it works in Thailand, but many surgeons require some kind of consultation prior to scheduling surgery. So you'd have an opportunity to talk to them and ask questions then. In the US, this usually costs $100-200.

In general, if not paying with insurance, a full payment is expected prior to service being completed. My surgeon required a 10% deposit to secure a surgery date, and then full payment one month prior to the date. This had to be done via wire transfer from my bank account.

[Bird]

They do ask to pay for the consultation then for the procedure in full before the surgery date. Hence I will have a bit of available time in Thailand to draw the money from any accounts before SRS.

Because I have no experiece paying for GRS procedures I wonder if drawing money from ATM machines in Thai is a sound method. I certainly won't send the money in full before even having an appointment.

[AnonyMs]

I sometimes pay for things by bank transfer. I can just log into my account via Internet and do an international money transfer to their bank account.

Does your bank have a branch in Thailand? Maybe you could just go in and arrange a transfer to PAI's bank account.

I'd not want to do it via an ATM. There will be limits on the amount per day, and PAI might not like that amount of cash. If you card gets cancelled, as could happen if there's any fraudulent activity on it, you'd have a big problem.

You might also ask for advice from PAI. They must have plenty of experience with this.

[Bird]

Hey Anony How have you been?

I had alredy took your advice and sent a email to PAI clinic about it. I guess I will wait for their answer to see what are the alternatives. I could just set a international transfer payment but surely you remember the experience I had with Kamol, because of it I just don't want to deposit huge amounts of money without seeing things personally.

[AnonyMs]

I remember Karol, but not the details. From all I've heard lately I can't imagine you'll have those kind of problems with PAI.

With internet access I'd be able to make a transfer while travelling. The only difficulty would be if something went wrong and I couldn't do it, and sometimes international transfers take a while.