TL;DR:Private hospitals in Thai cities provide English interpreters; public and rural facilities may not—confirm with the hospital ahead or book a professional interpreter for complex care.
In major Thai cities you usually do not need to hire an external interpreter for routine medical appointments: large private hospitals (Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej, Bangkok Pattaya, etc.) run international patient departments and provide English-speaking staff or in‑house interpreters. Public hospitals and rural clinics have more variable English ability, so bring an interpreter or arrange one if you expect complex care. For non-English languages (Chinese, Japanese, Arabic) or outside normal hours, interpretation may be chargeable. Embassies publish lists of English‑speaking doctors and private agencies (medical interpretation/concierge services) can be booked for a fee. If you prefer certainty: contact the hospital’s international/patient relations desk ahead of your appointment to confirm language support, or hire a professional interpreter for specialist consultations and informed‑consent situations. Official hospital international service pages and embassy health lists are the best sources for specific hospitals.
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