The process takes more time and they ask for lots of extra documents. If you meet the requirements, it usually works, but I got refused under medical care probably because of weak paperwork. A friend of mine with solid documents and a legit business was rejected three times for no clear reason.

I think this embassy is stricter than others, and has its own firm standards. But since they never explain the reason for refusal, you just can’t know exactly why.

@John ******

I actually wrote the treatment plan myself. I asked Ram Hospital, but they told me they couldn’t provide that kind of document. If you’re planning to apply under the medical treatment category, I’d really recommend going through a hospital in Bangkok that has a proper international support system. I don’t think Ram Hospital can handle it. That’s why I’m now considering switching to the Muay Thai course, or maybe just going for an education visa for peace of mind.

You’re right. it’s hard to pinpoint the exact reason, but I think this is probably one of the strongest possibilities.

I actually tried several times, both by email and in person, to request such a document from Ram Hospital, but I felt like the doctors ans staffs just didn’t understand the concept of a “treatment plan.” To put it simply, they seemed unable to imagine providing anything beyond the usual documents: Medical Certificate, appointment confirmations, test results or receipts. So in the end, I just collected as many Medical Certificate and test results as I could and put them together like a portfolio but it looks like that wasn’t enough.

The Thai Embassy in Korea also specifically requested my past receipts, so I think it’s clear that the review process in Seoul is stricter than in some other places.

If I were to give advice to others in Chiang Mai, I’d say that Ram Hospital’s medical services themselves are not bad at all, but considering these kinds of documentation issues, it might be better to go to a hospital in Bangkok. If I had gone to a Bangkok hospital from the beginning, I probably could have had stronger paperwork prepared for my application.