Doctor and clinic

Doctor and clinic

ສຸກສາລາຢູ່ໃສ?
[ suk sala yu sai? ]

Where is the local clinic/dispensary?

ຂ້ອຍຢາກພົບໝໍ
[ khoi yak phop mo ]

I want to see a doctor.

ຕ້ອງຈອງຄິວບໍ່?
[ tong chong khiw bo? ]

Do I need an appointment/ticket?

ໝໍເວົ້າພາສາອັງກິດໄດ້ບໍ່?
[ mo vao phasa angkit dai bo? ]

Does the doctor speak English?

ເຈັບບ່ອນໃດ?
[ chep bon dai? ]

Where does it hurt?

ເຈັບມາດົນປານໃດແລ້ວ?
[ chep ma don pan dai laew? ]

How long has it been hurting?

ອາການເລີ່ມຕັ້ງແຕ່ມື້ວານ
[ akan loem tang tae mu van ]

The symptoms started since yesterday.

ອາການເປັນແນວໃດແດ່?
[ akan pen naew dai dae? ]

What are your symptoms?

ອ້າປາກ
[ a pak ]

Open your mouth.

ຫາຍໃຈເລິກໆ
[ hai chai loek loek ]

Breathe deeply.

ນອນລົງ
[ non long ]

Lie down.

ຂ້ອຍຈະວັດແທກຄວາມດັນ
[ khoi cha vat thaek khwam dan ]

I will check your blood pressure.

ຂ້ອຍຈະກວດເລືອດ
[ khoi cha kuat luat ]

I will do a blood test.

ເປັນພະຍາດຫຍັງ?
[ pen phanyat nyang? ]

What is the illness?

ມັນຮ້າຍແຮງບໍ່?
[ man hai haeng bo? ]

Is it serious?

ຕ້ອງຜ່າຕັດບໍ່?
[ tong pha tat bo? ]

Do I need surgery?

ພັກຜ່ອນຫຼາຍໆເດີ້
[ phak phon lai lai doe ]

Get lots of rest.

ນີ້ແມ່ນໃບສັ່ງຢາ
[ ni maen bai sang ya ]

Here is the prescription.

ຄ່າກວດເທົ່າໃດ?
[ kha kuat thao dai? ]

How much is the consultation fee?

ຂໍໃບຮັບຮອງແພດແດ່
[ kho bai hap hong phaet dae ]

Medical certificate, please.

Cultural notes

If your illness persists or if you suffer a minor injury while trekking in the provinces, you will likely bypass a large modern hospital and instead visit a "Souksala" (ສຸກສາລາ). A Souksala is a local village clinic or health dispensary that provides basic medical care to rural communities. When you arrive in a village, you can ask locals ສຸກສາລາຢູ່ໃສ? (suk sala yu sai? - where is the local clinic?). Experiencing a Souksala is a stark contrast to Western healthcare. There is no concept of calling ahead to make an appointment; instead, the system operates purely on a first-come, first-served basis. You can ask ຕ້ອງຈອງຄິວບໍ່? (tong chong khiw bo? - do I need to take a queue number?), but generally, you just take a seat on a wooden bench and wait. The language barrier might be a challenge, so you can politely inquire ໝໍເວົ້າພາສາອັງກິດໄດ້ບໍ່? (mo vao phasa angkit dai bo? - does the doctor speak English?). If not, basic body language and pointing will be crucial when the doctor asks ເຈັບບ່ອນໃດ? (chep bon dai? - where does it hurt?) or tells you to lie down (ນອນລົງ - non long). The doctor will likely perform standard checks, stating ຂ້ອຍຈະວັດແທກຄວາມດັນ (khoi cha vat thaek khwam dan - I will check your blood pressure). If they prescribe medicine, they will hand you a prescription slip (ນີ້ແມ່ນໃບສັ່ງຢາ - ni maen bai sang ya) which you can fulfill at the attached pharmacy. Consultations are incredibly cheap (ຄ່າກວດເທົ່າໃດ? - kha kuat thao dai? - how much is the fee?). However, the most important administrative phrase for any traveler needing to claim expenses back home is ຂໍໃບຮັບຮອງແພດແດ່ (kho bai hap hong phaet dae - medical certificate, please). Without this officially stamped document, your travel insurance will almost certainly deny your claim.