From the moment you clear customs at Suvarnabhumi to the evening of your surgery, every step of your Bangkok journey is planned, staffed and supported by the Azurite team.
Travelling overseas for surgery is a big decision, and the unknowns are often what make people nervous. Where do I go when I land? Who picks me up? Where will I stay? What happens at the hospital?
This guide walks you through exactly what to expect in your first few days with Azurite Medical & Wellness, so you can arrive feeling prepared, calm and looked after.
Landing at Suvarnabhumi: look for your name at Gate 4
When you land at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and walk out of arrivals, someone will already be waiting for you.
Head to Gate 4, where a female airport staff member will be holding a sign reading Azurite Medical & Wellness with your name on it. She works with us at the airport (she is not an Azurite employee), and her job is simply to find you and make sure you get to your driver.
If you can't spot her straight away:
Check the name-board pickup stand near the exit gate.
Still can't find her? Message us in your WhatsApp group chat and our team will sort it out in real time.
Before you fly, we set up a WhatsApp group with you and our Bangkok nursing team, so help is always one message away from the moment your phone reconnects.
Meet Mr. Nine, your driver
From Gate 4, Mr. Nine, Azurite's full-time company driver, will collect you and drive you straight to your hotel. No taxi queues, no haggling, no trying to explain an address in Thai after a long flight.
Mr. Nine will also be the one taking you between the hotel and the hospital throughout your stay, so you'll quickly become familiar faces.
A small tip: his English is limited, but he tries very hard and is always happy to chat. Having Google Translate on your phone makes conversation easy, and most clients find it part of the fun.
Keep an eye out for the Azurite van. It's easy to spot, and it's your ride for every trip during your stay.
Your home base: Chatrium Residence Sathorn
Your accommodation is Chatrium Residence Sathorn, a serviced-apartment hotel in Bangkok's Sathorn district. It's where you'll settle in before surgery, and where our team will meet you each morning.
The lobby is calm and spacious, and the reception team is welcoming and used to helping international guests. The lobby is also our meeting point: whenever we head to the hospital, your nurse will meet you here.
You don't have to go far for a familiar coffee. There's a Coffee Club right on the ground floor, which many Australian clients find a comforting touch of home.
On site you'll also find a hair salon and a spa (you’ll receive a free hair wash voucher during your package), handy for a blow-dry or a relaxing massage before your procedure.
And when you just want to rest, the pool sits inside lush tropical gardens with shaded walking paths, a peaceful escape from the city.
Your nursing team, on WhatsApp from day one
Before you even pack, you'll be introduced to our Bangkok nursing team in a dedicated WhatsApp group. The team is made up of registered nurses Jazy, Passorn and Sirirat, including Thai RNs, who know the hospital, the surgeon and the local system inside out.
They'll send your schedule, your pre-op instructions and reminders before each step. In Bangkok, a nurse will personally accompany you to every hospital appointment, translate where needed, and stay with you through the process. You're never left to navigate a foreign hospital on your own.
Meet the nurses caring for your recovery
After surgery, our nurses are the people you'll see most. They visit you at the bedside, check on your wounds and healing, explain your aftercare in plain English, and keep you and your family updated in your WhatsApp group.
Nurse Jazy, RN has more than ten years of nursing experience and has been part of the Azurite team since 2019. He graduated from Brokenshire College in the Philippines with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and became a registered nurse in December 2006. His career has taken him from hospital nursing in the Philippines to the cosmetic surgery industry here in Bangkok.
Jazy accompanies clients to their pre-surgery consultation and post-surgery follow-ups, and once you've healed, he's happy to join you for sightseeing or shopping. Day to day, he looks after post-op clients: wound care, health teaching, emotional support, and helping you get the right surgical compression garments and any other treatments you're interested in.
In his free time, Jazy likes listening to music and watching movies. When he's not travelling with friends, he's happiest at home.
Passorn Luengyungyuen, RN trained at one of Thailand's most respected teaching hospitals, earning her Bachelor of Nursing Science through the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, and holds a Thai Nursing and Midwifery Licence. She worked as a registered nurse at Ramathibodi Hospital and as a referral nurse at Bangkok Hospital Sanamchan. Passorn then moved to the UK, where she completed a Master of Science in Psychology with Commendation at the University of Hertfordshire and spent time in UK care settings. That mix of clinical nursing and psychology means she understands both the physical and emotional side of recovering far from home.
Sirirat Kemsirirat, RN completed her Bachelor of Nursing Science in Thammasat University's international program, then spent three years as a registered nurse at Thammasat University Hospital. There she assessed patients, prepared discharge instructions and counselled families on medication and follow-up care. She went on to work as a patient coordinator for international patients in Bangkok, guiding them from first enquiry through to post-treatment follow-up. Educated partly in India on a UK curriculum, Sirirat speaks fluent English and makes complex medical instructions easy to understand.
Meet your surgeon: Dr. Theerapong Poonyakariyagorn
Your surgery is performed by Dr. Theerapong Poonyakariyagorn, MD, chief plastic surgeon at Interplast Clinic in Bangkok, with more than 20 years in plastic surgery and over 20,000 cosmetic surgery cases.
Dr. Theerapong is certified by the Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons of Thailand and is an active member of the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS). He has operated on patients from all over the world.
Training and qualifications
Doctor of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University (1986 to 1992)
General surgery residency, King Mongkutklao Hospital (1995 to 1998)
Plastic and reconstructive surgery residency, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (1998 to 2000)
Diploma, Thai Board of General Surgery (1998)
Diploma, Thai Board of Plastic Surgery (2000)
Memberships
Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand
Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons of Thailand
Royal College of Surgeons of Thailand
International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS)
Experience
After his training, Dr. Theerapong worked in the Division of Plastic Surgery at Samutsakorn Hospital (2000 to 2008) and as a plastic surgeon at PAI Clinic in Bangkok (2000 to 2012), before becoming chief plastic surgeon at Interplast Clinic.
Ongoing international training
He keeps his techniques current through international courses and congresses, including:
Art of Rhinoplasty, San Francisco (2006)
The Cutting Edge of Aesthetic Surgery Symposium, New York (2011)
ISAPS congresses in Rio de Janeiro (2014), Kyoto (2016) and Florida (2018)
Marina Medical's Gluteoplasty Workshop, San José, Costa Rica (2015)
Botti's Best Breast (2016) and Botti's Best Face facial rejuvenation course (2017), Salò, Italy
The Forum of Adipose Tissue and Stem Cell Congress, Bangkok (2017)
Day 1: pre-surgery tests at Bangpakok 8 Hospital
The day before surgery is all about making sure you're safe to operate on. At 9am, your nurse meets you in the hotel lobby and Mr. Nine drives you both to Bangpakok 8 Hospital.
At the hospital you'll complete your pre-surgery diagnostic exam:
Blood tests
Chest X-ray
ECG (heart tracing)
Once your results are back, you'll see the hospital's medical doctor for medical clearance. Your nurse stays with you the whole way through.
A few things to know for this day:
You don't need to fast. Eat and drink as normal.
Skip the coffee that morning, as it can push your blood pressure higher than normal.
If you've had blood tests or other checks done at home, bring hard copies of the results.
When you're done, Mr. Nine takes you back to the hotel to rest.
Day 2: surgery day
Surgery day starts slowly, giving you the morning to relax at the hotel. Our surgeon usually operates in the late evening, so the timeline looks like this:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before 2pm | Eat and drink well, and take your usual medication |
| 2pm | Fasting begins: no food or drink of any kind, including water, juice, lollies and mouth sprays |
| 2pm | Check out of the hotel; your nurse meets you in the lobby and you head to the hospital for admission |
| 7:30pm | Consultation and surgical markings with Dr. Theerapong at the clinic |
| Late evening | Back to the hospital together for your surgery |
Before you fly: your pre-surgery checklist
Thai hospitals have strict safety rules, and these apply to every patient and every procedure. If they aren't followed, surgery can be delayed or cancelled, so it's worth getting on top of them early. Your nurse will send you the full instructions, but here's the overview:
| Area | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Supplements | Stop all vitamins, dietary, herbal and blood-boosting supplements at least 1 month before | Some affect bleeding and clotting |
| Alcohol & fermented foods | Avoid for at least 1 month before | Supports safe anaesthesia and healing |
| Pain relief | Use paracetamol only; avoid aspirin and anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) unless your doctor advises otherwise | NSAIDs and aspirin increase bleeding risk |
| Smoking & nicotine | Stop at least 3 to 6 months before, including vapes, shisha, patches, gum, pouches and lozenges | Nicotine reduces blood flow and slows wound healing |
| Contraceptive pill | May be continued; if you can stop, stop at least 1 month before | Reduces clotting risk |
| Oral HRT | Stop 1 to 2 months before, unless your prescribing doctor says otherwise; patches and gels usually don't need to stop | Oral oestrogen raises clotting factors |
| Nails | No polish (even clear), gel or acrylic on fingers or toes | The oxygen monitor reads through your nail beds |
| Eyes | No eyelash extensions or contact lenses | Protects your eyes under anaesthesia |
| Jewellery & piercings | Remove everything, including all piercings; no taping and no plastic retainers | Reduces infection and burn risk |
| Dentures | Remove before surgery | Prevents airway obstruction |
Ready when you are
From the sign at Gate 4 to the moment you wake up in recovery, the Azurite team has every step covered: a driver who knows the way, a comfortable hotel with a familiar coffee downstairs, and registered nurses by your side at the hospital.
Thinking about surgery in Bangkok? Get in touch at azurite.com.au or email clientrelations@azurite.com.au and we'll walk you through your options.
