Medical certificate for a job application: what's checked, how long it takes, what it costs

What the doctor checks

The most widely used form is the medical certificate approved by the Thai Medical Council (2018 edition). It has two parts: first the applicant records their own health history (chronic conditions, surgery, drug allergies), then the doctor records the examination findings and gives an opinion.

In the doctor's section we measure weight, height, blood pressure and pulse, examine you generally, and certify that none of the five prohibited diseases listed on the form is present: leprosy in its infectious stage, tuberculosis in its dangerous stage, elephantiasis with visible symptoms, narcotic drug addiction and chronic alcoholism. These are mostly assessed from your history and a physical examination, with no blood test.

To understand where these five diseases come from and why they are still on the form, read What is the five-disease medical certificate?

How long it takes, and can I wait for it?

For a standard certificate, registration, history, examination and the doctor's signature are usually completed in one visit. The actual wait depends on how busy the clinic is; weekday evenings and weekends are busier. Message us on LINE before you leave home to check the queue.

What stops it being a one-day job is extra tests, for example blood tests that go to an outside laboratory, or a chest X-ray, which needs a facility with the equipment. If your employer's form has boxes for these, send us a photo first so we can tell you whether everything can be done at the clinic and how to plan.

Cost

A medical certificate for a job application or driving licence at Mongkhondee Clinic costs 200 baht, including the doctor's examination and the document. If your employer requires extra blood or urine tests, those are charged per test and our staff always tell you the price before starting. See the full price list on the prices page.

Study, reserve training or internships: any different?

Broadly the same form is used. The difference is that some institutions send their own form or add items such as colour-vision, blood group or vaccination history. For reserve officer training, units usually accept the standard Medical Council form, but check that year's notice from your unit as conditions can change.

Some hospital or food-factory internships ask for extra results such as hepatitis B immunity, which we can test, but the result comes from the laboratory, so allow time.

A full pre-employment check-up versus a certificate

Larger companies and factories often ask new staff for a pre-employment check-up, which is a different thing from a single certificate. Typical items are a complete blood count, blood sugar, lipids, liver and kidney function and urinalysis; some add a chest X-ray or drug test.

Those blood and urine tests match our Health Check Plan A, which already includes a physical examination and a doctor's report. If the company wants results in a specific format, tell us in advance so the doctor can fill in the form item by item.

Good to know: Always ask about drug tests and chest X-rays before travelling, because whether the receiving organisation accepts clinic results or requires a hospital varies.

What to bring

• Your original Thai ID card, or passport for foreign nationals
• The company's or institution's form, if any, and check whether it needs a photo
• The English spelling of your name exactly as on the document you will submit, if you need an English certificate
• A list of your regular medications and conditions so the history section is complete
• If any blood test requires fasting, read how to fast before a health check before the day