isis - ahem! I spent three weeks in Phuket very recently. Let me assure you the hospital there left all British ones looking like third world dumps. This applies to the level of cleanliness, service, treatment, and aftercare. Admittedly it was private (the costs were approximately one fifth of what you would pay here), but there is also a hospital equivalent to our NHS ....from what i was told by the Thai people it is streaks ahead of even our private ones.
....of course, sadly, it goes without saying that the situation has changed now.