Yesterday I was offered a job at Patana School working as a Learning Support teacher in KS 3 and 4.  I am really looking forward to starting tomorrow at 8.30 when I meet the rest of the team.  Today I had my medical inspection.  I was whisked off to the local hospital in one of the school's minibuses and within five minutes was pulling up outside a modern, well kept building which could easily have been a bank apart form the odd wheelchair coming out of the sliding doors.  A doorman in a crisp white and gold uniform opened the door and saluted me as he welcomed me to the hospital.  I arrived at reception where there where no queues and was ushered into the lift and onto the second floor.  There was some problem with the paper work but a young woman in a smart working suit came to translate.  Quickly the problems were resolved and I took a seat.  Within three minutes a nurse came and asked me to stand against the wall whilst she took my height and weight. then I sat down in front of the waiting room and had my blood pressure taken. 'No problems' the nurse announced to the assembled room.  Thank God for that I thought because the whole room would know if I had. Again, I was asked to take a seat then after only a few minutes was ushered into a small anteroom and blood was taken just to check if I had syphalis.  I think I passed!  It is standard Thai practice for all their foreign teachers if yoiu want a work permit. As I sat for the last part of my medical, I watched the main reception desk with interest.  There were six young girls standing there, each with a specific role.  One would receive the file or report, another would collate it and a third would put it for filing or send it on to another department.  Two nearby would stand and chat and the last would set off for the next report.  Everything was calm and tranquility.  The shops are the same with huge numbers of staff standing ready to serve you.  At times there are more staff than customers.
My medical over, I was directed over to the most important section, the accounts section where I had to sign a chit to say i had had the work done.  You could tell it was an important section because all the staff were displayed with their photographs on a notice board unlike any of the nursing departments.  I signed and was then shown out.  Once more the doorman in his immaculate white uniform called my driver, opened the door for me before closing it once I was safely seated and then we set off back to school.  Just like Barnsley Hospital...not, I thought.