One of Thailand's First Bariatric Surgeons
– Dr. Apichai Chaiyaroj –
If you have ever visited BNH Hospital, you might wonder why so little paper is used. This is a policy driven by Dr. Apichai Chaiyaroj, or Dr. Kik, a surgeon from the General Surgery and Orthopaedics Department and Assistant Hospital Director. His specialities at the hospital include bariatric and laparoscopic surgery, but outside the hospital, his forte is singing.
A Vajiravudh Gentleman
“Just days before my grandfather passed away, he told me he wanted me to be a doctor.”
During his early secondary school years, Dr. Apichai had the opportunity to care for his grandfather in his final moments. Although his grandfather’s dying wish wasn’t exactly a command, growing up with a father who was an anaesthesiologist – a role model in both his humility, contentment, and professional dedication – led him to choose this path without seeking other options.
Dr. Apichai was the only student from Vajiravudh College to gain admission to the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University. However, speaking with the doctor, the indelible impression of his experiences and what this all-boys boarding school, founded by the Royal Command of King Rama VI, bestowed upon him remains vivid and has significantly influenced his life’s success.
The starting point was his father’s impression of the personality and attitude of his medical faculty peers from Siriraj Hospital who were Vajiravudh alumni. Thus, his father sent all three of his sons to study there, and all grew up to be successful. The eldest son became a doctor, graduating from Siriraj Hospital, the middle son an architect, and Dr. Kik is the youngest.
Having lived and studied at a school with fewer than 100 classmates from Year 3 (Prathom 3) until graduating from secondary school, the bonds among friends and between seniors and juniors were exceptionally strong. The reduced external distractions, compared to life outside the school gates, also allowed the doctor to spend his free time discovering other talents beyond academics. He was a school swimmer from Year 3 onwards and played every sport his friends played at school, but he particularly took to squash in Year 10 (Mathayom 4).
“I played squash until I represented the school. When I entered university in my first year, I continued playing until I represented Thailand at the ASEAN University Games in Singapore. That was the peak of my athletic career.”
Living in a boarding school from a young age also honed his soft skills, enabling the doctor to develop resilience by handling problems independently without relying on his parents. He also cultivated leadership skills. Being involved in sports from a young age still motivates Dr. Apichai, now nearing 60, to exercise daily and maintain good health to this day. Everything he gained from the school also led him to decide to send his own son to be a junior there.
Having been involved in activities for 10 years, when he entered Chulalongkorn University, medical student Apichai refused to let academics diminish his active participation. He engaged in activities from his first year. In his third year, he became the President of the Student Relations Committee for the faculty, organising various events. In his fourth year, he was elected to the Chulalongkorn University Student Administrative Organisation and became the President of Student Relations for the university.
“Year 4 was the most academically demanding year, but it was also the year with the most intense activities. It was my medical friends who helped me cover for professors, allowing me to sneak in and out. That year, Chulalongkorn hosted the 47th Chula-Thammasat Traditional Football Match, and we broke tradition with pink football shirts with black collars. It was also the first year that the Chula stand was full before Thammasat’s. I cheered in front of the grandstand with my Faculty of Fine Arts friend, who was the head cheerleader. I can’t remember who won that year, but I cheered until my voice was hoarse.”
“But after Year 4, we didn’t do many activities anymore; we had to focus on studying.”
The activities he pursued also led the doctor to discover another dream, which he still enjoys today, even if not formally.
“I always wanted to be a doctor, but if you ask me now, I’d probably want to be a singer.”
Music in His Heart
OV Music is a band formed by 12 Vajiravudh alumni, with Dr. Kik serving as a lead vocalist, alternating with a bandmate. They rehearse weekly, playing both Thai and international songs, and accept event performances as time permits.
“We only really formed the team about 7-8 years ago, after not seeing each other for almost 20 years. It started when we arranged a dinner for the teachers who used to oversee the music club when we were students, and one friend felt it was time for us to reunite.”
During his time at Vajiravudh College, Dr. Apichai was a member of the school band. He played the mandolin, a string instrument similar to a guitar, with four pairs of eight strings, played by plucking, producing high, emotionally evocative sounds. At that time, the school band had the opportunity to perform at Or Sor Radio Station, a radio station established by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, broadcasting live from Dusit Palace.
“Older students used to say that sometimes His Majesty would come and play music with them. Even though I never had that opportunity, just performing in the palace was a great honour.”
“At that time, I both sang and played the mandolin. When I played, I couldn’t sing, so we had to switch. Sometimes when I sang, it would fail, and there was nothing I could do; it just failed mid-air because it was a live broadcast.”
After graduating from Year 12 (Mathayom 6), Dr. Apichai never played the mandolin again, and even his beloved singing faded away for a long time. It wasn’t until the formation of OV Music that he and his old friends could reminisce about their musical past and rekindle their youthful passion.
American Dream
For many, the American Dream is about relocating to seek opportunities in a land of hope, and Dr. Apichai was one of them. But the American Dream of a Year 11 student at that time was little more than the chance to gain experience independently in a new country where opportunities were for everyone.
Dr. Kik went as an AFS exchange student to a small town called Solon, Ohio. He became the eldest brother to four children in his American host family and formed a new close-knit group of friends with exchange students from various countries.
“That year, I hardly met any other Thais because there were no Thais in the town I lived in. American kids back then didn’t look down on us; they saw us as friends. I got to see American life, which was quite different from ours. I gained a lot of life perspective and personal transformation from that experience because I saw more than what I saw in Thailand and more than what I saw in movies.”
Anyone who watched 80s Hollywood movies featuring cool male actors with long, slicked-back, gelled hair can picture Dr. Kik in America. In winter, with temperatures dropping to minus 40 degrees Celsius, he’d step outside for a moment, and his perfectly styled hair would freeze solid, becoming so brittle it would snap if flicked. His cherished old memories from abroad also include participating in his first ever swimming and fishing competition in a river, and the strong bond with his host family’s younger siblings, a long-distance friendship that endures decades later. For him, it was a valuable year that helped shape him into who he is.
“When I returned to study in Thailand, I had to finish a year later than my friends because, back then, grades couldn’t be easily transferred. But it was okay; I gained so much. It was another experience where I truly lived life to the fullest.”
Want to Lose Weight? A Surgeon Can Help.
Don’t celebrate too soon, as bariatric surgery is a treatment method considered by doctors only for patients with weight problems stemming from physical abnormalities, such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, or issues with nutrient absorption. There are various solutions, including gastric bypass surgery, hormone regulation, or altering the food pathway, among others.
“Unlike liposuction, we perform this surgery to improve the patient’s health and control certain diseases. After surgery, patients must promise themselves to exercise at least 30-45 minutes, no less than three times a week, control their diet, avoid overeating, and stop when full. Otherwise, the reduced stomach will expand again.”
Although being overweight is more common in Western countries than in Asia, doctors from Asia, including Thailand, are considered among the world’s leading experts in this field. Dr. Apichai is among the first doctors in the country capable of performing specialised weight-loss surgery, having been in this field since 2000.
Bariatric surgery aligned with his expertise in laparoscopic surgery, which Dr. Apichai specialised in at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, and Flinders Medical Center, Adelaide, in Australia. He has handled challenging cases, such as operating on patients with abdominal adhesions, which required only two small incisions in the abdomen for surgery, instead of the usual 3-4 incisions for standard laparoscopic surgery.
In Australia, Dr. Apichai became familiar with laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery by assisting a professor specialising in this field. Upon returning to work in Thailand, he applied his knowledge to perform surgeries alongside a senior colleague who was skilled in laparoscopic surgery and shared the same interest.
“We absolutely have to operate together; I can’t do it alone because it’s complex and would be too slow. When operating on overweight patients, the faster, the better, because if the patient lies still, their own weight can compress muscles, leading to ischemia. Operating together yields the best results, takes the shortest time, and is the safest.”
One female foreign patient underwent bariatric surgery for weight loss. Fifteen years later, the same patient returned as an 80-year-old runner with a slender, athletic build. This is one of the cases Dr. Kik is proud of, demonstrating that bariatric surgery can transform a person’s quality of life long-term if the patient maintains sufficient self-discipline.
For bariatric surgery, Dr. Apichai provides Complete Care, or holistic, comprehensive care. For the surgery itself, it means preventing potential risks before, during, and after the operation. The doctor engages in multiple discussions to assess the patient’s strong commitment to long-term self-transformation. Patients receive psychiatric consultations if necessary, coordination with nutritionists for dietary care, with internists for weight-related medical conditions, and even with anaesthesiologists for anaesthesia planning. They work as a multidisciplinary team to ensure the best and most sustainable treatment outcomes.
“It’s about changing lives, not just getting a perfect body instantly after surgery. It takes time. We have to discuss the details, and the patient makes the final decision. Many people talk to me and decide not to have surgery because they feel they can’t change their lifestyle.”
Paperless Hospital
Upon returning from his specialisation studies abroad, Dr. Apichai began working part-time at BNH Hospital before deciding to become a full-time surgeon there in 2003. This hospital was also one of the first in Thailand to adopt laparoscopic surgery technology and had numerous laparoscopic cases even back then.
Years later, the doctor was approached to become an Assistant Director at another private hospital to improve its quality to JCI standards, which measure safety in healthcare. Dr. Apichai continued to work part-time for BNH Hospital throughout this period. Once the other hospital achieved its goals, the doctor returned to BNH Hospital full-time, taking on an additional administrative role.
“The reason I was ‘gone’ from here was just that I wasn’t full-time, but I’m deeply connected to this place. I’ve always been involved in activities here. I’ve been here for 20 years, and everyone knows me. Even though I’m back in an executive role now, I still see patients as before.”
From serving two terms as President of the BNH Hospital Medical Organisation to becoming an Assistant Executive overseeing IT, he transformed paper-based work into digital data, reducing the use of paper for patient records, eliminating the need to file medical records.
“I tried to get the team to adopt an IT system, giving them time and asking them to talk to all the doctors about what they wanted. Doctors were involved in designing what they would use. Eventually, the IT system was successfully implemented. Luckily, the doctors here are ready for change; it’s a great teamwork environment, so they cooperate. I have to credit all the doctors.”
With many hats – doctor, administrator, singer, athlete, husband, and father – Dr. Kik tries to allocate his time to fully dedicate himself to every role, alongside time for himself, like exercising. This aligns with his belief that if doctors take good care of themselves, it enhances their potential to provide even better patient care.
“My life isn’t that complicated. Do my job well, take good care of myself, take good care of my family, and be in a good organisation. That’s enough for my life to have value.”
Daily responsibilities often lead people to single-mindedly pursue success, forgetting important things like happiness. But Dr. Apichai’s multi-faceted life has never been without happiness at every stage. Partly, it might be fate that surrounded him with good people, but mostly, it’s likely the result of his own perseverance in striving to find a balanced life led by happiness, bringing success into his life.
“My profession can bring so much happiness to others, and the music I play makes me happy, and it makes my friends happy. So, it means I’m making more people happy. I want everyone to be happy in their lives.”
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APICHAI CHAIYAROJ, M.D.
นพ. อภิชัย ไชยโรจน์
Speciality
Surgery
Education
Medical Degree, Doctor of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Board and Sub board Certification
Thai Medical Council, Surgery, Mahidol University
Language
English
Thai
Gender
Male
Schedule
Surgery Department
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Tuesday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 - 17:00 |
| Saturday | 09:00 - 12:00 |
| Sunday | - |
This is the doctor's regular weekly schedule. Actual availability may vary — please confirm the available date and time when you make an appointment.