A Life of Seeking Opportunity
– Dr. Sayam Thaiudom –
The Gastroenterologist Who Finds Joy in Every Working Day and Every Football Match
Life is about seeking opportunities, and for Dr. Sayam Thaiudom, a gastroenterologist at BNH Hospital’s Gastrointestinal Centre, the secret to success lies in seizing opportunities and finding happiness in what he does. This approach fuels his daily work, even though his current reality is far removed from his childhood dreams.
The Golden Boot Player
“In 1986, Mexico hosted the World Cup. I was in late primary school and became completely obsessed with football. The time difference with South America was significant, so I’d set my alarm to wake up and watch football at 2 AM.”
Young Sayam’s dream was to become a professional footballer. He spent every evening and weekend grabbing a ball and heading out to play. When it was time to apply for secondary school, his parents intended for him to sit the entrance exam for Suankularb Wittayalai School, even taking him to a tutoring institute specifically focused on preparing students for admission to that school.
“But at that time, Debsirin School was the undisputed champion of high school football.”
So, young Sayam secretly applied to Debsirin School instead of Suankularb. Becoming a Debsirin student brought with it the hope of a path towards becoming a footballer. The first step was to compete in the Physical Education Department’s student football tournament on behalf of the school, which had four age categories: U12, U14, U16, and U18. Another fact that fuelled young Sayam’s ambition was that in the year he started school, Debsirin School had won the championship in every category.
“I was going to try out, but by chance, my birth month meant I just missed the cut-off for the U12 category. And I didn’t dare try out for the U14 team because I was small and thin. Competing against Matthayom 3 (Year 9) students, I probably wouldn’t make the cut. At that time, I thought, ‘Never mind, I’ll try out for the U14 team when I’m in Matthayom 2 (Year 8).'”
“But by Matthayom 2, I still didn’t try out. Time just passed. In the end, I only got to play football, but never became a school footballer as I wished.”
Nonetheless, not becoming a school representative did not diminish young Sayam’s passion for football. He continued to spend his free time before school, during breaks, and after school, regularly grabbing a ball to play on the field. Each year, he had to replace his shoes up to eight times because the soles wore out, coupled with his declining academic performance, which dropped to a GPA of just over 2.00.
“By Matthayom 4 (Year 10), I started to realise I needed to focus on my studies again.”
Eventually, he successfully passed the entrance exam to study at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine.
A Military Doctor and Discovered Happiness
During the era when the doctor studied at Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, the policy only admitted male students, meaning Dr. Sayam remained in an all-male institution from secondary school until university graduation. Life among his male friends was filled with fun and laughter. He was an avid extracurricular participant and still loved playing football. He was merely an average student with no outstanding achievements that caught the attention of professors. Even upon graduating from medical school, his GPA was still under 3.00.
But amidst the typical male camaraderie, studying as a military doctor had points that differed from general medical studies. There was relatively serious military training and adherence to military discipline, such as falling into formation for parades, daily morning and evening runs, and strict sleeping and waking times.
“Military training changed many of my habits. I used to be a picky eater, doing whatever I wanted, but becoming a soldier instilled discipline. Senior students who I had problems with during hazing became much closer friends as we grew older.”
“With commanding senior officers, you had to remember everything precisely. You had to memorise their names and surnames, which squad and company belonged to. It was an offence to call them by the wrong name.”
Military training was most intense during the second year, which also marked the first year of his military service. At that time, every doctor who graduated from Phramongkutklao College of Medicine was commissioned into military service and dispersed to various military units. There was no division into civilian doctors as there is today. In military units, military doctors primarily wore military uniforms, only wearing medical uniforms on certain days. They had to fall into formation for flag salutes, living life as a soldier.
“As soon as I graduated from medical school and started my rural service, I became a full-fledged doctor with a medical licence and had to truly take responsibility for patients. I started to feel happy being a doctor. I began to enjoy seeing patients. When I was on duty, I didn’t feel miserable. Even with many patients, when I woke up in the morning, I still felt like working.”
“I never had any issues with patients throughout my life. This might have originated from that period.”
As responsibility came with happiness in his work, Dr. Sayam transformed from an unremarkable figure to someone performing at a good level. At the same time, he continued to enjoy life as an active participant, partying with friends, and playing football whenever he had the chance. When it was time to pursue further specialisation, he took a chance with a highly competitive core specialty: Internal Medicine.
“Everyone thought I shouldn’t choose Internal Medicine because my academic performance as a medical student wasn’t very good. Plus, at that time, the Internal Medicine department at Phramongkutklao Hospital had a relatively high number of applicants. I also thought the professors probably wouldn’t accept me. But luckily, they did.”
Even though he was accepted for further studies, the professors’ gazes at Dr. Sayam were still full of concern about whether he could handle the demanding curriculum. Despite the heavy workload of specialisation, the doctor remained fully committed to enjoying life as usual. However, what was added was the happiness he discovered from his work, which made his performance better than many had worried, changing the image his professors had known, and he graduated from Internal Medicine as second in his class.
When applying for a sub-specialty in Internal Medicine after completing his general Internal Medicine rural service, Dr. Sayam approached it with a different mindset than before. This included the professors’ attitudes towards him, his attitude towards the medical profession, and a scholarship from the Ministry of Defence due to his service as a Navy military doctor. This allowed him to study Gastroenterology and Hepatology, even though the competition rate that year was very high.
A Country of Opportunity
“If I stayed in military medical service, I’d have to be stationed upcountry and be far from my girlfriend. I didn’t know how I’d build a family. And I wanted to go for an observership abroad, but opportunities for doctors in the Navy at that time were quite limited, making it not easy to get leave.”
With all these constraints, Dr. Sayam then decided to resign from government service and join BNH Hospital, without abandoning his dream of going abroad. However, his intention to settle down and start a family in Bangkok had to be postponed when his wife was transferred for a three-year work assignment in Texas, USA.
“I went to see Dr. Thawee Ratanachuek, an endoscopic surgeon from Rajavithi Hospital, who is a senior professor I highly admire. He contacted a professor for me, who accepted me for an observership. But it was only as a visitor for a very short period, just four weeks, whilst my wife had to stay for at least three years. What would I do after that if I went?”
“But my wife continued to encourage me, saying, ‘The United States is a land of opportunity,’ which made me decide to just try it first and see what happens.”
Dr. Sayam then requested leave from BNH Hospital for one year to be a Research Fellow abroad, even though he didn’t even know what the next month held. His plan was to show his dedication to the Professor there as much as possible to receive an offer to stay on.
“That period required a lot of demonstrated dedication. My accommodation was outside the city. Every day, I had to wake up at 4 AM and drive to reach the institute by just after 5 AM, because I had to prepare data beforehand. My main job, initially, was in the endoscopy suite, primarily observing endoscopic cases and assisting with scope handling. The Clinical Fellow and I had to review all cases in detail before the Professor arrived at 6:30 AM.”
“As a Visitor, I didn’t have a key card to enter buildings and rooms. My life during the initial period involved waiting early in the morning, then running to follow people into the lift. Once I reached different floors, if the doors weren’t open, I had to sit and wait. I lived like this for a month until the Professor accepted me as a Research Fellow.”
Before going to the USA, Dr. Sayam barely knew the MD Anderson Cancer Center, the institution where he was given the opportunity to conduct research. But once he got to know it, he realised this institution is one of the two largest cancer centres in the United States, annually producing numerous world-class specialists and research. The doctor himself received the opportunity from the Professor to help write some chapters of research and have his name appear on the publications.
After two years, living a life beyond his dreams and initial plans, the doctor decided to return to Thailand, even though he had received an offer to stay in a compensated position. During a two-month period whilst waiting to present his research findings, Dr. Sayam went for an observership in Japan, a country he had always dreamed of experiencing, again with the kind assistance of Dr. Thawee in contacting a medical school there.
“Life in Japan was different. Due to the high number of lawsuits, medical practice in America is quite conservative, with everything strictly following guidelines. In contrast, Japan has its own unique working style. You can do things outside the guidelines if you’re skilled. The techniques might differ from Western practices.”
Not only did he gain medical experience, but Dr. Sayam also tried backpacking for the first time in Japan. During a long holiday period with no hospital work, he slung a backpack over his shoulder and travelled alone, without a plan, staying in budget capsule hostels. It was another period of his life where he had to exercise patience, but it was exchanged for lasting impressions.
After Japan, the doctor returned to present his research in the USA and then returned to be a gastroenterologist at BNH Hospital’s Gastrointestinal Centre, as he had initially promised the hospital.
“It’s a good thing I believed what my wife said: that the United States is a land of opportunity, but you have to seek it out. If I hadn’t made an effort to show myself, I probably wouldn’t have received this opportunity. If I had given up earlier, I probably wouldn’t have gotten this job. I stayed for a while, and then I started getting opportunities because people got to know me better. So, opportunities were abundant during that time.”
Caring for Fellow Doctors
Another significant current role for Dr. Sayam is serving as the President of the Medical Organisation at BNH Hospital, a position he gained through the vote of the medical faculty. His primary duties include acting as a liaison with all doctors, advocating for them, addressing potential problems or risks, and looking after doctors’ welfare.
“From the day I first stepped in here, the senior doctors took great care of me, welcoming me and being very friendly. This is the culture of BNH Hospital. Now that I am a senior myself, I try to pass on the same good feeling to junior doctors, so that everyone can be happy in their work.”
A Precious Gift
“I have only one child, a daughter. She’s still very young. She’s a precious gift, and she’s completely turned my life upside down more than anything else ever has. She makes me feel like I have more life goals. I want to come home early, I’m happy to see her, and I want her to grow up well.”
The doctor spoke about his daughter with eyes full of love, a constant smile gracing his lips throughout the conversation. His past life experiences make him want to teach his daughter to believe in people, to believe in the world, even though those around him repeatedly emphasise how much less pleasant this world becomes over time.
“Someone once asked me why I’m not afraid when I meet someone new. ‘Why do you let anyone hold her, let anyone kiss her?’ Because I think if she doesn’t believe in people, how will she live in society? If something bad happens, I’ll blame myself for not taking good care of her.”
Playing football throughout his life led to severe knee injuries from collisions. Lately, he can only do light, non-contact exercises like running, especially running and playing with his daughter when he has the energy. But if he’s exhausted, the doctor will play games, read books, or watch TV, as fathers and daughters do, spending as much precious time together as possible.
“I don’t want to miss the opportunity to be with her, to spend as much time as possible with her while I have the chance. When she grows up, I’ll have to be brave enough to let her go. I want my daughter to be strong like her mother. Her mother believes that anything is possible and has immense power.”
Dr. Sayam may not have fulfilled his childhood dream, but he has found many other things that bring him no less happiness than being a professional footballer. And this happiness comes from the success he has tirelessly pursued with his own hands.
“Whenever we are happy with the work we do, it will turn out well without us having to put in too much effort or patience. Instead, we can do it happily, continuously. I am happy talking to patients, listening to them, providing treatment, and seeing the results of that treatment. The outcome is good. If patients return to us when they are ill, this is probably more tangible than any praise.”
ทำนัดหมายแพทย์ออนไลน์ | Appointment
SAYAM THAIUDOM, M.D.
นพ. สยาม ไทยอุดม
Speciality
Internal Medicine
Gastroenterology
Clinical Interest
Gastroenterology
Liver Diseases
Endoscopy
Education
Medical Degree, Doctor of Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Thailand
Fellowship
Observership Program (Advanced Endoscopy), Nagoya University Hospital, Japan
Board and Sub board Certification
Thai Medical Council, Gastroenterology, Phramongkutklao College of Med
Thai Medical Council, Internal Medicine, Phramongkutklao College of Med
Language
English
Thai
Gender
Male
Schedule
Digestive Care Centre
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | - |
| Tuesday | - |
| Wednesday | 08:00 - 19:00 |
| Thursday | 08:00 - 17:00 |
| Friday | 08:00 - 17:00 |
| Saturday | 08:00 - 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.