Dr. Rajan Sharma, an Indian-origin dentist who migrated to Thailand over ten years ago, sits quietly in his small dental clinic in Sukhumvit district, Bangkok. The clinic is located on Soi Sukhumvit 11, a bustling alley filled with constant foot traffic, modern coffee shops like Starbucks and local chains with their signature freshly roasted coffee aromas, luxury high-rise hotels such as JW Marriott, and souvenir shops catering to tourists from around the world. The clinic space is cramped, only about 50 square meters, with slightly yellowed off-white painted walls from years of street dust and tropical humidity. An old wooden desk is piled high with patient files organized by code, and two imported German dental chairs represent the total savings he invested after borrowing from family in India. Neon lights hanging from the ceiling cast a professional but lifeless glow on the glossy tiled floor, with the faint smell of disinfectant drifting from the instrument trays.
Rajan holds a degree from Delhi University’s Faculty of Dental Sciences – one of India’s top institutions – where he trained in advanced techniques such as maxillofacial surgery and orthodontics. He also gained experience interning at major Mumbai hospitals like Bombay Hospital (handling complex implant cases) and Lilavati Hospital (treating hundreds of chronic gingivitis patients). He once dreamed of a brilliant career when he decided to move to the Land of Smiles in search of opportunity. He still remembers his first day in Bangkok: heavy suitcase packed with dental textbooks and personal instruments, heart full of hope, believing this would be fertile ground for his expertise in Invisalign clear aligners and high-biocompatibility titanium dental implants that restore natural chewing function.
But lately everything seems to have stalled terrifyingly, trapping him in an endless loop. Patient numbers are sparse – just a few per day, mostly simple fillings or routine check-ups – barely enough to cover the 50,000 baht monthly rent and salaries for his two young assistants: Nong, a Thai girl who prepares instruments and composite materials, and Vikram, an Indian boy who handles international-standard autoclave sterilization. There’s nothing left to expand, upgrade equipment, or even enjoy a more comfortable life. Rajan sits there, cheap blue-ink ballpoint pen in hand, flipping through a thin handwritten appointment book filled with empty slots, disappointment rising like a silent tidal wave washing away his early hopes. He wants more patients, wants evening and weekend income from complex procedures like sinus lifts for implants, but has no idea how to reach a wider market. Time is tight with clinic hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., plus caring for his small family: gentle Indian wife Priya (an English teacher), 8-year-old son Aryan who loves drawing animals, and 5-year-old daughter Maya who adores dolls. Every morning in the small Phra Khanong condo bathroom with pale blue tiles and old showerhead, he sees dark circles under his eyes from insomnia and feels the heavy weight of worrying about the future and bank loan repayments for the dental chairs.
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