Dual pricing by Thai state hospitals is legal
Erwin Buse is a Dutchman who has been in conflict for years with the administration of a state hospital in Hua Hin and the Ministry of Health in Bangkok. He underwent many cancer treatments in that hospital and noticed that he had to pay several hundred baht more than a Thai patient.
Erwin protested, but initially got no response. “It's not about the money for me,” he said in an interview, “but about the principle. I think it is unfair that I have to pay more than a Thai”. After much insistence, he did get back part of what he considered to be too much, but he was far from satisfied.
Duel pricing has long been used unofficially in Thailand, think of national parks, museums, etc., including in state hospitals. In 2019, the Ministry of Health announced an official pricing structure in state hospitals. A legal statement classified patients into four categories:
- Thais
- Foreigners from ASEAN countries
- Foreigners with work permit and non-immigrant visa
- Other foreigners, such as tourists and pensioners
There is a separate price list for each category, with patients from group 4 sometimes paying double compared to the Thais from group 1.
That was the signal for Erwin Buse to get back into action and he took the Ministry of Health to court. He demanded that this four-tier pricing structure be canceled and he did so on the basis of the Thai constitution, which does not allow discrimination in medical care.
This week the judge's verdict came and Erwin Buse was ruled against. The judge argued that a foreigner residing in Thailand generally has more money available than a Thai and can therefore (?) also pay more than a Thai for medical care. The judge ruled: “The division into groups, each with a different price for medical care, is good for Thailand and can therefore not be regarded as discrimination. Case closed?
No, Erwin does not agree with the ruling and is appealing. To be continued!
Source: Coconuts Bangkok, among others
About this blogger
-
Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!
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That a judge is of the opinion that there may be a distinction depending on the thickness of the purse, I can understand. For example, you could offer poor people (almost) free care and collect that money from the people who can easily afford it. Collecting money could be done through taxes or directly at the hospital counter, and there are probably other great ideas to distribute things more fairly. What is strange in my eyes is that you could make that distinction purely on nationality. Apparently "the Thai" has a thin purse with income differences that may not be worth mentioning? (ahem) And the foreigner, especially from the white nose countries, everyone is equally rich there, we pick the money from the trees or something and we easily pay extra money. In my opinion, but who is a layman like me, that is just pure discrimination based on 1 single characteristic to which incorrect (or seriously incomplete) conclusions are drawn..
Oh just an example from the Coconuts article: an MRI scan of the spine costs a Thai (and neighboring countries) THB 18,700, working foreigners from further away pay THB 23,375 and all other people, such as those white noses who just hang around in Thailand, who pay THB 28,050. A difference of about 10.000 baht. Small beer right? …..
- https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/dutch-expat-to-appeal-after-thai-court-sides-with-higher-hospital-fees-for-foreigners/
for your information.
recently I had to have an MRI scan of my vertebrae in the Bangkok hospital Pattaya: costs 16.500 Baht.
So don't just throw numbers around!
Erwin won't have anything else to do, will he? Or embittered by his health condition?
“Da imperatori quod debetur imperatori” (Mark 12:17) 🙂
Give to the emperor what is due to the emperor
The emperor may think it is his due, but that does not mean that it is. Rightly so or that you have to agree with it by definition. The judge's ruling is, it seems, not based on legal grounds, but on personal reasoning: 'they' have more money, and it is good for Thailand too. Well, if you accept such reasoning, there are dozens of other areas where you can make the foreigner pay more…..
The worst thing is that we continue to take it en masse.
Time to ignore this country, where we are only tolerated to be milked empty?
If not, we better not complain and keep swallowing everything that is rammed down our throats here with a gr/smile.
Color
Then this judge forgets that it is precisely the group of tourists and pensioners that bring in money and therefore, in my opinion, should pay the same if you unexpectedly become ill, people who go to Thailand for cosmetic surgery, I think that is a different story.
Discrimination against non-Thai in Thailand?
Most common thing, also in court and everywhere else, everywhere in Thai society.
Erwin…. Goodluck. It is discrimination. Whether we foreigners don't already "invest" enough in Thailand.
1. If you don't know what the word discrimination means, get your school fees back.
2. Putting on a big mouth in a country where you are a GUEST, how wrong are you doing?
3. If you want to live in another country, you must respect the laws and court rulings that apply there.
He is 100% right about discrimination. Because should the (very) rich Thais also pay more? Or do you find different prices for the same product normal?
precisely.
Price differences based on skin color, origin or nationality is simply discrimination.
This is already taught in the second year of primary education in the Netherlands.
1) (From Latin: distinction) Originally it is a concept with a neutral meaning (as still in psychological function theory): the ability to distinguish …
Furthermore, I respect the laws and people in every country, although I am allowed to have an opinion.. right?
I don't think it's normal anymore that we pay more
The tourists have travel insurance
The pensioner has min 65000 Bath per month Thai max 15000 Bath per month
So yes I think it's very normal and if he thinks it's too much that he goes back to Belgium or the Netherlands then it's (for not??)
Do they have to pay more in the Benelux because they are foreigners? And I know plenty of Thais who have more than 15000 THB pension.
The basis of anti-discrimination is that everyone is treated equally. If you let that go, then we are dealing with strong racism.
Well I'll never get used to not being treated as an equal.
Moderator: Off topic
Dear Marc, that is exactly the reason why I do not want to live in Thailand.
And what do you think of the statement that rich Thai should also pay more?
Not every pensioner has 65K baht.
I get by here on just over 40K
I think you've been misinformed. The travel insurance covers either accidents or acute health problems such as a heart attack. But if you go to a hospital here because you have a medical problem (1 x stomach infection, 1 x inflammation of the middle ear), you can whistle for your money, because 'not acute'. Experienced personally. I am Belgian.
If I follow your reasoning, they should also apply this system in Belgium.
This is a very difficult one, I'm not so sure Mr Buse is right yet.
Thailand is not a rich country. There are many expensive cars driving around, but many people live in poverty. Because those poor people pay little or no tax, the Thai state is also poor.
Then it is difficult to defend that the scarce resources of the Thai state hospitals are spent on Western pensioners? What you spend on the farang you can no longer spend on the thai.
That Westerner could also have chosen to take out (expensive, indeed) health insurance and to be treated in a private hospital.
You do have a point, although the more patients in a hospital, the more income and a better financial position for the hospital.
The only thing that could happen is longer waiting times.
Whether the Thai state is really poor remains to be seen.
However, there is a very small distribution of wealth between the population.
Thailand is number 94 on the list of richest countries in the world, ahead of China. Egypt, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Vietnam and Laos.
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_landen_naar_bbp_per_hoofd_van_de_bevolking
Thailand is not a rich country. There are many expensive cars driving around, but many people live in poverty. Because those poor people pay little or no tax, the Thai state is also poor.
Correction, the wealthy Thai pay little or no tax.
Just like in the Netherlands, the middle class pays the tax, the bottom cannot pay and the happy few do not want to pay.
Unfortunately, it is always not just about “double pricing” but rather about “multiple pricing”. I therefore wish Erwin every success in seeking to appeal. And Thailand, well… will never become the “medical hub” it likes to pretend to be. The system (certainly in private hospitals) is more of a rip-off.
I'm sure there's no rip-off if the insurance pays for everything.
Not my problem, you know!
The commenters above who think Mr Buse shouldn't nag are wrong. Because I think discrimination is proven here. Thailand's constitution prohibits discrimination in medical matters. That Europeans are richer than most Thais is irrelevant. Moreover, Thai is at the top of the stair list. So rich Thais also fall under that heading. Furthermore, two ASEAN countries are in place. Koreans and people from Hong Kong are also generally wealthy. Why are they in 2nd place and the traveling European in 4th place? This is an unethical system. I wish Mr. Buse a lot of resilience. Because this is going to be a painfully long process anyway with about a 1% chance of change. It's a pity that Koen has to frame him if necessary 'that he won't have anything better to do'. Ridiculously stupid statement. I think what you say may be the case with you. We judge others on behavior and ourselves on intentions. So when you see someone else's behavior, people attach their own intention to it. And you actually reveal your true mind. In fact, a kind of self-loathing. If Mr. Buse dares to embark on such a trajectory, it indicates more that he is a man of principle who cannot stand injustice. A man like that doesn't deserve to be framed in such a way.
Strictly speaking, the rights and obligations of the constitution only apply to the Thai: the Thai people or ปวงชนชําวไทย. In practice, fortunately also for other people who go to Thailand. The fact that chatter about being a 'guest', even every non-Thai is nothing but 'a guest', does not mean that a guest is never allowed to say anything about alleged abuses or other matters that stand out to him/her. If people take each other for granted and respect each other, it should be possible to talk properly. Raising multiple prices and what's not fair about that, fine.
I do have some doubts about that discrimination and the constitution.
Who exactly does the constitution apply to?
That constitution applies in the first instance to the Thai, that will be clear.
But does this also apply to foreigners with a temporary stay?
It seems to me - but I may be mistaken - that it only applies to people who officially live in Thailand.
The rest of the people are just visiting.
IF they do not fall under the constitution, there can therefore be no question of said discrimination.
If the constitution also applies to foreigners, I think they should also have the right to vote.
I read the following in Section 27 of the 2017 Thai Constitution:
'All persons are equal before the law, and shall have rights and liberties and be protected equally under the law.'
In that same Section 27 then:
'Unjust discrimination against a person on the grounds of differences in origin, race, language, sex, age, disability, physical or health condition, personal status, economic and social standing, religious belief, education, or political view which is not contrary to the provisions of the Constitution, or on any other grounds shall not be permitted.'
I am afraid that the judge has not taken the trouble to consult the text of the law….
There need not be a contradiction in this, if the Thai constitution only refers to the inhabitants of Thailand.
It should be clear that if the constitution also applied to me, I should have the right to vote in Thailand.
But I can't even vote for the village head, let alone the government.
You write something there. It is not that simple and it is handled differently. The universal human rights, the fundamental rights, are always undermined by lower or local legislation and it is used (applied) according to the need.
At our moo track, a booklet with rules serves as the basis for the residents. Those rules are drawn up by the land office (an official body in Thailand). There is the right to vote at the interim and annual meetings about the ups and downs of the village. For the long-stayers among us who have bought a house with a Thai partner, but are not married, there is no say and the partner's signature is required to be able to vote, etc. I have been officially living in Thailand for seven years. In fact, we are all with a non-immigrant o visa and retirement extension as a long-term resident, temporarily for a year in a tolerance status. If you look at it that way, you can go either way, except the right one.
Moderator: Keep the discussion to Thailand.
Johan 2, I think you are right, residents of Korea and Hong Kong are not poor. Only these countries do not belong to the Asean group (they are also not South-East Asian countries). So should be treated like Western visitors (whether that happens in practice remains to be seen).
I assume that a state hospital largely works with money from the Thai state, so that ordinary Thai people with a lot of government subsidy can still afford medical care.
To demand as a foreigner that this same subsidy scheme is also a requirement for him, this seems to me to be a huge fallacy.
It is different in a private hospital, where every patient had to pay the same price for a (same) treatment.
I think that if Mr Busse is treated in a private hospital next time, he will know exactly how humanely he has paid in the State Hospital.
The judge is right, in the Netherlands, according to Erwin's reasoning, there is also discrimination because those who earn more are allowed to pay more premiums for care, while income and care are separate. Thailand roughly uses a similar system if we follow the courts. As Dutch people, we can always fall back on healthcare in the Netherlands. If he doesn't like it, he can still choose to become Thai, really,
and gets his low hospital rate.
Ls
Yet there are also advantages if you are a pesionado.
At 55 years or older you can enter for free or at a discount, for example. Some national parks, museums, underwater world in Trat.
I have done in the past.
And if it really all becomes too much or too expensive.
There are more countries.!!!
Enjoy your old age now.
See you in jomtien
Gr rob
past ? last century ? I've been over 55 for years but never experienced it, at most once paid the Thai price with my Thai driver's license. Maybe I see a lot younger than 55 now I think :-)…
State hospitals are heavily subsidized by the government.
I can imagine that a government wants to make someone who does not have Thai nationality pay for that medical care.
By the way, I still pay 50 Baht for a doctor's visit.
That is no different in the Netherlands. And a Thai who needs help in the Netherlands will be helped regardless of whether he / she pays it or not. Even uninsured Thais are not left helpless in Dutch hospitals.
Doctors take an oath. No idea if that is also the case in Thailand and although you do not pay a bill for it, the principle of not helping the needy is at odds with that.
Incidentally, there is just a jar of “unforeseen” in the Netherlands and probably also in Thailand. It's just the principle that's wrong. It's not like it's being shamelessly abused. I therefore find it incomprehensible that this is allowed by a court in Thailand (regardless of whether the practice would be different) and sad that there are Dutch people who approve it. Those few Farangs who need help in Thailand are really not going to make a difference. Then just let the Thais open up the country instead of treating the foreign tourists like lepers. But the latter is no surprise when you see the judge's ruling.
And let's also not forget that Anutin (minister of health) talked about "dirty foreigners" as the cause of Covid in Thailand
It is good to know that if you have a non-immigrant status, for example married or caring for a Thai child, you fall into group 3. By the way, I don't know if you have or get access to the rates to check if they don't mistakenly put you in group 4 if you look a bit older and have a non-immigrant status as a married person.
Wow Ger-Korat, as you put it, can a distinction purely based on arbitrariness be applied on top of the “legally founded” distinction?
I'm starting to wonder more by the second where I ever got the naivety (or was that sheer stupidity) to come and live here.
After 9 years I'm really sick and tired of it.
Although I really did my best. Only that is not valued: the more you give a random Thai, the more he will claim for himself.
And then I'm only talking about "random" Thai. If you commit yourself to helping and supporting a Thai partner, you are really charled: you immediately owe care for an entire family (and its supporters). At that moment you are welcome (for a while anyway and insofar as you are not the kiniau (by their standards, any farang that does not meet their financial wishes is a kiniau).…
Color
That is not arbitrary but perhaps unfamiliarity of the cashier in the hospital. In your passport, the reason for your extension is stated on the stamp as a term, then it is hoped that people understand this term as well as the check that you are not placed in group 4 but in group 3. As a patient you receive the bill but do not see how they calculate this in the system and then enter into a discussion about it at the counter in Thai ….?
This problem is very easy to solve.
All farang who live in Thailand will pay fair taxes and be obliged to take out health insurance.
If you go to court then I think you are a lot stronger, the health insurance will certainly ask questions if the bill is much too high.
GeertP, that is a bit too simple for me. 'All farang' also includes women and children, who may not have an income. So you may be talking about the earning or retirement farang?
Then there are the tax treaties; a NL person with only an official NL pension pays nothing in Thailand because that has been allocated to NL. If you have only taxed the AOW in TH, it will not cost any tax because Thailand must grant a reduction. People with Belgian income do not always have to pay in TH either. Well, what am I supposed to show those judges?
Health insurance is not feasible for groups of people; see my response to Ger-Korat today 07.58:XNUMX am.
No, I think people should think longer and more carefully about whether TH is an ideal migration country. But even then new legislation can make your beautiful plans unfeasible.
Finally settled by jurisprudence: Ai Farang pays more for the same service than the good, neat Thai.
In other words: you white person is only tolerated here because we can pluck from you, as much and as quickly as possible.
When in Europe don't we do the same, because .. it's NOT the poor Thais who come here for pleasure or business.
It seems that the ruling only applies to medical treatment or is it for the concept of dual pricing globally? Because dual pricing also takes place in other sectors.
In a global case you can also have to deal with, for example, a dinner, which in your white nose case, can just cost double. After all, that is good for the Thai and Thailand.
After all, that is how the ruling on medical costs has also been interpreted.
If you come to the checkout of a supermarket and are suddenly double hit because of your white nose. After all, that is good for the Thai and Thailand
I therefore admire Erwin for his principled struggle. I've read the weird comments above, can't comprehend them either. I immediately think of, for example, Pieter Omtzigt, who was and is also being sabbed down by his own people and others.
People who try to stand up and try with all their might to bend them again.
Foreigners should not pay twice as much as Thai, but much more.
Entrance to an attraction costs the Thai 10 B (it is written in Thai, which the foreigner cannot read), the farang 100. That's not so bad.
Worse is what happened to me years ago. I had a heart attack and after contacting my Dutch health insurance company, the Bangkok Hospital in Phuket admitted me. I got a stent and spent a week (way too long) in the hospital. When I checked out I was asked to sign the invoice (in Thai). My insurance company was a guarantor.
The amount was converted to 20.000 euros. I had to settle my deductible later. I saw that the insurer had paid 8000 euros for me. He had his own people in Thailand who know the customs.
Being ignorant I had paid two and a half times the bill which had been reasonable.
People, be HAPPY with Thai rules! Because where do we white noses pay more than others? Isn't that only in the hospitals and the nature park? Then we're still lucky.
They forgot to adjust other rates at the government. Our beautiful pickup, our purchases on the market and in the hardware store, the furniture shop, the house rent or construction costs, the moped, the post office will also come. “Mail to the Netherlands, sir? That's a rich country, isn't it? Well, that will cost you 10 times as much…”
Actually, we are still quite lucky with those friendly Thai people. But apart from that, we were all asleep when that measure made it to the Thai press. THEN we should have jumped on the barricades and protested to the government that wants to rip us off because that is how it is felt, I read.
Anyway, both the measure and the ruling are still there. Let's wait for the appeal case / cases and if they all fail then we just leave Thailand, right? Nice puh and a long nose back.
But then we will just stay in Thailand, I bet….
Would that judge also pay more in the hospital than the day loners? If they are seriously ill and the care becomes too expensive, they are sent home with an excuse to die. That is certainly also good for the economy and Thailand
What is that man whining again.
Last year I had my right eye treated with new lens from the same female doctor as with the left eye two years ago also new lens to my satisfaction at Lamphun state hospital.
Costs including a mandatory overnight stay in a simple but clean single room were around 12000 baht.
The other all Thai people in the same group paid the standard rate of say 50 baht.
At a private hospital you will soon end up around 40000 to 60000 baht for such an operation.
What do you expect as a farang who has not yet contributed a single satang to the Thai health fund system.
That I also had to undergo the same operation for those happekrats.
Why doesn't he go back to the low countries to be treated there, but you must have health insurance for that with monthly premiums and they are not cheap either.
But many think that there is more to Thailand than just the free sunrise of the sun every day.
Jan Beute.
This week I was fishing with my mother, the wife and some other Thai people in a local fish pool. The amounts that are requested for this are adjusted to how the wind blows. People just do what seems fun. There were some Thai people from our group who arrived before me and I later followed my wife upon entering. Me with my almost two meters did not go unnoticed. On departure, each of our group was allowed to pay extra, because the falang was included. We also find this variant in Thailand. Afterwards the boss of the pond made it clear that this was the last time we went fishing there. I'm not into these kind of people. I pay blue in this country that is supposedly so cheap and where every Thai is supposedly poverty-stricken. The miscarriage of justice is typical of how corruption, fraud and discrimination are viewed here. The Dutchman who is treated in a state hospital accepts a lot of hassle, such as long waiting times, lying in a ward with many, less quality of treatments, etc. He or she does not do this for fun. As we know, existing physical complaints are not insurable in Thailand with Thai insurers. So it will be cash payment. That should be the same price as far as I'm concerned. Not everyone has a large bag of money and for many, making purchases such as a house, car, etc., is already such that there is not enough left over for medical expenses with foreign insurers. It is very easy to overspend here and the temptations abound. Jan modal is struggling to keep his head above water in this country. The hassle with the exchange rate is also a matter that must be clearly borne in mind in advance for those who receive their money from abroad. This is often discovered too late. So I can continue with things that apply to this. One is not separate from the other. I hope that the appeal will make a difference, but fear not. The judiciary in Thailand has several faces and can go in all directions if necessary and the foreigner must know his place and he is low on the ranking, unless well-to-do. Money rules.
The judge has spoken and if you do not agree with the result you can appeal. Yes, also in Thailand there is a form of a constitutional state. What's the point of worrying about lawsuits that haven't been finalized yet? Wait it out.
The Dutch constitution mentions discrimination on the basis of a number of clear principles. This concerns: religion, belief, political opinion, race, gender.
In addition, the constitution says: 'or on any ground…'
This could include medical discrimination.
However, this element is subject to interpretation. In the first instance, it is the judge who considers this.
Cf Dutch constitution: “The principle of equality entails a task for the legislator, the administration and the court, when setting rules or taking decisions in concrete cases, to take into account only relevant and justified differences in the cases that arise. to take."
The Thai judge should not be blamed here, he interprets a rule, just as a Dutch judge would do in the Netherlands. An interpretation can always mean an advantage or a disadvantage for the citizen. So remember, a judge must respect the principle of equality but may think in categories. For example, one is only entitled to a pension if one has worked. That is discrimination against citizens. And in the case of a working career, not everyone receives the same amount of pension… The pension sums differ greatly.
The principle of equality or non-discrimination is therefore not as exclusive as one might think.
The judge, including the Thai judge, modifies the legislation and fundamental rights, as it were.
Don't blame him.
Alphonse, 'you only get a pension if you've worked'. No!
You will receive an old-age benefit if you are insured for it (the national state pension) or a pension if you have paid for it (the pension insurance). I do not find any discrimination or any advantage in that. And if you pay more contributions, you will have more pension. 'Do you pay more' can also be voluntary, more than the employer allows. You can also build up your pension with gold and/or stones and with annuity policies. No discrimination whatsoever or you have to find salary differences discri?
I can follow you if you agree with the Thai court. That man/woman does what is written in the booklet and leaves it to the next step. That's why I'm so curious about Erwin's profession. Hope he has the money, the health and the patience for that. No, this is far from over.
The words used by the judge in his argument to announce the verdict against Mr. Buse are actually not carefully chosen by him.
As far as I understand, he focused too much on the fact that many farangs simply have more money, and too little on the completely different health system with which these State Hospitals are subsidized by the Thai State.
If he had mainly mentioned in his speech the fact that this State subsidy is only intended for the Thai population, a very large part of whom cannot afford higher medical costs at all, then perhaps everything would become much more understandable for many.
From a farang who knowingly does not fall under the Thai health system, you can at least expect that he / she has good health insurance, so that they can also go to a private hospital.
With many I have the impression that they rely too much on a social welfare state, if they were used to it from their home country, and unfortunately you will not find this in many countries, including Thailand.
I have the strong impression that the court has not tested the issue submitted to it against the relevant legislation (as it is the task of an independent judge), but declares a personal opinion to be law. Regardless of the outcome, that's a bad thing.
Or, Cornelis, the judge does not want to burn/damage his/her fingers or the career and has twisted himself to give the state's position as a conclusion. Do we really know how that works in TH?
It is up to a higher court to make the final judgment and if that is to the detriment of the legislator, they will adjust the law if desired. The yesmen and the appointed senate always have a majority in parliament.
If every foreigner/farang who has not or cannot take out insurance could also use the greatly reduced prices that have only been achieved with subsidized government measures to provide medical care to the poorer population, then it would in principle be a subsidy for can become worldwide.
I think that this thought also played a major role in reaching this judgment in the court.
However expensive this is for a tourist or expat every now and then, we just have to think about our own insurance.
The whole discussion about hospital bills is a non-discussion; everyone with a reasonable income is insured, for example through the government as employer or through the employer's registration with the Social Security Fund, and then do not have to worry about prices. Partly because of this, the country has quite a few private hospitals and, as mentioned, someone with a little more baht in the bank is insured or arranges this themselves. The fact that a thrifty Dutchman like a Don Quixote kicks against the Thai system has absolutely no influence and will not have that. After all, his residence is justified by the annual test on income or assets when the residence is extended, which means that he belongs to the upper class of incomes in Thai society. It is possible to assume that for a penny on the first rank to be able to use facilities of the mostly poorer population, but then you should not act against this Thai classification of classes in the hospital. Because, as argued, he belongs to the wealthier class and has the choice to take out private insurance like many others so that you do not have to worry about price differences. And to that extent, the judge saw it right.
Ger, you are now forgetting a group.
Yes, expats, in other words seconded persons, are insured through the employer or through the agency and they are covered. Pensioners can also take out insurance if you do not bring a medical history from your home country; in other case: forget it, you pay a much higher premium and get exclusions.
But you will undoubtedly also remember the policy conditions of a large Thai insurer who canceled the policy with a 'precious' insured, neatly according to the policy conditions, because that appears to be possible in this country. Finally, there are also pensioners with a lower income who cannot easily pay the higher rate.
Should they have emigrated? Or should those with illness just (temporarily) return to the polder? That will be the story if the judge finally decides that these rules may remain.
(Incidentally, you can also get treatment in cheaper countries such as Bangladesh or in state hospitals in India. Much cheaper compared to TH state hospitals.)
The advantage of the procedure and the discussions about it is that now everyone can know and think three times before making the move to Thailand or another country. Arranging your health insurance policy properly is step number one from today!
We'll hear the verdict in a few years...
Erwin, you are more than 100% right, why discriminate,
in response to the reason that a farang gives more money than the regular Thai,
is there a wonderful answer, (I think anyway),
just ask if that judge earns more or the same as the ordinary Thai,
if so he also falls into the farang category and may,
no, they should put everyone at the “poor” Thai prices
or everyone at the highest price!
After three days, the courthouse has been demolished by the ordinary Thai!
As a resident human in Thailand I just want to be treated like the people of Thailand,
me and most of the farang spend monthly possibly six or more times than the regular thai!
Of everything I buy, at least a third ends up in the hands of the Thai family,
not that I have to do this, but because I want to do this!
Okay that the farang is usually in a better financial condition than the regular Thai,
but the farang keeps the economy going, and mostly supports the family!
The same system is applied with the insurance prices,
Thai people with the same age as a farang pay half as much,
or does the farang pay half more?
Pure discrimination!!
Dear Erwin, continue your struggle,
circulate a petition asking all farang for support,
minimum in Dutch, French, English, German, I want to help you with the translation!
As in all countries is in
Thailand law equal for all residents,
but all inhabitants are not equal before the law!
Good luck and regards,
Rikky
The Thai Constitution only gives freedoms and rights to Thais, and not to foreigners living in Thailand. The Dutch Constitution gives freedoms and rights to all who live in the Netherlands. That is also a difference that I do not know how the Thai court deals with.
Sorry.. Dutch Constitution…'…all who are in the Netherlands…', so more than just living.
But this is, albeit in a different way, also the case in the Netherlands, isn't it? Everyone who is registered in the Netherlands has compulsory health insurance. Say from 130 euros per month. Then people with lower incomes can receive care allowance up to roughly 100 euros per month. In case of damage, everyone has to deal with the deductible, in some cases personal contribution and in some cases “not insured”. In addition, everyone pays healthcare insurance premiums amounting to roughly 8% of the income or net profit from the business. This up to a maximum of roughly 3400 euros per year.
Healthcare in the Netherlands costs about 100 billion euros. Suppose there are 18 M people living in NL; then you are missing out. The rest is paid by the government from general funds and is budgeted.
With this system, one pays more than the other, so I don't think the reasoning of the judge is such a crazy reasoning at all. Apart from that, the state hospitals here are also subsidized by the government. Just insure well and go to a private clinic. Not wanting to eat from the Thai rack because it's so cheap.
Despite an advanced health system that combines the public and private sectors, Thailand is a developing country
Thailand is a developing country with a fairly sophisticated public healthcare system with both public and private hospitals cooperating on both a commercial and subsidized basis.
It is not uncommon for a country to impose higher taxes on foreigners or non-nationals based on the fact that the national public health service is funded by the taxpayer. France spends 75% of Thailand's GDP on its health care, Thailand spends 1,9% of the French budget
The country spends $5.370 per capita each year on public healthcare costs, a figure that, based on 2020 GDP, would be equivalent to 75% of Thailand's total economic output.
This highlights the importance of economic development in relation to public health coverage.
Thailand currently spends only $276 per capita per year on healthcare costs or 1,9% of what is spent in France.
The issue has already led to a shift to compulsory insurance for all foreign visas in the future.
The short-term response to the issue put forward by Mr. Buse from the Thai government's point of view was primarily to standardize, as far as practicable, the cost of health care across Thailand's hospital network by applying progressive consumer protection laws. to fit.
However, the second response applicable to the unique situation of the expatriate community in the country is to increasingly mandate private health insurance for those seeking a non-immigrant visa, similar to the requirements for foreign residents in the Netherlands.
From 2022, all incoming tourists to Thailand pay a levy and are automatically covered for health insurance.
Thailand is unlikely to see the single-tier universal pricing system advocated by Buse unless it enters into treaties with other countries or blocs in the future. These are some quotes from the paper.
Constitution is only for the Thai! Beats. So who is discriminating here? Especially the Thai, so don't do it.
Poor Thais cannot afford the higher price of medical care. Incorrect, 48 million Thais enjoy free health care. Pay nothing at all. Somchai, who drunkenly drives his moped into a tree, has to pay the bill himself. This bill is half of a foreigner living in Thailand. Is this fair do you think? State hospitals are financed by state tax money that comes from the Thais. Incorrect, free health care is funded by taxpayers' money that comes from everyone who is supposed to pay taxes. Also the foreigner living in Thailand. The hospital also writes an invoice based on cost price calculation. If everyone pays his bill, the hospital won't have any problems. But if the budget they receive is not enough to finance free health care, prices for the foreigners go up to fill this gap. Is this fair? I do not think so.