By Coconuts Bangkok
Sep 2, 2019

Thai public hospitals can now legally charge foreign nationals higher rates for services under new regulations published Friday.

More than dual-pricing, the new regs set four tiers of rates that can be charged based on a patient’s visa status. Treatment costs are set at four levels: Thai nationals, foreigners from neighboring countries and working foreigners on non-immigrant visas. The fourth group consists of tourists and retirees.

While foreigners from other ASEAN nations appear to pay the same rates as Thai patients, they increase significantly for the third group – which includes most expats – while retirees and tourists really get the shaft.

Want an HIV test? The THB160 charged to Thais and ASEAN nationals goes up to THB240 for working expats and THB320 for retirees/tourists.On the higher end, a spinal MRI that costs Thais and their neighbors THB18,700 jumps up to THB23,375 for working expats and THB28,050 for retirees/tourists.

The new rates come into effect Sept. 29.

Full https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/dual-p ... hospitals/

wow,
amazing Thailand

Suddenly, Thailand got a lot more expensive. That's going to hit a lot of long-term expat residents. Many can't afford the private hospitals and slug it out in the Thai public hospitals.

It's just one thing after another. Expats are already leaving in a steady stream to Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and quite a few heading back home. I sense a new wave of departures.

Just had lunch a few beers on beachfront Pattaya got slugged 100 baht because I'm a farlang to sit on their chairs

I can not think of any nation that has publicly funded hospitals where non-nationals are charged the same rate as nationals. Certainly not Australia, Canada, NZ, UK or any of the European nations. Why anyone would expect the Thai taxpayer to subsidize their hospital stay is beyond me. I guess some feel that given the colour of their skin they deserve special treatment. Personally I avoid those that sponge off of people poorer than themselves.

A pint of beer in an Auckland restaurant costs on average $9.05 making it the equal 24th most expensive pour in the world.
A survey of beer prices from Finder New Zealand looked at how much beer costs in 177 cities around the world, and we are paying nine times more than the cheapest.
I suppose you could sit outdoors at home and pay at least twice as much for the pleasure, have you ever given that thought?

Jerry Atrick wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 6:03 pm Good for the Thailand.

My own country has a similar policy regarding visitors and hospital treatment.

Make the visitors buy insurance or deny entry.

yes and no. The catch is that publicly funded hospitals shoudl not make a profit. i go to St Loius in Thailand which is a charity notn -profit. they charge thai and foreigners different prices. I undertsand that is because they can claim part of the thai cost back . irrelevant really to me. i pay about 2000thb for treatment that the private hospitals like bumrungrad will charge 30,000thb for ( i got a quote) This is jusyt on the bass that, as a chartiy, St Louis is not allowed to make a profit.
In Cambodia I use Central hospital. They charge me double for a consultation but the same price for treatment as a Khmer, because their profit is already in the price. I have no Idea why they choose not to sting me, but it was suggested it was because I did not have insurance and i was on a retirement visa. if i was an insurance case they would have charged as much as they could get away wih.
In Uk i got fed up with waiting for the NHS so iwent ot a BUPA hospital. the price was 500 gbp nut, becasue i was not insured, it ws reduced by 50%.
The problem with insurance is its generally not worth the paper its writtien on. You are not covered if you are drunk, you are not covered if you are riding a motorbike, you are not covered for preexisting conditions.
The moral of this story is that insurnace is what pushes up the prices. Insurance companies pay insane amount and scharge insane premuims. The big private hospitals in any country
are only interested in profit and rarely serve the locls because they can neither afford the fees nor the insurance premiums. Private hospitals that serve locals and the wealthy generally seem to be more in tune with the doctors ethics. CHarging the actual cost of the procedure to non-nationals is quite acceptable to me.

I haven't been to a hospital in about 16 years, and that was just for a minor cut that required a couple of stitches. Before that, was sometime in the late 80s(?) for a few fractured ribs. Went to a couple clinics in Sai Gon, once for an ear infection, and the other to have a benign cyst removed ($100). Also, had a root canal done in VN for about $330 two years ago.

I just hope I don't have to die in a hospital, although I guess having a few nurses around could make it an acceptable experience.

atst wrote: ↑Mon Sep 02, 2019 5:48 pm Just had lunch a few beers on beachfront Pattaya got slugged 100 baht because I'm a farlang to sit on their chairs

That's very generous of you giving them a 60 baht tip, we need more tourists like you to keep things ticking along.