Fighting for justice: Dutch engineer with cancer interviewed by Thai media

[robert888d]

He will probably be charged for tending goats which is a job Thai people can do and surely has no permit.

[Thaifriends]

3 minutes ago, kcpattaya said:

I hope his goats have more brain cells....

We can see that in your profile ????

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, Matzzon said:

No, that´s not at all what I want. I think it´s really good that he stood up, and was earlier shown in the news for that, when he was offered the compensation. Here he should have accepted that one, and the news were already out. What he is doing now, by refusing the compensation and continuing to complain is only childish behaviour.

What he is doing is sticking to his principles that he was (as proved) ripped off by the hospital.

He is not continuing to complain, he is holding out via a police complaint in the vain hope that someone may be held responsible for the hospital over charging, then just maybe they will do the right thing in the future.

Good luck with the joint struggle..

 

[Thaifriends]

5 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

What are you on about. I´ve never even mentioned anything about his cancer. Never said that he shouldn´t be treated like a human beeing and be equally treated. If he want that, then accept the compensation. Never said he can not file a formal complaint either. Of course he should, but that can be done even with accepting the compensation.

These are double standards to take compensation and persue a complaint against the same party, makes no sense.

Maybe you learnt this new formula in TH!

 

He definately deserves respect and encouragement.

[stropper]

i just cannot beleive he is not english, are they sure he is dutch and just lying 

 so he does not become another whinging english person, can not beleive that some one living outside of his own country can expect everything for free, come on 300 bhart a visit, really that is lousey !

[worgeordie]

Is he still going to the same hospital for treatment,that he is

trying to get recompense for overcharging,i think i would be

wary of getting the best treatment if that is so .

regards worgeordie

[Jack P]

Why stay in this exploitative business relationship? Try another hospital.

[Odisan]

2 hours ago, khunJeroen said:

This is so weird. Regardless of his condition why would you even care they charge 300 THB per 3 months visit or even if it was 3000? Maybe if its 30K he may have a point. Guess no insurance either.

 

 

 

So charging someone 6 times the price because of the colour of their skin and where they come from is okay, is it? <sigh>

[Odisan]

46 minutes ago, poohy said:

Whist i applaud his stand, hes won hes got his overcharge back!

However i am, personally  not really understanding the continued fight .

Guess i would have taken the money and ran also its highly unlikely they will overcharge him again

Maybe he's doing it because he realises that making it public is actually likely to prevent them, or at least think about preventing them, from ripping someone else off. If he takes the money and that's it, they might get away with it on the next foreigner, and the one after that.

There are such things as principles, you know.

[chrissables]

2 hours ago, khunJeroen said:

This is so weird. Regardless of his condition why would you even care they charge 300 THB per 3 months visit or even if it was 3000? Maybe if its 30K he may have a point. Guess no insurance either.

 

 

 

Principle!

 

The bill actually say foreigner 300 baht, per visit i presume.

 

300 is a days wage here, please explain why it's ok to add that amount to a bill. Any amount due to nationality actually.

 

Insurance is not the point, adding a fee based on your nationality is.

[sambum]

17 minutes ago, stropper said:

i just cannot beleive he is not english, are they sure he is dutch and just lying 

 so he does not become another whinging english person, can not beleive that some one living outside of his own country can expect everything for free, come on 300 bhart a visit, really that is lousey !

Not a racist by any chance are you?

 

Anyway, read the post:-

 

"He says they should charge him 50 baht not 300 for his visits every three months. And they should not have added 15% to his bills. 

The health authorities have already found he was in the right and offered him 12,746 baht back." 

 

So he is not expecting ANYTHING for free, only not wanting any one to be to be overcharged again, so it is YOUR post that is "lousey"!

[Odisan]

5 minutes ago, Jack P said:

Why stay in this exploitative business relationship? Try another hospital.

Go public and either prevent them from ripping the next person off or maybe someone in authority will look at it to prevent them tarnishing Thailand's image. Tourism's already taking a kicking, maybe this will make them look further into the dual pricing and standards. I have my own thoughts on that one, of course, but maybe, eventually, something might get done. As sure as eggs is eggs, if it's all brushed under the carpet then nothing will change.

[Odisan]

3 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Principle!

 

The bill actually say foreigner 300 baht, per visit i presume.

 

300 is a days wage here, please explain why it's ok to add that amount to a bill. Any amount due to nationality actually.

 

Insurance is not the point, adding a fee based on your nationality is.

Exactly.

[Expat Tom]

I applaud the man for standing up to the injustice. I realize that I am not in the 'West" now and that things are done differently here but where I come from, if someone were discriminated against financially by a business because they were from a different country or culture, I would be rich after the major law suite I would bring. 

 

There is nothing wrong and everything right in standing up for principal. 

[xtrnuno41]

weird, if just one man tries to set something straight, he is a whiner.

Until it is starting to work, then they think aaah ok good.

If a big group is to set something straight, then they dont consider them whiners? 

Respect nowadays for others is very low and with multimedia everything is made as a joke.

The overcharging is already in investigation in Thailand, so probably this came to attention

and is now a story.

It is at one point, you might think and now i go all in, as you are fed up with the BS.

Many just sit down and do nothing. They whine about the guy, nothing else.

I have respect for this man to bring it out and fight it.

[Golden Triangle]

For those few of you that have comprehension difficulties, they have offered him  back  the money they have overcharged him, not compensation, I personally think he should try to take them for anything he can, hospitals were recently required by the government to publish their charges for treatment,drugs & associated costs, seems as though these rascals have been caught with their collective trousers down.

[Dice Man]

Brave Man. I hope that you recover or keep the cancer at bay...ignore some of the idiots on here...keyboard warriors all.

[Russell17au]

7 minutes ago, Golden Triangle said:

For those few of you that have comprehension difficulties, they have offered him  back  the money they have overcharged him, not compensation, I personally think he should try to take them for anything he can, hospitals were recently required by the government to publish their charges for treatment,drugs & associated costs, seems as though these rascals have been caught with their collective trousers down.

If you have a look at the date on the bill it is from 2558 and this is 2562 so it is from 4 years ago and like you have said that the hospitals were RECENTLY required by the government to publish their charges. His bills are from well before this requirement but this could be a good thing but then it could be a not so good thing for all farang as this could lead to compulsory health insurance for all farang so that they are all charged the same for the services but then the cost of the health insurance would be out of reach for many of the old farangs that live here. This has already come in for those on "A-O" visa's but it could go to all visa's. But even in Australia foreigners pay more than locals for medical services because they do not pay into the Medicare system.

[Peterphuket]

This is good example how they rip-of you.

Coincidently is was about 2 years ago and visit the same hospital in Huahin to h ave a fat bump removed what wasgoing to an inflammation.

the doctor said it was easy to remove but first lets talk about the costs.

okay 10000 tbh. What did you say 10000 thb??

so my answer was: never mind I have to find another solution.

But it had to be negotiated, and after much hassle they agreed to 5000thb. Also I say I don’t like to pay 1bath extra.

after they get me angree again because at the counter the bill was again more, not to much but not in accordance with the agreement.

And I was forgot I have to come back to check the wound, and have to pay again.

Believe me they have the name of hospital but they sitting only to rip off you.

And I mentioned this before after the tsunami the prices of the hospitals have gone skyrocket high, and then in particular this hospital, both in Phuket or in Huahin.

[justin case]

thailand could always deport him and blacklist him for naming and shaming one of the profitable scams

[chang1]

28 minutes ago, stropper said:

i just cannot beleive he is not english, are they sure he is dutch and just lying 

 so he does not become another whinging english person, can not beleive that some one living outside of his own country can expect everything for free, come on 300 bhart a visit, really that is lousey !

Being English I can understand that just getting a refund is not enough. He is trying to stop this happening to others in his position which we should all be thankful for. 300 Baht is probably a large sum to a goat herder. Even if the amount is trivial he is also fighting for his self respect. It surprises me how many people retire in Thailand and take on the Thais attitude about not caring or doing anything about being ripped off. To me it  is a very selfish attitude - "why should I fight for someone else, 300  Baht is nothing to me?". Maybe if more people did some whinging and then actually followed through with actions, things would improve, especially for those less fortunate.

Good luck to him, he is more of a man than all those saying why bother.

[Mikisteel]

Man's not interested in 13k refund he is making a call to action for every other foreigner who could be facing the same overcharge to step up.

 

Lot of continuity potential to this story and if the medical board see a fault in this case.

 

The question becomes how many more???

 

 

[Rocket Hawks]

My god, you are complaining about 300 baht every 3 months????? That’s an insane deal for treating prostate cancer. He should be so lucky. Try $30k usd per treatment in the US.

 

Wake up folks, if you are not a Thai citizen, you should not be able to pay the same low rates that Thais do. You are lucky enough that they let you live here. 

 

Some people are so cheap. It’s embarrassing. No wonder the Thai gov wants to kick us out 

 

[Andrew65]

8 minutes ago, Rocket Hawks said:

My god, you are complaining about 300 baht every 3 months????? That’s an insane deal for treating prostate cancer. He should be so lucky. Try $30k usd per treatment in the US.

 

Wake up folks, if you are not a Thai citizen, you should not be able to pay the same low rates that Thais do. You are lucky enough that they let you live here. 

 

Some people are so cheap. It’s embarrassing. No wonder the Thai gov wants to kick us out 

 

This guy sounds like a nut-job, probably sticky-sh1t also.

 

In recent years I've known quite a few older (60's-70's) farang guys go back to Europe, healthcare was a factor for all of them.

[Thaidream]

9 minutes ago, Rocket Hawks said:

insane deal for treating prostate cancer. He should be so lucky. Try $30k usd per treatment in the US.

 

Wake up folks, if you are not a Thai citizen, you should not be able to pay the same low rates that Thais do. You are lucky enough that they let you live here. 

 

Some people are so cheap. It’s embarrassing. No wonder the Thai gov wants to kick us out 

You best not compare the US system which is overepriced, the most expensive in the World and not the best with a Third World country like Thailand.  He is fighting for what is right. Foreigners are over charged for everything in this country.  It is not only against the Thai Constitution whikch speaks of equality but it is morally wrong.

[chang1]

25 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

If you have a look at the date on the bill it is from 2558 and this is 2562 so it is from 4 years ago and like you have said that the hospitals were RECENTLY required by the government to publish their charges. His bills are from well before this requirement but this could be a good thing but then it could be a not so good thing for all farang as this could lead to compulsory health insurance for all farang so that they are all charged the same for the services but then the cost of the health insurance would be out of reach for many of the old farangs that live here. This has already come in for those on "A-O" visa's but it could go to all visa's. But even in Australia foreigners pay more than locals for medical services because they do not pay into the Medicare system.

I don't see the connection between overcharging and the need for insurance.

If you cannot afford the insurance then you certainly can't afford the hospital bill if you get seriously I'll or injured. So why take the risk of staying?

In the UK, everyone gets charged the same in private hospitals which, as in Thailand are commercial enterprises. NHS hospitals are paid for out of our taxes so some foreigners are charged the full cost of treatment.

I presume he was either treated in a private hospital or should be charged as a Thai due to his status.

[Russell17au]

5 minutes ago, chang1 said:

I don't see the connection between overcharging and the need for insurance.

If you cannot afford the insurance then you certainly can't afford the hospital bill if you get seriously I'll or injured. So why take the risk of staying?

In the UK, everyone gets charged the same in private hospitals which, as in Thailand are commercial enterprises. NHS hospitals are paid for out of our taxes so some foreigners are charged the full cost of treatment.

I presume he was either treated in a private hospital or should be charged as a Thai due to his status.

It is not a case of being able to afford health insurance but once you reach 70 it is near impossible to get insurance and if you do find it their premiums are that high it is beyond many farangs reach. The connection is that the hospitals complained about the farangs not paying their bills so the government changed the requirements for the "A-O" visa to start with.

[Thaidream]

7 minutes ago, chang1 said:

I don't see the connection between overcharging and the need for insurance.

If you cannot afford the insurance then you certainly can't afford the hospital bill if you get seriously I'll or injured. So why take the risk of staying?

In the UK, everyone gets charged the same in private hospitals which, as in Thailand are commercial enterprises. NHS hospitals are paid for out of our taxes so some foreigners are charged the full cost of treatment.

I presume he was either treated in a private hospital or should be charged as a Thai due to his status.

Medical care is a human right- until all countries realise this- places like the US and Thailand will continue to treat people differently.  Thailand could easily allow long stay foreigners to purchase into the Thai Medical System via Thai Social Security then there would be no ability by the Hospitals to try and capitalize on such inequality.

 

No Hospital should ever be allowed to profit off the illness of another nor should any  Pharmasecutical Company.  Also, throw in Insurance which exists only to profit from a person's misery.

[KhaoYai]

4 hours ago, khunJeroen said:

Guess no insurance either.

Don't make comments like that when you have no knowledge. Try getting insurance when you have cancer - its possible but you are looking at premiums 10X what everyone else pays even though the cancer is excluded.

[Andrew Kiong]

So, if I see a doctor in the hospital for fever, as a tourist, I will be charged same as a local?

I understand there are no small clinics.

Just checking as I intent to retire in Thailand soon. TY