Health Minister mulls no free medical treatment for gamblers or illegal Thai immigrants

 

 

Thailand’s Public Health Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has floated the idea of denying free medical treatment to Thais who cross borders illegally to work in Myanmar, only to return infected with COVID-19, and infected illegal gamblers.

 

In his Facebook post on Saturday, he said he had attended a meeting with a group of medical personnel and had a heavy heart when some of the doctors mentioned ongoing illegal gambling.

 

He added that the doctors also talked about the recent arrival of infected Thais from Myanmar into Mae Sot district of Tak province, who were admitted for treatment at the district hospital, and another 200 Thais, who illegally crossed into Myanmar to work and are waiting to return, several of whomhave tested positive for the virus.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/health-minister-mulls-no-free-medical-treatment-for-gamblers-or-illegal-thai-immigrants/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-01-10

 

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Mull this minister...then they won't seek out treatment when they fall ill and continue to spread the virus at work, home, and in public.

Tell me good Anutin, if those Thais can not afford the treatment and if they are sick, will you isolate them until the day they are either better or possibly very sick and die.  They are your fellow countrymen and women.  The foreign migrants or foreigners here who attended the gambling locations or were involved in illegal activities will you put them in an isolated container and ship them back home to infect others and spread the virus further.  Do not be so ludicrous and heavy hearted, and please kick down some coin to help the less fortunate to test and be treated.  Yes you can blame them for their actions but Covid is not only a countrywide issue but an issue you and the Government need to help in defeating and treating people humanely is something that must be done.

 

P.S.:  I am sure there will be those along shortly that will compare Thailand with somewhere else and not actually add to the OP itself.....just saying

This article raises a very, VERY interesting question. Read the full article and you will come across this:

 

''Section 47 of the Constitution, which states that every individual is eligible to protection and treatment for dangerous diseases by the state, free of charge.''

 

Does that include us do you suppose?

 

there is not even a free covid test for farang people living here for years, decades, married, working, retired...

 

strange as foreigners get all that for free in our home country, specially for covid control, otherwise it would be called RACISM

 

17 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

Mull this minister...then they won't seek out treatment when they fall ill and continue to spread the virus at work, home, and in public.

I agree,  but there still should eventually be some form of punishment for them

Just now, Bender Rodriguez said:

there is not even a free covid test for farang people living here for years, decades, married, working, retired...

 

strange as foreigners get all that for free in our home country, specially for covid control, otherwise it would be called RACISM

Oh do Thais coming to the USA free healthcare ? Thais coming to my country need an insurance to get in. 

 

Can you explain to me why you should get free healthcare. Your not a Thai or have a Thai passport.

 

If your a foreigner working in Thailand paying taxes you often do get free healthcare (because you pay for it)

2 minutes ago, Kaopad999 said:

 

I agree,  but there still should eventually be some form of punishment for them

For the illegal activity I agree, but not for catching the Virus.

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Oh do Thais coming to the USA free healthcare ? Thais coming to my country need an insurance to get in. 

 

Can you explain to me why you should get free healthcare. Your not a Thai or have a Thai passport.

 

If your a foreigner working in Thailand paying taxes you often do get free healthcare (because you pay for it)

All migrants regarding being legally or illegally from whence I come from can get medical treatment paid for by the Government.

I agree that people who enter illigally should be punished if they avoid covid checks and so on. But at the same time those army and police generals should be punished too for letting this happen.

 

So no double standards if you punish one you should punish the generals and police too. I cant see this happening so its again shifting of blame. Punish those without power but not those in power who gained a lot from illigal acts. 

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

All migrants regarding being legally or illegaly in the US can get medical treatment paid for by the Government.

Really, i thought the US did not even have healthcare for free for its own citizen why do they pay it for migrants ? If legally in the US and paying taxes then it should be normal. This is not the case in Thailand were us foreigners don't pay taxes (vat does not count)

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Really, i thought the US did not even have healthcare for free for its own citizen why do they pay it for migrants ? If legally in the US and paying taxes then it should be normal. This is not the case in Thailand were us foreigners don't pay taxes (vat does not count)

 

 

In the states, you can not be turned away from the emergency room no matter if you have insurance or not. They may try to bill you later, but you cant be turned away from emergency care. 

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

Really, i thought the US did not even have healthcare for free for its own citizen why do they pay it for migrants ? If legally in the US and paying taxes then it should be normal. This is not the case in Thailand were us foreigners don't pay taxes (vat does not count)

The local governments and hospitals there can not decline treatment, and the monies are obtained through the Government and of course the citizens bear the brunt by increases in insurance.  Obama care is also mandatory but the welfare programs put in by states such as California give illegals more rights then even some citizens.  Yes crazy.  However, this OP is regarding Thailand and I have strayed against my own wishes to enlighten you and others.

3 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

 

In the states, you can not be turned away from the emergency room no matter if you have insurance or not. They may try to bill you later, but you cant be turned away from emergency care. 

Same goes for Thailand no difference. 

1 minute ago, robblok said:

Same goes for Thailand no difference. 

 

No, Thailand will withhold care, hold you in the hospital, keep or take your passport, and hold you hostage until you pay, and blast you across the media. 

 

The states will give you care and let you go, and everything is confidential. 

 

Not same. 

11 minutes ago, robblok said:

Really, i thought the US did not even have healthcare for free for its own citizen why do they pay it for migrants ? If legally in the US and paying taxes then it should be normal. This is not the case in Thailand were us foreigners don't pay taxes (vat does not count)

 

I was just reading the CBC and Canadian snowbirds in Florida are already getting the shot if they meet age/health criteria. As a Canadian I'm not a fan of the US but this impressed me. 

 

"illegal Thai immigrants" ....Yes ! Throw them in jail without treatment. 

18 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

No, Thailand will withhold care, hold you in the hospital, keep or take your passport, and hold you hostage until you pay, and blast you across the media. 

 

The states will give you care and let you go, and everything is confidential. 

 

Not same. 

They just pursue the debt better, legally its the same. This is not a case of free care what so ever. Also you cant be turned away for emergency help in Thailand. You will just have to pay for it. Those immigrants do too but if they cant too bad. Same goes for Thailand if they really cant get it from you you wont have to pay. But if you have money you will have to pay.

I get tired of people wanting to claim Thai medical care while not paying into the system. I got an insurance like normal people should have.

Another not very well thought out comment by the health minister me thinks.

56 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

there is not even a free covid test for farang people living here for years, decades, married, working, retired...

 

strange as foreigners get all that for free in our home country, specially for covid control, otherwise it would be called RACISM

Can you produce any evidence that this is true?

Very stupid idea. If people have infectious disease you want to treat them so that they do not make others   infected.

1 hour ago, Kaopad999 said:

 

I agree,  but there still should eventually be some form of punishment for them

In most cases I agree, but I've been convinced that during a pandemic, non-punitive/coercive measures are the best way to obtain compliance with health directives to reach the overarching societal goal of controlling virus spread.

10 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Very stupid idea. If people have infectious disease you want to treat them so that they do not make others   infected.

Exactly! That is the very reason why nations have infectious disease control legislation.

42 minutes ago, robblok said:

They just pursue the debt better, legally its the same. This is not a case of free care what so ever. Also you cant be turned away for emergency help in Thailand. You will just have to pay for it. Those immigrants do too but if they cant too bad. Same goes for Thailand if they really cant get it from you you wont have to pay. But if you have money you will have to pay.

I get tired of people wanting to claim Thai medical care while not paying into the system. I got an insurance like normal people should have.

 

Its the polar opposite of "the same" 

 

In the states, even if youre an illegal immigrant and flat broke, you will get care, and released from the hospital, and not have to pay anything at all, and when you get a bill, you dont have to pay that either, because youre broke. You just keep on living and ignoring the bills. No cops, no shame, no hostage situation, nothing. It just gets passed onto the next insured person who visits the hospital. 

 

Maybe "the same" means something different to you than it does me.

I support Anutin on this one. 
Treat the ones that are already infected, but anyone caught from now on, stuff em. 
 

Why should the taxpayers who are doing the right thing have to pay for these selfish and irresponsible people. Enough money to gamble that should have enough to pay their own way. 
 

They are killing people and destroying the economy. They should be jailed.
 

 

4 minutes ago, Pattaya Spotter said:

In most cases I agree, but I've been convinced that during a pandemic, non-punitive/coercive measures are the best way to obtain compliance with health directives to reach the overarching societal goal of controlling virus spread.

And how is that approach going in the USA, UK and Europe? A bloody disaster 
 

People have shown they can not be trusted. We need hard leadership during a pandemic, not PC snowflake leaders.

18 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Very stupid idea. If people have infectious disease you want to treat them so that they do not make others   infected.

Which will encourage them to keep gambling and keep border hopping and further spread it to each other, those they come in contact with and the whole country. 

14 minutes ago, Mama Noodle said:

 

Its the polar opposite of "the same" 

 

In the states, even if youre an illegal immigrant and flat broke, you will get care, and released from the hospital, and not have to pay anything at all, and when you get a bill, you dont have to pay that either, because youre broke. You just keep on living and ignoring the bills. No cops, no shame, no hostage situation, nothing. It just gets passed onto the next insured person who visits the hospital. 

 

Maybe "the same" means something different to you than it does me.

Yes I think the same means different things to us. I am talking legally. 

 

Legally its the same, its just that the hospitals pursue their debt better in Thailand.

 

Also the chances of an foreigner having the funds to pay but unwilling to pay are higher then an immigrant having the funds to pay and is unwilling. Its just normal to go after people who you think can pay. You don't go after people your sure that can't pay because then your making costs to get that money that you cannot get back.

 

Legally its the same only you want to compare a poor immigrant that cant pay with a foreigner who probably has the funds but does not want to pay. Also Thai hospitals let you go after a payment plan has been made.

 

I think you and I have a different idea of the same. You think an illigal immigrant without money is the same as a foreigner with access to money. Foreigners pay if you push them showing they have the money. 

1 minute ago, robblok said:

Yes I think the same means different things to us. I am talking legally. 

 

Legally its the same, its just that the hospitals pursue their debt better in Thailand.

 

Also the chances of an foreigner having the funds to pay but unwilling to pay are higher then an immigrant having the funds to pay and is unwilling. Its just normal to go after people who you think can pay. You don't go after people your sure that can't pay because then your making costs to get that money that you cannot get back.

 

Legally its the same only you want to compare a poor immigrant that cant pay with a foreigner who probably has the funds but does not want to pay. Also Thai hospitals let you go after a payment plan has been made.

 

I think you and I have a different idea of the same. You think an illigal immigrant without money is the same as a foreigner with access to money. Foreigners pay if you push them showing they have the money. 

 

Today is my first time back to thaivisa in a while, and its taken me about 4, maybe 5 posts to remind myself why I always leave this place. 

 

Im off to do something productive now. See ya. 

Another not so very smart move by the Health Minister.  Even a foreigner would know that if they can not get treatment they will just past the virus on to others.  Also why so many times you are not wearing a mask.  Even a foreigner knows you should wear one.