Anutin backtracks: All Thais and foreigners are eligible for Covid treatment

[webfact]

Anutin backtracks: All Thais and foreigners are eligible for Covid treatment

 

FILE PHOTO wikipedia

 

DPM and Thai health minister Anutin Charnvirakul went on his personal Facebook page to apparently distance himself from comments he made earlier that those who broke Covid laws would not be treated. 

 

The frequently unhinged minister was obliged to backtrack saying: Everyone, Thai or foreigners, is entitled to treatment under Thai health standards. No one would be refused.

 

Picture: INN

 

But he still took aim against those who broke the law suggesting they would have to pay.

 

Anutin said that the Thai medical services is funded by Thai taxes. He mentioned two sections of the Communicable Diseases Act taking a swipe at those who break the Covid rules, illegal migrants and those that aid and abet them. 

 

Anutin has often courted controversy in the pandemic - in the early days he famously castigated a foreigner who would not accept his offer of a free mask and soon after had a pop at his own medical personnel. 

 

Later he was pictured at a lunch junket without a mask.

 

He is the billionaire head of the Bhumjaithai (proud to be Thai) Party that fought the last election on a platform of legalizing aspects of the marijuana business.  

 

Source: INN

 

 

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[scorecard]

OK, but his message doesn't mention/clarify anything about who must pay and who doesn't have to pay. 

He does mention that it's all paid for by Thai taxpayers, perhaps that's the clue as to who doesn't have to pay?

[Thaiwrath]

33 minutes ago, webfact said:

The frequently unhinged minister

I think that should read ALWAYS unhinged !

Having this clown in the government, and Health Minister at that, just shows how Thailand is going backwards at a rapid rate !

Edited January 11, 2021 by Thaiwrath

[colinneil]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

The frequently unhinged minister was obliged to backtrack

That is a priceless comment, unhinged gawd he certainly is seriously unhinged.

There are several others just like him in government here, just look at Prawit he certainly is unhinged.

[FarFlungFalang]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

He is the billionaire head of the Bhumjaithai (proud to be Thai) Party that fought the last election on a platform of legalizing aspects of the marijuana business.  

He campaigned on a platform to legalise marijuana not aspects,that part came latter, more money can be made if it remains illegal.Gives new meaning to the phrase "a snake in the "grass".

[RotBenz8888]

This guy has a problem to control his emotions, whenever he's upset about something, he get an urge to vomit everything out. 

[PatOngo]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The frequently unhinged minister was obliged to backtrack

The loss of face must be almost unbearable!

[Cake Monster]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The frequently unhinged minister was obliged to backtrack saying: Everyone, Thai or foreigners, is entitled to treatment under Thai health standards. No one would be refused.

What a lovely polite way of saying the mans a-nut-er

[mr mr]

 

 jar jar binks

 

 

ohhhh anny

[kotsak]

God help us when he becomes the next PM ????

[Whale]

Actually he has a point. He is is an ass I am not disputing that. We should all have medical insurance but he was not talking about us he was specifically referring to "workers" (from surrounding countries) and they should be the financial responsibility of their employers or themselves not the state. 

 

Obviously they are not being turned away from testing and treatment, but who should foot the bill?

Edited January 11, 2021 by Whale

[PatOngo]

5 minutes ago, kotsak said:

God help us when he becomes the next PM ????

God help Thailand whoever becomes the next PM! They're all tarred with the same greedy brush!

 

 

Edited January 11, 2021 by PatOngo

[Natai Beach]

I don’t think the Thai taxpayer should be funding free hospital treatment for people who ignore the rules for enforcing limiting covid.

 

In Australia there is no free ride for foreigners in hospitals and if thais break the covid rules they can be fined up to $20,000. 
 

Any foreigner who breaks the rules in Thailand, endangering Thai lives and resulting in more economic hardship for businesses in Thailand should be fined and immediately deported.
 

Natai Beach notes that after reading the announcement made by Anutin the Thaivisa translation and narrative presented in that translation is not what I would describe as an accurate account of what he said. 

The word “apparently” on the second line. Apparently?? Really? 
 

Natai Beach also notes that many readers are still upset with Anutin about his “dirty” farang comments he used to describe farangs who refused to wear a mask during a pandemic. The mention of his name gets many into a huff. This thread will be predictably similar.

Natai Beach also notes that much worse things are said about the general Thai population on a daily basis on this forum, but that doesn’t seem to outrage those who were outraged by Anutin efforts and stern words to limit covid deaths in Thailand. Something that he has had much success with and received much praise from around the world for accomplishing. 
 

 

 

[pseudorabies]

Quote

Anutin said that the Thai medical services is funded by Thai taxes. He mentioned two sections of the Communicable Diseases Act taking a swipe at those who break the Covid rules, illegal migrants and those that aid and abet them.

 

Let's say I just bought a car in Thailand that was made in Thailand for 2 million baht including VAT.  How does the amount of tax I just paid compare with the tax paid by a Thai farmer in a rural community? 

[PatOngo]

3 minutes ago, Natai Beach said:

Natai Beach also notes that much worse things are said about the general Thai population on a daily basis on this forum

PatOngo notes that this is a public forum and opinions are like belly buttons, everyones's got one!

[Enzian]

Back when this all started in earnest around March-April last year I shopped for insurance for an 80 year old (me) but saw articles here to the effect that the PM had ordered all hospitals, public and private, to provide treatment for all who tested positive, Thai and foreign already in residence, at the public charge. Was that correct, and is that the subtext or background if you will, of Anutin's comments here? Did such a policy exist, and if it did, is it still in effect?

[rabas]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

He is the billionaire head of the Bhumjaithai (proud to be Thai) Party that fought the last election on a platform of legalizing aspects of the marijuana business. 

Oh, that's Auntin the construction boss's medical background that qualifies him to lead the nation's health response. 

 

A billionaire who wants to sell drugs.

[ThailandRyan]

Thank you for finally realizing what many have been saying Anutin.  Of course there are many who believe what you said prior to backtracking should be happening/occurring including the person who posted a few above this post.  Health care for all that have covid as well as testing should be made available to get in front of the Covid virus here.  Yes I will say that it appears they had done a decent job prior to the newest spread, but they will never know the true volume of those that may also be spreading it unless they provide the tests to all and make no comments about where it probably originated from.  Taking care of the issue is what's needed not bowing ones back and blaming people.  I live here and enjoy what I have, I may grumble and be critical of things, but we all have that right, and if they do not ensure the availability of all avenues to fight the virus it will continue to spring up and spread.  Doing the right thing is never popular, but when it must be done tough calls and measurements need to be made and put in place to stop transmission, complacency is not needed during these times.

Edited January 11, 2021 by ThailandRyan

[Dumbastheycome]

4 minutes ago, pseudorabies said:

 

Let's say I just bought a car in Thailand that was made in Thailand for 2 million baht including VAT.  How does the amount of tax I just paid compare with the tax paid by a Thai farmer in a rural community? 

Probably proportionately the same as the  farmer who bought a new 1 million Bht pickup

[Whale]

15 minutes ago, pseudorabies said:

How does the amount of tax I just paid compare with the tax paid by a Thai farmer in a rural community? 

Name me any country in the world that gives free health coverage with the purchase of a vehicle. You are missing the point, the farmer is a Thai in his own country, he pays tax on everything he buys, he is the responsibility of the state because he is a national. 

 

Same goes for me in my home country. 

 

Edited January 11, 2021 by Whale

[Peterw42]

24 minutes ago, pseudorabies said:

 

Let's say I just bought a car in Thailand that was made in Thailand for 2 million baht including VAT.  How does the amount of tax I just paid compare with the tax paid by a Thai farmer in a rural community? 

You both paid 7%. The difference being the farmer is a Thai citizen and entitled to Thai medical care, as you are entitled to the medical services of your country, 

Medical care is never determined by how much tax you pay, in any country, its determined by being a citizen of that country.

[KhunKenAP]

56 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

The loss of face must be almost unbearable!

Too bad this is not Japan, he would have to commit Hari Kari 

[jvs]

Like some one else already said,let's not do the blame game here.

First priority has to be to control the futher outbreak of the virus,costs are irrelevant

i think.

By scaring very poor people into hiding because they have no money(maybe illegally here)

you are creating the wrong atmosphere.

Not helping these people may end up costing a lot more in the end!

[Mango Bob]

I don't want a damn thing from you.  Wear a mask and do what Trump should be doing and resign NOW.

[foreverlomsak]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Anutin backtracks: All Thais and foreigners are eligible for Covid treatment

Where's the new news, it's about all he does, says something and then retracts it, it keeps him in the headlines though.

This one will be retracted as well, as there exists a class of foreigners that are sent to private hospitals to pay for their treatment.

[jackdd]

He doesn't say anything about free treatment, just that everybody is eligible for treatment. You will still be charged for your treatment (even if the treatment is just locking you up in a hospital for 14 days without symptoms)

Edited January 11, 2021 by jackdd

[Misterwhisper]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

The frequently unhinged minister

Well, that's putting it very politely. I'd use some different adjectives.

[NanLaew]

Easy fix. If the farang hasn't got MorChana or ThaiChana on his smartphone or hasn't bothered to activate it, ignores the sign-in book alternatives or refuses to wear a mask, then no, they can wait for a shot.

 

Basically the same criteria that Johnson and Hancock should hold over the UK's great unwashed. Either comply with the rules or take a number.

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Enzian said:

Back when this all started in earnest around March-April last year I shopped for insurance for an 80 year old (me) but saw articles here to the effect that the PM had ordered all hospitals, public and private, to provide treatment for all who tested positive, Thai and foreign already in residence, at the public charge. Was that correct, and is that the subtext or background if you will, of Anutin's comments here? Did such a policy exist, and if it did, is it still in effect?

Just yesterday, if you had been paying attention, you would have read the following:

 

"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''.

 

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

 

Now today we read: ''All Thais and foreigners are eligible for Covid treatment''. See the headline above.

 

My wife is not aware of any of this conversation. I haven't mentioned it at all. So this morning, over coffee I said, ''hey darling, if you do get Covid will you get treatment for free?'' - ''Yes of course, everyone will get treatment for free'', she replied.

 

''Eh, would mean me as well darling?''

 

''Yes dear, everyone''. And she was quite sure about it. I know when she's not kidding me. I didn't press the issue because I don't want her to think I doubt her, which I don't. But I do wonder where she got it from. 

 

Draw your own conclusions folks.

 

[PGSan]

1 hour ago, Whale said:

Same goes for me in my home country. 

Lucky you.  “i belong to Nanny!”