Expat on Samui says he was threatened with deportation by hospital over Covid bill

[webfact]

 

Image: Reuters, file photo. 

 

ASEAN NOW has spoken to a 47 year old British man who has lived on Koh Samui for many years who claims he received what he believes are threatening emails and telephone calls from a well known hospital on the holiday island after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 last month.

 

Following a one night stay in the hospital he was obliged to quarantine for two weeks in the Aura "hospitel". He was not seriously ill.

 

He wanted to isolate at home but was allegedly told this was not possible. The expat said he wouldn't have money to pay the bill.

 

After being backed into a corner, and having his passport taken from him he eventually decided to pay a 60,000 plus bill as his visa expires this coming week.

 

In one email seen by ASEAN NOW after he said he would be unable to pay, the foreign customer service center said: "We can't change any rules and law enforcement. The violation of the Communicable Disease Act has a maximum fine of 100,000 THB and imprisonment maximum of 1 year".

 

They said this was "management in a crisis healthcare situation".

 

A subsequent email said: "This treatment is not for free. If the foreigner can't pay the bill then you are not qualify to leave (sic, probably live) in Thailand any more". 

 

The email goes on to say they are a government hospital who follows the law.

 

They continued: "If you (don't) take responsibility to make payment then we will report to immigration to consider your status of living in Thailand. 

 

"And as you are a case against the law then deport process will follow."

 

Such heavy handed emails left the expat feeling threatened, he said. 

 

He told us: "The hospital is using the Covid laws to profit out of foreigners who get admitted (to) the system".

 

He said that an English speaking lady from customer service was not willing to negotiate.

 

"She tried to bully me and threatened to contact immigration, have my visa cancelled, jailed and deported if I didn't pay the bill".

 

He consulted a lawyer and took these alleged threats seriously. 

 

He is currently on a volunteer visa after the collapse of a restaurant business (in partnership with a local) due to the pandemic. 

 

He said that the British Embassy contacted the hospital and informed him that the hospital acted within the Covid laws except when they held his passport. 

 

He had originally paid a 10,000 baht deposit then was given three months to come up with the rest of the money. He ended up paying just over 50,000 baht more as his volunteer visa was due to be extended and he didn't want further trouble.

 

He said that prior to this the hospital would not let him go until he surrendered his passport and signed a payment contract.

 

The expat used to be in the social security scheme but he said this lapsed after he lost his business. 

 

He added a claim that it was totally wrong that the hospital was using the pandemic to make money.

 

"Originally all the hospital staff and all my local friends told me not to worry because Covid treatment is free for everyone in Thailand.

 

"Many of my Thai friends were outraged when I got billed". 

 

He told us that he is considering returning to the UK next year. 

 

ASEAN NOW has contacted the  foreigner center at the hospital concerned for comment about the expat's claims of being harassed. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-09-22

 

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[Dmaxdan]

What a stupid situation.

Being victimized like this is not exactly going to encourage foreigners to come forward and be tested, even if they believe they have Covid symptoms.

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

"Originally all the hospital staff and all my local friends told me not to worry because Covid treatment is free for everyone in Thailand.

That is an interesting one.

Many times papers print that something is free for everyone, but as always - the devil is in the detail.

Free for Thais - 100% .

Free for people in the SS scheme - 100%

Free for people with Covid insurance - probably.

Free for migrant workers and expats ???

By the way - the hotel quarantine is not Covid treatment. That is the killer for everyone.

[Ohyesuare]

They are right, he is not above the law and has to be isolated if positive. I don't think Samui has a home isolation program that would be able to accommodate him. Obviously shouldn't have taken his passport though but yes, if you don't pay your hospital bill, you can expect to be deported in many countries or have your visa cancelled or not able to renew. Wonder what he is "volunteering" for now after his restaurant went out of business. If it's like all the other volunteers that suddenly popped up after the borders closed, then he shouldn't be bringing attention to himself if he wants to stay in Thailand.

[Tropicalevo]

4 minutes ago, Dmaxdan said:

What a stupid situation.

Being victimized like this is not exactly going to encourage foreigners to come forward and be tested, even if they believe they have Covid symptoms.

 

 

Foreigners have been ignoring the test results for a while now.

I know a number of people who have self-tested positive (ATK) and just stayed at home.

They were showing mild symptoms and even managed to pass it on to family members.

 

[HeijoshinCool]

.

 

It is actually against international law and in violation of several treaties, for a private entity or business to confiscate one's passport.....

 

Mighty fine negotiating point.

 

 

 

.

[AwwYesNice1]

no health insurance to cover this ?

 

Off With His Head !

[Henryford]

Another good reason never to take a Covid test

[ThomasThBKK]

5 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Another good reason never to take a Covid test

Yeah this is the message and it's really sad.

 

I know that many thais think the same, no one wants to be locked up like an animal and even pay for it...

[2009]

Shameful.

 

(not sure that concept exists here)

[kevin612]

This upsets me because they are taking advantage of this individual and Thailand really mean to foreigners.

[hioctane]

All the more reason you should have travel insurance especially in this environment. Self insuring simply isn’t an option anymore.

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 minute ago, hioctane said:

All the more reason you should have travel insurance especially in this environment. Self insuring simply isn’t an option anymore.

I doubt whether insurance would cover a hotel stay in quarantine 

[cyril sneer]

getting deported and not paying might have been a better option

[SiamAndy]

Thailand is all about extracting money from Farangs.

[rbkk]

The wife got me a Dhipaya Insurance Covid-19 policy, top one, 800 baht. Seems I might be better off catching Covid-19 and claiming costs (Up to 100,000 baht) than not having Covid-19 and getting stitched with a Quarantine 'Hospitel' bill. The small print of the policy is all in Thai so not too sure where I stand re:'Hospitels.' 

[theoldgit]

12 minutes ago, hioctane said:

All the more reason you should have travel insurance especially in this environment. Self insuring simply isn’t an option anymore.

 

He's lived here for many years so doesn't qualify for travel insurance.

Maybe health insurance or one of the Covid policies that underwriters seem to have stopped issuing as some people were actually claiming on. 

[wprime]

This is misleading.

 

The expat could have isolated in a field hospital for free. If you want to move to a hotel you need to pay.

 

This is nothing more than an entitled farang thinking he deserves better treatment than the locals but isn't willing to pay for it.

[gearbox]

19 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

I doubt whether insurance would cover a hotel stay in quarantine 

Apparently this is not a hotel bill, it is a hospital bill for covid treatment. Logically the policies covering asymptomatic cases would cover it.

[robblok]

48 minutes ago, Henryford said:

Another good reason never to take a Covid test

I would say a good idea to have health insurance covering covid. I don't fault the hospital they are following regulations. Yes it sucks to be quarantined but that was for everyone. The guy had not enough reserves / insurance its sad but not the hospitals problem.

 

 

[robblok]

9 minutes ago, wprime said:

This is misleading.

 

The expat could have isolated in a field hospital for free. If you want to move to a hotel you need to pay.

 

This is nothing more than an entitled farang thinking he deserves better treatment than the locals but isn't willing to pay for it.

Agreed field hospitals were free if you wanted better you had to pay for it. So he made a wrong choice and now does not want to pay.

[gearbox]

17 minutes ago, rbkk said:

The wife got me a Dhipaya Insurance Covid-19 policy, top one, 800 baht. Seems I might be better off catching Covid-19 and claiming costs (Up to 100,000 baht) than not having Covid-19 and getting stitched with a Quarantine 'Hospitel' bill. The small print of the policy is all in Thai so not too sure where I stand re:'Hospitels.' 

Why would you get a hospitel bill if you don't have Covid? Just book a normal hotel ????

 

Or do you have in mind being a Covid case requiring serious hospitalisation and getting away with 100k bill? Good luck with that.

[Tropicalevo]

35 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

I doubt whether insurance would cover a hotel stay in quarantine 

It does not. That is 'out of pocket'.

[gearbox]

12 minutes ago, robblok said:

I would say a good idea to have health insurance covering covid. I don't fault the hospital they are following regulations. Yes it sucks to be quarantined but that was for everyone. The guy had not enough reserves / insurance its sad but not the hospitals problem.

 

 

Many people took the Roojai or Dhipaya covid insurance, which covers asymptomatic cases and it costs only 800 baht for an year. The coverage is low for ICU treatment (100k max), but pretty adequate for hospitels.

[rbkk]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Following a one night stay in the hospital he was obliged to quarantine for two weeks in the Aura "hospitel"

 

3 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Why would you get a hospitel bill if you don't have Covid? Just book a normal hotel ????

 

Or do you have in mind being a Covid case requiring serious hospitalisation and getting away with 100k bill? Good luck with that.

What's with your wild accusations against me? Read the OP before commenting.

[1FinickyOne]

24 minutes ago, wprime said:

This is misleading.

 

The expat could have isolated in a field hospital for free. If you want to move to a hotel you need to pay.

 

This is nothing more than an entitled farang thinking he deserves better treatment than the locals but isn't willing to pay for it.

I too question aspects of the story... what is the other side of it... I am sure there are times when a person is treated badly because they have been demanding, abusive and not easy to deal with... I do not know the details in this case but always assume there is another side to it... 

 

but generally, we are/should be responsible for the costs of our own health... covid can complicate this.. 

[1FinickyOne]

33 minutes ago, SiamAndy said:

Thailand is all about extracting money from Farangs.

others experience might differ... 

[gearbox]

2 minutes ago, rbkk said:

 

What's with your wild accusations against me? Read the OP before commenting.

No accusations mate, just your post was a bit confusing, You don't stay in hospitel if you don't have covid. Asymptomatic covid is still regarded by the hospitals as a covid case, the guy had covid and did spend one night in the hospital too.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, HeijoshinCool said:

.

 

It is actually against international law and in violation of several treaties, for a private entity or business to confiscate one's passport.....

 

Mighty fine negotiating point.

 

 

 

.

Maybe, but some people just refuse to pay their bills. I feel its justified. 

 

Hospitals have a lot of problem collecting money from expats. I can understand they want some security. Maybe the guy should have deposited some money instead of his passport. 

 

Edit i read he paid 10.000 deposit and later he did pay the other 50k.

 

So he could pay and only the fact that they had his passport made him pay.

So not a case of not being able to pay but not willing to pay.

[gearbox]

26 minutes ago, robblok said:

Agreed field hospitals were free if you wanted better you had to pay for it. So he made a wrong choice and now does not want to pay.

How do you know the field hospitals are free for foreigners? Can you choose to stay in a field hospital?

I asked these questions before and never got a definitive answer.