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

[Salerno]

15 minutes ago, rbkk said:

She is not here for me to check at the moment about whether the same policy is available now.

The language choice dropdown appears to be a single choice ... Thai 555. Translate works OK and looks like 850 Bht now:

 

[rbkk]

3 hours ago, Leveraged said:

Show me one single link that has legit covid insurance, a year policy, for 1000 baht, and I’ll delete my whole account and never post here again. 
 

 

The wife paid 800 baht for me (Year) for the top cover (3 options): 100,000 baht hospital / 1,000,000 baht death.

https://www.dhipaya.co.th/product-detail-10-37-12.html

 

[Stevemercer]

If you are fully immunised, it may not be in your interests to take a Covid test. This is because, if you test positive, your symptoms are likely to be mild, but you could end up being forced to quarantine in a field hospital or somewhere else at you expense.

 

As Thailand head towards 80% vaccination, it needs a clear policy about what happens if you test positive. Probably most countries need to be thinking about this.

 

Even 100% vaccination will not stop Covid. But it would be ridiculous to force vaccinated people into 14 day quarantines. Or to lock down cities and countries. We just have to live with it. 

 

People who have been vaccinated will, on average, have lower viral loads and will be less infectious. Hopefully the rates of infection will correspondingly be reduced. I doubt it is possible to eliminate Covid (except perhaps in North Korea).

[ukrules]

3 hours ago, robblok said:

And this has bearing on this case how ? I mean he is not disputing the charges or that he was billed too much. He just expected it to be free.  

It sounded like he agreed to a payment plan but they kept his passport illegally as security.

 

When he needed to 'renew his visa' / extend his permission to stay shortly after they would not give him his passport back until he'd paid in full as if it was some sort of collateral.

 

Am I viewing this incorrectly?

 

[goatfarmer]

8 hours 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.

 

 

 

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International law doesn't apply unless it is enacted into local law. 

[cyril sneer]

37 minutes ago, robblok said:

Your opinion is based on YOUR experience. You extrapolate that because you were scammed everyone  will be scammed. I am 100% sure I am not on the wrong side of this argument. You forget 1 really important thing, but then again you think your so smart and your right. What the hospital did with you was because you had an insurance, this is something that indeed happens in some hospitals at times. However this guy had no insurance and was sure to question the bill as he had to pay. So you are saying you two case are the same ?

 

YOU claim that they will charge him more for a room in the dorm then in a quarantine hotel. I dispute that, they could never ever do that for covid treatment. It would cause a riot if pictures of a bill like that would be made public. Just totally impossible no way they could justify it.

 

Anyway you just keep believing what you want ill go with logic. So far it has served me well. 

can you stop being a such a serious c for one day? 

 

can't be good for the health arguing with people a new topic everyday, however righteous and intelligent it makes you feel

 

go fishing or do one of your other health-conscious hobbies 

[goatfarmer]

8 hours ago, SiamAndy said:

Thailand is all about extracting money from Farangs.

... with chips on their shoulders.

[BangkokReady]

10 minutes ago, Stevemercer said:

As Thailand head towards 80% vaccination,

That's probably a long way off.  I'm not sure they're even at 20% yet.

[rbkk]

19 minutes ago, Salerno said:

The language choice dropdown appears to be a single choice ... Thai 555. Translate works OK and looks like 850 Bht now:

 

I just checked the policy and it is 790B + stamp duty + VAT=850 Baht. My mistake.

[robblok]

13 minutes ago, ukrules said:

It sounded like he agreed to a payment plan but they kept his passport illegally as security.

 

When he needed to 'renew his visa' / extend his permission to stay shortly after they would not give him his passport back until he'd paid in full as if it was some sort of collateral.

 

Am I viewing this incorrectly?

 

Yes seems they kept his passport to make sure he paid. 

 

No you got it quite right. I think i got it right to that he probably would not have paid if they did not have his passport. Payment plan was based on them having his passport as a collateral. 

[robblok]

13 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

can you stop being a such a serious c for one day? 

 

can't be good for the health arguing with people a new topic everyday, however righteous and intelligent it makes you feel

 

go fishing or do one of your other health-conscious hobbies 

I just post what i think is right and I don't believe the B.S. of many of the posters. 

 

Not sure why you think its not good for my health, it would be a problem if it got to me. This is just a discussion nothing more nothing less. I don't get it why people think anyone would work themselves up about Thaivisa.

 

Love to go fishing but the lakes are mostly locked down. Will be working out again tonight. Happy you worry so much about my health.  I must have totally misjudged you. Your not that bad of C as i thought you were. 

 

But do you have actually something to say that is on topic. Or are you only worried about my health.

[thailand49]

Whatever is published is just for show and tell!  when it comes to a farang they just assume he got it just lying but when it comes to a Thai that is most likely true even if they are not register with the province, " crisis " yea right?  Farang tested positive there is no shortage of rooms just put that Thai in the hallway or self quarantine yourself at home which is what they are telling Thais lets squeeze this dirty <deleted>.????

[cyril sneer]

13 minutes ago, robblok said:

But do you have actually something to say that is on topic. Or are you only worried about my health.

the latter

[robblok]

37 minutes ago, ukrules said:

It sounded like he agreed to a payment plan but they kept his passport illegally as security.

 

When he needed to 'renew his visa' / extend his permission to stay shortly after they would not give him his passport back until he'd paid in full as if it was some sort of collateral.

 

Am I viewing this incorrectly?

 

I re read it and something does not add up.

 

If he made an payment plan right after he left the hospital and left his passport there. Why would he get threatening emails afterwards ? Unless of course he did not want to pay. Otherwise it really does not make much sense. How do you view this, your usually sharp in reading too.

[thefactoryoutlet]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

After being backed into a corner, and having his passport taken from him

 

Let's see if they could take it from me and how many teeth left they would have after trying.

I didn't even let cops take it, just read, in front of their face, but n way that they put a hand on it.

 

 

[billd766]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

People should pay their bills too. Seems both things did not happen. Sorry Bild i feel no pity with people who don't pay hospital bills. You read it quite often that people try to skip on their bills. 

 

Both are legally not sound and in this case he would not have paid if they did not have his passport. 

 

If he has a problem with the procedure hospitals must follow (The hospitals have no choice) then he should sue the goverment. The hospital and hotel have nothing to do with this. So he is holding an innocent party their money hostage after they have delivered services. 

 

You cannot blame the hospital to follow the goverment mandate. You also cannot blame them for wanting their money. Basically the guy should have had insurance and those could have been bought for around a 1000bt. 

 

Too many people defending the guy, lots seems a lot don't bat an eye to skip on bills no wonder hospitals hold onto passports.

But the hospital does not have the legal right to hold your passport, which in the UK, means the government own it, issue it and they can withdraw it from the rightful holder at any time.

[Bigz]

The lesson is simple: buy a covid insurance. Costs around 1000 baht for a 100k cover...

[Nicknoodle]

Yes definitely a good reason not to get tested when you only have minor symptoms, and can isolate at home.

I know of Thai locals that have been told they will have to pay a minimum 1000 baht a test, hence they don’t get tested and the pandemic continues!

[wprime]

8 hours ago, gearbox said:

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.

Yes, if you present yourself to a public hospital or are tested positive through mass testing, and are asymptomatic, you will be transferred to a field hospital free of charge.

[billd766]

1 hour ago, rbkk said:

I just checked the policy and it is 790B + stamp duty + VAT=850 Baht. My mistake.

I was having trouble trying to get English instead of Thai. I tried Google Translate and it wouldn't or couldn't do it. 

 

Now I will try to copy and paste your post.

 

Done. My thanks to both of you.

[MrJ2U]

11 hours 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.

Nothing is free in Thailand.

 

Very expensive to get COVID-19.

 

A vaccine May help you avoid the situation.

 

But it may not.

 

Thailand will try every opportunity to milk money from you with COVID-19.  I Paid over 30,000 baht at Udon Thani for our child recently.  Two nights with a cough. B10,000 baht for three disposable safety suits.  Tons unnecessary tests.

 

I was upset.

 

Out of curiosity was the Aurora a nice place?

 

I've heard some places were pretty awful and still way overpriced.

 

 

[csmith]

What is this option about “Field Hospitals”?

 

is there one in Chiangmai?

[kennw]

10 hours 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.

 

 

 

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An Australian passport states "this passport remains the property of the Australian government".  recovery of no-payment of a bill should use legal methods.

[HeijoshinCool]

2 hours ago, goatfarmer said:

11 hours 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.

 

 

 

.

Expand  Expand  

International law doesn't apply unless it is enacted into local law. 

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Please note the other word I used; treaties.

 

Not only can they not confiscate it as hostage for payment (or otherwise), but the foreign national does not have the authority to hand it over.....

 

Passports do not belong to the passport holder, they belong the issuing government.

 

 

[HeijoshinCool]

3 hours ago, pedro01 said:

In court maybe - but it'd be a Thai court. 

 

No leverage at all in reality.

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You misunderstand....

 

One does not turn over their passport in the first place; not to a hospital, not to a scooter rental shop. 

 

Many folks do not know this, which is why I posted it.

 

 

 

 

[HeijoshinCool]

3 hours ago, sambum said:

That is because as far as the UK is concerned the passport does not belong to the holder, it belongs to the Crown/Government:-

 

"The inclusion of ‘Her Majesty’s’ in the title recognises that passports are the property of the Crown, bear the Royal Coat of Arms and are issued under the Royal Prerogative."

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Exactly, thank you. 

 

And it is actually an offense for the passport holder to relinquish their passport to those not specifically authorized to ask for it.

[spoon1967]

My sympathy would stop at "if he was indeed suffering financial hardship", those who have never experienced that won't understand - I was there when I was mid 20's, but I managed to turn things around, good luck to the guy if he's genuinely in trouble.

 

However, I think any expat who decides to live in Thailand, should have at least  500k-1M Baht emergency cash for hospitals, repat flight, etc.  those who live on the bread line, get an agent visa (no own funds) are asking for trouble - just my thoughts.

[Toby1947]

No sympathy, choose to live in a 10th world racist country then live by their rules. But of course you can always come slinking home to the good old NHS like the rest of the not contributing

 expats when their health goes belly up.

[robblok]

53 minutes ago, HeijoshinCool said:

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Exactly, thank you. 

 

And it is actually an offense for the passport holder to relinquish their passport to those not specifically authorized to ask for it.

Have people ever been prosecuted for it recently and if for instance an hospital has your passport will they do anything about it ? I mean what does practically mean ?

[HeijoshinCool]

8 minutes ago, robblok said:

Have people ever been prosecuted for it recently and if for instance an hospital has your passport will they do anything about it ? I mean what does practically mean ?

.

 

Not trying to get into all the permutations and ramifications for those on vacations, just stating some simple facts.

 

Not sure if the local authorities will take action, though they should.

 

I do know that if you contact your consulate officer of such an incident, they will indeed take action.

 

 

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