Dual pricing at Thai hospital case: Decision delayed after case handed to judges

[snoop1130]

Image: Siam Rath, file photo.

 

The much anticipated "dual pricing" case taken up by a Dutch expat in Hua Hin against the Thai health authorities will not be decided for another week.

 

Erwin Buse told ASEAN NOW that there was a formal hearing yesterday (Sept 21) where the administrative case was officially handed over to judges.

 

The head of an independent committee was present to advise the judges and fact finding is now closed.

 

A decision on the case is expected to be announced by the court next Tuesday, 28th September.

 

Several years ago when Mr Buse was being treated for cancer he was obliged to pay more than Thais at Hua Hin Hospital.

 

It was only a few hundred baht each time but Mr Buse argued on principal and has stuck to his guns all the way through contact with the hospital, a seemingly favorable decision in his favor and now the intricacies of a court case. 

 

He contended this was not constitutional and even named Anutin Charvirakul, the health minister and DPM, in this landmark case. 

 

It has been shown that there are several levels of payment in Thailand and Mr Buse wants to see an end to discrimination at hospitals. 

 

The case is being watched closely in Thailand and the decision could have wide reaching ramifications. 

 

Dual pricing in hospitals is not the only bugbear. Many foreigners in Thailand - especially long stayers - are appalled by different charges at places like national parks where resident foreigners can pay ten times more than Thais. 

 

Some have called for Thais abroad to be treated similarly while others say that dual pricing exists everywhere and people should just get on with it. Some think it's okay for tourists to pay more.

 

But while many say that dual pricing in the private sector is one thing, state sponsored rip-offs are quite another.

 

Though the press expected a ruling yesterday Mr Buse pointed out that it was just a final hearing and that the case was not delayed - judgment was always scheduled for 28th September. 

 

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[ezzra]

23 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

Some have called for Thais abroad to be treated similarly while others say that dual pricing exists everywhere and people should just get on with it. Some think it's okay for tourists to pay more.

And in many instances it dose, under the old and worn out excuse that Thais are poor while foreigners are "rich" maybe 40-50 years ago it would hold true, not now days though...

[Gold Star]

This discrimination and dual pricing has to stop. 

Why do lady drinks have to cost so much more for my girlfriends than my wife?

[inThailand]

Will the outcome banning dual pricing stop them from continuing to do it? 

[nobodysfriend]

 If , ever , the verdict will be that the thai hospital was right to overcharge the farang , that would lead to dual pricing becoming the norm . Everywhere .

If that happens , it would lead to new headlines in the international press that would discourage potential new visitors or tourists to come to Thailand .

Counterproductive .

[Skeptic7]

Land of Scams and phony Smiles. Even hospitals and healthcare are clip joints here. Greedy Thailand. 

[d2b2]

Dual pricing, especially when condoned in the public sector, is blatantly discriminatory. It has far reaching consequences beyond economic. The government, any government, has no moral or ethical leg to stand on when participating in such a disgraceful and shameful practice. It simply must stop.

[nobodysfriend]

I went to the hospital with my thai wife to get a covid test that I needed to visit Phuket . It was 600 for her and 1200 for me . Why ? She is more rich than me by now ...

[crazykopite]

I hope he wins his case but I have my doubts I see larger than life brown envelopes being stuffed with money 

[Muhendis]

32 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

it would lead to new headlines in the international press that would discourage potential new visitors or tourists to come to Thailand

I don't think people will be discouraged from going to Thailand but what it will do is highlight the need for visitors to make sure they have insurance to cover everything during their visit. 

For expats who live with wife and family in Thailand and for retirees who have become part of the community, there should certainly be no discriminatory pricing. This is something that needs to be considered especially when trying to attract high tech experts and retirees to come and live in the country.

[thailand49]

I salute the guy for sticking to his guns Bravo!  I hope he is successful doing do it is a win for everyone.  Deep in my heart I hope I'm wrong but negatively towards their government leaders I would be very surprise if the good old boys network will rule in favor the saying " the more patriotic the more stupid "  these guys come from the same swamp they will stick together use their backward logic and come up with a smooth decision that they are protecting their people.

 

If it is against the law for duel pricing if the late HM, stated years back in one of his Birthday speeches even Puppet O, both have said duel pricing is an black eye on Thailand yet just last year the government past a law that it is o.k. for public hospital to start yet since then as far as I know no Thai is standing up saying this is a bad law. 

 

Regardless of who you are where you come from getting sick, having an accident particularly getting old no matter how much you work to take care of yourself your body wear and break down the last thing you want to do when it happens is to think you are going to be ripped off instead of Doctors and hospital treating you they only think $$$$.

 

Foreigners are also human we are not alone even the locals think the same it is all relative in terms of cost. I know a lot of Thais under their own system would not go to the hospital because of the cost until it is too late. Under their system if you aren't register in the province aren't eligible for the NHS you pay a bit more that bit more for a poor deter them from getting treatment.  The current pandemic has shown my statement shipping sick people on public transport back to their own province, labor contractor shipping infected migrant workers to other provinces like Chon Buri because the testing is free where as it is charged in others.

 

Stop the nonsense do what is humanly right otherwise it is time to stop using  " LAND OF SMILE "????

[XJPSX]

Dual pricing has as much chance of being eradicated as corruption.

In their blood and they do it because they can.

[thurien]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

 If , ever , the verdict will be that the thai hospital was right to overcharge the farang , that would lead to dual pricing becoming the norm . Everywhere .

If that happens , it would lead to new headlines in the international press that would discourage potential new visitors or tourists to come to Thailand .

Counterproductive .

The rich Arabs couldn't care less about med pricing, they LOVE to be treated in Sukhumvit ????

[tandor]

Good luck Mr. Buse...pity there was no Petition I'm aware of..i would have signed it for sure.

[DUNROAMIN]

Claiment: Whats the verdict judge??

Judge: You farang you have plenty money, you pay more. Case closed. TIT Land of scams.

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

It is a tough call. I am sure Mr. Dutch was expecting, the receptionist,  nurses and doctors to speak good English, so there are extra cost for the hospital associated with treating foreigners.

 

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, ezzra said:

And in many instances it dose, under the old and worn out excuse that Thais are poor while foreigners are "rich" maybe 40-50 years ago it would hold true, not now days though...

But it doesn't stop them from trying to keep it going.

A couple of years ago I went to Erawan National park with 9 Thai friends, they paid 40 baht each while I had to pay 400.... so my fee was more than them combined.

And they say they want to attract tourism.

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

 If , ever , the verdict will be that the thai hospital was right to overcharge the farang , that would lead to dual pricing becoming the norm . Everywhere .

If that happens , it would lead to new headlines in the international press that would discourage potential new visitors or tourists to come to Thailand .

Counterproductive .

Maybe they will say the don't over-charge foreigners, they simply under-charge locals.

[jesimps]

The last time that I was scammed on price was at a place I least expected it, it was at the Death Railway Museum in Kanchanaburi. I had to pay far more than my Thai wife. It was the first time in years that I'd been caught out. That was about two years ago and I haven't been fleeced since.

 

[khunpeer]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

 If , ever , the verdict will be that the thai hospital was right to overcharge the farang , that would lead to dual pricing becoming the norm . Everywhere .

If that happens , it would lead to new headlines in the international press that would discourage potential new visitors or tourists to come to Thailand .

Counterproductive .

ànd the end of long stay tourism...

[Almer]

24 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

It is a tough call. I am sure Mr. Dutch was expecting, the receptionist,  nurses and doctors to speak good English, so there are extra cost for the hospital associated with treating foreigners.

 

Rubbish

[Almer]

21 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

But it doesn't stop them from trying to keep it going.

A couple of years ago I went to Erawan National park with 9 Thai friends, they paid 40 baht each while I had to pay 400.... so my fee was more than them combined.

And they say they want to attract tourism.

Make a stand and don't go in, which is what i did at an attraction, they lost 7 x80 baht 1 x150 and for sure a mountain of food and trinkets, but let it be known why on the day.

[Smokey and the Bandit]

48 minutes ago, crazykopite said:

I hope he wins his case but I have my doubts I see larger than life brown envelopes being stuffed with money 

You may well be correct, in any eventuality it will be interesting to see how the judge justifies it, if it goes against the Dutch guy!

[giog]

I believe that in many Asian states the relationship between foreigners and local residents includes two types of economic treatment. Personally I think it ALWAYS WRONG but I must say that lately, hospitalized in a hospital in southern Thailand for an operation, I was asked to present my tax return to the Revenue Department and upon delivery of this document the price that was applied to me it was that of the Thai people. So residents who pay taxes in Thailand can access Thai rates. And this, if applied all over Thailand in private or government hospital, IT SEEMS VERY JUST TO ME. Tourists come with insurance stipulated in their country and residents who pay taxes here have Thai rates.

[JonnyF]

Good luck to this guy. Overcharging for medical treatment based on nationality/race is a disgraceful practice. The apologists on here who say "get over it" would never accept ethnic minorities being treated like this in their home countries, but they're happy to be on the receiving end in Thailand. A very strange phenomenon indeed, it would make a very interesting psychological study.

 

The war memorial in Kanchanaburi is another great example of the absurdity of the practice.

• Thais side with Japan during WW2 to enslave British, Australian and US servicemen.
• Australia sets up and maintains a memorial about the events in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
• Thais charge British, Australian and US tourists 10x the normal price to visit the memorial.

Amazing Thailand indeed.

[Mansell]

44 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

But it doesn't stop them from trying to keep it going.

A couple of years ago I went to Erawan National park with 9 Thai friends, they paid 40 baht each while I had to pay 400.... so my fee was more than them combined.

And they say they want to attract tourism.

I had a similar experience, but my farang friend was from Hawaii and he looks like a Thai. He was standing next to his wife so she paid for them both at the Thai price, and I paid at the farang price. It’s actually a form of racism based on skin colour.

[Mike k]

16 hours ago, ezzra said:

And in many instances it dose, under the old and worn out excuse that Thais are poor while foreigners are "rich" maybe 40-50 years ago it would hold true, not now days though...

For those of us who are here on long stay visas with a Thai driver license should be charged the same as Thais 

[Rampant Rabbit]

Good  for  youMr Buse,  hope you  win but expect some obscure result

[Rampant Rabbit]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

I went to the hospital with my thai wife to get a covid test that I needed to visit Phuket . It was 600 for her and 1200 for me . Why ? She is more rich than me by now ...

pah just get only  her done  twice, thatll  show  em!!

[malthebluff]

Well done Erwin Buse it's about time somebody stood up to this duel pricing as its  not just in the hospitals it's in nearly everything and is a form of racism . Good luck