Free Healthcare for Thais.

[Jumbo1968]

My female Thai partner insists as her House Registration is in Isaan she would have to pay for health treatment at a government hospital in Bang Lamung, is she correct ?

[Sheryl]

Moved to Health Fotum.

 

Yes, she is correct unless it is an emergency.

 

Can be solved by changing her house registration to where she actually lives. This can be done even if a rental, but needs the landlord's cooperation.

 

If that is not feasible  could also ask  a friend in the area to add her to their registration.

[Lorry]

11 hours ago, Sheryl said:

needs the landlord's cooperation.

 

If that is not feasible  could also ask  a friend in the area to add her to their registration

Correct. 

But her friends will have the same problem. 

 

[Jumbo1968]

3 minutes ago, Lorry said:

Correct. 

But her friends will have the same problem. 

 

Yes her friends have the same problem, I have asked her to speak to the owner about adding her and our son to her House Book but she appears reluctant to ask.

What she doesn’t appreciate is I am not a ‘millionaire’ and not in a position to pay out for hospital costs. She currently has an ache in her lower left abdomen, she has had it for months, could be numerous reasons but she will not go to the hospital to have it checked out as she says it’s not free.

[Lorry]

1 hour ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Yes her friends have the same problem, I have asked her to speak to the owner about adding her and our son to her House Book but she appears reluctant to ask.

She knows that she would put the owner in a position where the owner has to make up some face-saving excuses that she and he know are not true. 

 

In places like Bangkok or Pattaya, where many or most people rent, landlords don't usually add their tenants to a housebook. And obviously not,  if the rented place is an apartment (as with many working-class people) - the owner of the building would be busy adding or deleting tenants to and from the housebook all day.

 

So, the much-touted free healthcare for Thais does not really exist (or only to a very limited extent) for the millions of migrants from the countryside working in the cities. 

 

Having said that,  it isn't completely impossible to get into a house-registration in Pattaya, but it requires persistence and maybe one has to look for another living place. 

[Jumbo1968]

4 minutes ago, Lorry said:

She knows that she would put the owner in a position where the owner has to make up some face-saving excuses that she and he know are not true. 

 

In places like Bangkok or Pattaya, where many or most people rent, landlords don't usually add their tenants to a housebook. And obviously not,  if the rented place is an apartment (as with many working-class people) - the owner of the building would be busy adding or deleting tenants to and from the housebook all day.

We live in a house, I am not sure what the implications of adding someone to the HB would be, would the owner be in any way responsible for her. My girl is friendly with the owner, she only has this one rental property. I will try and convince her to speak with the owner.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

Yes her friends have the same problem, I have asked her to speak to the owner about adding her and our son to her House Book but she appears reluctant to ask.

What she doesn’t appreciate is I am not a ‘millionaire’ and not in a position to pay out for hospital costs. She currently has an ache in her lower left abdomen, she has had it for months, could be numerous reasons but she will not go to the hospital to have it checked out as she says it’s not free.

She could  travel  to her home province to get it checked out. Thais do this all the time.

 

If  she won't ask the landlord, you should.  If landlord is in country  all it needs from their side is a single visit to the ampur (together with his blue book  your GF and her son and their Thai IDs).  Make this request before your GF travels back to her home

Province  because before getting added to the landlord's book  she needs to he removed from her current book as a person cannot be listed in 2 places at once.  To summarize:

 

1.  Ask landlord if he will add her and her son to his blue book (tabian ban).  

 

2. Assuming landlord agreed, or you locate someone else in the area willing to do this, go to home province and ask ampur to remove her & son from current house registration so that they can be listed.

 

3. Go with landlord to local ampur  to be added to his blue book.

 

5. Seek medical care either in home province before Step 2 or in Pattaya after Step 3. 

 

By the way  self pay costs at government hospital aren't much until/unless specialized care or extended/ICU  hospitalization  needed. If the issue is that she wants you to pay for private hospital care (or is perhaps lying altogether just to get cash), agreeing to pay for check up at Ban Lamung (based on receipt, and double check that receipt is genuine)  might solve this. She likely needs a gyn exam and possibly ultrasound and some blood tests or swabs. Unlikely to total more than 1 000 - max 2,000 baht. Once problem is identified, depending on what it is, treatment could be costly and at that point need to insist she change her house registration. But ideally make the registration  change first.

 

In a woman, the symptom you mention could be due to:

 

Urinary tract infection

Pelvic inflammation, usually due to STI 

Cervical, uterine or ovarian cancer

Ovarian cyst

Fibroids

 

Among other things.

 

So she does need to get it investigated.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, Jumbo1968 said:

She currently has an ache in her lower left abdomen, she has had it for months, could be numerous reasons but she will not go to the hospital to have it checked out as she says it’s not free.

It's not free. But in a government hospital it is cheap.

She can go to any hospital and get a doctor to look at the problem. And if this requires expensive treatment and/or medication they will let her know.

A simple visit at the government hospital is (as far as I remember) maybe a few hundred THB. But often the patient has to wait, sometimes for hours.

She can also go to a private hospital which will be more expensive. But again, she can just ask for a diagnosis, without expensive treatment.

And if this is something expensive, then she can still go back to her home province and get it sorted out there "for free".

[Sheryl]

8 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

We live in a house, I am not sure what the implications of adding someone to the HB would be, would the owner be in any way responsible for her. My girl is friendly with the owner, she only has this one rental property. I will try and convince her to speak with the owner.

No implications for the landlord    doesn't make her respondible for your gf in any way. Landlord just has to spend about a half day with your GF and her son at ampur or municipal office (whichever is redponsible for tabian ban; landlord will know). 

 

Problem may just be that your GF feels "kriengjai" to ask.  OR she wants/expects you to  fund care in a private hospital. (status isdue,). 

 

Note however as per my post above  to he added to tabian ban she first needs to go to her home province ampur to get removed from her current tabian ban. Obviously  do this only after ascertaining landlord is willing to add her. 

[Jumbo1968]

5 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

No implications for the landlord    doesn't make her respondible for your gf in any way. Landlord just has to spend about a half day with your GF and her son at ampur or municipal office (whichever is redponsible for tabian ban; landlord will know). 

 

Problem may just be that your GF feels "kriengjai" to ask.  OR she wants/expects you to  fund care in a private hospital. (status isdue,). 

 

Note however as per my post above  to he added to tabian ban she first needs to go to her home province ampur to get removed from her current tabian ban. Obviously  do this only after ascertaining landlord is willing to add her. 

It’s not a cost implication, I think she is frightened to go in the event it’s some thing serious., the owner is a Thai lady who lives across the road.  My  gf Thainess is beyond belief at times re don’t question anyone, or ask for a favour etc.

[Sheryl]

5 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

My  gf Thainess is beyond belief at times re don’t question anyone, or ask for a favour etc.

That is exactly what I meant by "krienjai" .

 

5 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

It’s not a cost implication, I think she is frightened to go in the event it’s some thing serious.

 

Indeed it could be something serious, and if so it will only get more serious with delay.

 

It could also be something not serious, and easily treated -- but likely to bevome serious if she kerps delaying. 

 

If you think care not being free is not the real issue but an excuse  I suggest you agree to pay for initial care at Ban Lamung and accompany her there. Once there is a diagnosis and you know whay is needed to treat it/cost implication, can press her to make the house registration change.  

 

Thais tend to be terrified of cancer and assume it is always fatal  and to resist being diagnosed for anything they think may be cancer. 

 

While cancer is a possible cause of her pain it is not the most likely one. There are many, treatable, causes as I described above. Might help to tell her this.

[newbee2022]

14 hours ago, Jumbo1968 said:

My female Thai partner insists as her House Registration is in Isaan she would have to pay for health treatment at a government hospital in Bang Lamung, is she correct ?

Yes......30 Baht👍

[steve187]

4 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Yes......30 Baht👍

the 30 baht is if she is registered in Pattaya, if not it would be more than 30 baht.

[Jumbo1968]

21 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

That is exactly what I meant by "krienjai" .

 

 

Indeed it could be something serious, and if so it will only get more serious with delay.

 

It could also be something not serious, and easily treated -- but likely to bevome serious if she kerps delaying. 

 

If you think care not being free is not the real issue but an excuse  I suggest you agree to pay for initial care at Ban Lamung and accompany her there. Once there is a diagnosis and you know whay is needed to treat it/cost implication, can press her to make the house registration change.  

 

Thais tend to be terrified of cancer and assume it is always fatal  and to resist being diagnosed for anything they think may be cancer. 

 

While cancer is a possible cause of her pain it is not the most likely one. There are many, treatable, causes as I described above. Might help to tell her this.

Thanks for the advice Cheryl.

[Raindancer]

If she has a 30 baht policy registered in Issan, all she has to do is update her current living address.   And then she can visit any govt hospital in her location.

 

That is what my sister in law did without difficulty. 

 

And this didn't involve any landlord, just a visit to the Amphur, with a copy of the rental agreement, which included her name.

 

 

[steve187]

52 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

If she has a 30 baht policy registered in Issan, all she has to do is update her current living address.   And then she can visit any govt hospital in her location.

 

That is what my sister in law did without difficulty. 

 

And this didn't involve any landlord, just a visit to the Amphur, with a copy of the rental agreement, which included her name.

 

 

what about the house book

[Raindancer]

Just now, steve187 said:

what about the house book

She was renting and so just took her rental agreement to the Amphur and re registered her current address.

[Jumbo1968]

55 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

If she has a 30 baht policy registered in Issan, all she has to do is update her current living address.   And then she can visit any govt hospital in her location.

 

That is what my sister in law did without difficulty. 

 

And this didn't involve any landlord, just a visit to the Amphur, with a copy of the rental agreement, which included her name.

 

 

The rental agreement is in my name.

[Raindancer]

2 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

The rental agreement is in my name.

Ok.  Perhaps the best option would be to go to the nearest govt hospital, and ask their advice as to how your Thai partner can re-register for local govt hospitals.

Failing that, go the local govt offices and ask the same question.

[Raindancer]

7 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

Ok.  Perhaps the best option would be to go to the nearest govt hospital, and ask their advice as to how your Thai partner can re-register for local govt hospitals.

Failing that, go the local govt offices and ask the same question.

The govt call centre for this scheme has a phone number:

Tel: 1330 call centre.

 

It's obviously up to your Thai partner if she wishes to call, or pursue a paid visit to a hospital, which you mentioned in your  OP, wasnt something you were happy with.

 

[Sheryl]

17 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

Ok.  Perhaps the best option would be to go to the nearest govt hospital, and ask their advice as to how your Thai partner can re-register for local govt hospitals.

Failing that, go the local govt offices and ask the same question.

 

The hospital will tell her she needs to change her tabian ban listing.

 

Local govt authority will not he reliable source for information on registration under the 30 baht scheme. But they can tell her how to go about changing her tabian ban listing. 

[Raindancer]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

The hospital will tell her she needs to change her tabian ban listing.

 

Local govt authority will not he reliable source for information on registration under the 30 baht scheme. But they can tell her how to go about changing her tabian ban listing. 

She can still phone the call centre for the correct information.

As for Tabian Ban listing,  I have already posted my Sister in Laws experience, in Chon Buri.

 

But we can politely agree to differ.

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, steve187 said:

the 30 baht is if she is registered in Pattaya, if not it would be more than 30 baht.

Thais know that. 

[Sheryl]

3 minutes ago, Raindancer said:

She can still phone the call centre for the correct information.

As for Tabian Ban listing,  I have already posted my Sister in Laws experience, in Chon Buri.

 

But we can politely agree to differ.

Your sister in law evidently changed her tabian ban listing.  No difference of opinion involved. 

[Raindancer]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

Your sister in law evidently changed her tabian ban listing.  No difference of opinion involved. 

I think we are on the same page.  But she used her Thai ID card and her rental agreement.  

This info has been elicited by my wife phoning her for verification  before I tried to help the OP with certain solutions.

 

And now I will bow out🙏🏻

 

 

 

[newbee2022]

2 hours ago, Sheryl said:

She could  travel  to her home province to get it checked out. Thais do this all the time.

 

If  she won't ask the landlord, you should.  If landlord is in country  all it needs from their side is a single visit to the ampur (together with his blue book  your GF and her son and their Thai IDs).  Make this request before your GF travels back to her home

Province  because before getting added to the landlord's book  she needs to he removed from her current book as a person cannot be listed in 2 places at once.  To summarize:

 

1.  Ask landlord if he will add her and her son to his blue book (tabian ban).  

 

2. Assuming landlord agreed, or you locate someone else in the area willing to do this, go to home province and ask ampur to remove her & son from current house registration so that they can be listed.

 

3. Go with landlord to local ampur  to be added to his blue book.

 

5. Seek medical care either in home province before Step 2 or in Pattaya after Step 3. 

 

By the way  self pay costs at government hospital aren't much until/unless specialized care or extended/ICU  hospitalization  needed. If the issue is that she wants you to pay for private hospital care (or is perhaps lying altogether just to get cash), agreeing to pay for check up at Ban Lamung (based on receipt, and double check that receipt is genuine)  might solve this. She likely needs a gyn exam and possibly ultrasound and some blood tests or swabs. Unlikely to total more than 1 000 - max 2,000 baht. Once problem is identified, depending on what it is, treatment could be costly and at that point need to insist she change her house registration. But ideally make the registration  change first.

 

In a woman, the symptom you mention could be due to:

 

Urinary tract infection

Pelvic inflammation, usually due to STI 

Cervical, uterine or ovarian cancer

Ovarian cyst

Fibroids

 

Among other things.

 

So she does need to get it investigated.

 

Again, medical advice online without evidence? 😵‍💫

[Lorry]

35 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Your sister in law evidently changed her tabian ban listing.  No difference of opinion involved. 

 

@Raindancer is correct in that a change of registration at a new government hospital does not necessarily require a change of tabien baan

(I, too, know Thais whose tabien baan doesn't match their hospital registration).

Personally,  I have no idea what's a working procedure in this case. 

 

I suggest OP follows Raindancer's advice,  as it wouldn't involve the landlord.

 

 

[PPMMUU]

Using the tabien baan is just one way to get the 30 baht healthcare coverage in the area. There are other options available. I recently obtained the 30 baht coverage in my area using a telephone bill with my address. Simply call 1330. It's much easier now than it used to be.

[Raindancer]

2 minutes ago, Lorry said:

 

@Raindancer is correct in that a change of registration at a new government hospital does not necessarily require a change of tabien baan

(I, too, know Thais whose tabien baan doesn't match their hospital registration).

Personally,  I have no idea what's a working procedure in this case. 

 

I suggest OP follows Raindancer's advice,  as it wouldn't involve the landlord.

 

 

Thank you 🙏🏻

[GarryP]

When my wife was sick, she went to her home hospital upcountry and got a referral to a hospital in Bangkok due to her living in Bangkok. After that first referral, there were no issues and she did not need to change her house registration from upcountry to Bangkok. This is going back about 13 years ago.