Double tier pricing at hospitals in thailand

[Heng]

Well obviously a flower will be more or less expensive in certain countries, I don't really see how that is correlated to double pricing in a hospital, which in my opinion, is very petty. If I ask a hospital clerk why am I being charged more than someone else, what can she say in response without looking like a pickpocket?

It's no different than you demanding what every other customer has paid year to date in a car dealership for a specific model. Are your feelings going to be hurt because there are potentially hundreds of different prices on the exact same model? And that each particular sale may have included sales personnel making intangible judgements on how much you'd pay?

And how do they differentiate between Thais and how do they not ostracize those who get over charged? Do they have someone in the parking lot jotting down car values, counting syllables in last names and running tax return checks? Is this really the most efficient business strategy? I still have a hard time believing this (though I will take your word for it) as I rarely see Thais arguing or negotiating over bills in these situations.

Well, I'm sure they can determine a few things from one's surname, but also there is some differentiation between folks who are friends, family, or even loose acquaintances of hospital staff and walk in customers. I don't know about efficient, but say for BPH, would you say their business strategy is unsuccessful? IMO it's no different than businesses keeping their sales and revenue records relatively hidden from their customer base. Is a multinational company paying local rates for labor so different than a tier 1 hospital in Southeast Asia charging your 'home' rates for medical care? I mean other than the fact that you feel bad about it because it impacts you personally, is there any difference?

[midlifecrisis]

When I was in Bangkok at the end of my trip in August I need two nights in the hospital for a bacterial intestinal infection.

Total bill for emergency room, doctors, nurses, room and meds was $1212. I put in on my cc and was reimbursed by my American insurance company.

I will carry insurance when I live in Thailand and will let the insurance and hospital sort things out. That way I am not directly impacted by any tier system, hopefully.

It seems there is a lot of that going on in real estate as well.

I go there with my eyes open to it and have decided I can afford to live there and those are the prices I can expect to pay.

[rucus7]

I visited a hospital and my Thai partner was very upset because the doctor overcharged me on the doctors fee and then they over charged me on the cost of medicine. Almost everywhere you go in Thailand, as a farang, you will be over charged. Even a doctor, someone you would expect to have some class, disappoints.

I don't think you can respect someone and cheat them at the same time. I am sure some of you will claim otherwise, but I think you are just deluding yourselves.

So the big question is why is it like that here?

"So the big question is why is it like that here?"

Because we pretty much put up with it, keep our traps shut and accept it! And for the few of us who get fed up and speak out we get slapped in the face by other farang who claim that we don't understand Thai culture. Then we also have to accept that to protest our displeasure will cause the THAI to lose face and that will be worse than having to pay the falang price. And then again, we really have no choice because we are basically just guests here with no real power.

Price differences whether they be in National parks or hospitals have nothing to do with respect or being cheated or loss of face. The perception is that the foreigner is rich. Which is true relative to the majority of Thai wage earners. Also maybe a reality check is in order. What would you be paying in your home country for the product or service? I think we do have a choice, we can return to our home countries.

[smokie36]

I'm pleased to hear you had the price reduced, but this again reinforces my view that they are low life thieving scumbags.

If a Thai needed hospital treatment in my country, for all it's faults, they would be treated and not financially raped

Here in the UK a Thai citizen would be asked to produce insurance documentation within the first day of treatment. If they have none and the condition is not life threatening they would be advised to return home. Emergency care is always provided here. I know this certainly isn't the case in Thailand.

The NHS is no longer an easy free ride for tourists as it once was. And it aint cheap either.

Edited September 15, 2009 by smokie36

[smokie36]

I had a look at my friend's hospital bill recently and it had the full price marked out minus the residents deduction which on many aspects of the bill was 80-90% not including drugs etc. Certainly a two tier system but all visitors should have insurance to cover the extra. If you don't like paying the bill get an insurance company to do it for you. Simple.

[espinoza]

For the time I work in South-Korea.Last time I came to Suvarnabhumi I had to change some korean money.I went to a currency changing desk and changed my money.It was some thousands bath.I don`t remember the amount.When this was done I went to a restaurant in the airport complex to get some food.During the meal one guy from the changing desk approached me and told me that he gave me fifty bath to little.I was very suprised,but I thanked him and told him to keep the money.This young man is an example for good care-taking of tourists,foreigners and everybody ells.I wish I could give him one thousand bath more,but he dissapeared before I thought about it.

[Norrad]

...This young man is an example for good care-taking of tourists,foreigners and everybody ells...

I have had mostly good experiences in Thailand too, although I have been ripped off quite a few times, especially when I was new here.

A Thai tax ID card combined with your drivers license usually works at most places.

Now on to the bad side. I was shopping at Makro a few weeks ago, buying some veggies and waiting in line to get them weighed, when an elderly Thai woman came up to me and started talking to me in decent English, she asked me why I was in Thailand and at first I thought it was just friendly conversation. When my vegetables were weighed and she noticed the price was the same as what everyone else pays, she complained to the clerk in Thai that foreigners should always be charged more than Thai people. I asked her why she thought that and she said there are too many farangs in Thailand buying food and that there will be no food left for the Thais. She then told me that it is too easy for us to come and live in Thailand and that it was very difficult for her son to get a visa to go study and work in the US. I said yes, but he now has rights in the US and can buy whatever he wants without problems and will not be overcharged. I then suggested that all foreign countries should start charging Thais more for goods and services and she was shocked. My wife then butted in and told her off, I think there was some serious loss of face there as half the store was staring her down.

[dragonfly94]

Can somebody say what Hospitals in Bkk do NOT have dual pricing? somebody mentioned st louis, is that one? By the way we are not guests here, officially we are 'aliens'.

[Norrad]

Chao Phya in Thonburi does not have dual pricing. They do insist that you have a private room though, but if you tell them that you are fine with Thai food and being around other people then they let you share a room.

[LooseCannon]

Dual pricing in all Australian public hospitals.

Free for residents on presentation of Medicare card - full price for all others.

[soundman]

Dual pricing in all Australian public hospitals.

Free for residents on presentation of Medicare card - full price for all others.

It's not free at all - you pay for it through higher income taxes, GST paid on all goods & services that you use on a daily basis. In fact the average person pays more than they use on medicare to make up for the difference for the percentage of population who don't contribute much in the way of taxes.

So the "free" treatment is actually more expensive for the resident, than the tourist who pays cash.

[LooseCannon]

Dual pricing in all Australian public hospitals.

Free for residents on presentation of Medicare card - full price for all others.

It's not free at all - you pay for it through higher income taxes, GST paid on all goods & services that you use on a daily basis. In fact the average person pays more than they use on medicare to make up for the difference for the percentage of population who don't contribute much in the way of taxes.

So the "free" treatment is actually more expensive for the resident, than the tourist who pays cash.

You are correct - it is not free (like everything else in life) but has the illusion of being free.

It is actually paid for through the Medicare levy (which is not a tax - its a levy ) If you are a resident & your income is below the tax free threshold - it is 100% free. This is rapidly becoming the 'average person'.

The point is if you are a non resident & you require hospitalization & any sort of surgical procedure you will literally pay an arm & a leg.

[marsteele]

I use the Chiangmai Ram hospital and have never been charged more than my wife.

[caf]

Some Thai's will over-charge foreigners, they will over charge Thais as well, if the opportunity presents itself to make a quick profit.

If I walk into a hundred different places of business and a Thai walks into the same one hundred places, I might get over charged in 50 of them and he might get overcharged in 3. I don't see the relevance of this defense.

It is quite clear to me that it is culturally acceptable in Thailand to cheat/over charge farang, but not acceptable to cheat/over charge Thais.

yes you are right

the defences of it happens everywhere in the world, we are guests ( on my definition: i dont treat guests badly i traet with respect), they overcharge thais all this does not wash.

it just happens here. sometimes there are ways of dealing with it, sometimes not. but what is ridiculous is making excuses like those above to say it does not exist.

[caf]

Some Thai's will over-charge foreigners, they will over charge Thais as well, if the opportunity presents itself to make a quick profit.

If I walk into a hundred different places of business and a Thai walks into the same one hundred places, I might get over charged in 50 of them and he might get overcharged in 3. I don't see the relevance of this defense.

It is quite clear to me that it is culturally acceptable in Thailand to cheat/over charge farang, but not acceptable to cheat/over charge Thais.

Very often (not always) the reason can be because the Thai customer is aware of what it is suppose to cost, and is as willing as the other part to make a good bargain.

Many locals have experienced that if they over charge a foreigner, sometimes the foreigner gets upset, and even use bad words, but still pays up.

A Thai customer would not even consider doing business if he/she knew there was a possibility he/she could be cheated.

Same with us, but we dont always know where and when the possibilty to be cheated is there.

Cheating (within reasonble limits) and barganing, have been part of business for quite some time.

I have heard, and read several times where customers got cheated, and had to pay too much for an item, but the shop owner ran after him with the wallet he forgot.

The shop owner felt he did good business making the foreigner pay too much, but he didnt want to be a thief by stealing his wallet.

Might not make sense where we come from, but it does some places.

good point

[MiG16]

guys and gals,

no need to quote the entire post if u are replying to something directly above your posts

cheers

[caf]

I'm pleased to hear you had the price reduced, but this again reinforces my view that they are low life thieving scumbags.

If a Thai needed hospital treatment in my country, for all it's faults, they would be treated and not financially raped

Here in the UK a Thai citizen would be asked to produce insurance documentation within the first day of treatment. If they have none and the condition is not life threatening they would be advised to return home. Emergency care is always provided here. I know this certainly isn't the case in Thailand.

The NHS is no longer an easy free ride for tourists as it once was. And it aint cheap either.

The point is though that private hospitals in the UK would charge Thais and Uk s the same. That is the difference