Public Health Ministry to ask Thai govt to collect entry fees from foreigners

[Soutpeel]

I really can't believe what I'm hearing here...a huge amount of sycophants on this sight complimenting each other with continuous banality. Can one of you name a country that doesn't charge for its healthcare? Should the Thai public be responsible for paying the bills of drunken tourists getting into fist fights over some fickle issue? turn up at a hospital without a cent to pay for the cost of medical care? No western country provides free healthcare, with the exception of a few EU countries, and the Thai government has the right to charge visitors a fee for healthcare rather than be a burden to hard working tax payers. To put it another way and Irregardless of the corruption, for which no country is immune, the Thai government has every right to charge a fee for short stay tourists coming to Thailand, whose only purpose is to get drunk and get some tail...

On that note do any of you have Thai spouses? Do you treat your partners with as much disdain and disrespect? You all live in Thailand so stop winning about the imperfections and show some respect for the country in which you're 'guests'. All of you live here so how about contributing positively rather continue to put this country down....the majority of Thais are good people who happily share their country with a smile.

Lastly, if you all went home would you have the same quality of life that you receive here? Why are you here if these issues make you so miserable that you feel the need to cripple your hosts with decrepit rhetoric, which to say the least, borders on the absurd.

I have lived here for almost 20 years - if I had my way I would have you all thrown out for such rhetoric. Yes you're not Thai nationals and therefore can't be prosecuted for treason, but in most countries if you had this attitude you would be shot, beaten or jailed for such discourse. Think about that before making subjective and ridiculous statements

Yes, yes, yes. For the millionth time, yes. In the U.S. it is against the law for hospitals to refuse to admit and treat emergency cases. In fact, along the Mexican border it has long been the case (at least used to until recently) that BP would waive Mexican ambulances through to American hospitals for baby deliveries. No matter your legal status or visa or citizenship status, US hospitals must treat you. I would guess that at least a few Thais, illegal or not, take advantage of this law. Oh, and the hospitals do not ask about immigration status when you're admitted either.

Err there was a documentary doing the rounds a while ago on TV, which looked at the whole US medical system and hosptials dumping patients cos they couldnt pay was included, right up to the point of putting people in taxi's or getting them dropped off at bus stops and in all cases it was to do with the lack of insurance or the inability to pay for treatment..cant remember the name of it off hand

An incidently before you start a rant about vile anti-American propaganda, believe the documentary was produced by a US citizen

[pbeieio]

The lunatics have taken over the Asylum!

[indyuk]

Entry fees my hat. Tourists already pay exit fees when the embark to fly home. In any event the Thai Ministry of health are on record as stating the the incidental cost of treating tourists in government hospital averages 300 Million Baht per annum. They say that the 500 Baht entry fee multiplied by 22 million is around 10 Billion Baht more than 30 times current cost of treating tourists in Government hospitals now.

Tourists often have holiday / travel insurance anyway. A tourist having paid this entry fee 'insurance' can then use Thai government with their restricted services when actually most tourists with a serious health problem are forwarded to Private Hospitals for treatment.

Pull the other one O' Mighty Crab.

Edited October 18, 2013 by indyuk

[cmiuc]

I think on the same email.. there was this article... posted TV... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/675525-former-set-president-says-thailand-is-suffering-from-corruption-disease/?utm_source=newsletter-20131018-1611&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news

funny, both of these departments(finance and Public Health) need to go for their own checkup, what do they suffer from? "Corruption Disease"... then they can get better and get their heads on straight again... or if not... put on the "straight Jacket" and send them to the Looney Tunes Hospital.

hmmm how will it be in 2015 when they have to play nicely with the other countries?

[Slip]

Maxism, I can only imagine you are trying to get your post count up rapidly. Nowhere in the OP does it suggest that foreign visitors will pay 500 baht and be given access to health care. Please stop trying to derail this topic.

[zydeco]

I really can't believe what I'm hearing here...a huge amount of sycophants on this sight complimenting each other with continuous banality. Can one of you name a country that doesn't charge for its healthcare? Should the Thai public be responsible for paying the bills of drunken tourists getting into fist fights over some fickle issue? turn up at a hospital without a cent to pay for the cost of medical care? No western country provides free healthcare, with the exception of a few EU countries, and the Thai government has the right to charge visitors a fee for healthcare rather than be a burden to hard working tax payers. To put it another way and Irregardless of the corruption, for which no country is immune, the Thai government has every right to charge a fee for short stay tourists coming to Thailand, whose only purpose is to get drunk and get some tail...

On that note do any of you have Thai spouses? Do you treat your partners with as much disdain and disrespect? You all live in Thailand so stop winning about the imperfections and show some respect for the country in which you're 'guests'. All of you live here so how about contributing positively rather continue to put this country down....the majority of Thais are good people who happily share their country with a smile.

Lastly, if you all went home would you have the same quality of life that you receive here? Why are you here if these issues make you so miserable that you feel the need to cripple your hosts with decrepit rhetoric, which to say the least, borders on the absurd.

I have lived here for almost 20 years - if I had my way I would have you all thrown out for such rhetoric. Yes you're not Thai nationals and therefore can't be prosecuted for treason, but in most countries if you had this attitude you would be shot, beaten or jailed for such discourse. Think about that before making subjective and ridiculous statements

Yes, yes, yes. For the millionth time, yes. In the U.S. it is against the law for hospitals to refuse to admit and treat emergency cases. In fact, along the Mexican border it has long been the case (at least used to until recently) that BP would waive Mexican ambulances through to American hospitals for baby deliveries. No matter your legal status or visa or citizenship status, US hospitals must treat you. I would guess that at least a few Thais, illegal or not, take advantage of this law. Oh, and the hospitals do not ask about immigration status when you're admitted either.

Err there was a documentary doing the rounds a while ago on TV, which looked at the whole US medical system and hosptials dumping patients cos they couldnt pay was included, right up to the point of putting people in taxi's or getting them dropped off at bus stops and in all cases it was to do with the lack of insurance or the inability to pay for treatment..cant remember the name of it off hand

An incidently before you start a rant about vile anti-American propaganda, believe the documentary was produced by a US citizen

I don't see this statement of yours as a "rant." It's a valid concern about an illegal practice whose perpetrators should be fined, punished, and stripped of their medical licenses. In many cases, they will be. There are plenty of reasons to rant on about the US (diminished freedoms, spycams everywhere, government snooping, banks and businesses escaping regulatory control) but access to emergency medical care is not one of them. Emergency rooms are often filled with people with colds, the flu, or other minor afflictions who use EM simply because it's free. This often does cause overload and the shifting of patients. Having had an elderly parent on kidney dialysis, who required frequent trips to Emergency, this was often the case at the hospitals I went to. BTW, I never had to wait more than 4-5 minutes for an ambulance either. The US spends a wad of money on health care. Should they spend more? Maybe. I'd rather spend it on health care, I know, than bombing one village after another in Afghanistan or Pakistan.

[Soutpeel]

dam_n you people need serious help

Based on some of the comments you have made, one suspects you avail yourself to the THB 500 scheme immediately, your posts are all over the place...ok you have made your point, your a rosey tinted apologist, who is at one with your Thainess

[richard10365]

For tourist only.

[kannot]

This is reall inexpensive. Try to apply for a long stay visa in France, You must prove you

have 30,000 Euros. in Insurance (medical) paid in advance with a letter from the Insurance

Company befoe they will give you a long stay visa.....At 55-60 y/o Insurance is very expensive.

Alternatively hike in from east Europe on the back of a lorry to the UK after eating your passport!

[Pompey50]

The money they are talking about charging pails into insignificance when you consider plans in the UK to charge a £3000 bond to visa applicants from 'high risk country's'

here is a link to an article.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/india-pakistan-nigeria-the-high-risk-countries-whose-visitors-to-uk-face-paying-3000-security-bond-to-make-sure-they-return-home-8670217.html

In addition there are plans to charge £200 for access to the NHS for migrants working or studying in the UK for more than 6 months. This may be extended to other visitors as well.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/be125594-e337-11e2-bd87-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2i5M0clHd

I know other country's are looking at similar proposals.

I think the real question is what will actually happen to any money collected. My guess it will disappear down a bureaucratic black hole (immigration tea money). and Thai health care will not see a baht from it.

[XINLOI]

How about a 500 baht "exit" fee, to cover admin costs incurred checking whether you have any unpaid hospital bills?

This fee already exists. We paid it upon exiting the country at the airport. It is still collected as an extra tax on your plane fare. What they need to do it stop the theft of the monies paid by travelers here and use it, what it was meant for. The monies collected in a year exceeds multiple billions of baht, by their stats it comes to 37.5BNBT

[Fozfromoz]

I really can't believe what I'm hearing here...a huge amount of sycophants on this sight complimenting each other with continuous banality. Can one of you name a country that doesn't charge for its healthcare? Should the Thai public be responsible for paying the bills of drunken tourists getting into fist fights over some fickle issue? turn up at a hospital without a cent to pay for the cost of medical care? No western country provides free healthcare, with the exception of a few EU countries, and the Thai government has the right to charge visitors a fee for healthcare rather than be a burden to hard working tax payers. To put it another way and Irregardless of the corruption, for which no country is immune, the Thai government has every right to charge a fee for short stay tourists coming to Thailand, whose only purpose is to get drunk and get some tail...

On that note do any of you have Thai spouses? Do you treat your partners with as much disdain and disrespect? You all live in Thailand so stop winning about the imperfections and show some respect for the country in which you're 'guests'. All of you live here so how about contributing positively rather continue to put this country down....the majority of Thais are good people who happily share their country with a smile.

Lastly, if you all went home would you have the same quality of life that you receive here? Why are you here if these issues make you so miserable that you feel the need to cripple your hosts with decrepit rhetoric, which to say the least, borders on the absurd.

I have lived here for almost 20 years - if I had my way I would have you all thrown out for such rhetoric. Yes you're not Thai nationals and therefore can't be prosecuted for treason, but in most countries if you had this attitude you would be shot, beaten or jailed for such discourse. Think about that before making subjective and ridiculous statements

Mate. Perhaps a Bex and a good lay down is in order. Good thing about this forum is the provision to express ones views, albeit more liberally than one can walking down the street with a placard. Kindly explain how those short term tourists that don't come here to get drunk and get some tail as you say can be identified separately from those that do. Mum Dad and kids want to visit and look at what is the veneer on top of a pretty ugly underbelly, but you go right ahead, lump all visitors in one basket.

All paid up tickets, shots, insurance, health insurance. I think 20 years has pretty much cemented you as a Thai national, wanting to promote the place. That's OK. That's your opinion too.

Personally I think Thailand is a shithole visiting there over some Years and living there about 1...............had enough and left.

I hope that's not treasonous.

[abq2020]

Hmmmm. If implemented, I wonder if this means that I will have to pay 500 baht each time I return to the Kingdom during the validity period of my multi-(re)entry stamp!!?? Retroactively speaking, that would amount to 15,500 baht for the past 12 months (counting only the reentries when I stayed more than 3 days before again briefly exiting the Kingdom).

[hkt83100]

How about a 500 baht "exit" fee, to cover admin costs incurred checking whether you have any unpaid hospital bills?

You pay that fee already, but it is included in your ticket, since about five or ten years. Before you had to buy your exit ticket at the airport. In Bangkok they had vending machines, in Phuket they had an extra counter.

[tetleythedog]

I wonder if they will also charge the foreign residents who are traveling often in and out of Thailand, who has a work permit, pay taxes and have multiple entry visa. No word about this! Perhaps everyone who does not held a Thai passport is considered tourist ...in any case this is really stupid and for sure will affect the tourism industry! What about the tourist who have a medical inssurance ? Will they also have to pay ? No word about this either ...

I have a work permit and my school provide me with free BUPA health cover. Most others schools already have in place insurance on a 50/50 basis. i.e. 750 THB each.

This will not affect the tourist numbers at all. For many years we have had the benefit of free tourist visas on arrival. If you were to go to Laos you would pay 1500 THB. Cambodia visas are 20 USD, but their immigration rip everyone off by charging either 25USD or in my case 1000 THB. Occafsionally 1200 !!! China charged 50 GBP ten years ago !

If you have a multiple entry you will have already paid so .................what's the fuss?

I would like them to increase the 15 day visa for overland entries back to 30 day, although it doesn't effect me, i think it would be well received by all.

500 THB is nothing when added to the cost of a holiday. Although i am not a fan of many things here, i consider it quite fair. Especially when compared to surrounding countries. Do tourists get a free when entering Europe?

[Daniel5]

This is not world first.

Many country have such law.

Concrete examples please, genius.

The United states charges $14 entrance fee for 36 different countries.

False.

The USA doesn't charge a fee to any arriving tourist from any country in the world for health care.

Laos charges on a sliding scale, with us Canucks paying the most $42 but in thai baht closer to $50. Argentina and Chili charge Americans and Canadians $160 to enter. Just google and a lot of countries charge.

Not one country charges a fee to arriving tourists for health care.

Thailand will become the only one in the world if Yingluck's Health Minister gets his way.

.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Daniel5

[Daniel5]

Great, i agree unlimited medical coverage for 500 baht at any hospital you choose in Thailand......

there we go

I choose Bumrungrad hospital.

Do you really think they are going to provide unlimited medical coverage to me because I paid a 500 baht fee at the airport two months ago?

"most educated people"

I do believe that if you're taken to hospital because you have been beaten senseless for banality and ignorance that you will receive 'adequate' care. You only need to read the stories on this forum to understand the amount of farung taken to hospital for for similar reasons. Do some research on this site and discover how many farung check into a hospital without paying the bill. In your home country will yon tolerate it? Again more banality

Adequate care is not what you replied to with "there we go".

Unlimited care at any hospital is what you were agreeing with.

Hopefully you aren't beaten for your ignorance.

As for your non-paying farung[sic] stories, share with us the stories that equate to 12 and a half billion baht.

.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Daniel5

[Daniel5]

I dont understand this as we all have travel insurance with healthcare coverage. We also have a worldwide healthcare insurance system in the country were i live in and everybody has that insurance.

Why do i need to pay again for entering Thailand?

Do they want to shoot themselves in the foot?

Does TAT agree to this?

Because Yingluck's Health Minister wants more money.

Apparently.

Most likely; sounds right up their alley.

[Thai at Heart]

Entry fees my hat. Tourists already pay exit fees when the embark to fly home. In any event the Thai Ministry of health are on record as stating the the incidental cost of treating tourists in government hospital averages 300 Million Baht per annum. They say that the 500 Baht entry fee multiplied by 22 million is around 10 Billion Baht more than 30 times current cost of treating tourists in Government hospitals now.

Tourists often have holiday / travel insurance anyway. A tourist having paid this entry fee 'insurance' can then use Thai government with their restricted services when actually most tourists with a serious health problem are forwarded to Private Hospitals for treatment.

Pull the other one O' Mighty Crab.

Indeed.

A staggering cost of approximately 14 baht per visitor.

Are they really going to charge a Malay, Laos or Cambodian every time they cross the border. Just add 25 baht to every hotel room tax in the country. I mean honestly.

It's like people stole 300mn baht from a pike of cash in the billions of trillions.

[Time Traveller]

How about a 500 baht "exit" fee, to cover admin costs incurred checking whether you have any unpaid hospital bills?

You pay that fee already, but it is included in your ticket, since about five or ten years. Before you had to buy your exit ticket at the airport. In Bangkok they had vending machines, in Phuket they had an extra counter.

Yes they have the fee on exit already. So that next logical step is this fee to enter. Maybe after that they'll make everyone pay a daily fee in addition to the entry and exit fees. Or a "pre-arrival" fee on top of the visa fee.

Edited October 18, 2013 by Time Traveller

[Muhendis]

So long as the tourists keep coming the Thai people/govt. will keep thinking up new ways to milk them.

In the UK all emergency hospital treatments are free. At some time during the treatment non-UK patients will be asked if they are insured and, if they are, then a claim is put to the insurance company. In the absence of any reciprocal agreement between the UK and Thailand it is possible that the UK govt. could insist that all Thai visitors to the UK have medical cover before entry. I think I like the Thai Idea but only if it will ensure visitors free access to emergency hospitalisation. However many contributors to this thread have pointed out that travellers to Thailand already have their own insurance as part of their travel package. This, and the fact that the numbers don't add up, lends a lie to the reasons for charging an entry fee.

Repeat of the first sentence:- So long as the tourists keep coming the Thai people/govt. will keep thinking up new ways to milk them.

[meatboy]

having just signed up for cover[2,200bht] at certain goverment hospitals and with this being proposed almost the same time makes me very sceptic of the whole shebang.

[jalansanitwong]

This cant be a genuine news thread surely.

Theyre going to re introduce a departure tax on all tourists ?

That will amount to billions of baht. for what. ? a handful of tourists who dont pay their bill for gauze and bandaids,

Thais are the culprits when it comes to sneaking out of hospitals without paying expecially if theyre in trouble.

Just another example of blaming farangs for thai stupidity.

[Soutpeel]

having just signed up for cover[2,200bht] at certain goverment hospitals and with this being proposed almost the same time makes me very sceptic of the whole shebang.

as has been pointed out in the threads discussing the cover your talking about, the cover you have paid for was not intended for resident western farangs, but for regional migrants...ie people from Cambodia, Laos, Burma etc, so although at the moment hospitals are signing up farangs, in review at some point the goverment may do a U turn on this, as you cover is not honoured.

In the posts discussing this 3 line items/schemes were listed.

1. A regional migrant scheme (the one you signed up for)

2 Tourist's/short term visitors scheme

3. Resident foreigners scheme

It seems the 1st scheme is being put in place

the tourist scheme could in fact be exactly what is being discussed here ie the THB 500 "fee"

One suspects the THB 500 fee being discussed here based on the number of tourist could easily subsidise the other two schemes

[jalansanitwong]

This is the most stupid, pointless plan I have ever heard of; what's with these ministers, how do they come up with such garbage? If the government wants more revenue from foreign tourists, here's a thought: introduce or re-introduce a visa requirement for most foreigners (although maybe a visa-on-arrival should be implemented, much like Indonesia did a few years ago, otherwise it would inconvenience a great number of visitors) and then the problem is solved without offending anyone. Although it's convenient to be able to enter Thailand without a visa, it wouldn't deter me or most other visitors if everyone had to pay say 500-1000 Baht for a visa-on-arrival or otherwise a visa in advance. Besides, Thais can't enter Australia, Canada, the USA, New Zealand or most European countries without a visa yet it allows citizens of all those countries to enter Thailand visa free for short periods. Therefore we shouldn't complain. But some kind of foreigner "tax" is racist and just plain stupid. A visa-on-arrival system however, is fine as every country has the right to determine whether a foreigner needs a visa to enter their country and if so, how much to charge. In the case of Cambodia and Laos, it's largely for revenue raising purposes, but that's not unreasonable. Thailand needs to carefully consider this plan and better not implement it, otherwise many visitors will stop coming, and that includes the Russians, Indians, Chinese, Vietnamese and Ukrainians, amongst others.

Thais are not permitted to enter Canada, Australia USA etc without visa because if they could there wouldnt be many people left in Thailand. Waitresses,seamstresses masseurs earn around 4,500-6000 baht day in Australia. here in LOS they earn about 350 baht /day or less upcountry.......assuming they actually get paid .

[Time Traveller]

having just signed up for cover[2,200bht] at certain goverment hospitals and with this being proposed almost the same time makes me very sceptic of the whole shebang.

as has been pointed out in the threads discussing the cover your talking about, the cover you have paid for was not intended for resident western farangs, but for regional migrants...ie people from Cambodia, Laos, Burma etc, so although at the moment hospitals are signing up farangs, in review at some point the goverment may do a U turn on this, as you cover is not honoured.

Why is that? Do the Cambo, Lao, Burman receive expired medicines and substandard treatment ? Or is it the Thais needlessly pad the bills for the westerners medical bills? There is no scientific reason that medical care costs in thailand would depend upon what country or race the insurance policy holders come from.

[Soutpeel]

having just signed up for cover[2,200bht] at certain goverment hospitals and with this being proposed almost the same time makes me very sceptic of the whole shebang.

as has been pointed out in the threads discussing the cover your talking about, the cover you have paid for was not intended for resident western farangs, but for regional migrants...ie people from Cambodia, Laos, Burma etc, so although at the moment hospitals are signing up farangs, in review at some point the goverment may do a U turn on this, as you cover is not honoured.

Why is that? Do the Cambo, Lao, Burman receive expired medicines and substandard treatment ? Or is it the Thais needlessly pad the bills for the westerners medical bills? There is no scientific reason that medical care costs in thailand would depend upon what country or race the insurance policy holders come from.

I have no idea, but one assumes this may be in prepartion for the Asean "thing" so not based on "race" per se, where in there may be recirpocal agreements between regional countries being put in place, eg similar to to what EU member states have. so if we are going to play the "race" card...then the EU is doing similar things in many respects

I am just commenting on some of the points raised in another thread discussing the recently introduced scheme and pointing out that this proposed THB 500 scheme may be a part of the big picture

[smedly]

this is what Thailand does - take take take aligned with some nonsense to try and justify it - to me it borders on extortion

Slightly different but along the same lines - I recently bought an item and had it shipped to me here in Thailand via DHL, it was easy to work out the tax etc coming through customs which I didn't have a problem with - exactly 7%

I paid for the DHL shipping when I ordered the item but of course on delivery the DHL guy gave me 2x invoices - one was for the import VAT (no problem) and the other was a 300baht DHL handling fee, I asked him what it was as I'd already paid DHL - he just looked with one of those quirky grins and said nothing - to which I replied - this is your tip right, you pay it or you don't get the goods - just typical of Thailand getting an extra slice

[sangfroid]

Just another unworkable brain fart to follow all of the others.

Thailand..... hub of poorly thought out consequences.

[waynerooney]

I will ad that perhaps some of that money will line the pockets of corrupt politicians, as in every country, however, it still is a great option for any tourist. I would prefer to pay 500 baht upon arrival for full health cover rather than 100-500k should I have an accident on a motor cycle or have a heart attack. This is a positive solution to an ongoing problem and I think most educated people would agree on this

Most educated people agree this is nothing but a rip-off scam to reap more money.

Most educated people would have health insurance

really? Prove it

You prove otherwise, I am guessing you are uninsured