Thai Social Security worth getting?

[konying]

Firstly ss after leaving job is only valid for 90 days not for life.

Secondly it can not possibly be 365 baht as someone stated as it is 5% from employee and 5% from employer from salary.

So it can not possibly be 356 unless salary is like 9000-10000.

Public hospitals are public hospitals , if one unlucky to be registered at banglamung, it takes 8 hours just to see the doctor.

You are completely wrong on almost everything.

After you leave employment, you can keep paying the contributions yourself, for life.

Contributions range from 300bht to 600bht, depending on the age you joined the scheme (younger = cheaper)

There are three tiers of hospital coverage in Thailand, Private, SS, Government hospital. Some hospitals will take two or three types of patients.

On the SS scheme you get to choose your participating hospital.

Thank you that is correct

I have a work permit and so I pay SS

however when all this was first arranged they listed the hospital in Sattahip and thats a bit of a hike from Jomtien.

when i went to a local hospital they said I cant change until the annual renewal is due - apparently you can keep paying but only nominate the hospital annually - seems a bit strange but there you go.

So when I do get to nominate the hospital does anyone know which one in Pattaya is better?

Nothing but great reports about new Pattaya City Hospital.

Have not had any first hand experience, but all my staff have and all very happy

[BlackJack]

I had problems with English speaking staff and I paid 1990 for a test and they lost the results last week

[Jimmyd]

Is the Pattaya City Hospital a participating social-security hospital?

[BlackJack]

Yes

[blackcab]

I have to make a decision between signing up again for BUPA or getting Social Security. Does anyone have good/bad experience with Thai social security. What are the pros and cons? Thanks for any input.

I have Thai SS as I am working here. I had my hips replaced on the SS medical that is provided and they did an outstanding job.

Cost me not one baht. I left work after a while and was told that I was eligible to keep my medical coverage 100% even though I left work and at a total cost to me of 356 baht a month auto deducted from my Thai account.

Beats the hell out of BUPA

If the OP is working here, he already has SS and when he leaves his job he can participate by paying monthly, as you pointed out - 356 B in your case.

I agree with your comments about Thai SS in general. It is a no-brainer at the price.

The care one gets depends largely on the hospital one goes to. When registering in SS one has to select (or is assigned) a hospital. And you need to go to that one, unless it is an emergency. And even then if you go to a private hospital and wind up in ICU or something, you won't get the money back. There are great hospitals - teaching hospitals, such as Chulalongkorn, which are part of the SS network.

Camilian in Thonglor used to be in the Thai SS. But this year they made an announcement they are leaving it. So, the moral of the story is, one needs to manage this stuff and stay informed and choose hospitals. This is true with any healthcare coverage, but more so with SS.

The best scenario if one can afford it is to have Thai SS AND an international coverage for the catastrophic situation. Thai SS does not cover kidney transplants or dialysis, and a few other things, so, again one should read up and be informed. But overall, Thai SS is quite good.

Lastly, with the current political situation in flux, so to speak, there has been a raising of the issue of the 3 systems - The Civil Servant system, 30 Baht system, and Thai SS. Each has different levels of coverage, and I believe the Thai civil servant system is the best.

So marry a Thai civil servant, and buy an international policy, and start the policy when you are 39. After that premiums escalate considerably. It is around 45 when it starts to get really expensive and pre-existing conditions become issues.

Chula is part of the SS network, but they stopped accepting new SS registrations several years ago.

I know because I tried to get transferred there a few weeks ago with no success.

[dthomasss]

My two-year card expired in December. I am set up to have the 432 baht a month automatically deducted from my bank.

FYI,as long as you are still listed in the hospital system as eligible (mine is Phayathai in Sriracha), they don't check the card for expiration date.

On another note the medical cards they are now issuing are for 2 years instead of the one year they used to issue

Not trying to incite a pissing contest just stating my experience

Are you Thai or a foreigner?

American

[hereforgood]

My two-year card expired in December. I am set up to have the 432 baht a month automatically deducted from my bank.

FYI,as long as you are still listed in the hospital system as eligible (mine is Phayathai in Sriracha), they don't check the card for expiration date.

On another note the medical cards they are now issuing are for 2 years instead of the one year they used to issue

Not trying to incite a pissing contest just stating my experience

Are you Thai or a foreigner?

American

When I went down to set up my automatic withdrawal they issued me a new card at the same time and what was even better and very unexpected they handed me fifty five thousand baht cash could not understand why they explained that with my retirement that I had built up and they were paying me in a lump sum I had to sign a receipt and they handed over the money. I would have thought they was deposited in my bank account or give me a check but nope 55,000 hard cold cash. I've dealt with a lot of government agencies here in Thailand but the Social Security has their shit together they know what they're doing their organized and it works

[johnh869]

I've been in the Thai SSO system since 2534....Attached is some good info...

Thai SSO Fund Info.pdf

[Neeranam]

On 23/06/2015 at 6:38 PM, BlackJack said:

I had problems with English speaking staff and I paid 1990 for a test and they lost the results last week

Why not learn Thai?

 

Surely, if you been here for a while and on the social security system, you have time to learn.

 

Can you imagine a Thai in your country going to a hospital and expecting free treatment and not being able to converse in the local language?

 

Thai govt.  hospitals are great if you know a doctor who also works at a private hospital. Most of them do.

[jumbo]

Many good private hospitals accept SS as well, in bangkok I was registered at Sikarin, excellent hospital

 

I arranged it after my last stint in 2015, was a hassle in Ayutthaya but I got it, monthly pay at 7-11 432 thb I believe.

Started a term contract mid 2017 and i decided to keep my personal SS instead of the company arranged one so I dont have go through

application process again.

Before that I asked SS here if the benefits would be different because obviously the SS is more 'expensive' if you work both employer and employee paying max 750 thb per month, (still pending on salary). No difference i coverage between personal or corporate...

 

Only difference is that when you ask personal in your amphur you can only choose hospital from the region....so I needed to find another private hospital in Ayutthaya that accepted SS and they have one or two so that was no issue

 

On the side I have a cheap Thai Muang insurance for upgrade of rooms and small emergencies when not in Ayutthaya

 

SS is great...

 

[leddie]

On 7/7/2015 at 12:56 PM, hereforgood said:

American

 

When I went down to set up my automatic withdrawal they issued me a new card at the same time and what was even better and very unexpected they handed me fifty five thousand baht cash could not understand why they explained that with my retirement that I had built up and they were paying me in a lump sum I had to sign a receipt and they handed over the money. I would have thought they was deposited in my bank account or give me a check but nope 55,000 hard cold cash. I've dealt with a lot of government agencies here in Thailand but the Social Security has their shit together they know what they're doing their organized and it works

This contradicts what another poster said, that you either can take a lump sum payout at age 55 OR get ongoing health coverage indefinitely for 432 baht a month, but NOT both....can someone else confirm which is correct.

[dinga]

1 hour ago, leddie said:

This contradicts what another poster said, that you either can take a lump sum payout at age 55 OR get ongoing health coverage indefinitely for 432 baht a month, but NOT both....can someone else confirm which is correct.

Confirm both.  On retirement at age 60, I received a lump sum (refund which I understand related to the 'pension' component of the monthly SSI payment from salary) and on-going SS coverage with auto monthly deduction from nominated bank account.  

[Sheryl]

The cash payment is a sort of retirement pension (and I believe you can opt for monthly amount rather than lump sim, but amount will be small.) This is unrelated to the health cover which is a separate benefit under SS and for which you have to pay a (very readonable) monthly fee.

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[leddie]

On 12/23/2017 at 10:17 AM, dinga said:

Confirm both.  On retirement at age 60, I received a lump sum (refund which I understand related to the 'pension' component of the monthly SSI payment from salary) and on-going SS coverage with auto monthly deduction from nominated bank account.  

Thank you for the responses, but this is different from what the SS staff explained.  The lady was very clear and said through a translator, that if you take the lump sum retirement payment, then you only have the right to stay in the SS medical for a maximum of 6 months, even with the monthly payment.  She strongly advised to leave the money as is in the fund, so as to provide indefinite medical with monthly payments, and then when ready to leave Thailand at some point in future, visit office to receive lump sum which will automatically activate the 6 month termination period.

As this is completely different from what others have written, but similar to what I saw on another thread, could someone provide a link, or any attachment which shows what the actual rules are in writing.

[jumbo]

Well I took the lump sum and am still in SS and I am not the only one, guess it got 'lost in translation'?

[orientalist]

On 12/23/2017 at 10:17 AM, dinga said:

Confirm both.  On retirement at age 60, I received a lump sum (refund which I understand related to the 'pension' component of the monthly SSI payment from salary) and on-going SS coverage with auto monthly deduction from nominated bank account.  

 

I did the same. I got back my contributions plus generous interest. They told me no need to pay for 6 months as I would remain covered. After 6 months I rejoined and pay 432 baht a month by direct debit. The only downside is this resets your pension age. I would have been due for the minuscule SS pension payment at 65, but after taking the lump sum I have to wait another 15 years.

 

My experience of SS is that it depends on the hospital. Little private ones like Kluay Nam Thai are not so good. Camillian was OK. All the big government teaching hospitals have a full quota and you can't get in. For the Sukhumvit area they now stick you in Loet Sin Hospital near Saphan Taksin, which I've heard has queues out into the car park every morning. SS doesn't cover some expensive imported medicines. I had a condition which could only be treated with a medication from overseas and they just said I'd have to pay for it myself.

 

When I left work the HR Dept told me to keep SS as a backup, and that I could always pay privately for an operation at a big government hospital if need be.

[TerryLH]

On 21/01/2018 at 12:10 PM, orientalist said:

After 6 months I rejoined and pay 432 baht a month by direct debit. The only downside is this resets your pension age. I would have been due for the minuscule SS pension payment at 65, but after taking the lump sum I have to wait another 15 years.

Don't hold your breath.  The 432 goes towards health care, nothing to do with retirement.  

You already got whatever retirement you had coming.  

 

Terry

[leddie]

On 1/21/2018 at 12:10 PM, orientalist said:

 

I did the same. I got back my contributions plus generous interest. They told me no need to pay for 6 months as I would remain covered. After 6 months I rejoined and pay 432 baht a month by direct debit. The only downside is this resets your pension age. I would have been due for the minuscule SS pension payment at 65, but after taking the lump sum I have to wait another 15 years.

 

My experience of SS is that it depends on the hospital. Little private ones like Kluay Nam Thai are not so good. Camillian was OK. All the big government teaching hospitals have a full quota and you can't get in. For the Sukhumvit area they now stick you in Loet Sin Hospital near Saphan Taksin, which I've heard has queues out into the car park every morning. SS doesn't cover some expensive imported medicines. I had a condition which could only be treated with a medication from overseas and they just said I'd have to pay for it myself.

 

When I left work the HR Dept told me to keep SS as a backup, and that I could always pay privately for an operation at a big government hospital if need be.

Thanks for additional info and responses.  Is the lump sum available at 60 years old only, or can it be taken at 55 years?

[orientalist]

Not sure about the rules on that. I took my lump sum at 59 after about 10 years in the scheme. The way their system works, I couldn't get back the contributions for the current year immediately. Since I reregistered 6 months later, those contributions counted as 1 year of membership. If you leave the system for good, I guess you have to go back a second time.

Sent on the move with my mobile phone. Please excuse the brevity.

[hereforgood]

Thanks for additional info and responses.  Is the lump sum available at 60 years old only, or can it be taken at 55 years?

I collected mine the first time at 56 years old

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