Has my wife been cheated?

[Sheryl]

A few weeks ago on a Sunday evening I took my son, who has Thai nationality, to the Pattaya city hospital with a stomach infection.

He had a blood test done, received antibiotic injection and antibiotics and other medicines to take home, and I paid nada, zilch, nothing at all.

I signed the bill, which I think was over 1000 Baht, but they said I didn't have to pay anything, even not 30 Baht.

How do you explain that?

Magic amulet?

Not all hospitals apply the 30 baht charge as some feel it is not worth the administrative burden of collecting it. So MoPH made it optional at hospital's discretion. Some will be free and some 30 baht.

The 30 baht amount dates back to early Taksin era. Why they haven't raised it to at least 50 is beyond me.

[billd766]

When I go to the local hospital I take my registration card and I always pay for the medicine as do most people.

However as I am a farang I am grossly overcharged for the doctors fee.

Most times I am charged as much as 70 baht.

You are not being overcharged in the least. This is the normal government hospital rate. A Thai not covered under the "30 baht" or social security schemes would pay the same (though of course almost all are). A doctor consultation at a private clinic or hospital would be 3-10 times as much.

I posted with a gentle touch of sarcasm and hopefully some humour as well which you may have missed or perhaps skipped over.

[billd766]

A few weeks ago on a Sunday evening I took my son, who has Thai nationality, to the Pattaya city hospital with a stomach infection.

He had a blood test done, received antibiotic injection and antibiotics and other medicines to take home, and I paid nada, zilch, nothing at all.

I signed the bill, which I think was over 1000 Baht, but they said I didn't have to pay anything, even not 30 Baht.

How do you explain that?

Magic amulet?

Not all hospitals apply the 30 baht charge as some feel it is not worth the administrative burden of collecting it. So MoPH made it optional at hospital's discretion. Some will be free and some 30 baht.

The 30 baht amount dates back to early Taksin era. Why they haven't raised it to at least 50 is beyond me.

Yet under Abihisit and the Democrats it was abolished but under the PTP Thaksin clone the 30 baht charge was brought back again.

[FritsSikkink]

Great help. She cannot drive a motorcycle. She had to show her ID card. She paid for it not me. She has her own shop, makes small profit!

she shouldn't be a motorcycle in the first place, first get a licence

[AZBill]

You're seriously complaining about paying 5 U.S. dollars for medical treatment?

Edited April 10, 2016 by AZBill

[TheCruncher]

A few weeks ago on a Sunday evening I took my son, who has Thai nationality, to the Pattaya city hospital with a stomach infection.

He had a blood test done, received antibiotic injection and antibiotics and other medicines to take home, and I paid nada, zilch, nothing at all.

I signed the bill, which I think was over 1000 Baht, but they said I didn't have to pay anything, even not 30 Baht.

How do you explain that?

Magic amulet?

Not all hospitals apply the 30 baht charge as some feel it is not worth the administrative burden of collecting it. So MoPH made it optional at hospital's discretion. Some will be free and some 30 baht.

The 30 baht amount dates back to early Taksin era. Why they haven't raised it to at least 50 is beyond me.

Yet under Abihisit and the Democrats it was abolished but under the PTP Thaksin clone the 30 baht charge was brought back again.

Under Abhisit it was free, wasn't it?

[Sheryl]

It was made optional for the hospitals whether to levy the 30 baht charge or not. It still is.

[Pib]

Most local clinics are private clinics...they charge their own prices and the person pays in full (no govt coverage). The local district govt authority may also have a small clinic where they provide some basic health care and they charge a small amount--it's not part of the govt 30 baht program and charges less than a private clinic. And under the 30 baht program a person may be assigned to a local govt clinic that they are suppose to go to before possibly that clinic referring them to a govt hospital for further care. So many different types of clinics...government and private....various charges for their services.

[oldgent]

had a bad cough one time so i visited the local doctors clinic with my Thai lady

the doc examined me, i was expecting some form of medication but no..

he told me to go home and drink some warm water. it did help ease my cough

No charge

[atyclb]

"

Has my wife been cheated?"

look in the mirror to reconfirm she has acquired the grand prize

[Kabula]

Always get a receipt, a written list of services and witnesses names and cell numbers.! If there is a question or complaint, direct it to the proper Director or government agency in writing with the supporting documentation. I was cheated by a doctor at Bumrungrade Hospital on an annual physical and filed fraud charges with the director of the hospital. After the two week investigation the hospital returned all my money with a check and a appology. I doubt the doctor still works there.

[malcoml]

All that medicine and treatment for $8 and there is a complaint.

No wonder dome say all the decent farangs have left Thailand.

[Straight8]

You're seriously complaining about paying 5 U.S. dollars for medical treatment?

I reckon.

How do you even drum up the motivation to even start a thread like this?

Seriously, all over 130 baht.

Just when you think you've read it all, a new contender for the uncle scrooge award.

Wait.. maybe the title should have also had "or cheating" added to the title thread.

Perhaps wifey pocketed 130 baht -

Edited April 11, 2016 by Straight8

[Oceanbat]

I made the mistake of reading this because I thought it might be a juicy "is my Wife cheating?" thread. Alas no.

OB

[Dumbastheycome]

Local Clinics are "private" and therefore chargeable, The 30 baht scheme is for local Government Hospital, where here ID card would have been asked for and that would have been the end of it.

People often use the local "clinic" which is actually a nurse practitioner, as opposed to travelling to the hospital and probably waiting several hours to be seen and treated.

Our village Clinic is one of many "satellite" clinics of the Amphur Hospital. In the past I have had dressings changed etc and on one occasion given a short course of antibiotics. There was/ is no set charge applied but it is expected that all patients will drop whatever they feel or are capable of paying in a cash box by the exit. Noticed many locals never do. I know several other non Thai who have been for similar and they also were not "charged".

Seems that some areas have administrations with real medical ethic.

[renaissanc]

Great help. She cannot drive a motorcycle. She had to show her ID card. She paid for it not me. She has her own shop, makes small profit!

I think that people are being amazingly insensitive here. The money may mean nothing to foreigners with a good income, but the fact that the writer started this thread means that this amount means a lot to him or to his wife, and that's what matters. So, please withhold your condemnations and name-calling e.g. Scrooge, and offer a reply.

If this had happened to my wife, I'd have thought that the amount was all right for a clinic. I don't think a foreigner charge has been included. Those pills are not as cheap as they used to be.

[GlobalExcellence]

Sorry, i simply fail to see how paying 5 dollars for medical treatment is "being cheated"

Seriously, just go to your local dispensary/pharmacist and have a look at what the medication alone would have cost you....

[F4UCorsair]

I can't believe you'te querying/bitching about a B160 charge.

The amtibiotics and paracetamol would cost that much in a pharmacy!!

[bazza40]

Dicloxacillin probably accounts for most of the cost, paracetamol is inexpensive.

160 baht total? I wish. Have recently had 4 intravenous antibiotic treatments for cellulitis, 2600 baht per treatment. OP wins the Cheap Charlie Award for the month.

[soc]

You got off cheap, actually.

I am glad I reread the topic. I thought it said "Has my wife been cheating".

It would of been more interesting..

Very cheaply, l would say.

Maybe hes been here a long time & thinks in Baht now?

200 Baht, maybe the brain registers it as $200.

l have done the same, then had a rethink.

Edited April 11, 2016 by soc

[Fairynuff]

You're seriously complaining about paying 5 U.S. dollars for medical treatment?

No he's complaining about 160 baht, the local currency here n Thailand

[soc]

Without trying to hijack the thread.

A few weeks ago on a Sunday evening I took my son, who has Thai nationality, to the Pattaya city hospital with a stomach infection.

He had a blood test done, received antibiotic injection and antibiotics and other medicines to take home, and I paid nada, zilch, nothing at all.

I signed the bill, which I think was over 1000 Baht, but they said I didn't have to pay anything, even not 30 Baht.

How do you explain that?

Maybe they liked the look of you!

Have you got an honest face?

[Fairynuff]

Although the OP does sound petty, I know for a fact there are some government clinics that will try it on when Farlangs are involved.

3 years ago I came down with a bad cold that lingered on. My girlfriend kept nagging me to see a doctor and she recommended me to a doctor. I visited the doctor who runs a small government owned clinic 12 kilometers from where I live. Saw the doctor for literally 3 minutes if that. Outside was given a small packet of 10 antibiotic tablets and a few paracetamol, then asked by the receptionist for 400 baht, no receipt offered. I began querying the amount and then the doctor came out that turned into a blazing argument. When I insisted on a receipt the doctor refused so I refused to pay. I pointed to the poor Thai people in the waiting area and said, there is no way they would pay 400 baht for this. From experience of visiting a local government hospital for similar before, I knew the cost should have been between 80 to 100 baht and no more.

I gave back the pills then the doctor asked for 200 baht doctors fee and he gave me a receipt, although still knew I was being ripped off. His last words were; you have come in here and caused me a lot of problems. I replied; don`t worry you won`t see me again.

I have mostly had good service from government doctors and hospital but from time to time these things do happen and I don`t doubt what the man`s wife said is fact at all.[/quot

Given that they don't work, a decent doctor wouldn't give antibiotics for a cold

[nickcar]

I go to a local clinic quite close to were i live. . It a dr providing a service and earning extra money. I have visitd a few times to get a steroid injection for bad allergy attack. Usually paid around 200 baht.

Went recently with a lump in my throat, he had a quick look at it and said there is some inflamation, caused by bacteria. I asked if i should take antibiotics and his response was if it doesnt hurt see if it goes away by itself. I was pleased becuase i do not like taking antibiotics unless really necessary. I was with him for a few minutes and no charge.

I note most of the Thai patients pay around 120- 250 baht depending on. Number of meds.

I spent about 15 years working in Bumrungrad Hospital and i know i would have spent a minimum of 750 baht for this service. I am not complaining.

[BKResort]

Local clinics are not into the TH30 program, only local hospitals. She paid a normal price for its treatment.

[dirtycash]

well, why not ask your wife, if she doesnt know then how do you expect anyone on here to know

[Shiver]

Whatever the excess charge, just because they arrived with another person (esp. foreign), should not change the treatment price at all.

I had reason to go to Bumrungrad last month (it was recommended to me and I had my ear bent by so called friends to get my ass over there asap even though I felt fine - I do have a medical condition that is healing nicely but because they hadn't seen me for years they thought I was about to fall off my perch which was not the case).

I got what I felt was a very steep bill for the meds (the treatment was in the ballpark of what I was expecting of a hospital like that).

The meds were all branded (no generics), and I priced them up on the internet for identical brand names and came up with about 6000+ baht for 2 months supply. They charged me about that except for another 20,000baht tacked on top for no apparent reason. 2 x 2 hour visits totalled just shy of 40K. I wonder what the price might have been for a local, but I'll never know because I'll never go back there again - it's a loss for them as well as me.

[sometimewoodworker]

Local clinics are not into the TH30 program, only local hospitals. She paid a normal price for its treatment.

Some local clinics are in the TH30 program, my local one is, and they charged me the same 30baht price for a wound dressing as all the other patents. So it varies.

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Slipperylobster.

Yeah me too,i got bored when i realised what it actually said.

[buythisdashcam]

yes i think you have been cheated when choosing this wife :-)