25% increase for foreigners at government hospital

[DragonQuest]

Robbery, Racism, or <deleted>? Any explanation would helpful thanks guys

[Jingthing]

I don't understand the sign.

Are they saying the foreigner surcharge is 25 percent over the normal Thai charges or are they saying that an EXISTING surcharge will now be even more of a surcharge?
If it's 25 percent of the normal Thai charges, that doesn't sound all that bad. I'm kind of used to being ripped off here in such matters.

[DragonQuest]

I don't understand the sign.
Are they saying the foreigner surcharge is 25 percent over the normal Thai charges or are they saying that an EXISTING surcharge will now be even more of a surcharge?
If it's 25 percent of the normal Thai charges, that doesn't sound all that bad. I'm kind of used to being ripped off here in such matters.

They are building new buildings and renovating? Also I asked them and they said because thais pay tax but foreigners don't... Lol

Sent from my G8142 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, DragonQuest said:

They are building new buildings and renovating? Also I asked them and they said because thais pay tax but foreigners don't... Lol

Sent from my G8142 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

They should spend a little of the foreigner extra funds on posting an actually COHERENT sign!

[DragonQuest]

They should spend a little of the foreigner extra funds on posting an actually COHERENT sign!

I think it's just 25% more than what thais are paying but still very weird, why not say all africans or all Chinese people pay more? Doesn't seem fair to me...

Sent from my G8142 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[BAYBOY]

I was there today, and saw that sign.
First thoughts was it is still only a low fee.
Rereading it states overseas patients will pay an increase.
So maybe it is for visiting patients. Not for foreigners living full time in Thailand.
We all have read of visitors who come here with no travel insurance, or a low paying insurance cover. Who have few if any means of paying.
I do admit the sign is poorly written.

Cheers BAYBOY




Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[JLCrab]

I would presume from their POV whether you are 'overseas' or not is determined by your passport.

[Slip]

Is this a government or private hospital?  The name siriraj seems familiar to me as a private hospital, but can anyone confirm?

[JLCrab]

Siriraj is the Mahidol University hospital.

[holy cow cm]

Welcome to Thailand! Well your money that is. Come here leave your money and get out! 

[Slip]

11 minutes ago, JLCrab said:

Siriraj is the Mahidol University hospital.

so private all the way, yes?  I'm interested about the report about it being to do with tax-payers from DragonQuest then.

[sanemax]

4 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Welcome to Thailand! Well your money that is. Come here leave your money and get out! 

Thats quite a random rant , did you post that in the right thread ?

[holy cow cm]

10 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Thats quite a random rant , did you post that in the right thread ?

Yes right slot. That is directed specifically to the stick it to you organizations showing a possible hint of their normal racism. You will see more of it here and there in the near future ongoing. 25% is a wallop.  

[JLCrab]

17 minutes ago, Slip said:

so private all the way, yes?  I'm interested about the report about it being to do with tax-payers from DragonQuest then.

Public.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Siriraj is probably the top government hospital in Thailand, including where the former king and queen were long treated and stayed.

 

The sign the OP posted is from Siriraj, not a general Ministry of Public Health notice. So the most interesting issue to me is whether the 25% rate bump is only for Siriraj, or other government hospitals as well when the patient is from "overseas."

 

[poanoi]

a government hospital gives discount since its funded

by tax money, and 'overseas people' like myself, an expat, dont pay tax.

i dont pay in any other way than the fee i'm charged at this hospital.

 

i think its fair, i just wish my government would

impose this very principal on the millions of overseas

freeloaders in my own country, or deport them, or shoot them, anything as long as they dont cost anything any more

[Enoon]

2 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes right slot. That is directed specifically to the stick it to you organizations showing a possible hint of their normal racism. You will see more of it here and there in the near future ongoing. 25% is a wallop.  

 

No its not racism.

 

It is aimed at non Thais, who could be Chinese, Korean, Laotian or any other East Asian nationality.

 

All of whom are of the same race (Mongoloid) as Thai people.

 

There is, however, debate as to whether or not the conventional divisions of race (Mongoloid, Negroid and Caucasian) are still valid or have any real scientific base.

 

Good luck in your quest to find a word that adequately describes the feelings towards foreigners, that you believe the people of Thailand have.

 

 

 

 

[Slip]

19 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

No its not racism.

 

It is aimed at non Thais, who could be Chinese, Korean, Laotian or any other East Asian nationality.

 

All of whom are of the same race (Mongoloid) as Thai people.

 

There is, however, debate as to whether or not the conventional divisions of race (Mongoloid, Negroid and Caucasian) are still valid or have any real scientific base.

 

Good luck in your quest to find a word that adequately describes the feelings towards foreigners, that you believe the people of Thailand have.

 

 

 

 

The well known word is 'Xenophobia'.  It really isn't much of a quest.

[holy cow cm]

19 minutes ago, Enoon said:

 

No its not racism.

 

It is aimed at non Thais, who could be Chinese, Korean, Laotian or any other East Asian nationality.

 

All of whom are of the same race (Mongoloid) as Thai people.

 

There is, however, debate as to whether or not the conventional divisions of race (Mongoloid, Negroid and Caucasian) are still valid or have any real scientific base.

 

Good luck in your quest to find a word that adequately describes the feelings towards foreigners, that you believe the people of Thailand have.

 

 

 

 

Nope, racist is correct. Over a dinner one night in Bangkok, my very close Thai friend (large business owner) joked about it with me. He got his Masters from Chicago, so he knows a little bit about color.  

[poanoi]

bunch of nonsense, the fee is aimed at making foreigners pay a fair price

for the tax subsidized service, only wrongdoing is my own  government

dont follow the same principle and kick out the millions of freeloaders.

 

why should a tax payer or state feed insignificant others ?

[holy cow cm]

5 minutes ago, Slip said:

The well known word is 'Xenophobia'.  It really isn't much of a quest.

When you spend enough time here with Thai's of all likes, then try to correct me if wrong. Don't get out much to mingle or travel do ya! Normal everyday Thailand. 

[Slip]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

When you spend enough time here with Thai's of all likes, then try to correct me if wrong. Don't get out much to mingle or travel do ya! Normal everyday Thailand. 

OK- I'll keep building on until I soon get to 20 years.  What is being described will still be Xenophobia.  Your misunderstanding of the meaning of the word won't change that.  Once you have been here a bit longer you may find your Thai friends will admit that to you too. Your very good friend's English was perhaps not as good as he or you think.  By the way there is no apostrophe in the word 'Thais'.  In the meantime you could try to be less condescending for no reason.  I'll wait.

[KittenKong]

Xenophobia means "fear of foreigners" but it does not necessarily mean discrimination against them. In fact you can easily fear something without discriminating against it, or discriminate against something without fearing it.

As far as I know there is no specific English word for "discrimination against foreigners".

As for the charges, I thought that all government hospitals already automatically charged non-Thais more under official government rules. Just like the national parks. So maybe this 25% charge is on top of the existing extra charge?

As for the tax-paying argument, that does not hold water as anyone living in Thailand for more than half the year should file a tax return and pay tax on their taxable income. What is taxable is the same for Thais and non-Thais, so there is no reason why all non-Thais should be singled out as not paying their way. Of course some individuals may not file a tax return at all, and if the hospitals want to penalise them then they should just charge more to those who dont have a tax return receipt. One maybe it is those who dont pay social security who are being penalised?

[Lumbini]

What government hospital is this ? All ? Chula ?

 

 

 

[holy cow cm]

7 hours ago, Slip said:

OK- I'll keep building on until I soon get to 20 years.  What is being described will still be Xenophobia.  Your misunderstanding of the meaning of the word won't change that.  Once you have been here a bit longer you may find your Thai friends will admit that to you too. Your very good friend's English was perhaps not as good as he or you think.  By the way there is no apostrophe in the word 'Thais'.  In the meantime you could try to be less condescending for no reason.  I'll wait.

No misunderstanding. So you try to pride yourself as an English teacher? Go bark up another tree and watch your own tongue when typing. 

[Slip]

My proof reading seems to be bum too, but I will take it for such lengthy paragraphs as that.

[Sheryl]

4 hours ago, KittenKong said:

As for the charges, I thought that all government hospitals already automatically charged non-Thais more under official government rules. Just like the national parks. So maybe this 25% charge is on top of the existing extra charge?

 

No, all government hospitals do nto charge more. In fact most do not. But those which get a significant number of foreign patients tend to, sooner or later. When they do so, they do so in different ways, as  hospitals have the discretion to set their fees however they wish (has little impact on Thais whatever the fees are set at, since most are covered by either the universal scheme or SS, and both of those pay on a capitation basis nto fee for service).

 

For Siriraj AFAIK this is the first increase, before this it was Thai price.

 

For the majority of Thai hospitals, which rarely get a foreign patient, it would be more trouble than it would be worth the establish a separate fee structure for foreigners.

[meatboy]

2 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

No, all government hospitals do nto charge more. In fact most do not. But those which get a significant number of foreign patients tend to, sooner or later. When they do so, they do so in different ways, as  hospitals have the discretion to set their fees however they wish (has little impact on Thais whatever the fees are set at, since most are covered by either the universal scheme or SS, and both of those pay on a capitation basis nto fee for service).

 

For Siriraj AFAIK this is the first increase, before this it was Thai price.

 

For the majority of Thai hospitals, which rarely get a foreign patient, it would be more trouble than it would be worth the establish a separate fee structure for foreigners.

I use 2 government hospitals,last week having a consultation with a doctor about my foot,DOCTORS FEE 50BHT.

and NO credit.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

9 hours ago, poanoi said:

bunch of nonsense, the fee is aimed at making foreigners pay a fair price

for the tax subsidized service, only wrongdoing is my own  government

dont follow the same principle and kick out the millions of freeloaders.

 

why should a tax payer or state feed insignificant others ?

 

So, should tax paying foreigners still pay a different fee? What about foreigners married to a Thai? I'm sure "your government" doesn't have a different pricing structure for foreign spouses.

 

It doesn't bother me either way. I have a very low opinion of Thai hospitals, anyway.q

[billd766]

12 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Yes right slot. That is directed specifically to the stick it to you organizations showing a possible hint of their normal racism. You will see more of it here and there in the near future ongoing. 25% is a wallop.  

 

25% extra on the price I normally pay is quite small and certainly NOT a wallop. If you want a wallop then go to the big private hospitals in BKK etc and see how much of a wallop 25% will cost you there.

 

Does this apply to ALL Thia government hospitals or only that one?