Story Of My Thai Citizenship Application

[GarryP 4,633]

11 hours ago, Neeranam said:

So the 432 baht for social security is no use?

Depending on where you live, with social security you can select the hospital you use. You can only change this once a year though. However, for the 30 Baht health scheme it is tied to your house registration. You do not get a choice. For example, my social security healthcare is now tied to Hua Chiew Hospital (I could not get in at some of the other hospitals I wanted as they are already full and not accepting new social security members so I chose this one). If, however, I stopped paying into social security, my health care would fall with Public Health Center 21 Wat Thattong (unless there have been any recent changes). This is a small medical center near Ekamai. It only provides limited service and is far from being a hospital. It refers cases out to other hospitals in the 30 Baht scheme if they are unable to handle them themselves. It is not a place I would choose if I had the option. I am not saying it is bad as I know several people who have used its services and are happy with it, but its coverage is really very limited and some of the doctors seem to have been brought out of retirement. 

 

Having said that, from my experience yesterday at Chulalongkorn Hospital, I am seriously considering private insurance. It had nothing to do with the doctors and nurses as some of them are truly great. But it was absolutely packed; overflowing with people on the 30 Baht and social security schemes. I got there at 4:30 a.m. and there were at least 50 people already there in line waiting for the queue number machines to open at 5:30. By the time the machines opened there must have been 200 people or more and these were just the people that did not have prior appointments. The place was like a cattle market by 7:30. I left at 8:00 as the doctor I wanted to meet was not going to come in for some reason. I ended up catching the BTS and going to Sukumvit Hospital, where I normally go and is covered by my employers' insurance.

 

This is definitely a subject I will look into in more detail as I will be moving upcountry on retirement and I may not have much choice, if any, under the social security scheme. Under the 30Baht scheme I would be tied to a hospital that is about 300 meters from where I will be living, assuming I move my house registration from Bangkok. It is a 10 or 15 bed small town hospital with only 1 or 2 doctors. Fine for normal everyday maladies and accidents but not for anything serious. 

 

Apologies for going on so long. Did not mean to derail the topic, but it is something that new citizens should consider.             

[echrist 48]

21 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Could you get more than one? I've heard that can be useful.

I think you can only get one, but you can just copy the original and use it whenever it is needed. You may have to show the original but then submit a copy. I suppose you can always ask for 2. The certificate itself is kind of plain and boring. Nothing that is worth framing, in my opinion. 

[Neeranam 4,932]

13 hours ago, GarryP said:

Depending on where you live, with social security you can select the hospital you use. You can only change this once a year though. However, for the 30 Baht health scheme it is tied to your house registration. You do not get a choice. For example, my social security healthcare is now tied to Hua Chiew Hospital (I could not get in at some of the other hospitals I wanted as they are already full and not accepting new social security members so I chose this one). If, however, I stopped paying into social security, my health care would fall with Public Health Center 21 Wat Thattong (unless there have been any recent changes). This is a small medical center near Ekamai. It only provides limited service and is far from being a hospital. It refers cases out to other hospitals in the 30 Baht scheme if they are unable to handle them themselves. It is not a place I would choose if I had the option. I am not saying it is bad as I know several people who have used its services and are happy with it, but its coverage is really very limited and some of the doctors seem to have been brought out of retirement. 

 

Having said that, from my experience yesterday at Chulalongkorn Hospital, I am seriously considering private insurance. It had nothing to do with the doctors and nurses as some of them are truly great. But it was absolutely packed; overflowing with people on the 30 Baht and social security schemes. I got there at 4:30 a.m. and there were at least 50 people already there in line waiting for the queue number machines to open at 5:30. By the time the machines opened there must have been 200 people or more and these were just the people that did not have prior appointments. The place was like a cattle market by 7:30. I left at 8:00 as the doctor I wanted to meet was not going to come in for some reason. I ended up catching the BTS and going to Sukumvit Hospital, where I normally go and is covered by my employers' insurance.

 

This is definitely a subject I will look into in more detail as I will be moving upcountry on retirement and I may not have much choice, if any, under the social security scheme. Under the 30Baht scheme I would be tied to a hospital that is about 300 meters from where I will be living, assuming I move my house registration from Bangkok. It is a 10 or 15 bed small town hospital with only 1 or 2 doctors. Fine for normal everyday maladies and accidents but not for anything serious. 

 

Apologies for going on so long. Did not mean to derail the topic, but it is something that new citizens should consider.             

Thanks a lot, very helpful.

[Big Guns 338]

Linking in to the social security topic I've been a Thai citizen for 2 years now but as a teacher a an international school I'm excluded from social security as the government removed private & international schools from the social security scheme. The only exception is if the school volunarily joins. Is there any way I personally can opt in?

[GarryP 4,633]

5 hours ago, Big Guns said:

Linking in to the social security topic I've been a Thai citizen for 2 years now but as a teacher a an international school I'm excluded from social security as the government removed private & international schools from the social security scheme. The only exception is if the school volunarily joins. Is there any way I personally can opt in?

It is my understanding that teachers do not qualify at all as per section 4, item (4)

 

Section 4: This Act shall not apply to (1), (2), (3), (4) teachers or headmasters of private schools under the law on private schools, (5) and (6)

 

However, it would be worth checking whether you can voluntarily join under Section 40 of the Social Security Act, which is for independent workers and 'workers outside the system', such as motorcycle taxis, market traders, independent laborers, etc. Originally the benefits under this section were much lower than those granted to employees of companies under the scheme, however, I understand that recently they have improved to be nearly equal to standard employee rights.

 

It seems so wrong to me that private teachers are not covered and schools are not forced to pay in to the scheme. However, once you retire you will at least qualify for the 30 Baht scheme.   

[echrist 48]

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

It is my understanding that teachers do not qualify at all as per section 4, item (4)

 

Section 4: This Act shall not apply to (1), (2), (3), (4) teachers or headmasters of private schools under the law on private schools, (5) and (6)

 

However, it would be worth checking whether you can voluntarily join under Section 40 of the Social Security Act, which is for independent workers and 'workers outside the system', such as motorcycle taxis, market traders, independent laborers, etc. Originally the benefits under this section were much lower than those granted to employees of companies under the scheme, however, I understand that recently they have improved to be nearly equal to standard employee rights.

 

It seems so wrong to me that private teachers are not covered and schools are not forced to pay in to the scheme. However, once you retire you will at least qualify for the 30 Baht scheme.   

Is it also true that directors of companies do not qualify? 

Edited November 16 by echrist

[GarryP 4,633]

1 hour ago, echrist said:

Is it also true that directors of companies do not qualify? 

I can't see anything in the Act. However, I think that a director would be classified as an employer rather than an employee, in which case he/she would not be covered. You should check with the SSO office. 

[Neeranam 4,932]

How long does it take from the MoI interview these days until getting ID card?

[cmsally 5,236]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

How long does it take from the MoI interview these days until getting ID card?

So far 18 months since I passed interview and paperwork sent off to BKK. There was another round of successful female applicants announced just a few weeks ago, but I wasn't on it!

[echrist 48]

For all the history buffs, is there any record of the number of people from each nationality that have attained Thai citizenship (a historical list from the last 50 - 100 years, for example)? 

 

 

[echrist 48]

18 hours ago, Neeranam said:

How long does it take from the MoI interview these days until getting ID card?

Mine took 14 months

[Neeranam 4,932]

21 hours ago, cmsally said:

So far 18 months since I passed interview and paperwork sent off to BKK. There was another round of successful female applicants announced just a few weeks ago, but I wasn't on it!

Thanks. How long has it been since you took the oath?

[cmsally 5,236]

Haven't taken an oath. I was told after file sent to BKK then I just wait for my name to be announced.

[Neeranam 4,932]

3 minutes ago, cmsally said:

Haven't taken an oath. I was told after file sent to BKK then I just wait for my name to be announced.

I thought everyone had to do the oath.

 

[danielcondo 23]

Whats the average wait between RG announcements for men ? last one came out in Aug