Thai Government Spokesman Denys Rumors of Junta Scrapping Universal Healthcare System

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BANGKOK – Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd a spokesperson for Thailand’s Junta government has denied recent rumors that Thailand’s universal healthcare system will be scrapped, saying that the Junta government continues to expand public benefits.

According to National News Bureau of Thailand he assured that the Ministry of Public Health and the National Health Security Office (NHSO) have affirmed that they will jointly manage the budget effectively.

That they have collaborated to expand public healthcare benefits to the 30 Baht Healthcare Program for fiscal year 2018, and that the National Health Security Fund has been allocated a budget of 128.5 billion baht, or roughly 3,197 baht per person, an increase of 87.75 baht from 2017 fiscal year.

He went on to say the budget per head has increased steadily over the last few years and that the Ministry of Public Health and the National Health Security Office have affirmed that they will jointly manage the budget effectively.

Saying the public will continue to benefit from the same universal healthcare scheme, as well as gain access to a free cervical cancer vaccine, cancer screening, and emergency treatment.

He cautioned the general public to verify information obtained on social media, which may not be thoroughly fact checked.

Gen Sansern statements comes after Thai PBS reported Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSC) expressed concerns that cutbacks in the Junta’s budget 2017 for free health care from 3,374.70 baht to 3,100 baht per head per year will affect the health service quality in state hospitals.

Stating Thailand’s Military Junta had trimmed funding of health care service for 2017 fiscal year by 13 billion baht from 141,916 million baht to 128,533 million baht or 274 baht short of the 3,374 baht/head/year requested for the country’s 48 million people covered by the health care system.

Somewhat contradicting that Healthcare spending by the Junta has increased steadily over the last few years.

By Geoff Thomas

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In September 2016, Thailand’s junta-appointed lawmakers signed off on a nearly US$124 million budget hike for defense spending for the 2017 budget, paring back funds for education, healthcare and infrastructure.

The army, navy and air force received a 2 per cent budget increase, taking next year’s spending to 210.7 billion baht, according to the Budget endorsed by the hand-picked National Legislative Assembly.

It is the third straight year of increases in state spending for defense since the coup. Continue Reading…