All residents should get free healthcare

"We will forward the plan to Cabinet and ask for approval," Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai revealed yesterday. He was speaking after chairing a meeting of the NHSO board.

According to the board, people who have lived for long in Thailand, or were born in Thailand, should be covered by the universal healthcare scheme even though they have yet to be granted Thai citizenship.

"We hope this plan will take effect in the 2009 Fiscal Year. The flat subsidy per head should be Bt2,202," Witthaya said.

He said the plan would ease the huge financial burden on state hospitals along the borders, which had long given free treatment to stateless people on a humanitarian basis.

"The plan will also improve disease-control measures in the country," Witthaya said, "Communicable diseases can threaten social and national security".

NHSO secretary general Winai Sawasdiworn said his office had considered extending the universal healthcare scheme to people in the process of seeking Thai citizenship since 2005.