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About 370,000 people who are in the process of proving their right to Thai citizenship will be entitled to free medical treatment under the universal healthcare scheme, if a plan by National Health Security Office (NHSO) gets a green light.

"We will forward the plan to the Cabinet and asks for an approval," Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai revealed Monday.

He was speaking after he chaired a meeting of NHSO board.

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

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

The Nation