Health Care in Thailand

In Thailand, medical care is provided for all expatriate employees (work permit holders) who see a deduction of social services from their salary. The deduction of social services is standard unless, you are a managing director (MD) of your own company and then you can opt, whether to pay into this scheme.

Whilst medical care is provided without a need to set up a health insurance, some expatriates living and working in Thailand prefer to hold a level of cover more acceptable to home country conditions.

To gain an understanding of what cover you receive through Thailand's social security, you can find information under sso.go.th although in summary, the main benefits are:

•    Sickness of Injuries
•    Maternity
•    Invalidity
•    Death
•    Child
•    Old Age

To gauge the level of cover for social security, under death benefit, a typical funeral grant would be THB30,000 (other criteria also applicable)

For most Expatriates, this typical level of cover would not be sufficient for their requirements and either a local Thai or International Health Insurance is researched as a suitable replacement. Important factors to consider are:


Currency of Payment
Which currency is favourable to pay in and what other currency may be viable?

Standard Excess
How much initial excess would you be comfortable in paying?

Maternity Care
Would you prefer to include Caesarean Cover?

Dental Care
Would you prefer to have included routine dental treatment?

In Patient & Out Patient
Would you prefer to include Physiotherapy & Hospital Cash Benefit?
Do you require out-patient costs covered?

Emergency Evacuation
Do you require repatriation of body remains?

Country of Cover
Which countries will you be travelling too if at-all and if regularly travel for business, do you require travel cover?

Number of People
Will cover be set up for company employees, a wife and child or under sole policy?
(Important consideration since as an MD of a company, you are able to offset health insurance against corporation tax)

Deductibles
How much am I willing to pay for each treatment or do I expect to pay NIL?


Typically, most expatriates only require one or more specific questions answered such as:

•    “If I get knocked over by a motorbike, am I covered?”
•    “If I suffer from an illness and am admitted to hospital, can I pick which hospital I admit?”
•    “I suffered from a condition such as seizure several times many years ago and now, I am concerned should this happen again, am I covered?”
•    “I want to know that in the event of death, my body will be repatriated to my home country”
•    “I want to know should I make a claim, the procedure is acceptable and not with great hassle”


In all cases, questions should be asked of the insurer before policy admission, which would appease any initial concerns although in essence, it is almost always possible to gain some form of insurance from a reputable company.

For all enquiries regarding healthcare, quotations can be provided with little information i.e.
1.    Date of Birth
2.    Smoker/Non
3.    Sex
4.    Nationality
5.    Residence

Although, the more information provided, the better since polices can be amended to suit each individual client and prices can be better suited.