Dr. Thanes Jadwattanakul.
Warunya Thongrod
Sriracha’s Queen Vadhana Memorial Hospital has opened a fourth
Pattaya-area clinic for customers using Social Security insurance.
Hospital insurance director, Dr. Thanes Jadwattanakul announced the
Naklua Soi 12 office at a March 29 briefing on changes to social
security rules attended by hotel and business operators at the Eastern
Grand Hotel. Queen Vadhana already operates clinics in north, central
and south Pattaya.
The hospital is one of many that Thais and foreigners paying into Social
Security can use for health services. In order to provide better
service, and relieve congestion at the Sriracha facility, Queen Vadhana
operates small clinics around the area. The hospital currently has
270,000 registered customers using Social Security.
The clinic expansion comes as the government takes steps to reduce the
financial burden of health care on employers and workers. In January,
the government extended the reduction in Social Security taxes put in
place after 2011’s flooding crisis, calling it an offset to the impact
of the increased minimum wage that took effect last year.
By law, companies must contribute 10 percent of an employee’s salary
into the Social Security fund, with the employer and worker each paying
half. For the balance of 2013, that rate will hold at 8 percent, with
employers paying 4 percent, or a maximum 600 baht.
At the same time, the amount of medical services covered by insurance
has increased.
Nongnuch Mongkolsawat, chief of Chonburi’s Social Security office in
Sriracha, told the meeting that the government-insurance program will
now pay a maximum 1 million baht for treatment, up from 500,000 baht.
Insurance holders also will be able to have annual checkups covered.
Finally, as a way to stimulate employment, the Social Security office is
working with local banks to offer employers low-cost
business-development loans, Nongnuch said.
Employers with 50 or fewer employees can borrow up to 2 million baht
while larger companies can borrow 4 million to 8 million baht.
Participating lenders include Bangkok, Krungthai, Kiatnakin, Land &
House and Thailand Islamic banks.
Queen Vadhana Memorial Hospital’s new Naklua Soi 12 clinic can be
reached at 038-945-3428.
