Health ministry bears 4-5bn baht loss caring for migrants, pushes for emergency budget

Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) incurs annual losses of 4-5 billion baht in providing health care to migrant workers outside the national healthcare scheme, Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin revealed on Wednesday after a senior executive meeting.

He pointed out that registered migrant workers pay around 1,735 baht per year for health insurance. However, the actual cost of care is nearly 4,000 baht per person annually, similar to the 30-baht scheme for Thai citizens. The difference places a heavy financial burden on the ministry, resulting in the reported annual losses.

The ministry is also addressing the complex issue of refugees from neighbouring countries, with around 200,000 people residing in temporary shelters along the Mae Hong Son, Tak, and Kanchanaburi border areas. Previously, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) managed these populations, but the organisation faced financial difficulties following the election of US President Donald Trump, leaving Thailand to shoulder the costs.

To provide immediate support, the MOPH has proposed an emergency budget of 160 million baht. Looking ahead, the ministry hopes the National Security Council will streamline migrant management, including registration and iris scanning for identification. The MOPH plans to collaborate with the Thai Red Cross to integrate these measures with disease surveillance and prevention systems.

Separately, the ministry reported progress on the “Thais Count Carbs” initiative, with 42 million participants nationwide. From 6.5 million detailed records, the programme has helped reduce a combined weight of 9.6 million kilograms, with an estimated economic value of 9.6 billion baht. Among approximately 300,000 participants with direct medical conditions, medicine expenses fell by 838 million baht.

Somsak noted that if data from all 42 million participants were fully analysed, the economic benefit could rise by sevenfold, potentially generating a total value of 50-60 billion baht through nationwide weight reduction.