Migrant workers must buy health insurance to state cut costs
Thailand starts migrant health insurance via OSS Centres in 4 border provinces (Tak, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi) to reduce state costs. Full coverage by Jan 2026.
- Thailand has launched a policy requiring migrant workers to purchase health insurance, with the primary goal of reducing the national burden of medical expenditure.
- The program is being rolled out in phases, starting with a pilot in four border provinces (Tak, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi) using One Stop Service (OSS) Centres.
- A new digital platform has been developed to streamline the process, allowing for online identity verification, e-medical certificates, and the purchase of government-provided health insurance.
- The government plans to expand the service nationwide by January 2026, which is also intended to help control and prevent the spread of diseases.
Worachot Sukonkhajorn, Deputy Minister of Public Health, chaired a meeting on October 8, 2025, to follow up on the progress of health check-ups and health insurance for migrant workers.
The meeting was held at the One Stop Service (OSS) Centre at Mae Sot Hospital in Tak province.
Participants included representatives from key partner organisations: the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Office for Thailand, the Thai Red Cross Society, the Ministry of Interior, and the Ministry of Labour, along with relevant executives.
The event also featured a phone-in report from Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi provinces to collectively kick off the new policy.
Expediting Health Insurance for Migrant Workers to Reduce National Healthcare Costs
Worachot stated that Pattana Promphat, Minister of Public Health, has a policy to accelerate the purchase of health insurance by migrant workers.
This initiative is designed to reduce the country's medical expenditure burden, systematically prevent and control epidemics, and is considered one of the government and the Ministry of Public Health's Quick Win policies.
For the initial phase (Phase 1), OSS Centres have been established as a pilot in four border provinces that host temporary shelters for people fleeing the conflict in Myanmar: Tak, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi.
This integrated effort with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Labour allows migrant workers to complete their health check-ups and purchase health insurance at a single, comprehensive location.
Furthermore, the Financial Data Hub–Migrant Platform has been developed. This central system links data with the Health Insurance for Non-Thai People System (HINT) system. It allows for:
- Identity verification.
- Issuance of electronic medical certificates.
- Online purchase of government-provided health insurance.
The system also ensures seamless data transfer between the initial and endpoint service units, enabling accurate verification of identity, increasing convenience, speed, transparency, and maintaining a unified standard nationwide.
This enhances the safety of medical treatment and the security of health data.
"Today marks the kick-off of the policy to expedite the purchase of health insurance by migrant workers to reduce the national burden," said Worachote.
"Phase 1 will start with these four pilot provinces, and there are plans to expand services to 10 provinces in Phase 2 before advancing to a full-scale nationwide service in Phase 3 by January 2026."
He concluded that this will ensure migrant workers in Thailand can work legally, receive health check-ups, and have health security when they fall ill, which will "help reduce the country's expenses and effectively control and prevent diseases along the border."
