Dr Prapon Tangsrikiattikul warned on Sunday that mounting hospital debt could threaten the stability of Thailand’s public healthcare system. He said funds circulating in the hospital system have dropped from 80 billion baht to just 20 billion, a shortfall of 60 billion baht. The NHSO is the state agency responsible for operating the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), widely known as the 30-baht gold card scheme. One such initiative , the “innovative health services” programme involving private clinics and pharmacies, has already consumed more than 3.7 billion baht. However, no additional funding has been earmarked, prompting fears that resources may be diverted from hospital budgets to sustain the scheme.

Source: Bangkok Post April 05, 2026 16:07 UTC