Bangkok: The Senate's Public Health Committee has highlighted a critical financial issue within Thailand's healthcare system, pointing to the National Health Security Office (NHSO) budget as reaching a deadlock and cautioning that the liquidity crisis confronting public hospitals may evolve into a "time bomb."
According to Thai News Agency, Senator Dr. Veerapan Suwannamai, a member of both the Senate and the Public Health Committee, revealed that Thailand's public health system is grappling with a financial crisis. The crux of the problem lies in the delayed payments to hospitals under the "30 Baht Healthcare Everywhere" program, administered by the NHSO. Many hospitals have not received their full entitlements, forcing them to utilize their operational funds, which in turn has led to liquidity challenges. This predicament is particularly severe for provincial hospitals that are encountering substantial financial shortfalls. Dr. Veerapan noted that this issue has been festering since the end of the previous year.
The crisis has been further intensified by the premature utilization of the 2026 budget, which began last year, to tackle immediate challenges. As a result, there is now a critical shortage of the current budget, with central government funding still pending approval. This dire financial situation is causing hospitals, especially those treating a large patient volume, to incur significant losses. Dr. Veerapan warns that this scenario is a "time bomb" for the public health infrastructure. If unresolved, hospitals will lack the necessary funds to address financial deficits, which will adversely affect treatment quality, including potential reductions in prescriptions and cuts to medical staff compensation.
Dr. Veerapan stressed that the most concerning outcome would be if hospitals reach a threshold where they can no longer manage the financial burden, inevitably impacting both the public and medical personnel. He remarked that should hospital directors be compelled to cut overtime pay or diminish service quality to survive, and if medical staff, overwhelmed by the strain, choose to cease working, the country could face widespread turmoil. Consequently, Dr. Veerapan urged stakeholders to promptly address the budgetary issues to prevent the system from collapsing beyond repair.