Health Alerts

The costs of hospitalisation and associated procedures will change on Sept 29 for people staying in the kingdom under several different visa categories. Thai nationals, residents of neighbouring countries, working foreigners on non-immigrant visas, and tourists/retirees will find themselves paying a sliding scale of prices at Thai public hospitals. A local news source states that, while the fees will generally rise, they will still represent a substantial saving over those charged by private hospitals. Previously, charges at public hospitals were not set, leading to a wide variation in costs paid by non-Thais.

NEARLY 5,000 Bangkok residents have been infected with dengue this year and local authorities are continuing to monitor the situation in those areas most affected: Huay Kwang, Nong Chok, Phyathai, Yannawa and Chatuchak (site of popular weekend market). Elsewhere in the region, more dengue fever cases are arriving for treatment in the SW town of Phuentsholing in Bhutan (flu activity has also increased across the country); in Vietnam, Da Nang has experienced a trebling of dengue cases this year as the city heads into the dengue high season. A WHO regional dengue update reveals that the national situation mirrors Da Nang’s: ‘a total of 124,751 cases with 15 deaths reported, a 3.3-fold increase compared to the same period in 2018’; and Sri Lanka has now recorded more than 45,000 cases this year with highest incidence in Colombo – all areas, Gampaha, Galle and Kalutara. Read more.