Thailand has experienced a lot of transformation during the last 3 decades. The country is moving from a subsistence agricultural society to a rapidly growing industrialized sector. Economic growth in Thailand continue steadily even during the time of world crisis. Unfortunately, the country does not use this advantage to create mechanism for a fair distribution to all the citizen, thus results in widening of income gap between the richest and the poorest population.
Export economy boosts manufacturing but shrinks agricultural sector. There is an increasing trend of diseases related to behavior, occupation, environment and social pathology. Communication and information technology has been advanced, promoting information and education, but it is also used to promote consumerism and exploit consumers. Thailand is experiencing epidemiological transition whereby poverty related diseases such as communicable diseases and nutritional problems dramatically decreased but still present in some groups of population, Lifestyle related diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, traffic accidents are increasing causes of death. HIV problems, a reflection of social and political problem, are growing rapidly.
Health Care Systems in Thailand
Thailand’s health care system reflects the entrepreneurial market-driven nature of its economy. It has a pluralistic public/private mix in both financing and delivery of health care. While the government organizes health care financing for some segment of its population, it adopts largely a laissez-faire policy toward private providers and private insurers.
The public health infrastructure, hospitals and health centers, have been well developed but not functioning properly due to limited technical support, poor management and confusing roles. The private sector is growing rapidly both in Bangkok and nearly in every province the health system is quite chaotic because patients can seek care from anywhere they wish. Popularity of ambulatory care in a large and famous hospital results in expensive and fragmented system. The Thai medical care system is characterized by over-specialization, negligence of comprehensive and continuity of care, negligence of health promotion and disease prevention, over-mechanization, inefficient and costly.
