To legally work in Thailand, foreign workers must have a health checkup and health insurance before being registered. The health insurance operation manual for foreigners and foreign workers, Ministry of Public Health B.E. 2563, specifies the details of the registration of foreign workers and their dependents who come to Thailand, as explained below.

      A medical facility will be assigned that will perform health check-ups and register the worker and his or her dependents for health insurance; it will determine the period of health insurance coverage, not less than the period permitted to stay and work in Thailand.

      In the case of registering a foreign worker’s dependent who is a newborn child, they will proceed according to the requirements to purchase health insurance at the same hospital as the health insurance rights of the father or mother, or a government hospital in the area of residence of the father or mother’s employer in the area of responsibility, or at the discretion of the provincial public health physician.

- Government hospitals under the Department of Medical Services in Bangkok are eligible, according to the agreement of the Board of Medical Department;

- Government hospitals under the medical office in the Bangkok area are eligible, according to the agreement of the committee of the Bangkok Medical Office.

        In the case of newborns, the date of registration shall be recorded on the same date as the child's birth and must be completed within 15 days from the date of birth, by having the medical facility record the information of the health insurance registered through the fund website according to the cycle of registration. Registration is done by submitting registration information and transferring money to the central fund within 60 days and printing health insurance cards for foreign workers.

      Health insurance cards for migrant workers or their dependents must follow the form prescribed by the Ministry of Public Health, in which the card must contain important information: the alien worker identification number/ card number (Card No.)/ name-surname/ sex/ date of birth/  address/ name of mother or guardian. In the case of a follower card for a child: date of issue/ date of exercising rights/ expiration date/ and the signature of the card issuer (Hospital Director), etc., or they may use a non-Thai identity card issued by the Ministry of Interior, which has specified a medical facility for the health insurance buyer to receive services.

Source: Health Insurance Operation Manual for Aliens and Foreign Workers, Ministry of Public Health 2020. 

Division of Health Economy and Health Security, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, 88/20 Tiwanon Road, Talad Khwan Subdistrict, Mueang District, Nonthaburi Province 11000

Tel. +66 2590 1553