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Monopolyland: Can Thailand’S Markets Ever Be Fair?


Flashermac
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When a downtown luxury hotel reopens as a wellness center next year, it will be a jewel in the crown of a private healthcare provider that has swallowed its competitors in recent years to become the realm’s largest private medical services provider.

 

About the time Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, or BDMS, announced its plans for Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel’s 15 rai of land, the group spent 1.4 billion baht to buy Mayo, another private hospital. Since 2010 it has acquired BNH, Phyathai, Paolo and Royal hospitals. It also holds majority stakes in Bumrungrad and Ramkhamhaeng hospitals.

 

That kind of industry consolidation has health care advocates worried about the usual things that come with less competition – rising costs and declining service. In Thailand’s unregulated private health care industry, advocates worry one corporation could gain control of the market and have an outsized influence on public health policy.

 

“From now on, if people are upset with costs and want to move from one hospital to another, they will likely end up at a private hospital in the same group,†said Preeyanan Lorsermvattana, a health care activist who’s campaigned against the increasing costs of private care.

 

Oligopolies, duopolies and even monopolies abound in Thailand. Health care isn’t the only industry lacking in competition. Convenience stores, telecoms, brewers, movie theaters and more are dominated by just one or two players, all despite an antitrust law that in 17 years has seen a total of zero rulings against big business.

 

A toothless law that, by design or defect, left critical portions unfinished and therefore unenforceable.

 

“The law is not really defective,†said Deunden Nikomborirak, research director at the Thailand Development Research Institute, who has studied antitrust laws. “The law said the detailed regulations must be issued after. They just never made it happen.â€

 

The military regime is the latest to tell the public it wants to strengthen the law, but unlike previous governments, it has actually made some progress. Last month a draft revision of the 1999 law was completed. Those advocating reform say it shows some signs of improvement but is unlikely to be a game changer.

 

That draft, submitted Nov. 1 to the junta-appointed legislature, was among a raft of laws earmarked “urgent†by the cabinet for progress before the year ends.

 

Meanwhile alarms continue to be raised about anti-competitive practices. 7-Eleven, owned by the same conglomerate as phone service provider True Corp., last month stopped selling prepaid cards from competitor AIS. Earlier this year, a small movie distributor complained it was forced into a type of pay-to-play arrangement by a major cinema chain.

 

When consumers or their advocates want to cry foul, they can take their complaint to one place: the Trade Competition Committee.

 

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http://www.khaosoden...kets-ever-fair/

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I usually go to Bangkok Adventist Hospital, church-owned, non-profit, accredited, has its own medical university, US supervision. They'll never be taken over by any private corporation. (Pricing medium range - between the Thai hospitals and biggies like Bamrungrat.) Ramathibodi is all right for minor problems.

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Thailand is quite different to the US because it provides universal health care. They even scrapped the 30 baht co-payment ten years ago. I've personally been treated for free because I'm on the family book. It's a good system, and it's encouraging to see the efforts that are being made to be preemptive about problems such as diabetes - where many Isaan governmental outposts have specialized clinics. It's not perfect - but it's a bloody good start!

 

Private hospitals are a luxury for most people. The recent 10 baht a day minimum wage increase is unlikely to afford most Thais greater access to them.

 

So that leaves richer Thais, and foreigners to foot the bill. Take careful notice - when you can no longer vote with your wallet - and you don't and likely never will have a vote in this country (for all that matters anyway) - you have absolutely no say on the matter. You pay up, or get lost. Take careful note that there is no recourse.

 

Well I still pay taxes in Australia, so my recourse is to fallback to excellent universal public health system there, but if you are from the US, I guess you are out of luck.

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