On April 14, 2021, Labour Minister Mr. Suchart Chomklin reported that in the past week, cases of people infected with Covid-19 have increased in the country. Many cases are linked to entertainment establishments, pubs, and bars. The NHSO has notified that people at risk of Covid-19 can be screened in all public and private hospitals nationwide to enable timely screening and treatment and block the spread of infection. The Prime Minister is concerned about insured persons amid the pandemic. Therefore, he instructed the Ministry of Labour to work with the Ministry of Interior (Bangkok) and NHSO to increase channels for Covid-19 services, to reduce congestion, and facilitate insured persons in the social security system under Section 33, 39, and 40. Such insured persons in the Bangkok area can be tested for Covid-19, which will start on April 17, at the Gymnasium Building 1, Bangkok Youth Center (Thai-Japan), Din Daeng District, Bangkok.
Mr. Suchart said that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister and Defense Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha and the Ministry of Labour, under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, is concerned about the spread of the Covid-19 virus. To prepare for all aspects of the pandemic, if it becomes more severe, the Labour Minister has discussed a set of guidelines in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior (Bangkok) and the National Health Security Office (NHSO). Insured persons will be allowed to register for Covid-19 tests through an online application system. Eligible insured persons are those who are at risk, whereby an officer will be available for screening. If an insured person is detected for Covid-19, they must be admitted to a hospital under the Social Security Office’s network and treated for free. There are 81 places that are ready, with over 1,000 supporting beds and over 200 beds in HQ.
Mr. Suchart added that for insured persons to be tested for Covid-19 for free, they must fall into risk groups as specified by the Ministry of Public Health or NHSO as follows:
A. By definition, a suspected person infected with Covid-19 by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, to have one or more of the following symptoms: fever with a temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius or higher, cough, runny nose, sore throat, unable to smell, tongue not taste, rash, red eyes, rapid breathing, fatigue, or trouble breathing, together with the following risk factors:
1) 14 days before the start of the illness, to have at least one of the following records:
1.1) Contact with a Covid-19 confirmed patient
1.2) Visiting a community or group venues such as flea markets, shopping malls, nursing homes, entertainment venues, or public transport, where a Covid-19 confirmed case was reported in the past month.
1.3) Travel to/from/or have stayed in countries where Covid-19 cases have been reported in the past month.
1.4) Work in a quarantine facility.
2) Doctors conducting tests suspected of Covid-19.
B. In case of contact with patients confirmed of Covid-19 or visiting a place where there is an outbreak, but the person is not showing symptoms but suspected to be infected with Covid-19. The NHSO has revised the announcement to cover the Covid-19 screening at the doctor’s discretion, which can be disbursed to the NHSO without having to charge the patient.
3) The online registration process to reserve a test queue among the target group of insured persons under Section 33, 39, and 40 can be done on https://www.google.com, searching “the workforce fighting together” and click on https://sso.icntracking.com/icntracking/self_register.php. From there, insured persons enter their 13-digit ID number or passport number and fill out the risk assessment information required by the Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health. For people at risk or who have a medical condition, the online registration will begin on April 15 from 18.00 hours. There will be a registration of 3,000 people a day, divided into 1,500 people in the morning and 1,500 people in the afternoon. If any insured person registers and does not go to their appointment, he or she must re-register. Once they have been tested for Covid-19, they can go home immediately, as the examination results will be sent via SMS to the insured person at the phone number provided.
“I emphasize that insured persons who fall into risk groups as determined by the Ministry of Health and NHSO can still be tested for Covid-19. It is free in all public and private hospitals nationwide, as it is all Thai people’s right. Adding the first examination service to open in Bangkok is an alternative channel to service insured persons for quick screenings. This will reduce congestion or long queues. The Labour Minister will continue to consider adding more services for insured persons,” concluded Mr. Suchart.
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Division of Public Relations
14 April 2020
