Mr. Somsak Thepsutin, Labour Minister, continues the free dental services project for the benefit of insured persons. Committee of Investigation and Observation inspected Social Security Office and partnered hospitals to push forward the free dental services project and solve the problem of too crowded and long queue.
         Mr. Somsak had elected 14 representatives from employees, Social Security Office, Medical Council of Thailand, The Dental Association of Thailand, Thai Private Dentist Association, and National Health Security Office to be members of committee for evaluating the performance of the work on the increasing benefits for insured person policy, by having Dr. Jaturong Pengnorapat, Advisor of Labour Minister, as Chairman of the committee.
         On February 1st, 2006, the committee held a conference to gather the primary information by emphasizing on the free dental services problems. There were a lot of complaints about long queue due to lack of readiness in a lot of issue. However, the committee still insists continuing the free dental services project. They planed to visit Provincial Social Security Offices and the contracted hospitals. They, firstly, visited the Social Security Office and contracted hospitals in Songkhla on February 10th, 2006.
          Dr. Jaturong Pengnorapat, Advisor of Labour Minister, and the committee visited Provincial Social Security Office in Songkhla, headed by Mr. Udorn Chaiwaraporn. There are 169,882 insured people under the responsibility of Songkhla Provincial Social Security Office. There are also a lot of complaints about the free dental services for inadequate contracted hospitals and service units, and taking a long time to wait for a service.
         In the conference, the representatives from public and private hospitals suggested that the free dental service project will help insured persons access the dental services for free of charge in order to help poor people Social Security System according to Labour Minister’s objectives, Mr Somsak Thepsuthin, in covering all health security for more than 9 million insured people by focusing on free dental services, various services, and convenience. However, there have been a lot of problems and inconvenience during the kick off period, for example, there is insufficient dentists, too many insured people waiting for the services at the same time, which created long queue. The committee will solve this problem by allowing insured persons who cannot wait for long time use the services from any other clinic and they can claim for 200 Baht/times for two times in a year. However, these insured person have to receive an appointment card from the contracted hospitals first.
         Refer to the visit at a public hospital in Hat Yai, Dr. Kamon Veerapradit, director of Hat Yai Hospital, said that Hat Yai Hospital could be a model hospital in expanding the dental service network to private clinics. Also the 8 private clinics have been already contacted. Moreover, the hospital aims to increase the capacity to services more than 15% of 83,867 insured persons who registered with Hat Yai Hospital because the hospital has enough dentists and effective service system to serve all the insured persons without any discrimination.
        For the visit to Rajyindee Hospital, Dr. Daroon Sontarapornpol had provided warm welcome to the committee and exchanged the opinion to each other. He told that for the dental services, Rajyindee Hospital was unable to meet with the condition in providing dental service to 15% of insured people who registered with Rajyindee Hospital because there are only 2 dentists in this hospital. However, the hospital is considering to increase the number of dentists and units, including to expand the network to other place. For the ante natal care service and the post partum care service, the hospital shows improvement in service because insured perons trust the service quality of hospital.
        Mr. Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, one of the committee for evaluating the performance of the work on the increasing benefits for insured person policy, said that if any contracted hospitals is unable to conform with the required conditions or there are too many complains from insured persons, there will be a reconsideration of the contract. Moreover, if there is illegal act which could harm SSO’s reputation, the contract will be terminated.