Thailand’s government has confirmed that the 30-baht universal healthcare scheme will remain in operation and receive expanded support, following the House of Representatives’ approval of the 2026 fiscal budget. A total of 265.295 billion baht has been allocated to the National Health Security Office (NHSO), marking the highest funding level since the program’s inception and signaling a continued commitment to accessible public healthcare.
The increased budget allocation aims to bolster the country’s healthcare infrastructure and improve access to essential services for Thai citizens. The program, commonly referred to as the gold card scheme, offers affordable medical treatment, ranging from general consultations to advanced care, and remains central to Thailand’s universal healthcare strategy.
With the new funding, the NHSO plans to modernize healthcare delivery through digital health solutions such as telemedicine, broaden the National Essential Medicines List, and launch public health initiatives focused on preventing chronic illnesses. One such campaign, Healthy Thais, Free from NCDs, will target non-communicable diseases to improve long-term health outcomes.
In a related development, the NHSO is collaborating with private sector entities and Japan’s Seiko Instruments to develop domestically produced dental handpieces. This initiative is expected to lower the nation’s reliance on imported medical tools—currently valued at approximately 3 billion baht annually—and strengthen Thailand’s medical manufacturing capabilities.
These measures are part of a broader government strategy to increase domestic production of medical equipment, aiming to lower national healthcare costs and enhance the sustainability of public health services over the long term.