Thailand praised for universal healthcare program

BANGKOK, July 7 (TNA) - Thailand has been praised for the official "universal healthcare program", which has provided equal access to medical treatment for the public. Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri told reporters that the Thai government's success in implementing the universal healthcare program was lauded by regional health ministers and experts attending the 5th ASEAN+3 Health Ministers Meeting, held in Thailand's southern resort Phuket province on Friday, as part of the 11th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting and Its Related Meetings, 2012, or 11th AHMM, scheduled for July 2-6. Wittaya said that other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely, Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam, expressed their interest in applying the Thai government's initiative for their people. Thailand first introduced the universal healthcare program in 2002 with several positive indicators proving the success of initiative since then, namely higher public access to local healthcare services. (TNA)