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Hospitals in need: Over 54% with negative budgets are fighting for survival!
The financial challenges of public hospitals in Thailand significantly affect budgets and services through 2025.
Hospitals in need: Over 54% with negative budgets are fighting for survival!
In Thailand, government hospitals are in serious financial trouble, a recent report from Hfocus shows. On November 10, 2025, it was announced that 493 of 902 state hospitals now have a negative budget, which corresponds to a shocking 54.6%. This is not just a number, but a clear signal of worrying developments in the country's health sector.
Over the past three years, the net budget of government facilities has seen a dramatic decline, from an initial 89,000 million baht to just 35,958 million baht in the third quarter of 2025. These financial constraints are having a profound impact on the healthcare system, which Dr. Ratcharin Benjawongsethi, President of the Medical Organization of Buddhachinaraj Hospital in Phitsanulok, on November 9, 2025.
Consequences for the health system
The increasing number of hospitals with negative budgets has increased alarmingly - from fewer than 50 to the current 493 positions. Of particular concern are the 14 of 36 central hospitals, which are also financially strapped. Contrary to what is often assumed, these problems are not new; rather, they arise from late and inadequate budget allocations. What are the consequences? In plain language:
- Einschränkungen bei Dienstleistungen – Krankenhäuser müssen Kosten einsparen.
- Überlastung des medizinischen Personals – ein harter Nuss, die zu einer erhöhten Abwanderung führen könnte.
- Zunahme gesundheitlicher Ungleichheit – insbesondere in ländlichen Regionen, wo der Mangel an Ressourcen besonders spürbar ist.
- Rückgang der Behandlungsqualität – bedingt durch fehlende Mittel für dringend benötigte medizinische Geräte und Medikamente.
The trend is worrying, not only leading to overloading of facilities but also questioning the quality of healthcare. It is important to find solutions before the situation escalates further.
The international view: Costco and its expansion plans
The impressive company history goes back to 1976, when its predecessor, Price Club, was founded in San Diego. Costco itself opened its first warehouse in Seattle in 1983 and went public in 1985. With a high employee retention rate of over 90% after one year and innovative offerings such as gold and platinum bullion sales, Costco remains a popular shopping destination for many.
Costco currently has 129.5 million members and offers a variety of services, including gas stations and pharmacies. To further optimize services, Costco is planning exclusive shopping hours for Executive Members starting in June 2025. These strategies show that the company has a good handle on the market.
One thing is clear: both healthcare in Thailand and the expansion of international companies like Costco are issues that affect us all. It remains to be seen how the situation in the healthcare sector will develop and what innovative power companies like Costco will develop.
You can find more information about the challenges in the healthcare sector in the Hfocus article here. You can read details about Costco and its global operations on the Wikipedia page here.