From recognition to healthcare: a first step under Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism
From recognition to healthcare: a first step under Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism
Ali sits with his son at a public hospital in Bangkok. After being granted Protected Person status under Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism, his family was able to access healthcare through the public hospital system for the first time.
Ali sits with his son at a public hospital in Bangkok. After being granted Protected Person status under Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism, his family was able to access healthcare through the public hospital system for the first time.
Ali presents the invoice and appointment documents after completing his insurance fee payment during the process of enrolling in the national healthcare system.
For Ali, a refugee from Syria living in Thailand, access to healthcare was always a source of worry especially for his eldest son Mohamad Karim, who lives with epilepsy and needs regular medication and hospital care.
That worry has now eased.
After being recognized under Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism (NSM) as a Protected Person, Ali became the first refugee to successfully apply for, contribute to, and receive health insurance through the national system. It is a small moment with big meaning, showing how recognition can lead to real protection in everyday life, and how refugees can contribute to their own wellbeing.
The National Screening Mechanism was launched by the Royal Thai Government (RTG) and implemented from September 2023. It is designed to identify people who cannot return home due to fear of persecution and to protect them from being sent back to danger. While the NSM is not an asylum procedure, people recognized as Protected Persons under the mechanism receive official documentation, are permitted the right to reside temporarily in Thailand and can access basic services, including public education and healthcare, in line with national frameworks.
Ali lives with his wife and three children: two daughters, Mira, 4, and Sara, 10, and his son, Mohamad Karim,14. The family fled from Syria because of the war and have been in Thailand since 2013. Managing his son’s epilepsy has been especially challenging. In the past, the family relied on limited humanitarian support to access medicines and treatment, never knowing how long that help would last.
“Before, every health problem felt like a crisis,” Ali says. “Now I know my son can get the care he needs, and I don’t have to worry all the time.”
Ali obtained his public health insurance at Rajavithi Hospital, following a two-step process that included registration for document checkup and payment of the insurance premium, and medical check-ups on another day to complete enrollment.
This first successful enrollment took place as part of the early implementation of the NSM. Since 2017 UNHCR has worked closely with the Royal Thai Government to support the development and rollout of the mechanism, providing technical advice, capacity building, and material support to help ensure it functions fairly and effectively in practice. In this first case, RTG officials and UNHCR worked closely together to accompany Ali and his family, guiding them through administrative steps and demonstrating how recognition under the NSM can lead to access to essential services.
Thailand’s NSM is still evolving, with ongoing efforts to strengthen how it works and aligns with international standards. Ali’s experience shows what is possible when Protected Person status is linked to national systems and sustainable responses, paving the way for refugee families to contribute to their own safety, dignity, and peace of mind.
For Ali and his family, having health coverage means knowing that care is there when they need it most.
Documents are reviewed by the hospital’s administrative staff as part of the administrative steps required to complete health insurance enrollment.
Rajavithi Hospital in Bangkok, where Ali completed the procedures to access public health insurance.