Ok but it has gone up a lot even in the Gov. Hosp. from my experiences over the past 30 years thanks to Prayut. What surgeries are you referring to and how much did they charge if you don't mind my asking?
Being entitled and actually receiving what you are supposed to be entitled to are 2 different things. I still hear about hospitals wanting cash up front before even emergency health care is administered. My comment did not say anything about not being able to pay for health care and of course everyone needs to pay for health care but just not in a manner that discriminates and I agree it is not reasonable to expect to receive treatment without paying anything for it.
I broke my wrist in the late 90's. It cost me only a few thousand baht to reset it and put a cast on it. That price even included the xrays and anethesia. I went to a small Gov. Hosp. in Nakorn Si Thammarat. Things have sure changed a lot since then.
I think it is only good business that the Thai Gov. offer similar health care to expats living long term in Thailand. After all we are still consumers that support the economy and some of us contribute millions of baht into the economy including taxes on services and goods.
The statement wasn't required the last time I renewed. Immigration just handed it back to me. The bank charges 100 baht for the statement but if all pages of the passbook are copied the statement is redundant.