Bangkok: The National Health Security Office (NHSO) is initiating a pilot program to extend universal healthcare benefits to the "descendants of border combatants," ensuring they receive direct reimbursement rights. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence is gearing up for discussions with pertinent agencies to transfer the healthcare rights of soldiers who perished in border conflicts to their families.

According to Thai News Agency, General Natthaphol Nakpanich, the Minister of Defence, led a mobile Defence Council meeting at the Royal Thai Air Force Headquarters. The meeting focused on supporting the parents and heirs of deceased military personnel, an initiative inspired by the Minister's visits to border areas and families affected by the Thai-Cambodian border clashes. Families of the fallen soldiers have appealed for assistance to restore their direct reimbursement rights for medical treatment, which had lapsed following the soldiers' deaths.

The Ministry of Defence has proposed an amendment to the Royal Decree, aiming to extend direct reimbursement of medical expenses to parents and spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty. The Prime Minister has tasked relevant agencies with examining this proposal. Recently, the Ministry of Public Health, through the NHSO, has moved to grant equivalent universal healthcare benefits to parents and heirs of soldiers who died on the border. This development signals a commitment to care for the families of military personnel who sacrificed their lives while serving. The process is being expedited to ensure swift implementation.