The Ministry of Public Health has announced it will provide telemedicine services to about a million Thais living abroad under its universal healthcare scheme, Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew said on Wednesday.
Mr Cholnan said the policy would allow all Thais access to medical treatment regardless of location.
He said the ministry has been working with the National Health Security Office (NHSO) to consider establishing a telemedicine consultant service for those abroad who don't have access to universal healthcare.
They should have the right to the service anyway, Mr Cholnan said.
During the initial phase, the ministry will conduct a pilot test with Thai monks living in India. It will work with a medical team based in India's Bodhgaya to care for the monks.
A similar concept will be applied to other countries, which could be done under international law, he said.
The telemedicine service will be operated under the NHSO, Mr Cholnan said.
"We have around one million people who live abroad. Some of them do not have a chance to have medical services. The telemedicine service will help them access better medical healthcare and have primary care by doctors," he said.
The ministry will work with Thai ambassadors overseas to make a list of pharmacy shops that can provide over-the-counter drugs in each country so Thai patients can purchase drugs after being diagnosed by doctors via the telemedicine service.
Apart from India, the ministry aims to introduce the service in South Korea, Israel, the United States and Japan, he said.
In another development, the ministry on Wednesday announced its success in administering 1.3 million doses of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to women aged 11-20 within one month.
Mr Cholnan said another success for the ministry is the policy of 30 baht-plus, which is operated under the concept of "One Card for All".
He said people holding the universal healthcare card, known as the gold card, can access any medical services from any hospital under the scheme in four provinces during the first phase. The four provinces are Roi-Et, Phrae, Phetchaburi and Narathiwat.
The ministry also plans to introduce technology to 799 hospitals, turning them into "smart hospitals" next year.