The chairman of a committee set up to tackle financial problems at state hospitals — allegedly caused by the universal healthcare scheme — resigned on Friday.
Yuth Potharamik, who is also former permanent secretary for health, said he decided to quit after Public Health Ministry executives boycotted the panel's first meeting.
The committee was set up on Monday.
Public Health Minister Rajata Rajatanavin set up the panel to find solutions to the financial problems of more than 100 state hospitals, which fall under the supervision of the ministry's permanent secretary's office.
Health permanent secretary Narong Sahametapat had criticised the National Health Security Office (NHSO) for poor management of the universal healthcare scheme, which he claimed caused the financial problems faced by the hospitals.
He suggested that the NHSO's role in the scheme be replaced by regional committees under his office.
Dr Narong's suggestion was met with criticism from many quarters, which prompted Dr Rajata to appoint the committee to find ways to fix the problem.
The committee — made up of representatives of the NHSO, the permanent health secretary's office and relevant government agencies — had scheduled its first meeting for yesterday.
But the five representatives of the permanent secretary's office, including two deputy permanent secretaries, Vachira Penchan and Surachet Satitramai, failed to show up.
The NHSO, which is responsible for allocating budgets to hospitals, has admitted there are problems with the scheme, but said it was not solely to blame.
It urged hospital directors to disclose their financial accounts, so the NHSO can help find solutions to their problems. So far, none of the hospitals have done so.
The five health executives sent a letter to the meeting yesterday, claiming that their presence would be inappropriate in light of the NHSO's suggestion that hospitals under the ministry's supervision make financial disclosures.
"I am sorry that we are having this dispute," Dr Yuth said. "The money does not belong to us but to the state."
He added that Dr Rajata would have to decide what to do with the committee.