First, the lack of health insurance coverage limits utilization of health care
services by members of ethnic minorities. Some members of ethnic minorities do not
receive the Thai Government’s subsidized health insurance cards since they do not have
Thai citizenship (Isarabhakdi, 2004). Second, geographic and physical barriers often
play an important role in access to health care services among minority people since
most of them live far from roads and health centers. One study reported that ethnic
minority villages were less likely to have their own medical professionals and basic
medical supplies, and had a smaller number of health workers compared to nonminority
villages. As a result, the quality of health care among people in minority
villages tends to be below the national average (Asian Development Bank, 2000).
Third, various cultural barriers (particularly, language, belief and religion) often make it
inconvenient for people of ethnic minorities to have access to health care services.