Thailand’s health ministry frees up millions to provide HRT for 200,000 trans people
Thailand’s Health Minister has announced funds for gender-affirming care. (Peerapon Boonyakiat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Thailand’s Public Health Ministry has freed up millions of baht to provide hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for 200,000 trans people in the country.
The country is notoriously known as an LGBTQ+-friendly destination for the trans community to receive gender-affirming healthcare and be able to live freely in their identity. Thailand has recently solidified its stance now that it has signed equal marriage into law.
And the government is going one step further by supporting gender-affirming care for the gender-diverse population in the country.
Deputy government spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak noted the country’s growing acceptance of the trans and non-binary community, as per local outlet Bangkok Post. He acknowledged that they may opt to undergo gender-affirming care like HRT as part of their journey.
The National Health Security Board approved 145.63 million baht (£3 million) in its 2025 budget planning to go towards health services, including hormone therapy, for its trans citizens.
The budget will aim to support around 200,000 transgender people, out of an estimated 314,000 trans people living in the country, as per Asia Pacific Transgender Network.
Pruksanusak added that the National Health Security Office (NHSO) also provides the same medical and public health services for the trans community as the rest of the population. This includes medical treatment, disease prevention and rehabilitation, and guarantees equal access to care for all Thai citizens.
The trans community in the country were previously required to fund their gender-affirming care privately, which led to disparities in access and an increase in health risks as some resorted to using HRT without the relevant medical supervision.
As of 2021, Human Rights Watch reported that there is no way for trans people in the country to obtain legal documentation which reflects their affirmed gender. They also reported that trans people face “numerous” barriers concerning health, education, work, freedom of movement and non-discrimination.
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