Peter Denis 761 #1366 Posted November 21 13 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said: I have a new OA so I have the option of doing a border run at the end of the year (and probably having to buy Thai insurance beforehand). As I have no idea what the immigration regulations or baht exchange-rate will be in a year's time, I'm trying to keep open as many options as possible. If you are on a 'new OA' I presume that its validity date has not expired yet. Exiting and re-entering Thailand before the OA validity date expires provides you again with a 1 year permission to stay, allowing you to squeeze almost 2 years out of your OA Visa. E.g. an OA Visa issued July 2019, will when - timed right - allow you to stay in Thailand till July 2021. And it's only when your extension of stay is due, that the health-insurance requirement will kick in. So time enough to consider your options. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martyp 515 #1367 Posted November 21 12 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said: It's just from your view you can't find it in any official text. The most shared idea was it was the amount of money necessary for 1 farang for live 1 year in Thailand and cover all the spends. But now 400 000 are frozen in a Thai bank all year long and 800 000 for 5 months so in reality it's just one selection criterion and a forced loan to the Thai bank system I've heard both theories about the 800k. That it is for living in Thailand and that it is for medical expenses. It can only be used for living in Thailand if you plan on leaving. You can use it to wrap up your affairs, buy a plane ticket and go. It would be interesting if the Thai government allowed medical savings accounts. Put some money in the bank and allow it to be used for medical expenses only. If you use it you have to top it back up within some short period of time. If they implemented medical savings accounts then they could scrap the outpatient part of the insurance requirement. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Exploring Thailand 177 #1368 Posted November 21 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: If you are on a 'new OA' I presume that its validity date has not expired yet. Exiting and re-entering Thailand before the OA validity date expires provides you again with a 1 year permission to stay, allowing you to squeeze almost 2 years out of your OA Visa. E.g. an OA Visa issued July 2019, will when - timed right - allow you to stay in Thailand till July 2021. Exactly, which is why I went the OA route this time. The pound-baht exchange rate was a 10-year low when I had to make the decision, so I went for on OA, thus avoiding the need to bring in another 800k. Quote And it's only when your extension of stay is due, that the health-insurance requirement will kick in. If that's the case, then great. I thought I'd read of mixed-results when people either tried to re-enter on a still-valid OA, or asked Immigration what would happen if they tried to re-enter. I could be wrong though. It's difficult to keep track of all of the reports and reports of reports. Edited November 21 by Exploring Thailand 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kingofthemountain 1,319 #1369 Posted November 21 2 minutes ago, Martyp said: It would be interesting if the Thai government allowed medical savings accounts. Put some money in the bank and allow it to be used for medical expenses only. If you use it you have to top it back up within some short period of time. If they implemented medical savings accounts then they could scrap the outpatient part of the insurance requirement. This option has been mentioned by the health minister at the begining of this fiasco the idea was to allow the uninsurables (For age and\or pre existing conditions) to cover their medical spends. Unfortunately since it's the insurance thai lobby who has been put in charge to elaborate the text, this option was no longer on the table. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Denis 761 #1370 Posted November 21 6 minutes ago, Exploring Thailand said: If that's the case, then great. I thought I'd read of mixed-results when people either tried to re-enter on a still-valid OA, or asked Immigration what would happen if they tried to re-enter. I could be wrong though, it's difficult to keep track of all of the reports and reports of reports. Since the Nov 7 IO Big Boss meeting clarifying that entering Thailand with - a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa does NOT require health-insurance, there has been not 1 single report of entrants being denied the 1 year permission of stay they are entitled to. Indeed, some 'toothing problems' have been reported of seemingly insecure Immigration officials still asking for health-insurance, but if you do not have it - as it is not required -, after some deliberation with their IO colleagues, those queried have all been stamped in for the full year they are entitled to. So presently (we are day 22 of the implementation!) it is safe to say that it is NOT required on entry. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Exploring Thailand 177 #1371 Posted November 21 8 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Since the Nov 7 IO Big Boss meeting clarifying that entering Thailand with - a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa does NOT require health-insurance, there has been not 1 single report of entrants being denied the 1 year permission of stay they are entitled to. Indeed, some 'toothing problems' have been reported of seemingly insecure Immigration officials still asking for health-insurance, but if you do not have it - as it is not required -, after some deliberation with their IO colleagues, those queried have all been stamped in for the full year they are entitled to. So presently (we are day 22 of the implementation!) it is safe to say that it is NOT required on entry. That's excellent news. I think the toothing problem reports were the ones I'd seen, especially the recent one in which the guy was asked for insurance, showed some travel insurance, and was then allowed in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MeePeeMai 1,303 #1372 Posted November 21 8 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Since the Nov 7 IO Big Boss meeting clarifying that entering Thailand with - a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa does NOT require health-insurance, there has been not 1 single report of entrants being denied the 1 year permission of stay they are entitled to. Indeed, some 'toothing problems' have been reported of seemingly insecure Immigration officials still asking for health-insurance, but if you do not have it - as it is not required -, after some deliberation with their IO colleagues, those queried have all been stamped in for the full year they are entitled to. So presently (we are day 22 of the implementation!) it is safe to say that it is NOT required on entry. Odd then that they would require Thai health insurance for an extension on an O-A Visa which was obtained prior to Oct. 31 Just saying .... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lamyai3 6,020 #1373 Posted November 21 3 hours ago, deej said: The 800ks was put in place to cover unforseen Medical costs etc etc Please be free to correct me if i am mistaken Nothing to do with the current insurance issue or medical costs. The 800k was the revised deposit amount which came in after the collapse in the baht in 1998 - prior to that it had been 200k (people on unbroken extension history pre '98 are still grandfathered in at this amount). 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thaidream 9,308 #1374 Posted November 21 14 hours ago, LivinLOS said: They do tho dont they.. No- they don't. The Us Embassy is well aware of what is happening and has sent a Diplomatic Note asking for an explanation to their Thai counterparts. In asddition- the Ruropean council has met on the insurance issue and asking for an explanation from the Thai Government. This is not the same reaction that Embassies had to the embassy letter issue and verification of income. There were no Diplomatic notes or detailed answers back to their citizens. IMO the Embassies know that the insurance issue was poorly planned; patently unfair and want an explanation. Thailand could ignore the issue but if they do- there are always consequences. Countries have long memories-one hand washes the other. The smart thing to do (and also the ethical and fair way) is to grandfather everyone on an O-A. If they do this- the chaos stops; the Embassy queries stop. It's so simple...... 3 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lamyai3 6,020 #1375 Posted November 21 1 hour ago, Exploring Thailand said: Exactly, which is why I went the OA route this time. The pound-baht exchange rate was a 10-year low when I had to make the decision, so I went for on OA, thus avoiding the need to bring in another 800k. 2019 has been a horrible year to bring in this money. In fact it's more like a 25 year low for the pound - 10 years ago rates were in the high 40's, but ever since May this year it's been high 30's. When it dropped below 37 in September, it was at it's lowest rate since 1992. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianj1964 260 #1376 Posted November 21 2 hours ago, Peter Denis said: Since the Nov 7 IO Big Boss meeting clarifying that entering Thailand with - a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa does NOT require health-insurance, there has been not 1 single report of entrants being denied the 1 year permission of stay they are entitled to. Indeed, some 'toothing problems' have been reported of seemingly insecure Immigration officials still asking for health-insurance, but if you do not have it - as it is not required -, after some deliberation with their IO colleagues, those queried have all been stamped in for the full year they are entitled to. So presently (we are day 22 of the implementation!) it is safe to say that it is NOT required on entry. I'm pretty sure but could be wrong there were reports of people leaving Thailand recently to try and get their second year from the O/A being asked to show insurance, or they had enquirers about it 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Denis 761 #1377 Posted November 21 5 minutes ago, brianj1964 said: I'm pretty sure but could be wrong there were reports of people leaving Thailand recently to try and get their second year from the O/A being asked to show insurance, or they had enquirers about it Yes, but these are the 'toothing issues' I was referring to. All those that were queried for health-insurance when entering or re-entering on a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa, were eventually stamped in for the full year they were entitled to. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brianj1964 260 #1378 Posted November 21 3 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: Yes, but these are the 'toothing issues' I was referring to. All those that were queried for health-insurance when entering or re-entering on a non-expired pre Oct 31 issued OA Visa, were eventually stamped in for the full year they were entitled to. I hope that is still the case in 12 months time, or will things change further down the line, I'll ask and if they say I need insurance I'll get a tourist one and move to an O on marriage 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacko45k 11,706 #1379 Posted November 21 (edited) On 11/20/2019 at 9:11 AM, OJAS said: Jomtien enhancing their credentials as a rogue office these days when it comes to retirement extensions, I think Considering the past it doesn't appear they get (or seek) much guidance from above, so do their own thing... but I do see some 'reference' to the police orders. Edited November 21 by jacko45k Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Momofarang 739 #1380 Posted November 21 2 hours ago, Thaidream said: The smart thing to do (and also the ethical and fair way) is to grandfather everyone on an O-A. If they do this- the chaos stops; the Embassy queries stop. It's so simple...... Nope, the only smart thing will be accept any insurance that meets to 40k/400k requirement, and maybe later change this to 0/2000k. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites