Report: All foreign tourists will soon need insurance in order to enter Thailand

[chrisinth]

17 minutes ago, CLW said:

For visa application, yes it can be done. Germany does the same to Thai people applying for a visa.

On the other hand, in case of Thailand with the majority arriving without visa, hopeless. Just imagine the difficulties at immigration

 

If it ever does become law then the airlines won't allow you to board without it. No airline will become responsible for passengers who don't meet the criteria to visit the country, insurance machines available on arrival or not.

 

Bad enough already with onward travel, etc for those coming visa exempt.

[boike]

As usual, a very "sketchy"  report from Thai Visa;  no detail as to definition of "foreign tourists", who does it apply to? Just short stay tourists? Other foreigners staying? 

This article is a Webfact. As a matter of fact it's being reported in the Bangkok post from today.

Sent from my XT1572 using Tapatalk

[maewang99]

what a sec.

this is for emergeny stuff... someone doesn't chance a flight otherwise. and emergency care is not that big a ticket item for the hospitals compared to other things like cancer, and surgery etc... not at all

this means finances are really really bad? already. with 'already' being the thing to think about. 

not the money or hassles.  

what it means about Thailand in a more general sense, a fiscal one. this type of care is not that expensive. a vehicle accident at worse, yes? a heart attack is some standard drugs. the serious stuff you can be sent back home for.. or just denied.

 

[canuckamuck]

They keep trying, but the tourists still come anyways. It must be very frustrating to work at the Anti-TAT. (Normally just called the TAT for simplicity)

[scotchonrocks]

Total tosh. This will fall over in the chaos.

[stanleycoin]

Good old friendly Thailand.

Are the Expats next on there list !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ianf]

And for the expats etc aged over 70 who cannot get insurance. I guess they will be told just to Flip Off?

[xtof2]

"The Bangkok Post, citing an unnamed but “informed source” claims the proposal has been put forward by the Tourism and Sports Ministry for consideration."

 

A morning talk close to the coffee machine.

I guess the topic was : "how  to milk the cow" !

[fatdrunkandstupid]

The hospital system here is about to collapse under the weight of Thai baby boomers seeking treatment.

 

The Thai birth rate is way down and the permanent residency process for immigrants is unworkable.  Moreover, the bulk of Thais if working, pay no tax.

 

So this proposal will definitely go ahead.

 

My guess is that a centralized government agency will be created to issue the policies and collect the foreigners money.

 

[hansnl]

21 minutes ago, fatdrunkandstupid said:

Retirement extension fee...  1900 THB

 

Compulsory insurance...   36,000 THB

 

Getting to stay in a country where you are despised...  Priceless...

Thing is, if you reach 70 years of age, nearly all insurance companies chuck you out, or let you stay with a lot of exclusions for silly premiums.

36000 per year is a bit steep, 3000 baht a month, but not unreasonable, comes down to €81 per month.

I heard talk about 2000 baht a month, €54, but it all boils down to the government offering, directly or through a insurance company, a kind of insurance.

In fact, a scheme like this, could generate quite a lot of money for the state hospitals, depending what is covered.

 

[Chivas]

No issue with it personally as i carry annual insurance renewed each year but what about people who are uninsurable  ?? What about people who are able to purchase insurance but at ridiculous cost because of pre existing conditions. This would finish of pattaya for good lol with the few people that are left and mainly in the pension age bracket

Unworkable as always

[chrisinth]

13 minutes ago, Bullie said:

I very much doubt that the immigration officer at the airport will be able to read what it says on my Dutch world wide medical insurance pass, let alone what it says on a chinese or arabic insurance pass. So how will they check whether people are insured or not? Many people who ARE insured will still be forced to buy extra insurance at the airport.

Also, from what I've read, we are talking about a loss of income of maybe 50 million baht Thailand-wide per year. This, ofcourse, is peanuts compared to the profit Thai hospitals make when charging western prices to foreigners for treatment.

It will yet be another nail in Thailands touristcoffin if they go ahead with this money-making scheme, Myanmar and Cambodia look more attractive each year!

 

From the OP:

 

"Under the proposals, there may even be insurance vending machines installed at airports and border checkpoints throughout Thailand so those without insurance can purchase soon after arriving on Thai soil".

 

If you already have insurance it won't affect you.

[Wallander4]

Cant wait to hear if Japan and Korea will follow up on this and ask for travel Insurance from thai tourists (aka illegal workers) - imagine the whinning and crying about how unfair it is

[Bill Miller]

42 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Idiotic, it's bad enough now with the Chinese at DM, imagine the 'queues' for insurance machines, folks with no baht, arguing, kids crying, machines breaking down, laughable.

 

'The requirement is seen as helping to reduce the burden on Thai hospitals who are being forced to treat an increasing number of insured foreigners.'

 

No problem then according to the article if foreigners are insured why is it costing Hospitals?

 

Nowhere did it say anything about foreigners who are already insured.

[Mickmouse1]

Thai Con if you ask tourists to buy insurance policy at entry points through a vending machine without knowing what exactly are you covered for ,how much for & what are the exclusions etc etc....how much kick back will those proposing the con scheme will get?

I never heard of any Thai Hospital treating tourists for free?????

[maewang99]

the insurance coverage for tourists is not at all like health insurance. the latter includes stuff like cancer. this story is about a broken leg or skull... or heart attack drugs.

it can't be about health insurance . it's about travel insurance.
 

[Nielsk]

44 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Idiotic, it's bad enough now with the Chinese at DM, imagine the 'queues' for insurance machines, folks with no baht, arguing, kids crying, machines breaking down, laughable.

 

'The requirement is seen as helping to reduce the burden on Thai hospitals who are being forced to treat an increasing number of insured foreigners.'

 

No problem then according to the article if foreigners are insured why is it costing Hospitals?

 

Read: Uninsured  foreigners !!

[Mickmouse1]

Vietnam , Cambodia  and Laos will benefit

[fatdrunkandstupid]

1 minute ago, hansnl said:

In fact, a scheme like this, could generate quite a lot of money for the state hospitals, depending what is covered.

Or it could create quite a lot of money for a few corrupt individuals.

 

What outcome do you think is most likely?

[Toshiba66]

I am not aware of any other country enforcing this. My Thai GF came to Australia for a holiday with no insurance also. This sounds just too crazy. Every week there seems to be something published more stupid than the week before. Is there some kind of competition going on in Government to see who can come up with the biggest dumb arse idea?

[Baerboxer]

28 minutes ago, kotsak said:

The only way this can be enforced is if all tourists need a pre-approved visa in order to enter the country, similar to the Shengen visa. The moment you allow visa exemption the whole thing goes belly up.

 

They could require all air carriers to check that tourists have valid insurance cover at check-in. 

 

In reality, how many people as a % of tourists who visit Thailand do so without purchasing travel insurance and how many as a % have treatment?

 

The issues seem to be accident rather than unexpected illnesses. 

 

This smacks of some bright spark seeing a way of milking extra off visitors. How much would be charged and what would happen to all the surplus not paid out to hospitals? Then of course, as tourist numbers fall, they'll jack the prices up?

 

This idea was touted around by previous governments, IIRC. They all gave it up.

[fforest1]

1 minute ago, ianf said:

And for the expats etc aged over 70 who cannot get insurance. I guess they will be told just to Flip Off?

Insurance for people over 70 years will be available to everyone for 

200,000 baht a month and for over 75 years old at 300,000 baht

a month....The insurance will not cover every thing of course..LOL

 

Ching Ching time to go shopping for that new Benz the policy writers

say.... 

[Thechook]

I understand that it puts a burden on the Thai health system but I also read many stories on Thaivisa where foreigners are held in hospitals until family or friends pay up before they are released from custody.  This also puts a burden on the health system.  Yes I agree all tourists should have travel insurance and all expats insurance.

[IMA_FARANG]

I find that insulting.

As I said before in other posts  in the last 3 months I had  an accident here in Thailand, falling and breaking my left elbow and arm.

I spent over 200,000 Baht in an  operation to reset and rejoin my arm bones in a local Thai hospital..... not to mention the last 3 months of rehabilitation under a doctor"s care here in Bangkok. seeing the surgeon and having  x-rays regularly to check the regrowth of the bones.

From February to June 2017 I have spent nearly 300 K Thai Baht. on medical treatment in a Thai hospital.

At 70 years old, it is difficult and expensive for me to buy medical insurance at my age.

 

 

 

 

[Nielsk]

Staying or vacationing in Thailand without insurance is headless !!

 

[Time Traveller]

1 hour ago, forrwhat said:

How long before scams pop up selling fake insurance at these machines?

 

Being forced to buy something you don't want is a scam.

 

But some government insiders are going to get seriously rich off this, all those dumb foreign sheeple........let's see, 20million tourists x 1000 baht....no, how about 20 million x 10,000 baht,....no no no,  that won't do....make it 20 million x 100,000 baht !!

The sheeple will moan, but they'll still pay

[quadperfect]

8 minutes ago, IMA_FARANG said:

I find that insulting.

As I said before in other posts  in the last 3 months I had  an accident here in Thailand, falling and breaking my left elbow and arm.

I spent over 200,000 Baht in an  operation to reset and rejoin my arm bones in a local Thai hospital..... not to mention the last 3 months of rehabilitation under a doctor"s care here in Bangkok. seeing the surgeon and having  x-rays regularly to check the regrowth of the bones.

From February to June 2017 I have spent nearly 300 K Thai Baht. on medical treatment in a Thai hospital.

At 70 years old, it is difficult and expensive for me to buy medical insurance at my age.

 

 

 

 

You got punked..that just means i think you got ripped off.

[kannot]

I Keep a  few  million in the bank for "what ifs" but dont insure, why dont they just make you sign a document stating "I understand I have no insurance and may die in Thailand" waiver.

[daveAustin]

Hasn't this been floated before? Fair enough if it comes to fruition, they can do what they want, but it will put people off going there in favour of the likes of Vietnam. Bit irritating them whinging about the cost of the small number of tourists getting treated for free (?), but couldn't the government military junta factor this in to the absolutely massive amount of revenue they are already making off of tourism? That or the whole world bandies together and enforces the same thing in-kind on Thai tourists. Ah, wait, they wouldn't do that would they because that would be petty. Anyone loved up with the junta when they came in still in honeymoon mode? 

[SpeakeasyThai]

People will seek alternative holiday locations. Another bright idea  cooked up by someone nothing better to do. Talk about biting the hand that feeds u. Lol.