News Forum - Thailand to require 3 million baht insurance for non- OA immigrant visas

[BlueSphinx]

5 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Not just Russia. Another main market for tourists in Thailand is the U.K.  Numbers here are rising and a call for restrictions to be reimposed. The rise is due to the fact the U.K. removed all restrictions several weeks ago. We are now seeing the impact of that. I wonder how long it will be before the U.K. is removed from Thailand’s safe list?
 

At the weekend I went to a shopping centre and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. It was as if Covid had never existed. Very few people are taking any precautions whatsoever and so now Covid is on the rise again. The same story  will happen in Thailand soon. 

Did you consider the seasonal effect?  It is a Corona virus and these thrive in autumn/winter conditions...

[BlueSphinx]

1 minute ago, Bob20 said:

Yes, but with far less vaccinations I think it will be a different story

Just saying but you think wrong.  I can safely state that being already for ages on your IGNORE list...

[AlexPTY]

4 hours ago, Inlandchris said:

Talked with my lawyer, only applies to tourist wanting a one year stay. Existing retired expat is okay. Its hard to understand messages from the government since everything has to be translated and a lot is lost.

i just got the same message, he said it will not apply to existing NON O visa extensions 

[Soidog]

27 minutes ago, BlueSphinx said:

Did you consider the seasonal effect?  It is a Corona virus and these thrive in autumn/winter conditions...

Yes that’s right, which is why Northern climates are worse. It must also be a reason why more tropical regions such as Thailand have faired better 

[gummy]

2 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Yes that’s right, which is why Northern climates are worse. It must also be a reason why more tropical regions such as Thailand have faired better 

But Brazil has a similar climate but significantly high deaths/infection

[HolyCowCm]

15 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Yes that’s right, which is why Northern climates are worse. It must also be a reason why more tropical regions such as Thailand have faired better 

I don't know, as of today the climate here towards foreign retiree expats seems to be getting rather toxic.

[Stonker]

6 hours ago, Beta said:

Hi In the initial reporting it said Non 0-A visa which is different and NonO visa with  marriage does not require health insurance. Please clarify ?

Exactly - Thai PBS World is very specific that this is for the 'O-A' Visa, and doesn't mention the 'O' Visa at all.

[BlueSphinx]

1 hour ago, Gavinski said:

Thanks for comments. I have checked the Embassy website myself and I can not find any requisite for insurance under the Tourist Visa. Who know what will happen after November1.  Anyway can't  leave Perth WA at all at present our state is locked up.   

EVERYBODY currently entering Thailand must have +100.000 US $ covid-19 coverage insurance for at least the period of the permission to stay for which you will be stamped in on entry.  It is part of the CoE requirements which come on top of the requirements for the Visa for which you applied (if you want to enter VisaExempt, it are only those CoE requirements that are applicable). 

So it quite sensible of the Canberra Thai Embassy to not include those - temporary -  CoE requirements in the Visa application requirements.

[NCC1701A]

wow for a minute there i thought this story was saying as i have a retirement extension of stay i have to get 3 mil in insurance.

but that would not be very scary. 

happy Halloween everybody. 

 

[hondo]

i appreciate these periodic visa scares.  they remind me to stay liquid and prepared to move at a moments notice.  thank buddha i never married a thai or bought property.  if necessary, close the bank accounts, pack a bag, and run to the philippines! 

[Benroon]

5 hours ago, Bob20 said:

As you say "almost certain".

And a year away. And not necessarily a problem.

Those who can afford their own unexpected hospital bills, can also afford the insurance. And if they can't, then no reason to burden Thailand with the bill.

The forum is full of complaints about Thai corruption etc. But those deliberately circumventing the system by applying in Thailand to avoid obtaining a certificate of good behaviour, paying an agency to get an extension of stay without funds in the bank or without insurance, in my opinion do the same and are the cause of ever tighter controls.

Agreed - I know dozens of people completely oblivious as to how close they are to that knock on the door, with others convinced they're doing nothing wrong and its completely legal !!

I've always wondered about the completely illegal agent route - when the day comes where a new wannabee government climber climbing up the greasy poll, gets to his desk and thinks right lets just check out this 'money in the bank' agent circumvention and how widespread it is - swiftly followed by reams of 10 year banning orders getting sent out. If you think it's quiet now .....

 

 

[Faz]

2 hours ago, poohy said:

Careful

There's a immigration officer i know who calls it a retirement visa 

One Immigration officer, I know dozens 

They can't pronounce 'extension', it's a tongue twister. 'Visaaa' is easier.
My wife's English is reasonable, good pronunciation and better than 90% of the Immigration officers I've dealt with, but for the life of her cannot pronounce 'Astra Zeneca', another tongue twister, it's becomes 'Axtzra'.

[ChristyS]

58 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

I don't know, as of today the climate here towards foreign retiree expats seems to be getting rather toxic.

The moves are about flushing out  fixed income retirees who live cheaply. They honestly  think rich ones will choose Thailand  with its gawd awful safety standards, maniacal drivers and poorly educated medical staff.

Sorry Thailand, rich people can go anywhere and afford the best health care, eating out, maids,  massages  and of course Tland's main selling point-  discount sex.   

[HolyCowCm]

3 minutes ago, ChristyS said:

The moves are about flushing out  fixed income retirees who live cheaply. They honestly  think rich ones will choose Thailand  with its gawd awful safety standards, maniacal drivers and poorly educated medical staff.

Sorry Thailand, rich people can go anywhere and afford the best health care, eating out, maids,  massages  and of course Tland's main selling point-  discount sex.   

Ya know I actually do not know what they are truly after other than getting foreigners money, but xenophobic does come close to my thoughts. But this actually goes towards their own people being anyone out of their elite illustrious circle.  I think the big point is if one has dug in and really retires and lives here with or without family and then when a certain age or cannot get health care will be very distraught and displaced after pumping money in settling down and creating a life for them in this place. For me I would rather self fund as I have always done and I certainly have those funds to use when and if I ever need them. That is my choice. You are correct in that what they are doing is going to drive the wealthy and medium income people far away from here. the ones scraping by I am not sure how they will fare, but I hope everyone can get past this or they change or drop it entirely. All I know is since i have kids and dogs and home and my life here for decades now, i will have to jump and do what i can do to stay here.

[Faz]

2 hours ago, Gavinski said:

Thanks for comments. I have checked the Embassy website myself and I can not find any requisite for insurance under the Tourist Visa. Who know what will happen after November1.  Anyway can't  leave Perth WA at all at present our state is locked up.   

If you only stay for up to 90 days on each visit you have an alternative options than the Non O-A Visa.

The single entry Tourist Visa - permits a stay of 60 days on entry and can be extended by a further 30 days for 1,900 baht at a local Immigration office. No Health Insurance requirement.
However currently anyone entering Thailand there is a compulsory requirement to have Covid Insurance for $100,000 (USD) which must cover the period of permitted stay in Thailand.

Tourist Visa: TOURSIT VISA CATEGORY “TR” - Royal Thai Embassy Canberra   60 AUD.

Entry requirements: Requirements under Phuket Sandbox - สถานกงสุลใหญ่ ณ นครซิดนีย์ (thaiembassy.org)

Entry requirements may change for certain nationalities from Nov 1st 2021.

 

[Benroon]

47 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

I don't know, as of today the climate here towards foreign retiree expats seems to be getting rather toxic.

That's often said on expat forums but I don't feel that, have never felt it nor do most I know - the bigger picture is trying to raise the profile of Thailand IMO - since the first day of the dictatorship they have made it quite plain they want rid of Thailands sex industry tag and confine it to the history books - it's evident week in week out. This is another stepping stone in that direction to get people in that can actually afford to live here and not be a potential drain on the economy. whether misguided or not who knows.

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, gummy said:

But Brazil has a similar climate but significantly high deaths/infection

But didn’t the nutter in charge there (Bolsonaro) just let it rip and spread everywhere? Mind you, India had it bad, though some of that could be due to population density.
 

Whatever the reasons, I fail to see how the Thai authorities can see what is going on in other countries; many of whom are more vaccinated, and then think it won’t get worse in Thailand in the coming months. I sometimes think they will let the people have December/Jan getting some income and if they have to lockdown again then do it in late Feb onwards? Or maybe Som Tam protects you. I know nothing hangs around in my gut for too long if I eat it

[Benroon]

Might have missed it but has anyone actually posted the premiums that would be involved ?

[Bob20]

6 minutes ago, Benroon said:

That's often said on expat forums but I don't feel that, have never felt it nor do most I know - the bigger picture is trying to raise the profile of Thailand IMO - since the first day of the dictatorship they have made it quite plain they want rid of Thailands sex industry tag and confine it to the history books - it's evident week in week out. This is another stepping stone in that direction to get people in that can actually afford to live here and not be a potential drain on the economy. whether misguided or not who knows.

I agree. The ones that have the means, will have the means for insurance as well. You can even do it through a non-Thai insurer. Many of our home countries have compulsory health insurance too, so I don't see the big problem except for the ones that can't get insurance here because of age. But perhaps they can get it abroad? At the end of the day, however, it's not up to the Thais to pay for us.

Opinion (written before this whole discussion):

https://thethaiger.com/talk/topic/5035-healthcare-costs-and-insurance/

 

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Stonker said:

Exactly - Thai PBS World is very specific that this is for the 'O-A' Visa, and doesn't mention the 'O' Visa at all.

In a revision to the rules for non-immigrant OA visas,
Thailand requires 3 million baht insurance for 'retirement' visas | Thaiger (thethaiger.com)

Your nit picking a printing or typing error in the article by the author.
 

Quote

The massively increased insurance requirement would be for foreigners with a non-immigrant visa including O Visas and A Visas staying up to one year inside of Thailand.

Which obviously meant a Non O Visa, prefixed with A - as in Non O-A, but the opening paragraph was correct.

[Marc26]

People will still be obsessed with the place and do everything they can to stay.......

It's been that way for decades and will remain that way.....

[Poolie]

30 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

People will still be obsessed with the place and do everything they can to stay.......

It's been that way for decades and will remain that way.....

All the while moaning about road casualties and spiralling ST costs and lack of bars, etc...........

[Marc26]

Just now, Poolie said:

All the while moaning about road casualties and spiralling ST costs and lack of bars, etc...........

I always jump on chat forums for Mexico and other countries I am going to.

Currently on a Puerto Rican forum

You just don't see the whining and moaning that you do in Thai forums

Sure, there are complaints, there will always be valid complaints

 

But why obsess over a country you have so much disdain for? Go somewhere else.....

[Poolie]

7 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I always jump on chat forums for Mexico and other countries I am going to.

Currently on a Puerto Rican forum

You just don't see the whining and moaning that you do in Thai forums

Sure, there are complaints, there will always be valid complaints

But why obsess over a country you have so much disdain for? Go somewhere else.....

Exactly......

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

13 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I always jump on chat forums for Mexico and other countries I am going to.

Currently on a Puerto Rican forum

You just don't see the whining and moaning that you do in Thai forums

Sure, there are complaints, there will always be valid complaints

But why obsess over a country you have so much disdain for? Go somewhere else.....

Then why are you on Thai forums?