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

[HolyCowCm]

2 hours 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 think Thaksin started a drive back then on his own agenda. He was pushing to make it into his own little Singapore back then.  Since then been up and down and then the Chinese and now more crunch.  The Junta is just always trying to up the ante on his doings.
 

Drain on the economy? We already pay our own ways more than ever than ever before. As for girly bars and stuff, it is too ingrained into their culture and not just a venue for foreigners. There are a lot of things that look evident but maybe not. I think some of what you say is maybe true and even I have said the same as you just did in this forum recently, but I think they ultimately just want to put their dinosaur mark and stranglehold everything as they just don’t t care as it really doesn’t effect them in their life as they live. I don’t think that stigma is so much in Thailand anymore. Look at street carts and crushing that way of life for Thai. Not just aimed at us. 
My real opinion is they are just trying to do what Thakskin was trying to do and make it into their own little iron fisted Singapore. And yes I believe it is based a lot on Xenophobia and snotty. So those of us will have to jump and those of us will have to pack up and go if it gets worse. The losers won’t be them but it will be the good Thai folk who will be the big losers as people will go somewhere else.  But let’s wait and see what happens as how many more turns of the screw they will do. 
 

 

[Marc26]

19 minutes ago, DoUKnowWhoIAm said:

Then why are you on Thai forums? 

My wife is Thai, my stepson is Thai, we go to Thailand quite frequently

 

Just don't whine and moan like half the BM's on here do.....

[Freeduhdumb]

8 hours ago, longwood50 said:

First point, if there was truly a problem with foreigners running up insurance bills and not paying there are other ways to address that.  Personally, I don't believe it.  If I go to a hospital and want service, I am required to pay often in advance for treatment.  A friend of mine who is Thai was fell and had a badly broken leg that required surgery.  She went to Bangkok hospital that required she pay in advance for her treatment.  The simple solution "if there really is a problem" is to require a payment of perhaps 1,000 to 5,000 baht for the visa extension and put that money in a fund to be used to reimburse hospitals for bills incurred by foreigners that go unpaid. 

Are these people that delusional that they can not see the result of this policy.  Any foreigner considering Thailand for retirement will immediately exclude it knowing that eventually they will not be able to obtain or afford the required health insurance.  Those foreigners already here will be forced to liquidate their condo's and homes and move elsewhere causing prices to plummet.  That will impact not just the foreigners but the value of those residences owned by Thai's.  Seeing the value of their home now worth less than what they owe, Thai's will walk away from their homes leaving the banks with huge losses from repossessed properties. 

At the very least, even the consideration of this as a proposal has negative consequences.  Those considering retiring here will now pause or choose someplace else and those already here may out of caution sell their residence and head to exit Thailand seeing that the value of their residence and even their ability to stay here is in peril. 

Good points. The question now becomes, will the non-immigrant O based up marriage/retirement and elite visas also be subject to the insurance policy rule in the future? Because those are the obvious outs/options for a retiree who is unable to obtain health insurance.

Edited October 20, 2021 by Freeduhdumb

[Rookiescot]

Well done Thailand.

You broke it.

HELLO VIETNAM !!!!!

[Marc26]

So I did a quote search

 

World Nomads had 5mil cad dollars coverage for a 49yr old at 870/yr

I then did a search for a 63yr old and it would be 1900/yr

 

That sounds prety inline and reasonable, no?

 

Wouldn't you have that type of insurance regardless?

https://pp.worldnomads.com/Quote

 

[HolyCowCm]

12 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

So I did a quote search

World Nomads had 5mil cad dollars coverage for a 49yr old at 870/yr

I then did a search for a 63yr old and it would be 1900/yr

That sounds prety inline and reasonable, no?

Wouldn't you have that type of insurance regardless?

https://pp.worldnomads.com/Quote

Doesn’t cover 65 and over 

[Marc26]

27 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

Doesn’t cover 65 and over 

But wouldn't that be the case regardless of any country requirements?

 

I guess my question is what were people doing before?

Wouldn't people have insurance regardless? Seems crazy to me they wouldn't

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Marc26 said:

So I did a quote search

World Nomads had 5mil cad dollars coverage for a 49yr old at 870/yr

I then did a search for a 63yr old and it would be 1900/yr

That sounds prety inline and reasonable, no?

Wouldn't you have that type of insurance regardless?

https://pp.worldnomads.com/Quote

Except ...........

 

  

8 hours ago, BlueSphinx said:

When applying for the Non Imm O-A Visa - which can only be done at the Thai Embassy of your home-country or country of permanent residence - also foreign health-insurance is accepted  that meets the 400K/40K in/out-patient requirements.  But in such case your insurer has to fill-in and sign the Foreign Insurance Certificate, and since that FIC does refer to Thai legislation which your foreign insurer will not be familiar with many are reluctant to sign that document.

But once in Thailand  and when applying for the 1-year extension of stay based on your original Non Imm O-A Visa for reason of retirement, Thai Immigration will ONLY accept the 400K/40K health-insurance when issued by by a TGIA-associated THAI insurer.

Foreign Insurance certificate.

 

 

 

[Marc26]

18 minutes ago, Faz said:

Except ...........

Foreign Insurance certificate.

So are the Thai insurer's charging over the top premiums?

 

I guess my point is, if I were living abroad, anywhere, I would have insurance

The 900cad quoted for me, seems pretty much inline with what I would expect to pay for insurance for a year

[Faz]

9 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

So are the Thai insurer's charging over the top premiums?

https://longstay.tgia.org/

There are a number of Insurers to choose from, but the Insurance must be purchased through the TGIA website for extension applications. Prices will depend on age and any pre existing conditions.
LMG are know to offer the cheapest almost throw away policy, but it meets the requirements.
Immigration can 'log in' to this site to confirm the policy details.

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Marc26 said:

So I did a quote search

World Nomads had 5mil cad dollars coverage for a 49yr old at 870/yr

As your married to a Thai Marc, why would you even consider the Non Imm O-A which is applied for purely on the basis of retirement. Non Imm O Visa > annual extension of stay based marriage - no mandatory Health Insurance requirement.

You can have your own voluntary Health Insurance policy from an Insurer of your choice.

[Bob20]

1 minute ago, Faz said:

 

Faz, maybe you've covered it elsewhere, but if a retirement O-A can be exchanged for a retirement O, basically the same except for level of money in the bank and insurance, why do they have two different setups for the same situation?

[Marc26]

18 minutes ago, Faz said:

As your married to a Thai Marc, why would you even consider the Non Imm O-A which is applied for purely on the basis of retirement. Non Imm O Visa > annual extension of stay based marriage - no mandatory Health Insurance requirement.

You can have your own voluntary Health Insurance policy from an Insurer of your choice.

I was curious about the whole thing, I don't need it

 

I guess I am just confused, I would think people would have health insurance that covers that amount if living abroad

[Faz]

You either apply for a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O Visa from a Thai Embassy.
You cannot change a Non Imm O-A Visa to a Non O Visa within Thailand.

If you were on an extension of stay (permit, not a Visa) issued by Thai Immigration from entry of a Non Imm O-A Visa, you'd have to exit Thailand without a re-entry permit to cancel the permission of stay granted, then apply for a Non Imm O to re-enter Thailand, or re-enter VE or a Tourist Visa then apply for the change to Non O at Immigration.

Your annual extension applications would then be based on the Non O Visa (not the Non O-A) which has no requirement for mandatory Health Insurance based on either retirement or Thai spouse.

Alternatively if entered on a Non Imm O-A Visa but were married, or married a Thai, you can change the reason for the extension from retirement to Thai spouse. The mandatory Health Insurance only applies to Non Imm O-A Visa applications (Thai Embassy) and applications to extend your stay (Immigration) based on retirement. It does not apply to applications to extend your stay (Immigration) if based on the reason of marriage, even if you entered on a Non Imm O-A Visa.

[Bob20]

13 minutes ago, Faz said:

You either apply for a Non Imm O-A or Non Imm O Visa from a Thai Embassy.
You cannot change a Non Imm O-A Visa to a Non O Visa within Thailand.

If you were on an extension of stay (permit, not a Visa) issued by Thai Immigration from entry of a Non Imm O-A Visa, you'd have to exit Thailand without a re-entry permit to cancel the permission of stay granted, then apply for a Non Imm O to re-enter Thailand, or re-enter VE or a Tourist Visa then apply for the change to Non O at Immigration.

Your annual extension applications would then be based on the Non O Visa (not the Non O-A) which has no requirement for mandatory Health Insurance based on either retirement or Thai spouse.

Alternatively if entered on a Non Imm O-A Visa but were married, or married a Thai, you can change the reason for the extension from retirement to Thai spouse. The mandatory Health Insurance only applies to Non Imm O-A Visa applications (Thai Embassy) and applications to extend your stay (Immigration) based on retirement. It does not apply to applications to extend your stay (Immigration) if based on the reason of marriage, even if you entered on a Non Imm O-A Visa.

I understand and read it from you in other posts before. But I wondered why I basically can cancel ext.of stay O-A, re-enter as tourist and then acquire an O, allowing me the same annual extensions based on retirement but with half the money in the bank and no health insurance. Why the different requirements for what is basically the same?

[Faz]

32 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I guess I am just confused, I would think people would have health insurance that covers that amount if living abroad

The costing of the mandatory Health Insurance is geared to meet the private hospital cost.
You previously quoted;

1 hour ago, Marc26 said:

The 900cad quoted for me, seems pretty much inline with what I would expect to pay for insurance for a year

That's the equivalent of 24, 370 baht for 1 year at age 49. When your 70 that cost will be triple if not quadruple and will increase by age and claims.
I have sufficient funds to self Insure, the Insurers and private hospitals are vultures.

@ThailandBob earlier quoted he had a 4 hour surgical procedure with 3 night stay for 101K THB, which he considered a bargain and I'm guessing that was a private hospital.
In contrast, in 8 years, I've had two surgical procedures, appendix removal and a groin hernia and spent 3 nights in total in a private room, in a Government hospital at a total cost of 26,000 BHT.

[Marc26]

27 minutes ago, Faz said:

The costing of the mandatory Health Insurance is geared to meet the private hospital cost.
You previously quoted;

That's the equivalent of 24, 370 baht for 1 year at age 49. When your 70 that cost will be triple if not quadruple and will increase by age and claims.
I have sufficient funds to self Insure, the Insurers and private hospitals are vultures.

@ThailandBob earlier quoted he had a 4 hour surgical procedure with 3 night stay for 101K THB, which he considered a bargain and I'm guessing that was a private hospital.
In contrast, in 8 years, I've had two surgical procedures, appendix removal and a groin hernia and spent 3 nights in total in a private room, in a Government hospital at a total cost of 26,000 BHT.

Totally understood now, was just curious

Thanks for the info.......

It should be geared towards the public hospitals and if you take out that insurance, you can only use the public hospitals

If you want private hospital care, it is at a higher premium

That would make sense for everyone involved......

[Faz]

1 hour ago, Bob20 said:

I understand and read it from you in other posts before. But I wondered why I basically can cancel ext.of stay O-A, re-enter as tourist and then acquire an O, allowing me the same annual extensions based on retirement but with half the money in the bank and no health insurance. Why the different requirements for what is basically the same?

The Non O-A Visa permits a stay of 1 year on entry. If used to it's potential, you can stay for almost 2 years without applying for a new Visa (Thai Embassy). There is no requirement to keep funds in a Thai bank during this potential 2 year stay, it can remain in your foreign bank. The Non Imm O-A Visa can only be applied for purely on the basis of retirement.

The Non O Visa permits a stay of only 90 days.
The Non O can be applied for on the basis of retirement, Thai family/spouse, voluntary work, medical treatment, to attend a judicial process, or to work as a diplomats housekeeper.

The requirement to have funds in a Thai bank account only applies when applying to extend your permission of stay at an Immigration office, in short 400K based on marriage, 800K based on retirement regardless of whether a Non O or Non Imm O- A Visa.

Of these two Visa types the mandatory Health Insurance only applies to the Non O-A Visa.
When it was first introduced as a requirement in 2019, many thought it would only apply to the Non O-A Visa application, but Immigration decided it should be retrospectively applied to extension applications from a Non Imm O-A Visa type. Thus the precedence was set.

Don't ask why, Thai logic and I wouldn't like to speculate on their reason for that decision.

[Soidog]

7 hours 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.....

You should be a marketing man for The Thaiger. Encourage everyone to accept life as it is and stop complaining (whining/moaning) and close this forum down. 

[KT50]

Can their stupidity get any worse?  

[AussieBob]

14 hours ago, Gavinski said:

I have had several Retirement Visas issued by the Canberra Embassy pre Covid. I am wondering what the insurance requirements for a 90 day tourist visa, will be. We usually travel back to Oz every 3 months or so anyway and the insurance requirements for Retirement Visa may now be too expensive. Really want to come back for a least shorter visits.

Travel Insurance is all you need - and it is a lot cheaper than those mandatory  policies. You can get travel insurance for up to 12 months - and then you can extend it for another 3-6 months. Check the company policy details - and only ever buy from an Aust company - otherwise you might end up with a policy from the Thailand franchise of an international company. Always check who the policy underwriter is. 

[Inlandchris]

“whining and moaning“

I hear that a lot from foreigners on Thailand forums, why? Not happy with life here? Born on the wrong side of the train tracks? Want something for nothing?

just leave and let Thailand have some peace.

[Chaimai]

16 hours ago, ThailandBob said:

This is a deal killer for me, as I won't be insurable yet have ฿11.3 M in real estate here.

WOW!

 

How did you manage to buy 11.3m of real estate in your own name?

[MikeTexas]

I'm pretty sure they know exactly what they are doing and the results this change will have.

As Thailand releases plan after plan to lure back tourists, many complain that the complicated entry process, the rising costs, and constant changes to immigration policy not to the benefit of international travellers seems to be simultaneously pushing away the same expats with money that the country espouses to be courting.

They want short-term tourist that come, spend a lot of money, and then.....go home.  Not the people that come over, live modestly, and stay long-term and enjoy the country.  Of course most of the farang problems seem to come from the short-term tourist so go figure.  Maybe they are tired of seeing the gray haired guys with the 20 somethings on the back of their scooters.    Thailand's official motto should be - "If you want to stay - you have got to pay.  And if you can pay, wait until next year as we raise the rates." 

I've said it before - Vietnam is the next Thailand. The more difficult Thailand makes it to enjoy the country the more attractive Vietnam looks. 

[Chaimai]

13 hours 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. 

The Number of infections is largely irrelevant - it is simply a derivative of the amount of testing undertaken.

 

ICU admissions and deaths are the acid test of whether a country has learned to live with Covid.