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There are plenty of reasons to be happy about having the chance to experience Thailand up close. After all, Thailand is a culture trove like few others on earth. To add to that, friendly and easygoing people and mouth-watering Thai cuisines make the Land of Smiles one of the top destinations for digital nomads. All that being said, you should not forget about securing sufficient health insurance before you hop on the plane. For one thing, sufficient health insurance coverage is a requirement under the Long-Term Resident (LTR) Visa program. And though the quality of Thailand’s public healthcare services is commendable, expats can only access it by paying for it. Language is another reason why public healthcare is not always the preferred choice for expats in Thailand. What all that means is that, oftentimes, private healthcare is the best option for expats in Thailand, including digital nomads. Depending on your plans and situation, you should secure either a long-stay visa insurance plan or an international health insurance plan for your stay in Thailand. Our friends at Pacific Prime Thailand have shared with us their insights, which we’ll share with you here. 1. Long-stay visa insurance This option is for you if you plan on making Thailand your home for a long time. Long-stay visa (LSV) plans will cover you while in Thailand. If you need to be out of Thailand for brief periods, you will need to secure travel insurance to cover potential medical and repatriation expenses while out of Thailand. The main benefit of LSV plans vis-à-vis international health insurance (IHI) plans is that they often cost less for a similar level of protection. The downside, of course, is that every time you go on a trip, you need to make sure the travel insurance you secure is sufficient for your brief time outside Thailand. In addition, the medical coverage of travel insurance plans are often not as comprehensive as what you get under an IHI plan, and the time limit of coverage means you cannot receive long-term treatment outside of Thailand, even if such treatment is beneficial from a medical standpoint. 2. International health insurance If Thailand is only one of the countries you want to explore in the coming years, or you are not sure about your plans at the moment, then you should definitely consider securing an IHI plan. Not only will you be covered wherever you may be (but bear in mind particular countries may be excluded under your plan), the fact that your health plan gives you worldwide coverage also implies that you will have a more comprehensive coverage and wider treatment options even during brief trips outside your country of residence. There is also no need to undergo the underwriting process again, provided your plan has a lifetime renewal guarantee and you keep renewing your coverage. All in all, IHI plans are the “once-and-for-all” option that are also more expensive. You will still need travel insurance for brief trips abroad though, because these plans also protect you against property loss in accidents, theft, lost luggage or passport, and the like. Needless to say, whichever type of health insurance you decide to go for, you should carefully understand the terms and conditions of the plans on your shortlist, including those related to pre-existing conditions, renewal guarantees, waiting periods, etc. Looking for a health insurance plan that meets your needs as a digital nomad? Whether you’ve decided on securing a long-stay visa insurance or an international health insurance plan, look no further because Pacific Prime Thailand is your ideal partner! With more than 20 years of experience, Pacific Prime is well-positioned to apply their expertise and experience in health insurance to provide unbiased advice that only a leading global brokerage can. So, get in touch with Pacific Prime Thailand to discuss your needs, or for a free plan comparison today!

On Wednesday, February 8th, H.E. Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, will be the keynote speaker on “The Environment and Thailand’s Tourism Business ” at the SKAL International Bangkok first Business Luncheon Talk of the year 2023. The event will take place from 11:30am-2:00pm at the Chartrium Residences Sathon, Narathivas 24. Mr. Silpa-archa will be discussing the importance of sustainable development and conservation efforts in Thailand in relations to Thailand’s Tourism. He will also be discussing the role of the private sector in these efforts and how they can work together to achieve a more sustainable future. “We are honored to have Mr. Silpa-archa speak at our first Business Luncheon event in the year 2023,” said James Thurlby, the President of SKAL International Bangkok. “His insights and expertise on sustainable development and conservation will be invaluable to our members and public.” The event will start with a networking cocktails reception at 11.30am, followed by a 3-course western set lunch including wine, beer and coffee. Price for members at 950 baht per person. Price for non-members at 1,590 baht per person. Public are most welcome to come along. For more information on the event or to RSVP, please email to [email protected] For membership application, please email to [email protected] Or visit website : www.skalbangkok.com About SKAL International Bangkok: SKAL International Bangkok is a global organization of travel and tourism professionals who come together to network, exchange ideas, promote the industry that benefits Thailand’s Tourism and public. The organization hosts monthly events featuring keynote speakers on a variety of topics related to travel and tourism at leading hotels in Bangkok allowing leaders and executives from various companies to see wonderful services of Bangkok’s hospitality. Skål International today has approximately 13,000 members in 318 Clubs throughout 96 nations headquartered at the General Secretariat in Torremolinos, Spain. For more information, please visit www.skal.org For Skal International Bangkok please visit: www.skalbangkok.com About the speaker: Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa graduated a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Collage London, United Kingdom and a Master of Business Administration majoring Finance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States of America. He is leader of Chartthaipattana Party. Mr. Varawut dreams to work for the nation and continue the aspirations of his late father, Banharn Silpa-archa, the 21st Prime Minister of Thailand. Since 10 July 2019, he serves as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha. Mr. Varawut works to improve environmental work in Thailand. His main goal is to free Thailand of plastic waste, which will bring Thailand into a new stage in environmental protection. He also was Deputy Minister of Transportation in 2008. He is now 49 years old.

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TAT provides attendees with the latest information on Thailand’s new tourism direction, marketing, product and service offerings, and much more. Phuket, 9 June, 2022 – The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) gave an update on Thailand’s tourism situation, its relaxed entry requirements, its visitor arrivals targets, its new marketing direction, and more, to delegates at the Thailand Travel Mart Plus (TTM+) 2022 which is taking place this week, from 8-10 June, in Phuket. Mr. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing and Communications, said, “Thailand is open and ready to welcome tourists from around the world. Despite the long break the pandemic brought us, we have continued working and over these two years there have been many changes and adjustments in the tourism industry globally and in Thailand. So, we have come up with new directions and marketing communication concepts that are curated to cater to the current trends and make the most memorable visits for our tourists.” All the initiatives including the Special Tourist Visa (STV), Happy Quarantine, the Phuket Sandbox, and the Test & Go quarantine-free entry scheme in November 2021 paving the way to fully reopen and give a total visitor arrival count of 427,869 for the year 2021. For 2022, Thailand has set a target of 7-10 million international tourists and 160 million trips from the domestic market with tourism revenue generation of 1.5 trillion Baht. In the first five months of the year, international arrivals numbered 1.23 million. With the lifting of the Test & Go entry scheme from 1 May, 2022, and a further easing of entry requirements into Thailand effective from 1 June, 2022, TAT is expecting 500,000 international arrivals to the kingdom each month from June to September. During the high season of October to December, that number is forecast to jump to 1 million international arrivals each month. For 2023, the target tourism revenue is 2.4 trillion Baht and 3 trillion Baht in 2024. Determined to reboot Thailand’s vital tourism industry, the Royal Thai Government announced the “Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023” campaign in which travellers the world over are being invited to experience the “Amazing New Chapters” of Thailand. The campaign highlights the abundance of tourism products and services on offer in Thailand, as well as its cultural diversity and richness – all of which are able to fulfil the desires of travellers from A to Z, as Thailand has it all. Spearheading the “Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023” campaign, TAT is focusing on using “storytelling” marketing in order to enrich visitors’ tourism experience and self-value. NFT – or Nature to keep, Food to explore, and Thainess to discover – are the main highlighted products in the “Amazing New Chapters” communication efforts, while the feeling of Experience, Fun, and Love are what travellers will gain during their journeys in Thailand. A New TVC has been launched to present Thailand in a cinematic perspective. The importance of sustainable and responsible tourism is at the forefront of Thailand’s tourism promotion and marketing. Mr. Siripakorn said at the Thailand Product Update: “The pandemic gave us key learning lessons. What Thailand’s tourism industry needs to stay competitive and resilient in the long run is sustainability, in order to balance the economic, social, and environmental elements.” As such, the Thai government’s Bio-Circular-Green or BCG Economy Model is being used to revive the tourism industry with the aim of safe, inclusive and sustainable travel. Conforming to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the BCG model is taking Thai tourism in a new direction, one that is in response to the changing global trends. TAT meanwhile is making Thailand one of the world’s top remote workers-friendly destinations, in response to the growing trend in light of the COVID-19 pandemic of people working remotely while on vacation. With a long-stay visa a priority issue for digital nomads, Thailand is in the process of launching the Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa for four groups – wealthy foreigners, retirees, working foreigners, and specialists. There will be a one-time fee for an LTR visa of 50,000 Baht with a validity of 10 years. Health and wellness is one of the key areas to focus. There is a broad spectrum of programmes to offer from fitness, anti-aging, holistic to traditional treatments by professional specialists with world-class facilities and global standard accreditation present wellness resorts in several destinations; such as, Samut Prakan, Phuket, and Samui. Thailand is also continuing with its role as a top global destination for international events of various nature and size. As the APEC 2022 host, it is the venue for numerous APEC events throughout 2022, including the Eleventh APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting and Sixtieth APEC Tourism Working Group Meeting in Bangkok from 14-20 August – the first time it will host an APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting. Thailand will also push forward the APEC Policy Recommendations on Regenerative Tourism. The MotoGP motorcycle race is set to return this 30 September-2 October at the Buriram International Circuit while Laguna Phuket Triathlon, Southeast Asia’s longest running and most successful triathlon event, will be held on 20 November, 2022. From 15-18 November, 2022, TAT will host the TBEX Asia 2022 event for worldwide travel bloggers, content creators, and influencers in Phuket under the theme of “Diversity of the South: Phuket and Beyond”. Mr. Siripakorn concluded, “Thailand is on the stage of fully reopening, and we are ready to welcome everyone around the world back to the kingdom once again. With the Visit Thailand Year 2022-2023, we would like to open our home country to present some of the kingdom’s many fascinating tourism experiences and hope all travellers will not miss out.” -- © Copyright TAT NEWS 2022-06-09 - Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. 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The inaugural Surf 102.5 FM Cup took place at Monkey & Field on June 5th. Five teams faced off in this 7 a side tournament with Black Mountain emerging as the winners. Both Black Mountain and Vanon Kanong won their first three matches, beating Nong Hoi, Hua Hin City A and Hua Hin City B. They faced off in the final game which was a winner takes all decider. Black Mountain made a strong start and were putting the pressure on the Vanon Kanon defenders. The breakthrough came when the team in white were awarded a free kick close to the right hand touchline. Phakin Calermkas, 9, is a master at dead ball situations and looked extremely confident. Sure enough he curled a left footed effort into the top right hand corned to give Black Mountain a 1-0 lead. Vanon Kanong started to press hard for an equalizer but were denied by some fine goalkeeping from Lev Duisterwinkel, 10. The atmosphere was tense as the game moved into injury time with Black Mountain desperately hanging on to a slender lead. But the contest was settled with the final kick of the game. Archie Wills, 10, burst through from centre midfield and had the composure to pick out Patrick Goyder, 8, who fired in from close range with the ball cannoning off the crossbar and into the back of the net. It was an impressive showing from Black Mountain who won all three matches without conceding a single goal. Vanon Kanong had to settle for the runners up trophy while Hua Hin City A finished in third place. Richard Buckle, from Surf 102.5 FM, said, “It was a very enjoyable morning and we are proud to support this event. The match between Black Mountain and Vanon Kanong was really dramatic and we are proud to support this event and to see so many children getting the chance to play competitive football.”

Residents who consider the destination are significantly more likely to say that travel advertising on social media, travel websites and free-to-view TV channels grabs their attention Japan is reopening its borders to travellers from 98 countries and regions next month, after being closed to foreign tourists since 2020. Latest data from YouGov DestinationIndex shows that Japan is by far the top overseas travel destination on the minds of consumers in Thailand: over half say they would consider visiting Japan for their next vacation (49%). Meanwhile, almost three in five are considering a domestic holiday trip within Thailand (59%), and one in three are thinking of visiting South Korea (33%). More than half of consumers aged 25-54 are considering Japan for their next vacation, especially those aged 45-54 (56%). In comparison, just under half of the youngest consumers aged 16-24 (49%) and the oldest consumers aged 55 and older (48%) would consider travelling to Japan for their next holiday. Where then are travel advertisements most effective in targeting Thais considering Japan for their next trip? Latest data from YouGov Global Travel Profiles also reveals that Thais who are considering visiting Japan are significantly more likely than the average Thai consumer to say that travel advertising on social media, travel websites and free-to-view TV channels grabs their attention. Methodology: YouGov DestinationIndex collects data on hundreds of destinations around the world every day. All data are collected over a 52-week period and rounded to the nearest whole number. Learn more about YouGov DestinationIndex. YouGov Global Travel Profiles tracks consumer demand and attitudes worldwide towards travel across 25 markets, which is collected daily and updated bi-weekly. It offers a holistic view of the global travel market, including granular insights on brand consideration, preferred locations, booking methods, accommodation and transportation preferences. Learn more about YouGov Global Travel Profiles.