Mandatory health insurance for over 50s in Thailand only affects those on Non-Immigrant Visa O-A

[AAArdvark]

7 minutes ago, rocketman777 said:

Exactly - I came here 18 years ago on a Non O, which I had always thought was required prior to obtaining an 'extension of stay based on Retirement.'

I have never renewed my Non O but it remains in on my passport.

Has it expired ?

So if you do not need an Non O what type of visa 'is' required to apply for 'extension of stay based on Retirement.'

In 18 years you must have replaced your passport at least once.  Curious, the extension of stay must have been transferred to the new passport, was the visa?

[bigginhill]

5 hours ago, losername said:

I am suspicious of this also.  My O stamp is actually a big red stamp issued in UK but I also had to provide the police check and medical report.  O and O-A sound exactly the same to me and, until someone can tell me what the difference is, I will not believe that I, as an O, am off the hook.  Furthermore the carry forward stamps on my new passport also clearly state O.

Exactly. I have a visa O and a permit of stay for retirement. 

Also why would the O A visa holder be a bigger risk than the subsequent year retirement permit holder? 

[cracker1]

It is clear to me that the Insurance requirement applies to O-A Visa holders but what is unclear to me is why the Government is only selecting this group and not Non O extension holders.....................or all visitors to the country ?

[youreavinalaff]

10 minutes ago, bigginhill said:

I am suspicious of this also.  My O stamp is actually a big red stamp issued in UK but I also had to provide the police check and medical report.  O and O-A sound exactly the same to me and, until someone can tell me what the difference is, I will not believe that I, as an O, am off the hook.  Furthermore the carry forward stamps on my new passport also clearly state O.

Read the report again. That gives you all the answers you need. O-A only. 

[otherstuff1957]

5 minutes ago, cracker1 said:

but what is unclear to me is why the Government is only selecting this group

The fact that the Minister of Health referred to 38 million A-O Visa holders leads me to believe that

1. The Minister should go back to playing with tanks because he obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. And

2. Once they figure out that only 1% or so of the visitors to Thailand are O-A Visa holders they will expand the rule to all expats who are over 50.

[madmen]

2 minutes ago, otherstuff1957 said:

The fact that the Minister of Health referred to 38 million A-O Visa holders leads me to believe that

1. The Minister should go back to playing with tanks because he obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. And

2. Once they figure out that only 1% or so of the visitors to Thailand are O-A Visa holders they will expand the rule to all expats who are over 50.

Nah as usual the real numbers were lost in translation. Reporters are woeful here, happens time and time again

[Mike Teavee]

7 hours ago, Changoverandout said:

As has been stated oftentimes before 

O-A only!

If you believe that then I have a bridge for sale... 

 

Joking aside, how can anybody say that it makes any kind of sense for somebody to prove they have insurance when applying for the Visa (In their own country) but not when extending it... and if this were the case why would the Thai Companies get involved (Can you purchase 1 of the approved policies if you don't live in Thailand)? 

 

Or are we saying that people who get a Non-OA in their own country have to have insurance & maintain this when they get their yearly Extensions but insurance is not mandatory for people who are on a 1 year non O ME Visa (like me) when they get their 1 year extensions?

 

Sorry, you may believe the word of the guy in Hua Hin but I'd put good money that by the end of the year he is proven wrong.

 

 

 

[PaDavid]

Thank you so much for clearing that up. 

[Mike Teavee]

7 hours ago, anchadian said:

From day one this applied only to non-immigrant visa O-A.

 

Too much speculation.

From day 1 this applied to the O-X & at that time there was speculation it would apply to Non-OA/Non-O Visas....

 

So I guess the speculation was at least partially correct... 

 

[marcusarelus]

3 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

on

The quote I posted on, "That article does says that but it also says:

 Thailand on a long-stay visa will likely have to buy health insurance from July onwards"

 

You are quoting out of date information in this thread instead of the article that is the topic of this thread. 

[madmen]

9 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

If you believe that then I have a bridge for sale... 

 

Joking aside, how can anybody say that it makes any kind of sense for somebody to prove they have insurance when applying for the Visa (In their own country) but not when extending it... and if this were the case why would the Thai Companies get involved (Can you purchase 1 of the approved policies if you don't live in Thailand)? 

 

Or are we saying that people who get a Non-OA in their own country have to have insurance & maintain this when they get their yearly Extensions but insurance is not mandatory for people who are on a 1 year non O ME Visa (like me) when they get their 1 year extensions?

 

Sorry, you may believe the word of the guy in Hua Hin but I'd put good money that by the end of the year he is proven wrong.

 

 

 

HH guy is just  confirming it. The original announcement came from higher up. You've been told twice now but still prefer your crystal ball?

[Mike Teavee]

14 minutes ago, madmen said:

HH guy is just  confirming it. The original announcement came from higher up. You've been told twice now but still prefer your crystal ball?

I prefer to apply logic & think beyond what is printed into the news.... 

 

There's a pile of sand over there to bury your head into if you choose to do otherwise.

 

Edit to add he was wrong off the bat... these regs 1st came in for the Non-OX so how can anybody believe they only apply to a Non-OA... 

 

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

If you believe that then I have a bridge for sale... 

 

Joking aside, how can anybody say that it makes any kind of sense for somebody to prove they have insurance when applying for the Visa (In their own country) but not when extending it... and if this were the case why would the Thai Companies get involved (Can you purchase 1 of the approved policies if you don't live in Thailand)? 

 

Or are we saying that people who get a Non-OA in their own country have to have insurance & maintain this when they get their yearly Extensions but insurance is not mandatory for people who are on a 1 year non O ME Visa (like me) when they get their 1 year extensions?

 

Sorry, you may believe the word of the guy in Hua Hin but I'd put good money that by the end of the year he is proven wrong.

 

 

 

You are not, as you say, extending a visa. The visa finishes. later you get an extension of stay.

 

Thai immigration doesn't issue renew or extend Visa's. (exception being a temp O visa as part of a conversion to an extension)

Thai immigration issues 2 things, permit to stay stamps and extension of stay stamps.

 

 

[Mike Teavee]

6 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

You are not, as you say, extending a visa. The visa finishes. later you get an extension of stay.

 

Thai immigration doesn't issue renew or extend Visa's. (exception being a temp O visa as part of a conversion to an extension)

Thai immigration issues 2 things, permit to stay stamps and extension of stay stamps.

 

 

Exactly... and the original announcement spoke to Issuing/Renewing Non-OA Visa at Thai Immigration... Neither of which are (officially) possible.

 

Most reasonable people would accept that by Renew they mean Extend (the Permit to Stay) but by same yardstick most people would accept that renewing an extension to stay on the basis of being over 50 for 1 year carries the same "Risks" whether your original Visa said Non-OA or Non-O

 

An argument could be made that it's the same with Non-O for Marriage.... even 1 year granted as part of a Thai Elite... 

 

[johnnycthedog]

I apply for a Non Immigrant O-A Visa with multiple entry every year in my home country of Australia. I take multiple trips to Thailand using that visa and would spend more than 6 months every year in Thailand and neighbouring countries. However I do not have a residence in Thailand.

 

I always take out high level travel insurance.  My visa is granted upon providing evidence of more than 65K in monthly income by way of guaranteed pension income. I always have a return ticket booked.

 

From commentary on this topic to date it appears that it will not be the job of the Immigration staff to check whether or not the O-A visa holder has health insurance but rather the Thai Embassy or Consulate when the application is lodged.

 

It will be interesting to see what approach the Thai Embassy will take in future applications. Whether they will demand a full 12 month health cover sourced from Thailand or whether travel insurance covering the period away will be sufficient.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Exactly... and the original announcement spoke to Issuing/Renewing Non-OA Visa at Thai Immigration... Neither of which are (officially) possible.

 

Most reasonable people would accept that by Renew they mean Extend (the Permit to Stay) but by same yardstick most people would accept that renewing an extension to stay on the basis of being over 50 for 1 year carries the same "Risks@ whether your original Visa said Non-OA or Non-O

 

An argument could be made that it's the same with Non-O for Marriage.... even 1 year granted as part of a Thai Elite... 

 

Why wind yourself up?

 

The article, and the original article form a few weeks back, clearly stated "O-A Visas" only.

 

There are other regulations in place for extensions of stay such as money in the bank or proof of income being paid into a Thai bank account.

[swissie]

6 hours ago, JamesBlond said:

Not to wrangle over this, but when it comes to insurance, where is the logic in differentiating between retirees on a visa and those on an extension of stay?

This makes perfect sense: Everybody knows that only O-A guys get sick. Those on Retirement/Marriage extension never get sick!

[Mike Teavee]

5 hours ago, HuaHinHim said:

So I have the O-A visa in my passport which was issued based on marriage to a Thai and we also have a child. So that means I need insurance or not? Clear as mud

You cannot get a Non O-A on the basis of marriage or supporting a Thai Child, that's a Non-O.... 

 

You may have originally moved to Thailand on the Basis of a Non OA but that would have been "Retirement" (Over 50) 

[marcusarelus]

9 minutes ago, johnnycthedog said:

I apply for a Non Immigrant O-A Visa with multiple entry every year in my home country of Australia. I take multiple trips to Thailand using that visa and would spend more than 6 months every year in Thailand and neighbouring countries. However I do not have a residence in Thailand.

 

I always take out high level travel insurance.  My visa is granted upon providing evidence of more than 65K in monthly income by way of guaranteed pension income. I always have a return ticket booked.

 

From commentary on this topic to date it appears that it will not be the job of the Immigration staff to check whether or not the O-A visa holder has health insurance but rather the Thai Embassy or Consulate when the application is lodged.

 

It will be interesting to see what approach the Thai Embassy will take in future applications. Whether they will demand a full 12 month health cover sourced from Thailand or whether travel insurance covering the period away will be sufficient.

Why apply every year when it's good for 2 years? 

[Peterw42]

11 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Exactly... and the original announcement spoke to Issuing/Renewing Non-OA Visa at Thai Immigration... Neither of which are (officially) possible.

Why quote the original announcement, this Thread and others have shown it was not correct.

 

The word renew or any confusion about its meaning is not in the OP.

 

Quote: "Prachuap Khiri Khan Immigration told Thaivisa that the new requirements only affect people seeking Non-Immigrant Visa O-A."

 

Notice the word renew is no longer used.

[Mike Teavee]

25 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

Why wind yourself up?

The article, and the original article form a few weeks back, clearly stated "O-A Visas" only.

 

There are other regulations in place for extensions of stay such as money in the bank or proof of income being paid into a Thai bank account.

The reason it winds me up so much is though I have a 1 year Non-O ME (Only got it due to the clamp down on frequent visitors, I visit 20 or so times a year), I still live & work in Singapore but plan to make the move full time (already have Condo here) in January, reading statements from so called "Officials" which simply don't make sense (Haven't seen one yet on this subject that an imbecile couldn't point out flaws in) is making me have 2nd thoughts.

 

If you're committed to Thailand already & are choosing to read what you want into these flawed statements then I genuinely hope you're right (And I do genuinely hope I'm wrong & what they end up implementing really does makes no sense at all), but it's a different ballgame when you're having to choose to do it.

 

[Mike Teavee]

17 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Why quote the original announcement, this Thread and others have shown it was not correct.

 

The word renew or any confusion about its meaning is not in the OP.

 

Quote: "Prachuap Khiri Khan Immigration told Thaivisa that the new requirements only affect people seeking Non-Immigrant Visa O-A."

 

Notice the word renew is no longer used.

Huh?  Who made the original announcement no longer relevant & how is this one more valid (I understood the 1st one came from a more senior / official source).

 

The reason I quoted it was to show that these official announcements cannot be relied on - how is the guy from HH Immigration going to impact a Non-OA Visa Issuance in Timbuktu?

 

And... again... If it's only  Visa's obtained in your own country WHY are the Thai Insurance companies the only ones listed on the "Official" approved insurance list & can you even apply for one of these if you don't currently live in Thailand (Which I would imagine a large proportion of the Non-OA Visa applicants wouldn't)

 

Edit: I've already pointed out that this announcement is not accurate (It states ONLY NON-OA & we all know the rules originated from the Non-OX) so have shown it to be incorrect, why bother commenting on it.

 

 

 

[madmen]

6 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Huh?  Who made the original announcement no longer relevant & how is this one more valid (I understood the 1st one came from a more senior / official source).

 

The reason I quoted it was to show that these official announcements cannot be relied on - how is the guy from HH Immigration going to impact a Non-OA Visa Issuance in Timbuktu?

 

And... again... If it's only  Visa's obtained in your own country WHY are the Thai Insurance companies the only ones listed on the "Official" approved insurance list & can you even apply for one of these if you don't currently live in Thailand (Which I would imagine a large proportion of the Non-OA Visa applicants wouldn't)

 

 

 The original release said that you can also get Insurance from your home country as LONG a sit meets 400/40k. But anyone wanting the local insurance can go online and buy it..Internet is pretty amazing these days

 

What do you do with your time outside of being a pro scare mongerer ????

[Peterw42]

2 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Huh?  Who made the original announcement no longer relevant & how is this one more valid (I understood the 1st one came from a more senior / official source).

 

The reason I quoted it was to show that these official announcements cannot be relied on - how is the guy from HH Immigration going to impact a Non-OA Visa Issuance in Timbuktu?

 

And... again... If it's only  Visa's obtained in your own country WHY are the Thai Insurance companies the only ones listed on the "Official" approved insurance list & can you even apply for one of these if you don't currently live in Thailand (Which I would imagine a large proportion of the Non-OA Visa applicants wouldn't)

 

 

The first announcement came from the ministry of health, and it was clear they didnt really know how OA visa's work. Subsiquent announcements (like this thread) have come from immigration to clear up the misunderstanding.

 

OX visa's list the same thai insurance companies for the specific insurance required, I presume the OA will operate in the same manner, you get the visa then there is a check-in with immigration when you arrive to show you have taken up the insurance.

Nowadays you can actually buy thai insurance via a website with a credit card from your home country if required.

[madmen]

56 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I prefer to apply logic & think beyond what is printed into the news.... 

 

There's a pile of sand over there to bury your head into if you choose to do otherwise.

 

Edit to add he was wrong off the bat... these regs 1st came in for the Non-OX so how can anybody believe they only apply to a Non-OA... 

 

Your gonna have a heart attack LOL

Go for a walk dude. have a beer, rent a girl , get out into the real world away from your PC your a bundle of nerves right now

[Mike Teavee]

6 minutes ago, madmen said:

 The original release said that you can also get Insurance from your home country as LONG a sit meets 400/40k. But anyone wanting the local insurance can go online and buy it..Internet is pretty amazing these days

 

What do you do with your time outside of being a pro scare mongerer ????

Keeping my head out of the sand ???? 

 

Joking aside, as I said a couple of posts back I am at the stage where I'm jumping in & when I see these completely illogical arguments/thinking it concerns me about going in nuts deep.

 

Fortunately which ever way it goes, it doesn't really impact me (53, touch wood healthy no priors & budgeted 10k THB pm for health insurance) BUT what makes me uncomfortable is the seemingly randomness of the rules.. 

[Mike Teavee]

7 minutes ago, madmen said:

Your gonna have a heart attack LOL

Go for a walk dude. have a beer, rent a girl , get out into the real world away from your PC your a bundle of nerves right now

LMFAO... I've got beer, no need to rent a girl & very much live in the real world... 

 

When was the last time you left the house, that wasn't to your local watering hole?

 

Edit: Only sat in front of my laptop (With beer) is because I have an early flight back to SG tomorrow, what's your excuse/plans? 

[madmen]

1 minute ago, Mike Teavee said:

LMFAO... I've got beer, no need to rent a girl & very much live in the real world... 

 

When was the last time you left the house, that wasn't to your local watering hole?

See now your just being nasty. Was only trying to help...keep pumping the key board drama, knock yourself out ! Im out for a beer ????

[Mike Teavee]

9 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

The first announcement came from the ministry of health, and it was clear they didnt really know how OA visa's work. Subsiquent announcements (like this thread) have come from immigration to clear up the misunderstanding.

 

OX visa's list the same thai insurance companies for the specific insurance required, I presume the OA will operate in the same manner, you get the visa then there is a check-in with immigration when you arrive to show you have taken up the insurance.

Nowadays you can actually buy thai insurance via a website with a credit card from your home country if required.

So this one is more valid because it comes from some guy in HH..

And you "Presume"... so that makes it all ok then?

 

I'm not being argumentative, you can see where I'm going here, my original post commented that you cannot just accept this only applies to Non-OAs (Which we've already agreed it doesn't)... 

 

 

Think I've made my point so I'll leave it now :} 

[Mike Teavee]

2 minutes ago, madmen said:

See now your just being nasty. Was only trying to help...keep pumping the key board drama, knock yourself out ! Im out for a beer ????

Lol.. Knock myself out!!!  See the other thread on mandatory Health Insurance, I literally did that coming out of the BTS on Sunday & ended up in Sukv Hospital with a 15K bill

 

Have 2 insurances one of which should cover it (hopefully corporate as it wont impact my private renewal), will work that out when I'm back in the office on Monday... 

 

Enjoy your Beer(sssssssss) ????