Thai authorities moot compulsory travel insurance for travellers

[Chazar]

perfect 20 baht for 30 days = 0.66666666666baht a day x 365 days = 243 baht a year so us LONG STAYERS  will  end up paying that right?

[marcusarelus]

6 hours ago, keith101 said:

Is this for the whole stay or per day 

Gee you must be a star reporter who would have thought to ask a question like that?

[Chelseafan]

2 hours ago, RobboR said:

And then the money will be siphoned off and they will have to increase it to pay for the theft

You're too cynical....but most probably....

At least it's an (in theory) easy solution.

 

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, Chazar said:

perfect 20 baht for 30 days = 0.66666666666baht a day x 365 days = 243 baht a year so us LONG STAYERS  will  end up paying that right?

Just make a border run and come back in.  

[Chelseafan]

11 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

A good idea, but in practise? What about making a claim? No chance! Pay first for tratment and forget about getting a refund. T.I.T

 

Health care is not that good in most state run hospitals. I'm sure the propossed Thai health insurance would not cover treatment in a private hospital?

 

If Thai state schools cannot provide health insurance to non Thai teachers, as Thai schools are supposed to, how would such a Thai health care insurance work for tourists? 

 

 

Why would you make a claim ? You will automatically have insurance so you are covered.

 

And in answer to you last comment - Because the tourist is subsidising the insurance, the Thai teacher would not unless they negociated with their government.

 

 

[marcusarelus]

16 minutes ago, Sonhia said:

A good idea, but in practise? What about making a claim? No chance! Pay first for tratment and forget about getting a refund. T.I.T

 

Health care is not that good in most state run hospitals. I'm sure the propossed Thai health insurance would not cover treatment in a private hospital?

 

If Thai state schools cannot provide health insurance to non Thai teachers, as Thai schools are supposed to, how would such a Thai health care insurance work for tourists? 

Care is excellent at many government hospitals.  Tourists could have open heart surgery for 20 baht sounds like a deal to me.  

[lujanit]

Another way of looking at is 40 million (TAT figures for tourist arrivals) x 20 baht = 800 million baht.  Should the 20 baht be a daily premium for a 14 day holiday = 11.2 billion baht, not an insignificant figure.  Good little earner for the insurance companies or the government if they decide to act as the insurer.

 

Of course if they ever pay out is another question.

[chama]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I really don't see how any insurance is going to work, which will provide adequate cover for the activities tourists get up to for 20 Baht, unless that is the daily rate, and even then its stupidly cheap.

Easy, they don't plan on ever paying any claims...no matter what is promised versus what transpires. So this will actually be just another tax.

[marcusarelus]

2 minutes ago, chama said:

Easy, they don't plan on ever paying any claims...no matter what is promised versus what transpires. So this will actually be just another tax.

Sure they do.  The claims are to a Thai hospital not a foreigner.  Thai hospitals are owned by very important Thai people.  

[4675636b596f75]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

still predict the number of foreign visitors will reach 40 million this year.

Does that include the ones doing the 90 day in-and-out Burger Shuffle?

[ravip]

7 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

From what they say the maximum payout 1 million baht is for death only. From that we can assume the medical care cover is very, very low (too low to be adequate).

 

If anything this may make matters worse by discouraging people from getting their own travel insurance.

If a foreigner arrive with his own travel insurance, would she/he still have to take this insurance?

Edit:

Sorry, just saw this ... Tourists will be expected to pay it as they arrive in Thailand without proof of adequate current travel insurance arrangements.

Edited July 1, 2019 by ravip

[geisha]

While I am not against this idea, I would never trust them to have a good coverage. I prefer my own insurance who are experts in international travel and have their own doctors and repatriation cover, and guaranteed under Eu law. 

[Lenny Jones]

Poor article full of holes.

 

20 baht? - for what period? - per day would be a good deal - especially for long-stayers - About 750 baht/year - - - Oh! - Wait! - T.I.T. - - - - - - -

[zydeco]

One thing I do know. If all those Chinese tourists in their tens of millions see that they are paying for insurance, they are going to want to get their money's worth. They'll be lined up kilometers deep just to get checked for a head cold.

[greeneking]

8 minutes ago, Lenny Jones said:

Poor article full of holes.

 

20 baht? - for what period? - per day would be a good deal - especially for long-stayers - About 750 baht/year - - - Oh! - Wait! - T.I.T. - - - - - - -

typically unclear.

Thai in need of medical attention pays 30 baht at Government hospital, if they are very lucky.

Tourist turns up and shows they have paid 20 baht........really?

Since when did we pay less?

[Nowisee]

8 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

So you pay on arrival?  What will the lines at the airport be like when this happen.  It is bad enough now.  Us on extension of stay will be next in line.

 

Without a doubt it's coming to an extension near you.  

 

1 hour ago, lujanit said:

Another way of looking at is 40 million (TAT figures for tourist arrivals) x 20 baht = 800 million baht.  Should the 20 baht be a daily premium for a 14 day holiday = 11.2 billion baht, not an insignificant figure.  Good little earner for the insurance companies or the government if they decide to act as the insurer.

 

Of course if they ever pay out is another question.

 

By the time it's filtered through the greedy hands, maybe 300 million makes it.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

2 hours ago, RobboR said:

They will probably want it to be paid in cash too!!

Yes and only in THB 

[dcnx]

The hospitals are still going to find a way to rip them off. Thais just can’t help themselves.

[marcusarelus]

1 minute ago, dcnx said:

The hospitals are still going to find a way to rip them off. Thais just can’t help themselves.

Them in this case would be the government.  

[Cabradelmar]

It will be inheritantly unfair. The ability to prove you have coverage from your home country will be problematic. What will they want to see? An insurance card? A letter from the insurance company? This is getting out of hand. Greed is again taking hold and the foreigners will be penalized. Thailand is not the only country that has vast numbers of tourists. A few highly published cases of some 20 something engaged in idiotic behavior getting injured and now everyone gets taxed. If they want to keep it simple just call it a tax and everyone pays 100 baht on Entry and the funds get pooled. Heath care providers can then make a claim from the carrier underwriting the pool for unpaid health services. The remaining funds can be used to purchases new cars for the local admin officers. Everyone is happy.

[Athens]

Why do we not get an official info, this 3 hand info is only disturbing.

Let us have the official demands and cost, not this nonsence