Mandatory health insurance for Non O-A visa effective from 31 October

[Peterw42]

1 minute ago, Thaidream said:

Yes- you do not extend the Visa but extend a stay.  My point being that anyone who  has an O-A Visa prior to 31 October 2019 or  needs an extension of stay will not have the unsrance requirement.  I would assume the IO will  go back and look at the date of issuance of the original visa.

Its not clear as yet but the presumption is the new rules will only apply to Visa's issued after 31 Oct.

[SpokaneAl]

I'm one of the unlucky ones.  Been here on a Non O-A for several years.  Others I know have changed to a Non O.
If I understand this, the options are:
1.  Pay the insurance. 
2. Leave to a neighboring country, obtain a Non O visa based on retirement or get in Thailand ?
3. Leave Thailand.
 
I have BCBS insurance that reimburses me for overseas care.  I pay upfront.
This Thai policy is not really something I want to pay for.  
It's taken me a year to accept putting money in a Thai bank (which I haven't done yet as my extension is in January) and then this.  
 
Nice short notice.   555 
 
 
 

Unless you returned to your home country and purchased a new non imm o-a from a Thai Embassy or Consulate in your own country, you have not been in Thailand on that visa. It sounds like you have been visiting your local immigration office each year to buy a new extension of stay based on retirement.

Relax, for the moment.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[uncleeagle]

4 hours ago, Lacrimas said:

I wonder if this will apply to Elite Visas as well... in the long term it might be the easier route for a painless(immigration wise) stay in Thailand. But this might have been the master plan since the beginning, keeping the rich in and kick all the others out?

 

It initially wont apply. But what happens if in a year or so they say it will apply to everyone over 50 on long stay visas. Then the one million bhat elite visa will only be useable if you are willing to spend another 50-100k a year on what will in effect be a useless piece of paper. I already have good insurance at a fair price, not a rip of price, can pay as I go anyway and wouldnt generally use Thai hospitals unlesss I really had to.

 

Hey but then they might realise that the under 50s can get sick too and next they say its all long stayers. So that means all the sniggering under 50s too.

 

I would say buying the elite visa for any age is starting to look like a very risky trap.

 

Meanwhile, as the hospital non payers are probably mostly actual tourists and migrant workers anyway, non of this will make a blind bit of difference anyway to the small amount of money they are whinging about.

 

Personally I have ample insurance but I wont be buying more if this applies to me. I am an existing retirement based non O holder but I am guessing its only a matter of time before the rules are extended to this class of extenders, or once again it will just be down to the mood of the particuliar immigration officer anyway.

 

I think its time to seriously consider other countries now, the xenophobia, stupidity, racism and nastiness of Thai officialdom has gone too far for me.

 

 

[MRToMRT]

This started with the OX, now the OA, I would bet the O- Ext of stay is being readied for something additional in the future as it seems the majority use that system. 

How can they justify someone who already has insurance having to buy additional useless insurance form TIA? I think its a scam. Once they (Thai insurance companies) have control of the pig trough they are going to want more and more from it.

Edited October 10, 2019 by MRToMRT

[thailand49]

Everyone brace yourself,  confusion here it comes just like the TM-30 many pages of discussion.  ????

[SoonOh]

Upon arrival, Thai immigration should charge all aliens/tourists health insurance for the duration of stay in the Kingdom. If not pay, deport! 

[lupin]

23 minutes ago, uncleeagle said:

 

It initially wont apply. But what happens if in a year or so they say it will apply to everyone over 50 on long stay visas. Then the one million bhat elite visa will only be useable if you are willing to spend another 50-100k a year on what will in effect be a useless piece of paper. I already have good insurance at a fair price, not a rip of price, can pay as I go anyway and wouldnt generally use Thai hospitals unlesss I really had to.

 

Hey but then they might realise that the under 50s can get sick too and next they say its all long stayers. So that means all the sniggering under 50s too.

 

I would say buying the elite visa for any age is starting to look like a very risky trap.

 

Meanwhile, as the hospital non payers are probably mostly actual tourists and migrant workers anyway, non of this will make a blind bit of difference anyway to the small amount of money they are whinging about.

 

Personally I have ample insurance but I wont be buying more if this applies to me. I am an existing retirement based non O holder but I am guessing its only a matter of time before the rules are extended to this class of extenders, or once again it will just be down to the mood of the particuliar immigration officer anyway.

 

I think its time to seriously consider other countries now, the xenophobia, stupidity, racism and nastiness of Thai officialdom has gone too far for me.

 

 

The Elite visa falls under the class of a tourist visa... that aside though, If the reasons (as stated) for implementing this policy is to cover "high risk" visitors to Thailand that they have identified as being "over 50" ... then that logic cant 't necessarily apply to an Elite Visa since you can be as young as 20 and be eligible for an Elite Visa, or be a child as part of the family elite visa

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by lupin
correction

[ianezy0]

14 hours ago, justin case said:

the 400k inpatient, I can agree, the 40k outpatient ? I always paid out of pocket

and since I take much better care of what I eat... don't need 40k outpatient

 

how is the situation in other surrounding countries ?

Doesn’t matter what you eat if you get run over or break a leg.

[joebrown]

15 hours ago, POMRAKSIAM said:

I just paid my premium for my new health insurance. Its Pacific Cross "long stay for retirement in Thailand" policy. Seriously no advertisement ....just happy to get that one out of the way. It is 40/400 and at 54 years old cost me $1000 USdollars????????(not sure any good ....555)

I have sent you a PM regarding Pacific Cross.

[Don Mega]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Kiss the long stay holiday makers goodbye then... they will look for other places for their over-winter vacation.

Or they get onto an extension and not worry about this requirement.

[TheAppletons]

I'm setting the over/under for replies to this thread at 1,250.  

[swifty5x5]

and every country that has free heath care should demand payment from Thai people

[ianezy0]

13 hours ago, Barry343 said:

I have a OA visa which is due in the next 3 week, I do not have health insurance cover. Does this mean if I go to Immigration prior to 31 October and have my visa extended for another 12 months it will be okay as that will give me 12 months to sort out Health cover for the future.

You cant get visas extended at immigration. Visas are issued overseas. You have to go overseas prior to the visa expiry then, when you re-enter, your passport will be stamped with a 12 month permission to stay. I did this last week.

[mickybangkok]

15 hours ago, BKKBrit said:

Good. Next tourists. 

Yeah  yeah  yeah  yeah  yeah. Total <deleted> 

[WhatupThailand]

This is a Case of "Can't see the Forest for the Trees"

All over Thailand Falangs are leaving, their assets of Condos, House, and Apartment Rentals

being Vacated, Making Room for the Chinese to move in. 

 

Then they will turn up the Bio-metric system and integrate it with the Chinese Social Score System.

They are killing two birds with one stone, get rid of Freedom minded westerners who would Make

a lot of Noise over the creeping control grid, while taking more and more Freedom away from the

people.

 

And the Icing on the cake, is all the money they make while doing it.

 

[Brer]

10 hours ago, fforest1 said:

For a country that gives expats absolutely nothing.....They have no rights at all to make visas harder.... 

Take it or leave it Bro, they don’t give a flying <deleted> about expats, you’re in Thailand it’s their country, their rules.

Up to you.

O/A visas applied for overseas to not need to put 800,000 baht in a Thai bank, can come and go when they like what’s the prob, you can always go somewhere else.

 

[Old Croc]

This part of the Police Order relates to extensions, not the granting of a visa overseas.

We are nearly all familiar with the criteria for grant of extensions, but this order has now added a new criteria, numbered (6), that seems to require health insurance for an "alien who has been granted Non-Immigrant Visa Class O-A"

Confusing wording that could be interpreted to include anyone who has ever been granted an O-A, not just those who get one after 31 Oct 2019. I'm sure IO's will interpret it in different ways.

If Insurance is only required for new visa issue, why has the extension criteria been amended?

 

[brianbbb]

At first to get a  extension of stay you will need to  have a  o a visa so in the long run it affect many expats very bad news  as someone said with just 20 days notice

[lupin]

Just now, brianbbb said:

At first to get a  extension of stay you will need to  have a  o a visa so in the long run it affect many expats very bad news  as someone said with just 20 days notice

Thats not even remotely true.... you can get an extension of stay based on being over 50 inside Thailand at immigration as long as you meet the requirements... you're given a 90 day NON O while its under consideration.

[cerox]

As far as I understand the current order for Oct 31th will not affect most retirees here.

 

But I think this is only the beginning, like they cracked down slowly on other visa types in the past. It might just be a matter of time until this requirement will be for extensions and other non-immigrant visas.

 

I see that some people cannot get or only a very expensive insurance due to their age. It makes me think if all the crackdown from Immigration has only been about pushing Elite sales. Which then becomes the best, easiest and even most affordable option.

 

Maybe some people now understand it is not so funny to laugh about their fellow countrymen who do not qualify for retirement visa because they are not 50 yet. Seems they are going after you next.

[Prairieboy]

16 hours ago, ricklev said:

The 40,000 baht outpatient insurance requirement reveals to me that this is an intelligent and well thought out policy. 

 

So what, pray tell, is the purpose of having the 800,000 in the bank?  Is that not sufficient for medical emergencies?

[DUNROAMIN]

Did I miss something here, or does it not say on page two of this document, all foreigners applying for extension of stay must show proof of Thai health insurance??

[lupin]

2 minutes ago, DUNROAMIN said:

Did I miss something here, or does it not say on page two of this document, all foreigners applying for extension of stay must show proof of Thai health insurance??

See point 6 in the criteria on the same page

[Melbun]

3 hours ago, Rocking Robert said:

Insurance is a good thing don’t expect others to pay for you 

Judging by the constant smirking jollyhangmon isn't pleased to pay for insurance. Put a smile on your dial matey and suck it up.

[Melbun]

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Kiss the long stay holiday makers goodbye then... they will look for other places for their over-winter vacation.

What can't you do in 30 days?? that you need longer stay?? Ummm let's think - unlimited happy hour beer, visiting temples, going up country, being over joyed at getting poor exchange rate, using the overcrowded Thai train system, over exercising your willy, eating not so cheap Thai / western food ?  What precisely?

[Melbun]

2 hours ago, Mitkof Island said:

So what happened to the idea of allowing foreigners to have enough money set aside in a bank account ? Insurance companies and banks the biggest crooks on Earth.

Good idea !! Are you prepared to have it held in trust by the Thais and you would not have access to your funds until you need hospital/medical care ??

[Jiggo]

17 hours ago, Phanganguy said:

So, its good logic .. type O based on retirement ... no need

Type OA retirement ... 60k baht insurance

Errrr

OA extensions ... who knows!!!

the logic is O based must maintain 400.000 baht in bank account, that's the insurance......

[rabas]

26 minutes ago, Melbun said:

What can't you do in 30 days?? that you need longer stay?? Ummm let's think - unlimited happy hour beer, visiting temples, going up country, being over joyed at getting poor exchange rate, using the overcrowded Thai train system, over exercising your willy, eating not so cheap Thai / western food ?  What precisely?

 

Raise my family, educate them and see them graduate from University, then on the help better Thai society.

[rabas]

24 minutes ago, Melbun said:

Good idea !! Are you prepared to have it held in trust by the Thais and you would not have access to your funds until you need hospital/medical care ??

The Thai government does not hold your money in a trust.

[Melbun]

10 minutes ago, rabas said:

 

Raise my family, educate them and see them graduate from University, then on the help better Thai society.

 

 

 

My response was to this fellow.

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Kiss the long stay holiday makers goodbye then... they will look for other places for their over-winter vacation.