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Phuket Immigration this week finally confirmed that the mandatory health insurance requirement for people staying in the country on permits to stay under “Non-Immigrant O-A” visa status do not apply to those staying under the general “Non-Immigrant O” visa.

The admission renders enforcing the mandatory health insurance requirement pointless as Phuket Immigration this week also confirmed that foreigners can change the visa conditions under which they are applying for a one-year permit to stay.

 

Hence, any foreigners staying on a “Non-Immigrant O-A” visa can change their permit-to-stay status to “Non-Immigrant O” and avoid the mandatory health insurance requirement.

 

 

https://www.thephuketnews.com/mandatory-health-insurance-for-retirees-falls-flat-as-non-imm-o-visa-loophole-exposed-73376.php?fbclid=IwAR1zatqK2BYwsLl8N8QUNGVQ5Li2sTy5-paZeJiMeeNz6xNBICArXG9bxzg#7FAvIfkQt1GSiLdE.97

Edited October 27, 20196 yr by skatewash

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Lt Col Worapol Panpetch, who holds the position of Inspector at Phuket Immigration, also confirmed, “It is correct. Non-Immigrant O visa holders do not require health insurance. Phuket Immigration officers will not ask for it.”

Lt Col Worapol also confirmed the option for foreigners to change their visa status from within Thailand.
 

“For example a foreigner on a tourist visa can applying to be under a Non-Immigrant visa, such as a Non-Imm O, Non-Imm B (Business), Non-Imm Ed (education), or other. They can come to apply for the visas type that the foreigner is qualified for.”

 

But...
 

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However, like Phuket Immigration Chief Col Kathathorn, Lt Col Worapol also avoided expressly confirming that foreigners can change their visa status from Non-Immigrant O-A to Non-Immigrant O.

Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/mandatory-health-insurance-for-retirees-falls-flat-as-non-imm-o-visa-loophole-exposed-73376.php#L8YWhmpx6Ca3bVI6.99
 

Yet Col Kathathorn would not confirm that one-year permits to stay would no longer be approved for those applying under “Non-Immigrant O’ visa status. Under immigration regulations, that option is still available.
 

And what is this garbage mentioned here? They can change anything their little hyper bullish hearts desire, but I would certainly hope that it is grandfathered for all of us who have always been on the O. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Another fantastic way of using common sense as a weapon of madness

If you follow the link to the source article.. Count how many 'declined to comment' are listed for the actual nitty gritty that folks need to know. 

What an absolute clusterf*ck, 5 days before the start of the enforcement, and the people in charge of enforcing it will not answer what they intend to actually enforce !!! 

3 hours ago, skatewash said:

The admission renders enforcing the mandatory health insurance requirement pointless as Phuket Immigration this week also confirmed that foreigners can change the visa conditions under which they are applying for a one-year permit to stay.

Phuket Immigration Chief Col Kathathorn, Lt Col Worapol has to be commended for showing that common sense is not extinct in Thailand.

 

Amazing Thailand.... where anything is possible.

i don't see how  the visa you used to obtain your first yearly extension can be changed, or have i missed the plot

Topic now in the news forum.

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