Health Insurance: required for O-A but NOT O Visas?

[swordfisch]

Persons who reside in Thailand on an Extension of Stay based on an O-A visa (retirement) WILL require Health Insurance from one of the approved Thai companies.

Vs

Persons who reside in Thailand on an Extension of Stay based on an O visa (retirement) will NOT require Health Insurance.

Is the above correct?

 

Is it possible to enter Thailand on a 30 day Visa exemption, obtain a 90 day Non Immigrant O Visa (from Jomtien & / or Bangkok ?) and the after 60 days or so, apply for an 

Extension of Stay based on an O visa (retirement)?

I don't have a Thai spouse & I don't work for an NGO / volunteer organisation. 

(I believe that the Thai Embassy Canberra only issues Non Immigrant O Visas to those who DO have a Thai spouse or work for an NGO / volunteer organisation).

I am over 50 y.o & have thb 800,000 to deposit into a Thai bank.

 

 

[ukrules]

5 minutes ago, swordfisch said:

Is the above correct?

Yes, that's right.

 

I think the reasoning behind this is something to do with no money being required in the bank when you have the 'O-A' visa.

 

When using the 'O' visa based on retirement you need to deposit 800k in the bank then maintain a 400k Baht minimum balance all year around which is the exact same amount as the insurance coverage requirement.

 

Edited December 27, 2019 by ukrules

[ubonjoe]

Yes you can apply for a non immigrant visa (category O) based upon qualifying for an extension of stay based upon retirement.

General requirements are here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

[RocketDog]

On 12/27/2019 at 5:43 PM, ubonjoe said:

Yes you can apply for a non immigrant visa (category O) based upon qualifying for an extension of stay based upon retirement.

General requirements are here: https://www.immigration.go.th/content/service_80

Thanks Ujoe, but guess I'll have to hope Google translate is up to the job! English version available? 

Thanks 

[steve187]

can change to English at the top of the page, middle blue button marked 'eng'

[Tracyb]

On 12/27/2019 at 5:15 PM, ukrules said:

Yes, that's right.

 

I think the reasoning behind this is something to do with no money being required in the bank when you have the 'O-A' visa.

 

When using the 'O' visa based on retirement you need to deposit 800k in the bank then maintain a 400k Baht minimum balance all year around which is the exact same amount as the insurance coverage requirement.

 

The O-A visa extension, based on retirement, also requires 800,000/400,000 the same as the O extension based on retirement.

[wgdanson]

On 12/27/2019 at 5:15 PM, ukrules said:

Yes, that's right.

 

I think the reasoning behind this is something to do with no money being required in the bank when you have the 'O-A' visa.

 

When using the 'O' visa based on retirement you need to deposit 800k in the bank then maintain a 400k Baht minimum balance all year around which is the exact same amount as the insurance coverage requirement.

 

And as soon as you dip into that 400 or 800k for hospital, your Extension is up the Swannee.

[ukrules]

3 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

And as soon as you dip into that 400 or 800k for hospital, your Extension is up the Swannee.

Yes, it's going to be interesting to see how they handle that, especially if someone used the money to pay a bill that otherwise would remain unpaid.

 

[jacko45k]

12 hours ago, wgdanson said:

And as soon as you dip into that 400 or 800k for hospital, your Extension is up the Swannee.

Well not as soon as.... so far we are guessing the problems come at renewal time. In the future we may get feedback as to how the various IOs handle applicants who are unable to confirm they kept the deposits as required. At the moment it looks like people will have to 'Start Again', with a new Non-Imm-O . That will be our next flurry of activity when the O-A confusion calms down. 

[JimGant]

18 hours ago, wgdanson said:

And as soon as you dip into that 400 or 800k for hospital, your Extension is up the Swannee.

Not if the Thais adopt the Malaysian example, whereby a special retirement account is required to be established, with a minimum required to be maintained -- UNLESS you need to dip into it because of a medical necessity. For many of us over 75ers, where Thai mandated insurance is impossible to get, or not necessary 'cause of home country insurance -- or just too ridiculously expensive for the benefits -- this buffer account would satisfy both the Thai medical community as well as ourselves. Example: My Tricare insurance is not accepted by most (all?) Thai hospitals for assignment; thus I have to pay upfront to the hospital, then file for reimbursement from Tricare. Not a problem -- I have enough credit with my cards to pay most hospital bills upfront. But, there are others out there who might not be able to pay immediately upfront. Here's where the special retirement bank account comes into play, paying in a timely manner the medical costs incurred. Then, after selling stocks, real estate, tapping Aunt Martha -- that special account can be backfilled up to the mandatory amount.

 

Sure, there are some that maybe couldn't backfill. Sad situation. But for the majority of geezers now being affected by this stupid Thai insurance requirement, doubling up on the extension bank accounts to include medical payments would make complete sense. Most probably wouldn't even need to dip into it. But, hey, you think the Thai Insurance Mafia would be thrilled with this idea....? Or their uniformed greasy palmed bureaucratic fellow travelers?

 

Where's Mike Wallace when we need him.....?????

[GeorgeCross]

never gonna happen, a non-o is a 90 day visa and last i checked you cannot buy a 90 day health insurance policy!

 

extensions of stay based on non-o, non-b, elite.. who knows