Medical wellness to extension based on retirement.

[AKJeff]

Good day all.

 

I am in Indonesia and have been for six months.  I hold a US passport but I don't think that would matter.  I have had a extention of stay for three years based on retirement that expired a few weeks ago.  I have been talking to a hospital that is participating in the wellness tourism program under the alternative hospital quarantine, AHQ. 

 

There seems to be two types of programs.   One is for less than 14 days for treatment then leave the country. The other entities the participants to travel Thailand after the treatment and 14 day quarantine is over.

 

My question is this,  and I am not sure anyone really knows.  What visa do you enter on and is that visa convertible to a non-o that can receive an extension based on retirement?  The hospital doesn't seem to know.  My working theory is that you enter with a tourist visa that has a pathway to extend like they used to.  But I haven't seen any real information on this.  

 

I can't imagine going through the trouble and expense if you have to leave after 30, 60, or 90 days.  Has anybody read information about this?  I hope the Oracle for Ubon has a good idea.

[ubonjoe]

For medical treatment it can be a single entry non-o visa or a tourist visa. Reading some info it appears it would have to be a non-o visa for medical treatment since it is not possible to enter on a tourist visa at this time.

The is some info on the Jakarta embassy website.  http://www.thaiembassyjakarta.com/en/consular-services/important-information-on-visa-application/

 

[AKJeff]

Thanks oracle.   I say that with true appreciation for your knowledge on this forum.   

 

It is an interesting ride so far the embassy hasn't answered any questions other than to say that only non-b visas can enter right now (we know that isn't correct)  and that more information will be coming soon

 

[ryane66]

20 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

For medical treatment it can be a single entry non-o visa or a tourist visa. Reading some info it appears it would have to be a non-o visa for medical treatment since it is not possible to enter on a tourist visa at this time.

The is some info on the Jakarta embassy website.  http://www.thaiembassyjakarta.com/en/consular-services/important-information-on-visa-application/

 

Can it then be converted to Non immigration o based on retirement? 

 

[ubonjoe]

48 minutes ago, ryane66 said:

Can it then be converted to Non immigration o based on retirement? 

 

No conversion would be needed.

Immigration should allow you to apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement of any 90 day non-o visa entry.

[ryane66]

5 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No conversion would be needed.

Immigration should allow you to apply for a extension of stay based upon retirement of any 90 day non-o visa entry.

Thank you. I left Thailand in March. My existing extension of stay expired in May while stuck out of Thailand. I recently reentered Thailand with a non immigration o based on medical on a repatriation flight. In ASQ now.

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, ryane66 said:

Thank you. I left Thailand in March. My existing extension of stay expired in May while stuck out of Thailand. I recently reentered Thailand with a non immigration o based on medical on a repatriation flight. In ASQ now.

Skipping personal stuff, what are requirements for "based on medical" 

This thread is about "medical wellness" the difference in the two?

Edited July 22, 2020 by DrJack54

[AKJeff]

38 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Skipping personal stuff, what are requirements for "based on medical" 

This thread is about "medical wellness" the difference in the two?

There doesn't seem to be a difference. 

 

This is part of the first email I received from a major hospital.   The email is much longer but these are the basic requirements. 

 

Please find details for incoming case from overseas to Bumrungrad International Hospital under the tentative AHQ program below:

 

Information and documents needed from the patient (to be confirmed).

 

a.)        Copy of the patient's passport. 

b.)        Copy of the companion's passport(s) (max. 3 companions). 

c.)        Updated medical report with relevant investigation results. 

d.)        Referral letter from a doctor in current country, stating the need to seek for treatment in 

Thailand.

e.)        Insurance policy (or Guarantee letter from the Embassy) covering the medical expenses incurred in Thailand, including treatment of COVID-19, medical transportation and repatriation if needed, minimum amount of USD100,000 each, for the patient and each companion.

f.)         Affidavit of support 

g.)        Letter of intention and consent for quarantine.

h.)        Flight ticket. 

i.)         Fit-to-travel or Fit-to-fly certificate issued by a licensed doctor in the current country, within 

72 hours before departure. (Please do not seek for this item yet. We shall alert you 

when to visit the doctor for this certificate.)

j.)         COVID-19 test result within 72 hours before departure. (Please do not seek for this item 

yet.)

 

*Items f.) and g.) will be prepared by Bumrungrad International Hospital for the patient’s and companion’s signing.  

 

** Permission to enter the Kingdom of Thailand granted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand is needed prior to travel, with support from a Confirmation letter issued by Bumrungrad International Hospital. The Certificate of Entry (COE) will be issued through the Royal Thai Embassy in the origin country for the patient to carry and show.

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by AKJeff
spelling

[AKJeff]

Here is some of the protocols. 

 

Protocol for Quarantine in Bumrungrad International Hospital:

 

• Patient and companion(s) will be subject to a quarantine in Bumrungrad International Hospital for the duration of 14+2 days from the day of arrival into the Kingdom of Thailand. (The first day of arrival is referred to as day 0).
• Patient will only be allowed to leave the room for medical investigation and procedure as needed, while a companion(s) will remain in the room throughout the quarantine period, except for visiting the patient at certain times of the day.
• Fever and respiratory tract symptoms will be monitored on a daily basis.
• Nasopharyngeal and oral swabs for real-time PCR for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) will be performed on 3 occasions, on day 0, 7, 13.
• If the test result for COVID-19 is detectable, the infected individual will be cared for in Bumrungrad International Hospital.
• The approvals from the Embassy of the patient’s nationality as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are needed before returning home (the process takes 2 – 3 days)

 

Foreign-nationals who are permitted to enter the Kingdom of Thailand as patients seeking for medical care, can only be quarantined in the hospital (in the form of Alternative Hospital Quarantine or AHQ) upon arrival.

 

[ryane66]

42 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Skipping personal stuff, what are requirements for "based on medical" 

This thread is about "medical wellness" the difference in the two?

Previously scheduled for surgery. Not sure there is a difference. 

Edited July 22, 2020 by ryane66

[DrJack54]

Just now, ryane66 said:

Previously scheduled for surgery.

Thank you and @AKJeff for such comprehensive reply. 

Not a lot of procedures require a 14 day stay in hospital in comparison to the allocated numbers directed towards this category. Just curious how in practical terms it works.

Without sounding negative, I thought some of the "options" for wellbeing could be at a resort where such issues as mental health etc could be treated. Similar to many folk that check into rehab. Hopefully genuine cases but obviously open to back door entry at a cost.

[AKJeff]

I think it is a lot easier if you already had a ongoing medical treatment plan with the hospital.   The medical services i have used in Thailand are not participating in the AHQ.  So i am having to get an accepted letter without medical records that are in Thailand. 

 

The first hospital I tried with would not accept the records I had on my computer.  All the other records I have are in Thailand that I can't provide or in the US and I am not there either.  So that hospital would not issue an acceptance letter without me first returning to the US providing documents (one needed to that say I need medical treatment in Thailand, silly because I can get anything in the US), hope to get the COE from the Embassy and then fly to Thailand. 

 

I told them that was unacceptable. 

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, AKJeff said:

hope to get the COE from the Embassy and then fly to Thailand. 

 

I told them that was unacceptable.

Best of luck. 

[AKJeff]

2 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Best of luck. 

Thanks.

 

I know there are lots of people like me, caught out of Thailand.  Like me they have homes and a life in Thailand and are kept out even though we would quarantine.   If it goes on much longer I really will start looking at alternatives for retirement.   Not a threat just a reasonable idea.

 

There are places that have started letting long stays back in.  But the truly sad part is Thailand isn't really even talking about what to do with retirement extension holders.

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, AKJeff said:

There are places that have started letting long stays back in.  But the truly sad part is Thailand isn't really even talking about what to do with retirement extension holders.

Man I hear you. I have 8 yr partner, not married. Putting that aside I have sold/gifted everything (apart from rentals) in Oz. I almost returned to Oz early March. 

I was thinking "no big deal this will blow over soon". Ha. How wrong.

I could easily be in AU now in 6 week lockdown (I'm Melbourne) soon to be extended. 

Nightmare stories out there. 

Feeling for guys stuck outside. I'm certainly not smug about my luck.

 

[Letseng]

On 7/21/2020 at 9:24 AM, AKJeff said:

Thanks oracle.   I say that with true appreciation for your knowledge on this forum.   

 

It is an interesting ride so far the embassy hasn't answered any questions other than to say that only non-b visas can enter right now (we know that isn't correct)  and that more information will be coming soon

 

I have been looking into this option. My hurdle is that they require a doctor (I'm in Austria) to give me a letter to say that I need to get treatment in Thailand. Impossible to get. Then I need to find a hospital in TH to agree to do the treatment. Whether your treatment takes 3 days or 4 weeks, you need to do the 14 days in hospital quarantine. Unless you have a visa, you need to apply for a nonO acc. to info I was given. There are a bunch of hoops to jump through. 

May I ask which hospital you contacted? My choice is St Louis. They applied for the program but still in preparation. 

[DrJack54]

5 hours ago, Letseng said:

have been looking into this option. My hurdle is that they require a doctor (I'm in Austria) to give me a letter to say that I need to get treatment in Thailand.

I would imagine Austria has excellent hospitals.

[Mulambana]

12 hours ago, AKJeff said:

There are places that have started letting long stays back in.  But the truly sad part is Thailand isn't really even talking about what to do with retirement extension holders.

Next phase  they are allowing elite visa holders. I think they are a bunch of new groups every month. It has only been three months since all theses started. I think have to give a few more months. My guess is by September they will start allowing retirement extensions.

[AKJeff]

10 hours ago, Letseng said:

 

May I ask which hospital you contacted? My choice is St Louis. They applied for the program but still in preparation. 

 

I have talked with both Bangkok Hospital and Bumrungrad Hospital.  

 

Also yes they want a doctor to say you need to go to Thailand for treatment.  Difficult in a country that has competent medical care.

[AKJeff]

4 hours ago, Mulambana said:

Next phase  they are allowing elite visa holders. I think they are a bunch of new groups every month. It has only been three months since all theses started. I think have to give a few more months. My guess is by September they will start allowing retirement extensions.

I hope you are right but my point is they aren't even laying out a master plan for returning.  Since i am not in my home country and Indonesia will be making many people here on tourist visas leave the country it would be nice to know a plan.  If it is one month away then I go to Nepal or the Maldives but if it is next year I should just go back to my home country.  But my only home to live in is in Thailand.  My "spending money" is in a Thai bank.  Both of these were my choice i know but Thailand has encouraged this behavior from expats.   It would be nice to know we have some priority over week long tourist or trade shows.