IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT DISCRIMINATING WITHIN THE LONG STAY EXPAT COMMUNITY

 

Most retired long stay expats are probably aware of the new health insurance requirements when non O-A visa holders apply for their one year extension of stay (commonly referred to as retirement visa extension). Like many of my expat friends, we have lived full time in Thailand for 20 years or more and now in the age groups 70 and 80+. Each year we attend Immigration with all the necessary paperwork to renew our extension of stay. In my case I have had inpatient health insurance with a well known Thai company for 18 years. Now at age 76, the premiums are very expensive.  Up until now I have not had outpatient health insurance (far too expensive), so if and when the need arose I made a quick visit to a private hospital and usually arranged for payment prior to treatment. Now I have paid an exorbitant sum for an OPD upgrade to my existing policy to include the 40,000 baht cover. Only to be told later by the insurance company that I cannot claim OPD expenses on certain types of procedures, like blood tests, skin cancer checkups etc. So I am paying for OPD cover but cannot claim !

 

I retired to Thailand from Australia on a non immigrant O-A visa. Many of my retired long stay friends from Australia, New Zealand and America are here on non immigrant O visas. For some reason, these lucky individuals have not been targeted with the new health insurance requirement by the Immigration Department when they attend to extend their one year visa.

 

I am aware of the differences between the two types of visas. I am also aware that (if we weren’t under COVID 19 travel restrictions) I could now visit a Thai Embassy in a neighboring or other Country and change my visa to an O type. Then return to Thailand as a tourist, and at the appropriate expiration time of my tourist visa, visit my local Immigration Office and apply for a one year extension. From then on the new OPD health insurance requirement would no longer apply to me.

 

The Government did a survey of their public hospitals to establish the baht value and statistical numbers of those people who were leaving without paying for their treatment. The results showed that the majority of offenders were immigrants from neighboring Countries and short stay tourists. I don’t recall reading that long stay expats were even mentioned.

 

So why is a select group of long stay expats being financially penalized by the Immigration Department?

 

 

 

(Sign me as)    JINGJO

 

The only possible explanation (if there was ever any logic behind it) was that it was a trial baloon before implementing for all long stay extensions. But Covid hit and we are stuck. At some point in the future I expect it to be applied across the board..and the O-A Visa will still have appeal with it;s multi-entry features and as long as one renews their annual policy before that final border bounce you still can get two years.

The results showed that the majority of offenders were immigrants from neighboring Countries and short stay tourists. I don’t recall reading that long stay expats were even mentioned.

 

So why is a select group of long stay expats being financially penalized by the Immigration Department?

-----------------------------------------------------

What result??? I dont know where you get this "stuff" from?? So you seriously try to convience readers here that the thai gouverment has gone in, on each and every offender, and checked their passport (mind you that they are already gone from Thailand), to see what kind of VISA they have, short term or longstay????? I think this  is just "talk" and not true at all... 

 

I think personally that; O-A that you buy in your home-country only!! And extension longstay you buy locally only inside Thailand... And by that Thailand thinking was, that they had more control economicly over the guys that have bought their extensions inside Thailand, where they have been checked for having decent economy, than the ones where they have bought an O-A in a foreign country....

 

So no discrimination at all here, not more than it usually is here in Thiland.

 

glegolo 

They can not take money out of all the poor migrant workers from the Asean countries.

 

So they try to take more milk/MONEY out of the milky/MONEY cows, as we are for them.

 

I do not believe the western retirement visa holders is any burden to the country, but I believe the migrant workers is running from the hospital bills, and that we had to pay for.

Edited October 8, 20205 yr by finnsk

wasn't someone else whining about this just yesterday on another topic.

It's what is required by immigration because it's the rules and the law.

You can moan about it till the cows come home Jingjo but that won't change a thing. It is what it is.  TIT

10 minutes ago, steven100 said:

wasn't someone else whining about this just yesterday on another topic.

It's what is required by immigration because it's the rules and the law.

You can moan about it till the cows come home Jingjo but that won't change a thing. It is what it is.  TIT

Or as Steven's mother used to say: "Because I say so!"

 

38 minutes ago, finnsk said:

but I believe the migrant workers is running from the hospital bills, and that we had to pay for.

Unless you are Thai, your not paying for them finnsk. There has been plenty of news reports of Farangs who had accidents etc that did not pay.

Just the same in the UK where the Brit taxpayer has to pay for the NHS that provides help to anyone in an emergency.

The requirement came into force in October 2019, so you actually has some time prior to Covid  to go get the Exempt, TV or Non-Imm-O Entry and to take it from there. I am sure others who renewed just prior to the requirement coming into force have also been trapped by the situation...

Maybe an agent......

Edited October 8, 20205 yr by jacko45k

The discrimination works if favour of the O- A holder in that they are able to enter Thailand and Non O are not.

Swings and roundabouts !

8 minutes ago, mlkik said:

The discrimination works if favour of the O- A holder in that they are able to enter Thailand and Non O are not.

Swings and roundabouts !

I do not understand. The important thing is a COE. which a holder of a valid Non-Imm-O or a O-A can obtain.

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I do not understand. The important thing is a COE. which a holder of a valid Non-Imm-O or a O-A can obtain.

A Non - Imm - O holder can not obtain a COE. I have a valid extension and re-entry permit and as of yet am not permitted entry to Thailand.

Edited October 8, 20205 yr by mlkik

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I do not understand. The important thing is a COE. which a holder of a valid Non-Imm-O or a O-A can obtain.

 

Not the case. O-A can get COE, O cannot.

Just now, mlkik said:

A Non - Imm - holder can not obtain a COE. I have a valid extension and re-entry permit and as of yet am not permitted entry to Thailand.

Ahhh you mean an extension. A person with an Extension (and presumably Re-Entry Permit) cannot get the COE irrespective if it is based on a O Visa or an O-A Visa.

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

Not the case. O-A can get COE, O cannot.

My friend just entered on a Non-Imm O.....

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

My friend just entered on a Non-Imm O.....

married

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

My friend just entered on a Non-Imm O.....

Must be married to a Thai.

 

If married to a Thai, can enter in any non-imm visa...on grounds of marriage not retirement.

 

For a COE based on retiree, must have  O-A or O-X

Just now, tonray said:

married

It was based on dependent children I believe.

Posts all in bold face have been edited to remove the bold. 

 

"Forum Netiquette
 
1. Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes, colors or use unusually large emoticons. It can be difficult to read."

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/terms/

4 minutes ago, tonray said:

married

Exactly,the only way to enter on a Non O is to be married or the father of a Thai child.

4 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

For a COE based on retiree, must have  O-A or O-X

I did not mention retirement.

Seems verry obvious that this Thai coverment are racist against farang's! They try look like they care, to "give" amnesty etc. In other hand they make all the time more difficult expats life in here! They only want fast win's from short visit tourist! Hole covid situation have give them "guns" to get on whit they blueprint  to get rid of farangs , ways that they not totaly loose they face!

 

2 hours ago, steven100 said:

wasn't someone else whining about this just yesterday on another topic.

It's what is required by immigration because it's the rules and the law.

You can moan about it till the cows come home Jingjo but that won't change a thing. It is what it is.  TIT

Exactly. 

 

OP states he knew the requirement and it was never a problem, until it was.  And could have changed visa any time, still can, will just need to leave the kingdom and return.

 

Only whining.  No discrimination here.

14 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

Seems verry obvious that this Thai coverment are racist against farang's!

Don't Asians from other countries have to meet the same requirements or even stricter? And aren't they members of the same racial group? Not to mention all those other nationalities normally considered non-farang. Sounds like the usual paranoia, victimism, and silly Thai bashing on your part.

2 hours ago, finnsk said:

They can not take money out of all the poor migrant workers from the Asean countries.

 

So they try to take more milk/MONEY out of the milky/MONEY cows, as we are for them.

 

I do not believe the western retirement visa holders is any burden to the country, but I believe the migrant workers is running from the hospital bills, and that we had to pay for.

If you know how to get a health insurance with deductibles, then you can get an insurance for quite a low price. If staying to long with "wrong" insurance company, it might cost you. And immigration didn't come up with the idea that people on O-A Visas/extensions needs a mandatory health insurance. They just have to enforce it. 

Edited October 8, 20205 yr by Max69xl

35 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

Seems verry obvious that this Thai coverment are racist against farang's! They try look like they care, to "give" amnesty etc. In other hand they make all the time more difficult expats life in here! They only want fast win's from short visit tourist! Hole covid situation have give them "guns" to get on whit they blueprint  to get rid of farangs , ways that they not totaly loose they face!

 

You must learn that it's government, not coverment. FYI, I am an expat, and have been here for years, and no one is giving me a hard time. Don't confuse expats with so called stranded tourists. You can book a flight with Finnair and leave anytime you want. No one stops you. 

20 hours ago, jingjo01 said:

Only to be told later by the insurance company that I cannot claim OPD expenses on certain types of procedures, like blood tests, skin cancer checkups etc.

I’ve had OPD cover through my employer for many years. You cannot usually claim for diagnostics such as X-Rays, blood tests etc. You’re usually only covered for the doctor’s fee up to a certain amount (mine is 1,000 baht) and minor treatment or procedures. I’m allowed up to 30 visits per year. I’m sure this varies from company to company. 

19 hours ago, glegolo said:

The results showed that the majority of offenders were immigrants from neighboring Countries and short stay tourists. I don’t recall reading that long stay expats were even mentioned.

 

So why is a select group of long stay expats being financially penalized by the Immigration Department?

-----------------------------------------------------

What result??? I dont know where you get this "stuff" from?? So you seriously try to convience readers here that the thai gouverment has gone in, on each and every offender, and checked their passport (mind you that they are already gone from Thailand), to see what kind of VISA they have, short term or longstay????? I think this  is just "talk" and not true at all... 

 

I think personally that; O-A that you buy in your home-country only!! And extension longstay you buy locally only inside Thailand... And by that Thailand thinking was, that they had more control economicly over the guys that have bought their extensions inside Thailand, where they have been checked for having decent economy, than the ones where they have bought an O-A in a foreign country....

 

So no discrimination at all here, not more than it usually is here in Thiland.

 

glegolo 

Yes there is discrimination here. Rampant! But in a normal country you do not change laws retrospectively. Purely new laws should be implemented against new retirees who are aware of the requirements before they choose their final life style options!????????????????

19 hours ago, steven100 said:

wasn't someone else whining about this just yesterday on another topic.

It's what is required by immigration because it's the rules and the law.

You can moan about it till the cows come home Jingjo but that won't change a thing. It is what it is.  TIT

Have no worries, there will be Visa agents only to happy to get an IO to do you a perfectly 'legal' extension by exercising his right to overlook the insurance requirement, for a payment of course. Also, just about affordable, but almost useless policies from companies.

 

With the price of insurance so high or impossible to get when we get older you would think the Thai government would make things easier on us. After all, when you don't live in the large cities and have to go to the local hospital the service and care is not the best. I was in my local hospital for 11 days and it was very bad, one day I will tell you about it.

5 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

 have to go to the local hospital the service and care is not the best. I was in my local hospital for 11 days and it was very bad, one day I will tell you about it.

What a load of cobblers, it clearly was not that bad, because you are still here, able to post.