New 300 THB entry fee to help cover uninsured foreign tourists who fail to pay medical bills

[Aarin]

5 hours ago, mommysboy said:

It's a great idea that should have been done a long time ago.

 

There's one unintended consequence: some people will assume they are insured so won't bother getting real insurance.  

 

It won't mean that you don't have to pay for treatment.  

They said not allowed in without insurance. Now saying pay 300 to cover you if you don't have insurance. YOU COULDNT MAKE THIS UP.They are going to get a big wake up call very soon. Vietnam already got the Panasonic big plant from them. Easier for visa, cheaper etc etc. Vietnam onwards and upwards. 

[kevc]

There's only 34 baht going to insurance.

[Mops59]

Ridiculous plan. I don't want to pay for the people who travel uninsured. I pay for myself. So Thailand gets the benefits and I have to pay for lowlifes. How nice is that next to the dual price system  in national parks, etc? Not very tourist friendly.

[barney42bb]

Ridiculous...

 

Better still put the onus on the traveller,and ExPat to have the appropriate insurance to obtain entry/Visa type.

 

Why should the responsible bail out the irresponsible.??

[mikeymike100]

If this is fee is just for 'tourists' it seems fair enough, BUT I have a sneaky feeling it will be applied to ALL foreigners.

If this fee goes onto the price of the ticket rather than paying a fee at an airport In Thailand on arrival, which seems sensible, how will the airline collecting money for the airfare differentiate between a 'tourist' and anyone else going to Thailand? When you pay for the airfare, online or otherwise, will there be a question, "reason for travel"?

[GinBoy2]

14 minutes ago, barney42bb said:

Ridiculous...

 

Better still put the onus on the traveller,and ExPat to have the appropriate insurance to obtain entry/Visa type.

 

Why should the responsible bail out the irresponsible.??

Well I'm not arguing with the 'irresponsible'

 

But I go back to my earlier post about, how to people abscond without paying?

 

Maybe a few with food poisoning, which basically costs pennies.

 

But how many GoFundme threads have we seen on here and some idiot has been involved in a motorbike accident or whatever, who can't leave hospital until they have coughed up the cash?

 

I just don't believe that the problem is anywhere near the scale that is being portrayed.

[ronaldo0]

Why don’t they just approve better visas for longer stays that you can buy for 6-12 months or more and included in that and every other type of visa is a charge of 500-1000bht that gives everyone who has bought a visa a decent coverage for medical expenses. Over the years this fund would only increase and its a win win for everyone from tourists , hospitals , immigration and government. 
It’s not rocket science but yet they seem to avoid doing the best and most obvious things on purpose to make out they are smart ! 

[digger70]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

New 300 THB entry fee to help cover uninsured foreign tourists who fail to pay medical bills

 

This will cover more than enough for the Few that Can't/Won't pay their bill. 

They will make Millions that way and more. 

Who's looking after the money so it doesn't go to the Normal Wrong Places.

I would Gladly pay a couple thousand per year  if they do away with the Normal rip off Insurance that are around now. 

 

 

[bimmerbob]

6 hours ago, pattjock said:

Good idea but should also then scrap all requirements for a compulsory insurance. If they lost around 400milj bat and have 40milj visitors (2019) all they need is a 10baht tax.

 

They estimate 10milj visitors in 2021 so 40baht should cover it and losses will be lower with less tourists.

That's far too logical for them, lol.

[dean2926]

Nonesense.    Tourists cannot get into Thailand without insurance.  They don't know their own visa rules

[Tagged]

4 minutes ago, dean2926 said:

Nonesense.    Tourists cannot get into Thailand without insurance.  They don't know their own visa rules

It is a difference between can not and should not ????

[Baggy]

5 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

How do they not pay is what I don't understand. 

What do these scum foreigners do just walk out when no ones looking. 

Can't pay at hospital, OK phone calls for help, while waiting put in a police cell. 

Go fund me very common, if can't  raise enough, just leave and not come back 

[KhaoYai]

So the stealth tax is now 800 baht? - the 500 baht that is already included in your ticket (the old departure tax) + this one?

 

800 baht may not be a lot of money but what about the overall conbtribution that to the Thai economy that tourists make? They should be paying people to come not taxing them.  But they know that, that's why this new tax is hidden in the ticket price.

 

Visitor milking, nothing less.

 

Edited January 15, 2021 by KhaoYai

[herfiehandbag]

44 minutes ago, ronaldo0 said:

Why don’t they just approve better visas for longer stays that you can buy for 6-12 months or more and included in that and every other type of visa is a charge of 500-1000bht that gives everyone who has bought a visa a decent coverage for medical expenses. Over the years this fund would only increase and its a win win for everyone from tourists , hospitals , immigration and government. 
It’s not rocket science but yet they seem to avoid doing the best and most obvious things on purpose to make out they are smart ! 

I doubt the fund would increase over the years - the trouble with pools (of money) in Thailand is that there is a very high rate of evaporation...

[Mavideol]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

New 300 THB entry fee to help cover uninsured foreign tourists who fail to pay medical bills

and the Pope is catholic .... they really think we are that dumb  ????????????????????

[herfiehandbag]

1 hour ago, kevc said:

There's only 34 baht going to insurance.

If you accept the commonly quoted figure of about 30% "diverted" in any Government operated financial venture that actually leaves some B170 or so for "Tourist infrastructure" projects; wait, out of that must come all the management costs  (smart motor cars, IPads, resort conferences and study weekends do not come cheap) so I should imagine, once the principle of a "Tourist Entry Tax" is established it will rise remorselessly. One of the byproducts of the whole Covid business is that a lot of people in positions of power and "influence" have realised what a money spinner tourism (if they properly get to grips with it) could be!

 

Mind you they are assuming that tourist numbers will recover to previous levels...

Edited January 15, 2021 by herfiehandbag

[PEE TEE]

good idea it should also cover the poor x Pats vaccine jabs yeeha  

[khunjeff]

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

Why don’t they just approve better visas for longer stays that you can buy for 6-12 months or more and included in that and every other type of visa is a charge of 500-1000bht that gives everyone who has bought a visa a decent coverage for medical expenses.

 

This has essentially nothing to do with long stayers, even though it will probably end up affecting them as well. This is aimed primarily at the 95+% of foreigners who arrive as short-term tourists.

 

2 hours ago, chrissables said:

They were charging 500 baht at the airport years ago for this, then that was built into the ticket price, so now it will be 800 baht they take, very honest of them. ???? 

 

The 500 baht was raised to 700 baht many years ago, and was never a tourist tax - it's always been a Passenger Service Charge for the use of airport facilities, and is paid by Thais as well as foreigners.

[Glaswegian2]

Falling over themselves looking for something - anything, to serve as a fig leaf to conceal a remarkably stupid decision.

 

Expect more lame statements of justification, followed by a quiet rescinding after allowing the Thai people to forget - should be about 9 days...

 

 

[Theredbaron]

Prior to Covid I was travelling to Thailand 3-4 times a year visiting our family farm in NongKhai. I have always held an annual travel insurance policy and in fact was hospitalised in NongKhai once in the past ten years. Naturally paid all bills and claimed on my insurance. Why then penalise me for my responsible behaviour because of the failures of others? Make those that don’t have cover pay but don’t screw those that look after themselves! 

[SupermarineS6B]

No wonder Thailand has lost all its shine reading some of the posts here........ Makes me wonder why people travel, basically just exporting the misery from where they came from.......  I'm so glad i saw Thailand and lots of other countries before the righteous took over.......     What a sad vindictive place the world's turning into...... mixed in with rampant greed and fools backing them up........   Doing a runner from hospitals ?  You try it...... Crossing any border in Thailand with as much as suspicion on your sheet and you're banged up, no questions asked......      

[Wytchend]

This is another nail in the Thai coffin?

I have absolutely no problem paying a fee if it ACTUALLY does something useful, or provides a service.

But this is just another boring Thai rort.  Gives nothing.

Are they incapable of actually working out a farang insurance policy which would be mandatory, and actually provided insurance.

 

We all spend millions on foreign insurance policies. Get that money spent internally on a real product!

Get your act together generals. Try and join the 21st Century.

 

Rant over...........

[shy coconut]

6 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

I don't mind paying an extra 300 THB when it is included in the flight ticket anyway as a "stealth tax". I usually am reimbursed by the company for my air travels.

 

But then again, I am NOT a tourist AND I am fully insured. Will I be treated like every other foreign visitor and have to pay up? How will that scheme distinguish between tourists and expats? It probably won't. Just as always.

Jesus, if you are an international business traveller, does 300 baht really matter that much?

 

It really is amazing how people get so het up over such trivial matters.

[Dmitry2222]

4 hours ago, sanuk711 said:

Laos ,  $50 to enter.

Some nationals - for free.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Now it's always been private hospitals for us, so maybe it's the Govt hospitals where people do a runner in the dead of night wearing nothing but a surgical gown!

I don't think so not from my experience,  our govt hospital is excellent the private hospitals in our area are pitiful.

[tinca tinca]

another money making rackett !!!!!

like yrs ago WE had to pay 500 baht to get out of thailand !!!

now it is is in the air ticket price

[Kwasaki]

45 minutes ago, Baggy said:

Go fund me very common, if can't  raise enough, just leave and not come back 

No they should be taken to a police station cell.

[pacovl46]

Not a fan! Why should I pay for people who were too stingy/too stupid to get travel health insurance before leaving their country. I’d be much more for selling the ones who don’t have one on arrival when they enter Thailand one for 2000 or even 5000 Baht to teach them a lesson! 
 

 

 

 

[Fairynuff]

7 hours ago, Aforek said:

People will have to show their passport, easy to see who is expat or tourist 

Do you honestly believe that those of us living here will not have to pay? Really?

[Glaswegian2]

1 hour ago, tinca tinca said:

another money making rackett !!!!!

like yrs ago WE had to pay 500 baht to get out of thailand !!!

now it is is in the air ticket price

 

Thailand was by no means the first country whose government and people realised that tourists could be swindled or cheated out of small (or even large) amounts of money, and that the national tourist industry (with all of its income) could be decimated as a consequence by unbridled greed and lack of honesty. First there was Spain then when they'd finished ruining the tourism industry there was Greece, and thereafter a procession of other countries.

 

Thais tend to be a bit slow on the uptake but like the other countries their people and government are in the process of killing off the golden goose. At one level it's entertaining to see people do such stupid things and then when the consequences are not to their liking they protest that the world's got a grudge against them.

 

It does get a bit tedious  though.  Eventually. But then, I suppose watching stupid people at play is pretty boring no matter where you are. Still, it helps if you can laugh.

Edited January 15, 2021 by Glaswegian2