Retiree =? XXX Tourists (Where are they anyway)?

I came to SEA about 12 years ago.

Like the Thai people, culture, food and life in Thailand in general.

1.5 M baht - My bank book tells me that last year spent here about. 

All - Net Added Value - On local produce and services supporting local people and economy.

 

 Retiree    VS    Tourist.

Thailand has total control and data about the retiree.

Permanently stay here and support the people, economy.

 

So why should I leave LOS?

INSURANCE, INSURANCE, INSURANCE.

At my age it will start at 45000 B per month, If available at all, and rocket skyhigh every year.

I have the means to support and maintain all my medical expenses.

Not to mention retirees so much paperwork and expenses… - 90 days report, visa extensions, address confirm by immigration (Had many many xxxxB…..) - I will mention only two  - for renewing driving license. First invalid after lockdown - They are valid for 1 months. 

So what next?

The world is round and wide:

Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, … Cypress, Greece… Spain, Portugal,... Panama,....Costa Rica Just to mention a few.

Bye. ????

Nice Rant OP.

And your point?

Many flights out of Thailand.

OP if you never "settle down",,,, the grass will always be greener elsewhere

 

glegolo

I think the Op makes some valid points: 

 

The increasing costs of insurance for the ageing foreigners in Thailand is a tough burden. 

 

But, I understand the the government insisting that people have insurance. 

I personally believe the government is within their rights to insist that ALL long termer's here have insurance which will cover them for serious issues. 

 

At the very minimum in patient treatment to a minimum of 3million baht coverage. 

Perhaps with a deductible of 30,000 baht. OPD not really required as people can generally self insure for that. 

 

Or, if tax records show that someone has paid a minimum of xx amount of tax over a certain period they could be included in the Public Health Care schemes. 

 

 

The costs of increasing health care are certainly a concern for me - I’m in my 40’s - but imagine by the time I’m in my 60’s the costs of health care here may be quite prohibitive and while I don’t need insurance to obtain a visa, I always want to have decent medical cover. I’ve seen enough people get caught out, I have found myself caught out in the past with sports injuries and illness to recognise that something serious can be just around the corner. 

 

 

 

Don`t forget to close the door on your way out....and good luck in your new life.

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

But, I understand the the government insisting that people have insurance

I don't have insurance and been here several years.

When did government insist that people have insurance. Of course I'm referring to expats living here and not having extensions to a non O-A (retirement)

 

 

 

 

The insurance by extension of the VISA O is almost a certainty in the near future, now we wait to see next month what will be the expected modification for all the VISA, when we are over 70 there will be only two solutions, stay if you then still allow it with finance or leave.

Who needs a driving license? Most of the locals don't have one.. Lived here over 11 years and never had one.. Fines are nomore than it would cost me in getting one.

19 minutes ago, Bell1234 said:

Who needs a driving license? Most of the locals don't have one.. Lived here over 11 years and never had one.. Fines are nomore than it would cost me in getting one.

That also means that you have no insurance and never been in accident with serious harm/death to others.

For someone living here for 11 years very foolish. Bit ridiculous actually.

8 hours ago, lorbhaim said:

So why should I leave LOS?

INSURANCE, INSURANCE, INSURANCE.

At my age it will start at 45000 B per month, If available at all, and rocket skyhigh every year.

There's no requirement to buy insurance, I've not had any in the past 12 years.

I don't have any (beyond government minimum vehicle). My most expensive medical bill was 3,500bht for 3 nights in government hospital with gall bladder infection. My pal's most expensive bill was 40,000bht in a government hospital, toppled off his m/c and broke his hip, fully paid for by government minimum m/c insurance.

7 hours ago, ICELANDMAN said:

The insurance by extension of the VISA O is almost a certainty in the near future

Can't see it happening myself.

If they want foreign money, they can't be imposing silly rules that neighbouring countries don't require.

 

The pressure is on for them to ease requirements, not make it harder.

Once they had 40M foreign visitors a year, can't see them getting 1M/year for the next 5 years (or more).

 

I'd be OK dumping my misses, kids and mortgage if they really want, and moving to another 3rd world country. How does that do the Thai government any good?

lorbhaim,

 

Your rant is justified. Much cannot be said about the politics of Thailand. Thailand has enjoyed tourists, well, their monies, anyway. Tourists @ 40M in 2019 averaged 9 days and deposited a lot of cash money in the coffers. Long stayers, not so much in comparison. Now the tide has turned. The economic damage caused by Covid, i.e. the abject absence of tourists and the great deal of money they left here is being missed. 

 

Whether this will result in a greater appreciation of deep pocket long stayers such as yourself has yet to be seen. At this point in time, the Thai government has far greater problems on their plate to address than immigrations rules and regs as it applies to us.

51 minutes ago, Bell1234 said:

Who needs a driving license? Most of the locals don't have one.. Lived here over 11 years and never had one.. Fines are nomore than it would cost me in getting one.

 

I take it that means you also drive around without any insurance and are sufficiently self-insured?

 

I hope you have adequate funds to cover all contingencies.

 

 

1 hour ago, Andy from Kent said:

I hope you have adequate funds to cover all contingencies

He won't have any and next step will be GoFundMe page. 

You have to embrace ignorance 

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

But, I understand the the government insisting that people have insurance. 

I personally believe the government is within their rights to insist that ALL long termer's here have insurance which will cover them for serious issues. 

I completely disagree with that comment for one very simple reason. Seeking medical care is NOT mandatory, so why should medical insurance be?

 

2 hours ago, Bell1234 said:

Who needs a driving license? Most of the locals don't have one.. Lived here over 11 years and never had one.. Fines are nomore than it would cost me in getting one.

I.

9 hours ago, ICELANDMAN said:

The insurance by extension of the VISA O is almost a certainty in the near future, now we wait to see next month what will be the expected modification for all the VISA, when we are over 70 there will be only two solutions, stay if you then still allow it with finance or leave.

How can you type this stuff. Give ONE piece of creditable evidence. If it's a hunch or guess fine, take it to pub forum for a chit chat.

Solutions to avoid health insurance on retirement extension:

1. Leave Thailand; return visa exempt; apply for conversion Non O visa for the purpose of retirement; do retirement extensions. At the current time, none of this requires health insurance. It is possible that health insurance could become a requirement in the future. The Thai way is to worry about that if it happens.
2. Alternatively, make use of the agent system to get your extensions with the health insurance requirement waived.

If you like Thailand, one of the above options should be acceptable.

16 hours ago, glegolo said:

OP if you never "settle down",,,, the grass will always be greener elsewhere

 

glegolo

I form the view reading on TV in recent times  that "Settle Down" formal  invitations are only available elsewhere, though I would not say there is any greener grass there ???? 

Settle down mode increasingly perhaps appears to be a thought of years past ????

 

Development of compulsory insurance criteria, and other random events, make me also worry they could contrive to disrupt any "settle down" themed  plans. Especially if commitments elsewhere dictate an inability to stay in Thailand continuously...????

 

 

If the worse happens & I cannot afford compulsory Health insurance (UK pensioner) could I settle long-term in Spain after Brexit?

18 minutes ago, mikebell said:

If the worse happens & I cannot afford compulsory Health insurance (UK pensioner) could I settle long-term in Spain after Brexit?

Wonder what the insurance requirements are in Vietnam.

Spain and Thailand I assume similar cost of living?

3 hours ago, UKresonant said:

I form the view reading on TV in recent times  that "Settle Down" formal  invitations are only available elsewhere, though I would not say there is any greener grass there ???? 

Settle down mode increasingly perhaps appears to be a thought of years past ????

 

 

 

 

I do hope you understand the concept of the words "settle down", just throwing up words doesn´t show that unfortunately at all...

 

glegolo

12 hours ago, BritManToo said:

My most expensive medical bill was 3,500bht for 3 nights in government hospital with gall bladder infection. My pal's most expensive bill was 40,000bht in a government hospital, toppled off his m/c and broke his hip, fully paid for by government minimum m/c insurance.

 

I had a bill for 2 million, and I have had various other bills over 200K, my meds bill is about 50k every 3 months. One never knows what tomorrow may bring or what the cost of staying alive could be. Enjoy your health to the utmost whilst you have it.

11 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

How can you type this stuff. Give ONE piece of creditable evidence. If it's a hunch or guess fine, take it to pub forum for a chit chat.

Wait until next month, the government has declared not me

 

13 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

That also means that you have no insurance and never been in accident with serious harm/death to others.

For someone living here for 11 years very foolish. Bit ridiculous actually.

Why does it mean he has no insurance??,, its the vehicle thats insured  not the driver /rider, i have insurance  on a car, and bike,  i have never had to show  a licence to get any insurance     ,i have also been involved in accidents x3  being hit from my rear,  police were called, but no body ever had to produce licences...

13 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Can't see it happening myself.

If they want foreign money, they can't be imposing silly rules that neighbouring countries don't require.

 

The pressure is on for them to ease requirements, not make it harder.

Once they had 40M foreign visitors a year, can't see them getting 1M/year for the next 5 years (or more).

 

I'd be OK dumping my misses, kids and mortgage if they really want, and moving to another 3rd world country. How does that do the Thai government any good?

 

You are right and I hope that there is someone intelligent who decides in the government on this issue, but from the latest stupid decisions on immigration it does not seem to me that we are going down this path but rather to ask for more money to be able to stay in Thailand keep in mind that after the age of 75 you will no longer find insurance or unsustainable costs with no guarantee that they will pay you in case of hospital need, so I personally am already evaluating other countries that are more hospitable to retirees. It is really a shame after having invested so much money in Thailand in a house I will have to leave and maybe I will be able to return once a year as a tourist for a few years before I am too old to travel.

 

11 hours ago, BritTim said:

Solutions to avoid health insurance on retirement extension:

1. Leave Thailand; return visa exempt; apply for conversion Non O visa for the purpose of retirement; do retirement extensions. At the current time, none of this requires health insurance. It is possible that health insurance could become a requirement in the future. The Thai way is to worry about that if it happens.
2. Alternatively, make use of the agent system to get your extensions with the health insurance requirement waived.

If you like Thailand, one of the above options should be acceptable.

There are policies that suit the immigration  requirement but are cheap because they have enormous excess. Is a pointless insurance policy but will satisfy immigration. Peter Denis has posted about them before.

40 minutes ago, Whale said:

 

I had a bill for 2 million, and I have had various other bills over 200K, my meds bill is about 50k every 3 months. One never knows what tomorrow may bring or what the cost of staying alive could be. Enjoy your health to the utmost whilst you have it.

Yes, but you're using expensive private hospitals built to rip off foreigners, while my pals and I are happy enough to muck in with the locals at the government hospital.

 

PS.

My meds bill every 3 months is 280bht plus 50bht for the doctor/hospital fees.

23 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

3million baht

3 million usd would be more rational!