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Is this the end of Thailand as a Retirement Destination


Robin

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31 minutes ago, Salerno said:

That's a furphy. Personally I agree with insurance being mandatory or as an option (for the "I self insure" mob) a deposit into a government controlled fund.

It was the reason that was given, and there are figures on the loss. I understand with covid they saw it as a good chance to use it. Also with covid the risk of medical cost is now higher. 

 

 

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15 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Absolutely not, it is just a blanket rule and the long stayers got caught with the rest. The insurance requirements for entry don't take into account that some people live here and pay general health insurance yearly. IMO this is just a transient thing and the insurance requirements for entry will be dropped in the months coming.

Lets hope so, i pay insurance and always have, its part of being an expat. But now because of those stupid rules that don't take into account year policies i can get in trouble. 

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20 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

The UK already is, NHS surcharge approx 500GBP/year.

No exclusions, full coverage, and after 5 years when you get citizenship free.

Not same, but comparable in Germany.

But that was not my question.

Would you like to welcome each foreigner from any country as a long term guest or retiree if he met GB's minimal income?

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1 hour ago, robblok said:

Actually there are now insurances that cover it, even to later age. So it is possible also its better if you get into an insurance early then they cant kick you out.

To the best of my knowledge, most Thailand-based health insurers won't accept new policies from anyone older than 65. There are a couple exceptions, but not many.... [If you get insured by age 65 and keep the policy in force, some but not all will allow you to continue renewing for life and/or till age 99...though obviously the premiums at that point get to be rather extreme].

 

International insurers outside Thailand is a different issue, but those international policies generally are far more expensive than the Thai-based ones.

 

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1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I could have kept my excellent Thai insurance after 65, but only if I'd kept paying it. Once I stopped I couldn't start again.

Perhaps you did not asked properly to start again. And there are companies allowing to start up to 70. 

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Do not despair, OP. This week the Governmwnt has re-booted the scheme to attract wealthy foreign investors wanting to live here. That suggests to me that take up from the initial roll-out is below predicted or hoped for numbers. Retirees already here or those intending to retire here may be looked on more favourably as a consequence.

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2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

????????????

Thailand this, Thailand that ... the sky if falling.

 

20+ yrs on, and nothing has changed.  For those that believe, the country / world is going down the toilet, and better to wait & see ... well then, tune into some Pink Floyd ????

 

"And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun
And you run, and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death"

 

great idea, let's all get Comfortably Numb!

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1 hour ago, Harveyboy said:

yep same here retired here got my family and commitments burned my bridge's when i left Europe for a better life and better climate im here for the long haul but it's not the same place i came to that's for definite..just make the best of it and look for the positive things eh..

Exactly Harvey, I wake up each morning, it is a good day, and the glass is always half full........(but not for long.....:burp:)

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10 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Exactly, it's the excuse some are using and the figures given don't stack up. 

 

"... the Thai health minister in 2019 said it was annually around 450 million baht or about US$15 million. This may seem a lot, but it’s chicken-feed compared with the 2 trillion plus baht spent by international tourists prior to the current lockdown."

https://www.pattayamail.com/latestnews/news/destitute-foreigners-in-thailand-and-unpaid-hospital-bills-360259

 

The figures above actually decreased from those used in 2013.

 

"Thailand is considering slapping a 500-baht ($16.60) entry fee on tourists to help cover foreigners' unpaid medical bills, officials say...The unpaid hospital bills of foreign tourists cost the state about 700 million baht a year, the ministry said...The new policy might help prevent "trash" tourists from entering the country, Mr Pradit was quoted as saying."

https://www.smh.com.au/world/thailand-considers-charging-all-tourists-to-cover-unpaid-hospital-bills-20131022-2vzl0.html

 

So, now it looks like they're getting round to adding an extra 500 Bht entry tax, they're looking at around an extra 20 billion Bht revenue when tourism gets back to pre-covid numbers, pretty sure they could easily cover, on 2019 figures, a 450 million Bht loss to the hospitals from that.

Wow some people really compare apples with oranges.

 

So a loss of 450 million baht (pure loss)

Vs 2 trillion spend (not pure profit). Nice to make figures look better for the expats but one should look at the PROFIT made not turnover. 

 

Lets look at this a bit more realistic shall we. Its not chicken feed. Assume that 20% of the two trillion is profit 

 

That means that the costs of hospital are around 11% of the profit. Just to put it in perspective.

Sure you can say there are people working so there are more benefits but that is also not totally true.

 

So those figures are made by expats to make it look like nothing while it is a lot.

 

I am ok with slapping 100-200 baht on the ticket if they stop this rule, however people should realize they are NOT paying for insurance just paying for those who skip bills and it does not make them insured. 

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1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Why not, I generally spent under 500bht/day, and that's because I have nothing more I want to buy.

That's double what most of the Thai population have to spend.

Even worse if they're Thai pensioners on 600bht/month.

8 large bottles of Chang = 480 Baht a day is enough for anyone. :cheesy:

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1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Why not, I generally spent under 500bht/day, and that's because I have nothing more I want to buy.

That's double what most of the Thai population have to spend.

Even worse if they're Thai pensioners on 600bht/month.

You are very well versed up and living in the UK. Sure you do not come to Thailand and very impressed you know the Thai pensioners get 600 Baht a month but the very poor but not all but the pay very poor, unless you work for the Government and are well looked after.

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