Is this the end of Thailand as a Retirement Destination

[Chad3000]

41 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

I can easily live on personal expenditure of 300 baht a day or less depends on your needs

Agreed. I even pay much of our food expenses including a steak at home + sushi out each fortnightly. 2-3 bottles of b500 scotch. 2000b transit to work and back. Avg about 425 daily.

[bert bloggs]

2 hours ago, HAPPYNUFF said:

1.  Next time you  go to any hospital for treatment, just try doing a runner, and see  how far you get past  those lovely  "escorts"  who follow you like your shadow to the cashier.

2.  When you reach that magical "use by" date set by insurance companys, and your of absolutley no value to them, and your policy is cancelled,  come and tell us about it, wont you, and join the  compulsory self insured brigade.

No escort has ever folloed me ,in fact when i picked up my meds on leaving Chonburi,we were asked would we pay now or later

[robblok]

2 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

No escort has ever folloed me ,in fact when i picked up my meds on leaving Chonburi,we were asked would we pay now or later

Not sure if it would be the same after a big operation but I have had few minor operations after accidents and nobody followed me around. I could have done a runner. 

 

Maybe its different with bills that are higher. 

[balo]

7 hours ago, Robin said:

Will the current entry requirements for Thailand spell the end of the country as a retirement destination.?

No  

[atpeace]

5 hours ago, robblok said:

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. 

You made some solid posts IMO on this thread.  Can't follow the logic on this one. 

 

Where did the 2 trillion come from?  Oh wait I just got it. That is revenue from tourism.  I'm pretty sure the poster you replied to just mentioned tourism revenue and never implied it should be used to pay hospital bills.  He states the unpaid bill would be paid by the new 500 baht entry fee.  In actuality 50 baht would seem to more than cover the cost.  It is not a major loss but it sounds good on the political stage.

 

These new rules do stink.  I'm self insured for the first 160k baht and then covered 100%.  Don't think this would be accepted.

[atpeace]

3 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

No escort has ever folloed me ,in fact when i picked up my meds on leaving Chonburi,we were asked would we pay now or later

I've been in the ICU twice in Thailand and payment was not an issue until I was capable of discussing payment.  I seem to always get in trouble around public hospitals so this might be a factor.  I've had a couple stays in private hospitals and they were not on my heels looking for payment.   Basically the same as back home.  Tell them how you will pay for the services and pay for them upon leaving.

[atpeace]

4 hours ago, Chad3000 said:

Agreed. I even pay much of our food expenses including a steak at home + sushi out each fortnightly. 2-3 bottles of b500 scotch. 2000b transit to work and back. Avg about 425 daily.

That is amazing. I spend 300 baht on food at least.  I live a vey simple life not out of necessity but because I'm happier doing so ( have past baggage  that is costly but this will end soon I hope) but 300 baht is beyond my imagination.  Nice to hear about people living comfortably and needing little money.

[Destiny1990]

What’s ur fixation with Thailand? Just give Portugal, or Tenerife a try way less requirements and less headaches all together. Thailand plans to focus on first time visitors especially from India. ???? 

[hotandsticky]

8 hours ago, robblok said:

Its hard but it happens otherwise you would not have the sob stories in Thaivisa. If you follow the heath section you can see it there too. They had a huge loss (hospitals) from foreigners not paying.

 

Now you could say Thai government would have to pay as they make money. But that is unfair to other Thai taxpayers as they see no benefits but pay for it. An option would be an extra tax on business in the tourist industry (raising prices) and then funding an account for those that wont pay. Because they are the ones benefitting.

 

Anyway you been on this forum for a while strange that you have not read the same stories.

 

 

Read them, but they are in the significant minority.

 

My personal experiences are for payment/insurance pretty much guaranteed before they take your blood pressure.

[robblok]

13 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Read them, but they are in the significant minority.

 

My personal experiences are for payment/insurance pretty much guaranteed before they take your blood pressure.

Maybe you look untrustworthy, I have had a few operations 2-3 without having to pay in advance or being followed around. But none of these came above 40k -50k or so. Also for normal checkups they never followed me around.

 

 

 

[robblok]

48 minutes ago, atpeace said:

You made some solid posts IMO on this thread.  Can't follow the logic on this one. 

 

Where did the 2 trillion come from?  Oh wait I just got it. That is revenue from tourism.  I'm pretty sure the poster you replied to just mentioned tourism revenue and never implied it should be used to pay hospital bills.  He states the unpaid bill would be paid by the new 500 baht entry fee.  In actuality 50 baht would seem to more than cover the cost.  It is not a major loss but it sounds good on the political stage.

 

These new rules do stink.  I'm self insured for the first 160k baht and then covered 100%.  Don't think this would be accepted.

My reasoning was that two trillion is turnover (means like sales before cost) and the loss of the hospitals were pure loss. So two numbers you can't really compare. But then salerno said that the unpaid bills also included some profit and that could be depends a bit how they calculated it. 

 

I would not mind at al paying extra to see this rule go. The hassle is annoying. But I am sure that some people would see the 500bt as a reason to take no insurance saying i already paid into the pot. Something like that. Anyway if people understood it was just to pay for the cheapskates that run away and does not entitle them to do the same im ok with it.

[spidermike007]

10 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Have you heard of this thing called a pandemic. ????

Yes. And over 70 countries are wide open to tourism, with no restrictions, other than double vaccination and a negative covid test, while a very cowardly Thailand and the extremely timid so called leaders cower in the corner, afraid of the big, bad, dark Bubonic type virus. 

 

Man up. Get your act together. The danger is from within, as demonstrated by the few infected arrivals, and the inability to shut down the cluster areas such as the Pranburi army bases. 

 

Woe is Thailand. 

[Chad3000]

1 hour ago, atpeace said:

That is amazing. I spend 300 baht on food at least.  I live a vey simple life not out of necessity but because I'm happier doing so ( have past baggage  that is costly but this will end soon I hope) but 300 baht is beyond my imagination.  Nice to hear about people living comfortably and needing little money.

Well, central Bangkok and food costs are myself and my wife. Perhaps that's better than you considering...?

[WhiteBuffaloATM]

OP Short Answer: NO

[spidermike007]

4 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

What’s ur fixation with Thailand? Just give Portugal, or Tenerife a try way less requirements and less headaches all together. Thailand plans to focus on first time visitors especially from India. ???? 

It is apparent by now, that Thailand DOES NOT have a plan. They are just throwing stuff against the wall, and seeing what sticks. Thailand is a rudderless ship, lost at sea. 

[Maha Sarakham]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

It is apparent by now, that Thailand DOES NOT have a plan.

I thought the plan was to welcome the rich by the yacht-load?

[atpeace]

8 hours ago, Chad3000 said:

Well, central Bangkok and food costs are myself and my wife. Perhaps that's better than you considering...?

Oh, 300 baht is food only?  For two this is definitely doable.  My calorie intake is about 4000 calories and I need a lot of protein which is more expensive than carbs.  In Isaan, I spend roughly 300 and probably 400 baht while living in tourist cities.

[Jeffr2]

9 hours ago, atpeace said:

I've been in the ICU twice in Thailand and payment was not an issue until I was capable of discussing payment.  I seem to always get in trouble around public hospitals so this might be a factor.  I've had a couple stays in private hospitals and they were not on my heels looking for payment.   Basically the same as back home.  Tell them how you will pay for the services and pay for them upon leaving.

My relative went into the ICU.  Within minutes of us arriving there, we were approached to pay upfront.  A rather substantial deposit.  Actually happened several times as they were in and out of the ICU for a few months.  This happened at both a private and a government hospital. 

 

But is Thailand over as a retirement destination?  No.  It's one of the best options there are.

[cardinalblue]

Have you heard of having practical and common sense response requirements to a pandemic?

 

Thailand has failed b/c of fear and management incompetence  

[atpeace]

1 minute ago, Jeffr2 said:

My relative went into the ICU.  Within minutes of us arriving there, we were approached to pay upfront.  A rather substantial deposit.  Actually happened several times as they were in and out of the ICU for a few months.  This happened at both a private and a government hospital. 

 

But is Thailand over as a retirement destination?  No.  It's one of the best options there are.

I was alone on the last and that might be the difference.  They took me to multiple hospitals and not one asked me about payment until  I was clear headed.  I had to back track months later and pay my bills.  Another accident, I think I remember them asking my GF about payment and she told them I would pay with cash.  No issue at all and I paid upon leaving.

 

So many variables ( blunt trauma, heart transplant, failed organ... ) I can understand a hospital asking/requiring a deposit.  Certain employees job is to inquire about payment and they do this all differently depending on the individual and hospital.  Relatives like you were in the situation described would be my first uncomfortable conversation if it was my responsibility and I would have the conversation ASAP.  Sucks that people are asking for money as your relative is gravely ill but that is the world we live in - dying isn't even free.

[fredscats]

6 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

Have you heard of having practical and common sense response requirements to a pandemic?

 

Thailand has failed b/c of fear and management incompetence  

Decisions are made on the hoof,what was decided last week changed by ever changing numbers  vaccines/availability/staffing

 Like a headless chicken,there is no leadership,nothing and nobody fit or capable to decide...bit like the UK

[Jeffr2]

5 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

It is apparent by now, that Thailand DOES NOT have a plan. They are just throwing stuff against the wall, and seeing what sticks. Thailand is a rudderless ship, lost at sea. 

I think there are too many competing powers.  Same thing is happening with their covid response.  Different groups are pushing for different strategies.  And of course there's the corruption angle...The biggest problem here.

[Jeffr2]

11 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

Have you heard of having practical and common sense response requirements to a pandemic?

 

Thailand has failed b/c of fear and management incompetence  

Failed due to corruption also.  Porous borders, illegal immigrants, pubs illegally open, purchase of poor vaccines, etc, etc, etc.

[tonray]

19 hours ago, Robin said:

and now I see rumours that the RV is going to need 2,000,000 in the Bank.

where ?

[atpeace]

26 minutes ago, tonray said:

where ?

It seems like he is hearing a lot of things and most are only in his head.  Anxiety is a bummer.

[malibukid]

America needs to extend Medicare to its international expat community.  would save millions 

[zyphodb]

15 hours ago, Chad3000 said:

There were problems brewing in latter days of Taksin regime. Abbasit was no friend despite we have him proper western education.

The thing with expecting Thais who've had a western education to be more sympathetic to us isn't going to work as most of them will have been bullied unmercifully the whole time they were at the western school. So I'd expect them to think clearer than most Thais, but also hate westerners after all the bullying they received...

[atpeace]

5 minutes ago, zyphodb said:

The thing with expecting Thais who've had a western education to be more sympathetic to us isn't going to work as most of them will have been bullied unmercifully the whole time they were at the western school. So I'd expect them to think clearer than most Thais, but also hate westerners after all the bullying they received...

I have never bullied anyone in my life and sense this is something only a few do off line.  My gut feeling is most enjoyed their time in the west and had good and bad experiences with people.

[jesimps]

19 hours ago, PoodThaiMaiDai said:

Thailand will always be a retirement destination.

 

I think once the world is vaccinated and the cases of covid amongst the locals dissipates, things will almost go back to normal.

 

I have a feeling they may keep some sort of insurance requirement as it really saves their butt so they don't have to worry about medical free loaders.

 

There are a lot of expats that really cannot afford to be here.  So I think they want to prevent these types of people from moving here.  That is why they have the 800,000 requirement.

 

The recently announced they are looking into a 10-year visa for expats LINK..

 

This shows they are still trying to make Thailand attractive to expats.

 

"There are a lot of expats that really cannot afford to be here."

 

Name them. You missed "In my opinion" at the start of that sentence. Too many smug types on here, with more money than sense making that assumption. Maybe you should have said "Too many tourists with no insurance who can't afford to have accidents here".

[Jeffr2]

5 minutes ago, jesimps said:

"There are a lot of expats that really cannot afford to be here."

 

Name them. You missed "In my opinion" at the start of that sentence. Too many smug types on here, with more money than sense making that assumption. Maybe you should have said "Too many tourists with no insurance who can't afford to have accidents here".

I know a few that aren't doing well financially.  Exchange rates, poor investments, medical bills...forced quite a few I know back to their home country.  Where they get financial and medical help.