For my situation, I am aware that to change my oa to o visa (avoiding the dreaded insurance req) , I have to leave the country and return back as visa exempt and then apply for o visa at my local Thai immigration. In light of the difficulty of returning back to Thailand , can anyone suggest a way I can get an oa while still in Thailand.

 

For example , would letting my oa visa ex Extension expire, get the covid extension instead or ..and the apply for the o visa worked ? 
 

thanks for any inputs . I am trying to avoid travel during this period but want to stay long term in Thailand without the mandatory insurance .

The only way to end the entry from a OA visa is to leave and re-enter the country with a non-o visa or visa exempt entry to apply for the non-o visa at immigration.

Letting your extension expire and then get a 60 day covid 19 extension would not end your OA visa entry since you would still be extending it.

30 minutes ago, Alotoftravel said:

. I am trying to avoid travel during this period but want to stay long term in Thailand without the mandatory insurance

Personally I would obtain the cheapest insurance (highest deductible) to continue with extensions I til such a time that a border run without too many requirements is possible.

Could be year but without exit your stuck with your non O-A.

I am in exactly the same situation as the op , my extension is due Sept 25th and am hoping to make a trip to the U.K. before then (returning exempt to obtain an O visa and subsequent retirement extension). 

Failing that, the suggestion by @DrJack54 will be my way forward.

 

I am in the same predicament OA to O visa. However with my agency we were able to find a cheaper version of insurance then when you try to research it yourself.

So for the time I keep going with the OA Visa. 

 

(Listening around, the general expectations is that sooner or later also the O Visas will be hit with the insurance requirements.) 

Jurg. Could you mail me the agency which you used to obtain the cost effective but adequate insurance please ? Thank you in advance.

22 hours ago, Jurg said:

Listening around, the general expectations is that sooner or later also the O Visas will be hit with the insurance requirements.

It's not my general expectation but anything is possible.

I put it in the scaremongering basket. 

On 1/5/2022 at 5:04 PM, Jurg said:

I am in the same predicament OA to O visa. However with my agency we were able to find a cheaper version of insurance then when you try to research it yourself.

So for the time I keep going with the OA Visa. 

 

(Listening around, the general expectations is that sooner or later also the O Visas will be hit with the insurance requirements.) 

Can you please tell us the agency you used or pm me ????

15 minutes ago, Wake Up said:

Can you please tell us the agency you used or pm me ????

I've extended my OA in 2020 using an agent. Total cost was 17,000 which included a BS 3,000bht policy from Bangkok Ins. Didn't have to mess with any banking paperwork. 

 

Which is cheaper than any Ins you may find and no labor on my part.

13 minutes ago, EVENKEEL said:

I've extended my OA in 2020 using an agent. Total cost was 17,000 which included a BS 3,000bht policy from Bangkok Ins. Didn't have to mess with any banking paperwork. 

 

Which is cheaper than any Ins you may find and no labor on my part.

I would be interested in more information about a medical insurance policy that covers you for one year with coverage of 400k inpatient and 40k outpatient that is available for a cost of 3,000 baht.

4 minutes ago, skatewash said:

I would be interested in more information about a medical insurance policy that covers you for one year with coverage of 400k inpatient and 40k outpatient that is available for a cost of 3,000 baht.

Go see an agent. Is it a legit policy? I doubt it for 3000 bht. But it got my extension. I recently left Thailand and returned letting my OA expire with no reentry permit. Now I'm going the Non O route.

On 1/9/2022 at 1:55 PM, Wake Up said:

Can you please tell us the agency you used or pm me ????

Don't know how to pm you here?

On 1/6/2022 at 1:02 PM, Postmaster said:

Jurg. Could you mail me the agency which you used to obtain the cost effective but adequate insurance please ? Thank you in advance.

How do I mail you? Where on this forum page can I do it?

5 minutes ago, Jurg said:

How do I mail you? Where on this forum page can I do it?

Go to the 3 horizontal lines to right side of AseanNow at top of page.

Hit that and you will see "notifications" and to the right an "envelop symbol" 

Hit that and then hit "compose new".

You then need to type in a "heading" of message and recipient. 

Just follow the prompts. 

39 minutes ago, Jurg said:

How do I mail you? Where on this forum page can I do it?

Hover the mouse pointer over a persons member name and you will see this at the bottom of it.

52 minutes ago, Jurg said:

How do I mail you? Where on this forum page can I do it?

Forgot to mention more direct way. Just hit on username and mail option pops up along with members details, posts etc