BMA advise tourists to take out health insurance "for their peace of mind"

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported on the latest meeting of the Thai capital's health monitoring and action group at BMA HQ yesterday.

 

Deputy city governor Dr Thawida Kamonwech chaired the meeting of the Bangkok Health Emergency Operations Centre.

 

This was set up last year to deal with health crises.

 

Dr Thawida indicated that Covid numbers continued to show improvement and community immunity was meeting targets. 

 

Still of concern were the 608 group, the over sixties with seven major health problems like diabetes plus pregnant women.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The BMA was promoting "4-4" having four Covid shots and four months wait for the booster.

 

Another BMA deputy Dr Suksan Kittisuphakorn said that 10,000 beds were set aside for Covid patients in the capital but only 5% were needed.

 

Most Covid patients were being treated in out-patient departments for minor symptoms. 

 

Tourists who develop symptoms were being advised to isolate in their hotels, wear masks and not go into crowded environments.

 

Suksan called this "Hotel Isolation" that people were familiar with in the pandemic.

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Suksan said that tourists were advised to take out short term health insurance policies to help with their peace of mind.

 

He said that the capital has great hospital facilities in both the state and private sectors.

 

The BMA are pushing vaccination boosters for all but especially targeting workers in tourism businesses.

 

And all the Covid protocols for bars and restaurants are still being promoted to keep the numbers infected down. 
 

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[ikke1959]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

the over sixties with seven major health problems like diabetes plus pregnant women.

huh.. over sixties and pregnant???

[Thailand]

And fortunately there is a booth just at the arrivals side of immigration where we can assist you perhaps?

[Liverpool Lou]

50 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

1 hour ago, webfact said:

the over sixties with seven major health problems like diabetes plus pregnant women.

huh.. over sixties and pregnant???

It did not say "over 60s and pregnant", it said the over 60s plus pregnant women.

[ikke1959]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It did not say "over 60s and pregnant", it said the over 60s plus pregnant women.

not much humor isn't??

[D M G]

Half-assed reporting to create confusion and controversy...

[Mavideol]

5 minutes ago, D M G said:

Half-assed reporting to create confusion and controversy...

we  are talking about Thailand, nothing new or surprising, daily/hourly controversy is their cup of tea

[MrJ2U]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The BMA are pushing vaccination boosters for all but especially targeting workers in tourism businesses.

Reports of hospitals with little or no supply of COVID-19 vaccines, and the ones being used are old, not targeting Omicron. 

[Liverpool Lou]

34 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It did not say "over 60s and pregnant", it said the over 60s plus pregnant women.

not much humor isn't??

There's a big difference between claimed 'humour' (when called out about it) and deliberately, but lamely, trying to take the pi_ss  by misstating what was actually reported (Thai bashing).   

[milesinnz]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It did not say "over 60s and pregnant", it said the over 60s plus pregnant women.

so they are not worried about pregnant men being a health risk ?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 minute ago, milesinnz said:

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

It did not say "over 60s and pregnant", it said the over 60s plus pregnant women.

so they are not worried about pregnant men being a health risk ?

That sort of banal stupidity hasn't really got here...yet.   I think that their distinction, though, was between pregnant women and non-pregnant women whose risks are, allegedly, less.

[damo1967]

Why not let those who choose not to take out any travel/CoVid insurance when visiting SE Asia learn the hard way about the 'special' treatment they will receive as soon as the Hospital realises they have no insurance at all.

ps. GoFundMe's should be banned for any international traveller who refused to get some basic cheap travel insurance.  

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Another BMA deputy Dr Suksan Kittisuphakorn said that 10,000 beds were set aside for Covid patients in the capital but only 5% were needed.

10,000 beds ready only 5% were needed... I smell something very iffy here.

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

huh.. over sixties and pregnant???

Thais will be Thais ????

[hotchilli]

34 minutes ago, MrJ2U said:

Reports of hospitals with little or no supply of COVID-19 vaccines, and the ones being used are old, not targeting Omicron. 

Siam Bioscience will come to the rescue again..

[spidermike007]

You don't need anything to get into the country. We are fully re-opened. 

 

Now, you need a covid test and health insurance. 

 

Maybe you don't need a covid test anymore.

 

Ok, you definitely don't need a covid test. But we are not sure about the insurance. 

 

Huh? 344,090 tickets were canceled? Huh? Um, Um, OK, you don't need health insurance. 

 

But, you should have health insurance, anyway. Has Thawida ever spent an hour in the sun? Is he actually a ghost? 

[Mickeymaus]

"Tourists who develop symptoms were being advised to isolate in their hotels, wear masks and not go into crowded environments." 

 

What else would they do after spending a lot of money and time to come here for their vacation... Somehow this whole Covid policy gets more and more unrealistic. They are advised to make a PCR test. They are advised to have a health insurance. But they are not advised to stay in their home country where they have countless Covid cases. 

[OldPedro]

Test the Chinese before leaving...if positive, keep them out. Problem solved.....

[Marco51]

.........and all this as not to affront the communist Chinese government (loans) after the Chinese virus was almost under control everywhere except China who royally screwed it up  and told the world and their own population under threat of punishment that ,except for the great China and it's occupied territories,  the rest of the world is lying, is decadent and the source of epidemics and evil....................I am so looking forward to the smoking busses again and hordes of 1st time motorbikers and gazillions of suitcase rollers from 1 chinese owned air bnb to another or a chinese owned club or disco or casino or restaurant or......................the memory of the Germans and Brits in Benidorm or the Costa Blanca is heaven in comparison. Then again, they also left their bodily fluids on every street corner and considered "if you don't hear us clearly we were not there..." Seriously , the owners of bus companies, large hotels, chain stores and shopping malls are of course happy to open the gates to anything and anyone. The drivers, waiters, tellers, shop girls sand service people..............hmmm, not so sure, I know of none that believe the hype of a trickle down economy in exchange for infection , especially in the tourism sector.

[Reigntax]

1 hour ago, damo1967 said:

Why not let those who choose not to take out any travel/CoVid insurance when visiting SE Asia learn the hard way about the 'special' treatment they will receive as soon as the Hospital realises they have no insurance at all.

ps. GoFundMe's should be banned for any international traveller who refused to get some basic cheap travel insurance.  

Especially when decent cover only costs about $65/ month

[edogthong]

2 hours ago, damo1967 said:

GoFundMe's should be banned for any international traveller who refused to get some basic cheap travel insurance.  

I find it interesting how people assume that health insurance providers always pay up. I can tell you through experience that they do everything in their power to get out of paying. That's especially true for the basic, cheap alternatives. No wonder so many people self-insure.

[edogthong]

2 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

You don't need anything to get into the country. We are fully re-opened. 

 

Now, you need a covid test and health insurance. 

 

Maybe you don't need a covid test anymore.

 

Ok, you definitely don't need a covid test. But we are not sure about the insurance. 

 

Huh? 344,090 tickets were canceled? Huh? Um, Um, OK, you don't need health insurance. 

 

But, you should have health insurance, anyway. Has Thawida ever spent an hour in the sun? Is he actually a ghost? 

This is their feeble attempt at saving face. They can't just come out and say: "Sorry, we were wrong and we take it all back". They have to go through this gradual backpedaling in an attempt to make it seem as if they've actually made a difference when in reality everything is back to what it was a week ago. The only thing this accomplished was to further cement Thailand's reputation as an unstable nation, not suitable for investment or even a holiday. Thousands of travellers canceled their holidays with thousands more deciding not to choose Thailand as their future holiday destination.

[damo1967]

24 minutes ago, edogthong said:

I find it interesting how people assume that health insurance providers always pay up. I can tell you through experience that they do everything in their power to get out of paying. That's especially true for the basic, cheap alternatives. No wonder so many people self-insure.

If people can self-insure, then that is great.. almost all people will not have a problem with that!  I was mentioning those who roll the dice by not getting any insurance and expect to get hospital treatment without any insurance 'or' self-insurance!  It is those people who can not self-insure, or bother to pay a few bucks to get some insurance.   YES, all insurance companies scrutinize every claim..  they are a 'business'.  But if you have a legitmate claim people should not have to worry.

 

I am really worried now explaining this to you.. because you obviously did not understand the original thread of the post, and you will come back with some other trivial unrelated <deleted>.  Please let it be known to yourself, I will not be replying to you from this point.

[Regyai]

6 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

huh.. over sixties and pregnant???

Its a little known often under-reported side effect of diabetes in the over 60's

[internationalism]

the BMA has nothing to do with tourism and their advice won't be heard abroad.

International mass media won't broadcast this message at all. Very few tourists read thai local publications.

Such matters are at hands of TAT, ministry of health

[pomchop]

Where can you buy travel health insurance if you are over 75 years old?

[Pib]

1 hour ago, edogthong said:

I find it interesting how people assume that health insurance providers always pay up. I can tell you through experience that they do everything in their power to get out of paying. That's especially true for the basic, cheap alternatives. No wonder so many people self-insure.

I love that "self insure" description as it can give the impression of being insured...having plenty of money to cover medical costs.  Unfortunately, self insure all to often really means no money to cover medical bills....only using GoFundMe.

[Aussieroaming]

Amazing how 4 & 4 is touted. How many shots has Anutin taken for himself now? It was 6 shots about 2 years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Scouse123]

5 hours ago, milesinnz said:

so they are not worried about pregnant men being a health risk ?

I would be!

[Scouse123]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

I love that "self insure" description as it can give the impression of being insured...having plenty of money to cover medical costs.  Unfortunately, self insure all to often really means no money to cover medical bills....only using GoFundMe.

Yep!

 

That's the one!