Big Thailand visa changes from June 1

[oldcpu]

1 hour ago, Paris333 said:

For those over 50 years old is it mandatory to have health insurance in Thailand?

I am going to travel for 3 months in Bangkok. Is it mandatory to pay private health insurance in Thailand or not?

 

 

If you are doing so on a non-immigrant type-OA visa, then the answer is YES.

 

Otherwise, on other relatively short duration visas (or visa exempt) I am not aware of such a requirement. 

 

HOWEVER you really really really should have health insurance covering you when in Thailand.  I could pontificate on a story of a western man (in his early 20s - but for that matter it would have been the same had he been in his 50s ) who got into a motorcycle accident a couple of years ago, when in Thailand, and ran up a MASSIVE medical bill, before he was finally repatriated back to his home country for more treatment (where back in his home country the public medicare covered him - but it did NOT cover him in Thailand).  And the story I know of first hand is only one of many.

 

 

Edited May 30 by oldcpu

[Sigmund]

2 hours ago, Paris333 said:

For those over 50 years old is it mandatory to have health insurance in Thailand?

I am going to travel for 3 months in Bangkok. Is it mandatory to pay private health insurance in Thailand or not?

 

For short time, it's No. But definately...definately get some form of insurance back home to be repatriated by plane in case of emergency if you don't want to rot in some seedy place in Thailand in case of an issue (health or accident).

[roamer]

1 hour ago, george said:

Link please!

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

" From 1 June 2024, British passport holders arriving by air or land can enter Thailand without a visa (visa exemption) for the purpose of tourism and short-term business engagements for a period not exceeding 60 days."

Thai Embassy UK not updated yet 😊

[Middle Aged Grouch]

The Non Imm O visa should be valid at least for 4 months and not 3 as currently

[Highlandman]

6 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

Currently Cambodia  and Laos have free entry under bilateral agreements (which includes unlimited entries). Both will change to 60 day visa exempts from 1 June which does raise the question about only two visa exempts allowed by land per calender year (maybe bilateral agreements stay in place as well?)

Lol! Obviously Lao and Cambodian passport holders will continue to be allowed to do unlimited border runs. There is no way 2 visits per year could be enforced for them as they're a neighboring country. 

[pomchop]

14 pages of questions confusion in a few days on one website...

 

it would appear that just maybe the details should be worked out and posted at the same time as the big announcement?  Guess none of the tourism officials thought of that.  Any legit company would fire people for a rollout that was done without providing the details.  

 

Basic question?  Define digital nomad/freelancer what exactly does it mean and what proof , if any, is required to qualify? 

[Phillip9]

3 hours ago, Sigmund said:

definately get some form of insurance back home to be repatriated by plane in case of emergency if you don't want to rot in some seedy place in Thailand in case of an issue (health or accident).

I'm guessing you have never been to a private hospital in Thailand.  They are not "seedy places" by any possible definition of that term.

[Phillip9]

4 hours ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

If indeed you need to hold 500k uninvested in a Thai bank account, then the true cost (visa fee+lost yield) skyrockets to 50-60k a year. Doubt that's the case though

I think it's probably true.  Many of us digital nomads (myself included) would gladly pay that for a long term visa.

[BusNo8]

On 5/28/2024 at 5:39 PM, snoop1130 said:

Foreign graduates can now stay for a full year after graduation. Before, they had to leave the country immediately after their studies.

 

"These graduates can search for jobs during this extended period, especially in our areas of need," Mr. Chai commented. He noted that about 40,000 foreign students are studying in the country.

 

This is also vague. Perhaps just poor writing

 

Appears students studying IN Thailand. So that's Chinese PRC and a few Koreans

 

It does not appear to be gap year holiday for foreigners.

[steve187]

10 hours ago, Shocked farang said:

I did say it's purchased in advance from an embassy. I said the first step on arrival is to purchase the Visa and then you get your stay stamped 

but you did post quote ' you must buy a Visa, that is an authorization to travel to Thailand,'

whereas visa on arrival is purchased on arrival

[steve187]

4 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

I think it's probably true.  Many of us digital nomads (myself included) would gladly pay that for a long term visa.

if you are a nomad ' a person who moves from place to place rather than settling down and living in one area'  why do you need a long term visa

[george]

UPDATE:

UK Government has updated their website about Thailand's visa requirements:

 

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

[oldcpu]

4 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

I'm guessing you have never been to a private hospital in Thailand.  They are not "seedy places" by any possible definition of that term.

 

Absolutely true about private hospitals in Thailand being very very good.  One can thou, run up a large bill, and health insurance can be of a big financial assist.

 

On the other hand, a public hospital in a small Thai city (which has no private hospital) while significantly less expensive, can be crowded and not so pleasant.

 

I was pleasantly surprised to read the reduction of health insurance for the Type-OA visa, and I thought that good news. I was disappointed that they did not go a step further and allow 'self insurance', like they do for the LTR visa.  

 

I was also happy to read that they did not merge the Type-O and Type-OA visas (while retaining the Type-OA health insurance requirement), as that was a concern of mine (not for myself, but for friends I have who are on Type-O visas).  Most my friends on Type-O visas have excellent health insurance from abroad, that is superior to the Thai Type-OA visa requirements, but it is not accepted by Thai immigration (if one were on a Type-OA).  For long stay extensions, on a Type-OA visa, one pretty much needs to purchase health insurance from the Thai branch of a health insurance company, which can mean double health insurance required for those foreigners who do not want to dump their superior foreign (branch) health insurance.  So my friends are happy to stay on the Type-O visa where one need not prove health insurance.

Edited May 31 by oldcpu

[Phillip9]

28 minutes ago, steve187 said:

if you are a nomad ' a person who moves from place to place rather than settling down and living in one area'  why do you need a long term visa

 

I stay in Thailand about 6 months each year.  I would love to get a 180 day visa, so I could to that without border bounces and/or extensions.

[BE88]

 

I assume that all expats now hold their breath, relax for another 24 hours and we would have cancelled our visa and perhaps changed it to a visa that is very easy to obtain without bureaucratic complications upon entry and perhaps even upon exit, well it will cost a little more but who love doesn't count.😁

 

Or maybe not....

Edited May 31 by BE88

[Pattaya57]

9 hours ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

The Non Imm O visa should be valid at least for 4 months and not 3 as currently

Why? I'm happy it's 90 days as was enough time to set up bank and means I can apply for the 12 month extension sooner 

[Pattaya57]

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

but you did post quote ' you must buy a Visa, that is an authorization to travel to Thailand,'

whereas visa on arrival is purchased on arrival

It appears you can also apply for a VoA online before travel (need to scan QR code in link)

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?p=9254

 

Edited May 31 by Pattaya57

[Maitdjai]

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

if you are a nomad ' a person who moves from place to place rather than settling down and living in one area'  why do you need a long term visa

A good question! 
All those, who are cheering here about the new regulation, classifying themselves proudly as a DN,
might be actually acting, and working, at least, in a “grey zone”?
So, could it be a way, an attempt, to “cash in” from those people, and reduce their stay to a maximum of 2 times 180 days, within 5 years?
The price and the conditions are also not a real sell-off bargain.
If you buy this Visa, you're booked, nailed, and on the radar, as a “potentially” working DN in the IO, and also of the IRS system.

[Lite Beer]

1 hour ago, Pattaya57 said:

It appears you can also apply for a VoA online before travel (need to scan QR code in link)

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?p=9254

 

Not many countries qualify for this Visa.

[JayClay]

22 minutes ago, Maitdjai said:

All those, who are cheering here about the new regulation, classifying themselves proudly as a DN,
might be actually acting, and working, at least, in a “grey zone”?

 

The documentation is very clear that it is aimed at people who work remotely. There's no "gray zone". Don't do business in Thailand/with Thai companies and you'll be fine.

[Maitdjai]

3 minutes ago, JayClay said:

 

The documentation is very clear that it is aimed at people who work remotely. There's no "gray zone". Don't do business in Thailand/with Thai companies and you'll be fine.

No business in Thailand, or with Thai companies, but still “work”, even if it's remotely.
= grey-zone, because you're physically in Thailand, and so you're working in/from Thailand.
Otherwise, this visa would be obsolete, beside the revenue, what I mentioned.

[Phillip9]

1 hour ago, Maitdjai said:

work”, even if it's remotely.
= grey-zone, because you're physically in Thailand, and so you're working in/from Thailand.

It's not a grey zone if the new visa and law specifically allows it.

[JayClay]

1 hour ago, Maitdjai said:

No business in Thailand, or with Thai companies, but still “work”, even if it's remotely.
= grey-zone, because you're physically in Thailand, and so you're working in/from Thailand.
Otherwise, this visa would be obsolete, beside the revenue, what I mentioned.

 

I don't understand what argument you're trying to make.

 

You appear to understand that the new visa is to enable remote work; as per the announcement.

 

So where do you believe the "gray area" is?

 

 

[JimTripper]

I don't see anything listed yet. will keep watching: https://thaiconsulatela.thaiembassy.org/en/page/visa-types-requirments

[Maitdjai]

3 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

It's not a grey zone if the new visa and law specifically allows it.

“If” it will be conducted this way at the end, and “if” you purchase this visa, it's for 2 times 180 days, within 5 years.
Period! 
So, many of the current “grey-zone-Resident-DNs” (on whatever kind of visa/extension of stay) staying in the country, in their villas, without any budgets, (what I've read here), would be taking out themselves, after 360 days.
Naturally, beside those (the super-smart exceptions), which are always confirming the rule. Lol.

Edited May 31 by Maestro
replaced an ambiguous and confusing acronym with its presumed meaning in this post

[elektrified]

7 hours ago, BusNo8 said:

 

This is also vague. Perhaps just poor writing

 

Appears students studying IN Thailand. So that's Chinese PRC and a few Koreans

 

It does not appear to be gap year holiday for foreigners.

There are plenty of other nationalities (including white-skinned farangs) studying in Chiang Mai.

[humbug]

On 5/30/2024 at 2:05 PM, El Matador said:

"At this time, the government has announced that the visa will only be available from June 2025."

 

Well it seems we can forget the digital nomad visa for next winter. And they have the time to change 10 times their mind.

I still take that 2 months visa exemption instead of waiting weeks for the evisa.

 

"In 2024, foreign tourism on track to generate ฿1.254 trillion, far short of nearly ฿2 trillion generated in 2019. Cabinet wants ฿3 trillion in receipts"

 

Interesting to see that despite a high number of tourists, the money coming from tourism has dropped by a lot. It gives an idea about the current opening towards Russian, Chinese and Indian tourists. It hasn't attracted wealthy tourists.

Is this delay/cancellation confirmed?

 

It seems a lot of wasted messages and replies to a visa that will never happen, or just a continued delay, seemed a weird visa, 180 days in a 5 year period, then one more time

 

 

[Maestro]

7 hours ago, Phillip9 said:

 

I stay in Thailand about 6 months each year.  I would love to get a 180 day visa, so I could to that without border bounces and/or extensions.

 

I believe the DTV is not intended for "nomads" (travellers) in general but for "digital nomads, ie foreigners who travel to Thailand in order to work from Thailand "digitally", ie remotely with electronic devices.

[Startmeup]

On 5/28/2024 at 7:05 PM, Robert Paulson said:

Sounds like they want the tax money. So can we just say we’re digital nomads. Someone explain to me why a digital nomad is going to get 180 days while a married expat has to jump through all kinds of hoops and report every90

 

something doesn’t add up here. This will torpedo the elite visa program. Must be more details to come. 

Edited May 31 by Startmeup

[Maestro]

5 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

It appears you can also apply for a VoA online before travel (need to scan QR code in link)

 

https://www.immigration.go.th/en/?p=9254

 

 

Good additional information. With the big increase in the number of countries qualifying, this will be even more useful.