I am a canadian/british citizen moving to Bangkok at the end of the month to join my thai fiance who works for Deloitte. My wife insists that I do not need health insurance. However, as someone who lives in Canada, the idea of not having health insurance makes me feel sick.

Perhaps one of you guys can advise me. Do I or do I not need health insurance.

She insists that health care is so cheap, that there is no need for it.

It is cheap for minor complaints, but it's a different matter if you need to be hospitalised after an accident, or for a serious illness. It would be wreckless to live here without a medical insurance which will at least cover you for the more serious events. For your fiance this might be different, she could be covered within the 30bht health scheme, but you won't be.

Routine medical expense is small but if you require quality special treatment such as heart or brain operations the cost can add up. This weeks newspapers reported open heart bypass runs from 300k baht up with no complications. So it depends on your financial conditions and how much risk you are willing to take.

If you travel remember to factor that in or to buy insurance to cover that.

If you're in a reasonably normal situation and don't plan to stay indefinitely you might get lucky without insurance. If you feel lucky just get yourself a cheap coverage (i.e. with a high co-pay).

My own experience includes for instance staying 3 nights at Bangkok/Pattaya Hospital w/private room at a total cost of 300 USD, which of course is cheap. Major surgery/needing an emergency evacuation back home without insurance would set most people back for years financially.

Your call. ("ask yourself, punk: do you feel lucky?" )

/// dfw

I am a canadian/british citizen moving to Bangkok at the end of the month to join my thai fiance who works for Deloitte.  My wife insists that I do not need health insurance. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

More like life insurance.

You do not need health insurance from overseas, but you do need insurance here!!

Check out companies like Bupa, and Royal & Sun Alliance,

they are based in Thailand and offer comprehensive cover based on the

local market.

You may also take a look at this topic > http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=19061

Have a look to healthcare international´s website, they are good expat insurance providers