Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance

[Bluespunk]

good move, lets face it, the hospitals debts are purely the fault of those foreign scum. nothing at all to do with corruption, crass government policies and incompetence. damn those foreign people, how dare they do this to Thailand's wonderfully efficient health service.

[Soutpeel]

Of course if I DON'T use the health insurance the cost will be refunded on my departure, correct?

Not likely.

Just another tourist scam.

does you car insurance get refunded if you dont drive your car or your household insurance get refunded if you dont get broken into ?....so cant see how this is a scam

[Soutpeel]

If mandatory health insurance is implemented, it could dissuade some tourists coming to Thailand, another nail in the coffin.

not at all for geniune tourist..the cost of their medical insurance is very cheap for the duration they are on holiday...where this will really impact is the farang "residents" because they will need to take out proper long term medical insurance

[belg]

euh .... ????

some socialist countries like mine, where they steal 50% of your paycheck, you have health coverage even in thailand, included in what you already pay or your social security extra's...

how they going to make this mandatory?

even you have bought extra private insurance , how will those brilliant in english immigration people try to conversate this to the tourists ?

[lemoncake]

Way to possibly loose few million tourists

Personally i purchase all my tickets and hotels with my black master card which automatically gives me 6 months of health insurance while travelling,

So would i need to show them the booklets and translate it for them

Um, yes.

Insurance to what level anyway?

What do you mean to what level?

I am fully covered, have made claims in the past, paid for surgery and physio over 500 000 no probs at all

I mean the Thai level of requirement.

Full with repatriation etc etc?

Anytime I purchase a ticket I get 6 months insurance.

[ttwitt]

its a very fine balance, this would definetly tip the scales in favour of cambo, viet, laos, malatsia for me. especially now that 7 has stopped selling aura in big bottles. not joking either.

[darrendsd]

Way to possibly loose few million tourists

Personally i purchase all my tickets and hotels with my black master card which automatically gives me 6 months of health insurance while travelling,

So would i need to show them the booklets and translate it for them

I find it hard to believe that the high end tourists that you have claimed in previous posts to attract to your Hotel are dumb enough to travel without insurance?

[jcisco]

My god the huge balls it will require for an insurance company to even consider underwriting the risk for this one.

It will surely result in a policy with essentially no deliverable or accessible services, it will I am sure become another unfortunate

joke. Swing and a Miss for sure.

If you cannot afford insurance, You need insurance!

I so want to through wit at underwriting marriages relationships with Thai females, but alas more money than sense.

[IMA_FARANG]

Of course if I DON'T use the health insurance the cost will be refunded on my departure, correct?

Not likely.

Just another tourist scam.

-----------------

does you car insurance get refunded if you dont drive your car or your household insurance get refunded if you dont get broken into ?....so cant see how this is a scam

To clarify..... I'm not complaining about voluntary health insurance ..... or some insurance I elect to purchase. I understand that is my choice.

What I don't like is being charged a fee on entrance to Thailand as a tourist for mandatory health insurance that I must pay for even if I don't use it or need it.

Such as having it added to a hotel bill or an air ticket.

I first came to Thailand in 1977 as a tourist.

Until 2010 I entered Thailand as a tourist at least twice a year and now live here.

I will quite happily pay for any health or hospital bills I incur here. I'm not a child and I know about the possibility of being hurt,

However, in the years since 1977, I have not once been injured or had to go to a Thai hospital. So why should I be required to have mandatory Thai insurance.

But I don't want a "nanny state" mentality forcing me. That's why I left the U.S. in the first place.

I'll stand or fall on my own, thank you, please.

[moe666]

As usual a bunch of people going on about nothing. A few years ago I was in Chiang Mai Ram hospital and there was a French girl with a very bad foot infection with out the money to pay, no insurance, and no one coming to her rescue. Who was going to cover her treatment as many here say o should be free. Come on people when has hospital care any where been free. A lot of talk about Thai corruption but none about how people travelling should cover their ass. From reading the many post about Thailand and the many different subjects the responses reek of racism.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts containing a copyrighted AP photo have been removed.

[techboy]

"...cost of health insurance coverage might be included in visa fees,..."

Great way to skim extra on the insurance 'fees',

on farangs of course.

" ... Those visiting Thailand without visas would be required to buy insurance at immigration checkpoints ... "

So unless you have '(what) Proof of Insurance', they will charge you arbitrary fees through the government for private insurance?

Or will crony companies set up a booth next to every entree point in the land?

Who will decide which external insurance coverage will be considered valid?

" ... or the fees could be added to the cost of airline tickets. ... "

How are the airlines expected to vet insurance applications

with everyone from different countries with different insurance requirements?

" ... After the meeting, Pradit said all of those involved agreed to set up a subcommittee to work on the proposal. ... "

As usual speak first then figure out the difficulties after other people tell you them,

then throw it all out so you don't lose face for having to take outside advice.

The ubiquitous : Lost in committee

Very first post. Bingo! Right off the bat someone with no knowledge of veracity suggests corruption. You could get more independent and intelligent thinking from a kid's talking doll.

[moe666]

its a very fine balance, this would definetly tip the scales in favour of cambo, viet, laos, malatsia for me. especially now that 7 has stopped selling aura in big bottles. not joking either.

doubtful as they are trash

[bigbamboo]

Without trawling through all the replies can I ask if anyone has heard a statement from TAT to say that this measure will not effect tourist numbers to Thailand?

[sustento]

I think the title of this thread is rather misleading. It should read:

"Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy TRAVEL insurance"

[chooka]

its a very fine balance, this would definetly tip the scales in favour of cambo, viet, laos, malatsia for me. especially now that 7 has stopped selling aura in big bottles. not joking either.

TAT will over rule it if it means a drop in tourists.

[spidermike007]

Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong is an absolute imbecile. Is there any chance his IQ is above air conditioned room temperature? First of all, the state does not, nor has it ever offered free services to foreigners, nor Thais. I have been to the state hospitals, and they always charge. My Thai friends have to pay too, though far less. So, it is zero drain on their system. This is what Yingbat gets for hiring idiots, and putting them into positions of authority. Was there nobody more qualified for this job?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[masuk]

Questions:

1) Is this planned to apply to tourists only? How about those of us on 1-year Non-O or B visas? Are we going to be checked out every 90 days on visa runs?

2) If you're over 65, it is impossible to obtain travel or health insurance here. Anyone know where/who?

3) AirAsia issue insurance on purchase of a ticket. Anyone had problems or claims on these policies?

[kingstonkid]

Sounds like nothing more than another money grab to me.

Here's a better idea.

"the country's state hospitals, which are required to provide foreigners with free medical service"

How about simply legislating that state hospitals NOT provide foreigners with free medical service. Why do they anyway?

Wouldn't that be a lot easier than setting up a whole new bureaucratic arm?

The problem with your idea is what do you do with the deadbeat tourist that can not pay or will not pay.

What do you do at emergency when the FARANG has written off his rented motorbike and needs serious head trauma because he was not wearing a helmet.

[GeorgeO]

The health ministry set up the meeting after Thailand's government asked it to address concerns about the financial burden on the country's state hospitals, which are required to provide foreigners with free medical service, Pradit said.

Free medical services for foreigners at state hospitals.... when did that start then?

I as thinking the same, fees for foreigners are normally double at surgeries and hospitals anyway.

Anyone have a list of the medical facilities in Chiangmai who provide the free service for farangs? I have been using Chiangmai Ram and can't even get out the door until you pay.

I have been here for ten years and have had to use medical services on a number of occasions. Never once have I left without paying a substantially higher bill for such services than all of the Thai people around me.

I have no problem with paying for such services, it's just patently obvious that I am subsidising local patients, probably based upon the assumption that I earn more money than them anyway.

So what I object to is some #@*# in the current 'government' (and I use the term very loosely) suggesting to everyone that we farangs are here sponging from the system...!

[GeorgeO]

Sounds like nothing more than another money grab to me.

Here's a better idea.

"the country's state hospitals, which are required to provide foreigners with free medical service"

How about simply legislating that state hospitals NOT provide foreigners with free medical service. Why do they anyway?

Wouldn't that be a lot easier than setting up a whole new bureaucratic arm?

The problem with your idea is what do you do with the deadbeat tourist that can not pay or will not pay.

What do you do at emergency when the FARANG has written off his rented motorbike and needs serious head trauma because he was not wearing a helmet.

I guess you just go 'tut' ... "shame that, nobody likes to see that" ... goodbye and RIP"....!

[kingstonkid]

BTW tell me a country that has free health care. Even Canada will cost you money if you are a traveler. If you are hurt int he US you are screwed if you do not have good health care.

I agree that you should either be able to prove you have health insurance or for us that have been here awhile the funds in a Thai bank to support you if you are injured.

[chiang mai]

BTW tell me a country that has free health care. Even Canada will cost you money if you are a traveler. If you are hurt int he US you are screwed if you do not have good health care.

I agree that you should either be able to prove you have health insurance or for us that have been here awhile the funds in a Thai bank to support you if you are injured.

UK has free health care, for residents.

[Phatcharanan]

Way to possibly loose few million tourists:thumbsup:

Personally i purchase all my tickets and hotels with my black master card which automatically gives me 6 months of health insurance while travelling,

:

I use my Super Deeper Black card which covers me for falling off barstools.

[Phatcharanan]

BTW tell me a country that has free health care

The UK, France, there are quire a few more as well.

Edited June 29, 2013 by Phatcharanan

[gerry1011]

Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong is an absolute imbecile. Is there any chance his IQ is above air conditioned room temperature? First of all, the state does not, nor has it ever offered free services to foreigners, nor Thais. I have been to the state hospitals, and they always charge. My Thai friends have to pay too, though far less. So, it is zero drain on their system. This is what Yingbat gets for hiring idiots, and putting them into positions of authority. Was there nobody more qualified for this job?

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I don't think that the State "offers" any medical services to foreigners.

Doctors are most probably required to treat many foreigners who end up in hospital, don't have money to pay the bill, then leave the burden on the hospital, thus the State. Or should they let these foreigners on the street?

If there is at least one foreigner who did not pay his hospital bill (apart from the dead ones), do we have the right to tell you that you're an idiot and imbecile who is not qualified to treat an information in an intelligent way?

Or is it only you that has the privilege of insulting people?

[sustento]

BTW tell me a country that has free health care. Even Canada will cost you money if you are a traveler. If you are hurt int he US you are screwed if you do not have good health care.

I agree that you should either be able to prove you have health insurance or for us that have been here awhile the funds in a Thai bank to support you if you are injured.

UK has free health care, for residents.

Free at the point of delivery. It's not free. If you're a tourist you're expected to pay for all but emergency treatment.

[chiang mai]

BTW tell me a country that has free health care. Even Canada will cost you money if you are a traveler. If you are hurt int he US you are screwed if you do not have good health care.

I agree that you should either be able to prove you have health insurance or for us that have been here awhile the funds in a Thai bank to support you if you are injured.

UK has free health care, for residents.

Free at the point of delivery. It's not free. If you're a tourist you're expected to pay for all but emergency treatment.

You weren't specific, you simply made the statement that no country offers free health care hence you have been corrected.

[harryfrompattaya]

Another point is that foreigners pay at least 5 times what thais pay to visit government funded monuments at national parks. Aren't we indirectly funding our "free" coverage, which I am sure is used in a small minority of cases.

This is also true in Thai private hospitals.

Slightly off topic.

I had reason to visit one this month (gashed my calf open when cycling), 10 stitches, 2 nurses, 1 doctor, bandages, injections, antibiotics, pain killers.

Total cost 300bht, no ID or paperwork required until after the treatment. I'm absolutely convinced a foreigner would have been charged 10x that amount. In and out in less than one hour. Less than $10, I couldn't have even parked my car in the US hospital car park for that!

Hospital care in CM is so cheap for Thais, it just isn't worthwhile queuing in a government hospital.

Please tell us what Hosiptal that was. Thanks

[Andre0720]

Oh,

So my 78,000 bahts medical insurance coverage might get included in my 5,000 bahts visa fee,

Or perhaps in the cost of my airline ticket...

Even Einstein could not have thought of that...