Thailand Travel Shield insurance may be purchased by tourists starting today, Jul 25

[webfact]

Thailand Travel Shield insurance may be purchased by tourists starting today

BANGKOK, 25 July 2014 (NNT) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC) on Thursday, to create low-cost insurance schemes for foreign tourists that start at just 650 baht per person.

Thawatchai Aranyik, the governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), and OIC secretary-general Prawet Ong-atsitthikun yesterday signed the MOU for the low-cost insurance project, which will see participation by Muang Thai Insurance, Siam City Insurance, Chao Phraya Insurance and Krung Thai Phanit Insurance companies.

The "Thailand Travel Shield" insurance scheme allows foreign tourists to voluntarily purchase insurance to ensure protection against threats that may not be covered by the tourists' primary insurance.

Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil. The premium for Thailand Travel Shield is between 650 baht and 12,000 baht. The duration of coverage spans from a week to one year. Thailand Travel Shield will be put on offer to tourists starting today (July 25).


-- NNT 2014-07-25

[Bkungbank]

When it will started and where to purchase ?

[Lite Beer]

You can apply online.

http://www.tourismthailand.org/ThailandTravelShield/

[Thailand]

"Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil."

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year and until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

[JimSiam]

This could be a good option for those doing lots of trips here of less than 60 days, 12,000 for the plan 2 for 1 year is good compared to what is offered as cheap health insurance here

[Issangeorge]

This could be a good option for those doing lots of trips here of less than 60 days, 12,000 for the plan 2 for 1 year is good compared to what is offered as cheap health insurance here

Yes, but does it cover health insurance? It would definitely be worth a look, if it did. If it doesn't, it seems pretty expensive for things that are pretty low risk.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[simon43]

Well since almost all of us foreigners are on non-immigrant visas, (ie not resident here), then the annual insurance for 12,000 baht seems a very good deal.

This plan gives 10 million baht coverage for 'travel assistance service'. I wonder what that is (where are the T&Cs for this policy?)

Edited July 25, 2014 by simon43

[haroldc]

Does it cover out-patient medical expenses?

[PattayaPhom]

Well since almost all of us foreigners are on non-immigrant visas, (ie not resident here), then the annual insurance for 12,000 baht seems a very good deal.

This plan gives 10 million baht coverage for 'travel assistance service'. I wonder what that is (where are the T&Cs for this policy?)

Coverage starts when passing inbound immigration for max trip of 60 days, so border jump to initiate and renew would be required

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

This could be a good option for those doing lots of trips here of less than 60 days, 12,000 for the plan 2 for 1 year is good compared to what is offered as cheap health insurance here

Yes, but does it cover health insurance? It would definitely be worth a look, if it did. If it doesn't, it seems pretty expensive for things that are pretty low risk.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 6 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Does it include health cover? Good question.

From the OP: "The "Thailand Travel Shield" insurance scheme allows foreign tourists to voluntarily purchase insurance to ensure protection against threats that may not be covered by the tourists' primary insurance.

Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil. The premium for Thailand Travel Shield is between 650 baht and 12,000 baht. The duration of coverage spans from a week to one year. Thailand Travel Shield will be put on offer to tourists starting today (July 25)."

Seems health is NOT included. Wonder why?

Have the insurance companies mentioned gone for the least risk scenarios and therefor deliberately not covering health?

Seems strange to me. Over the last couple of years, and fairly recently the TAT has been talking about 'on arrival health insurance'. What Happened?

Edited July 25, 2014 by scorecard

[trainman34014]

It's health and accident insurance that people are being refused in Europe and that has stopped many people coming this year. Some will take the risk without it and good luck to them, but most sensible over 35's won't bother because it's just easier to go elsewhere.

[apetley]

So you can buy a years coverage for 12k bht but won't be allowed the back to back border hops to stay a year?

[JimSiam]

Well since almost all of us foreigners are on non-immigrant visas, (ie not resident here), then the annual insurance for 12,000 baht seems a very good deal.

I doubt it would be available to those holding non imm visas, only VOA and Tourist

[JimSiam]

So you can buy a years coverage for 12k bht but won't be allowed the back to back border hops to stay a year?

Only if you exit every 60 days, holding a non imm would probably exclude you as well, they may want to see return ticket to your home country etc, need to see the actual policy fine print

[ginjag]

To me this sounds like extra-ordinary event insurance, How many foreigners are involved and damaged by riot etc ??

Money for old rope, NO health whatsoever, 12,000 for the year if you get hurt during unrest---forget it.

This insurance is to help them (money collected -little paid out) try claiming in Thailand for anything--SORRY a no.

Had this been an insurance for medical/health covering for minor injuries, doctor/AEU, prescriptions. it would have been welcomed.

[Time Traveller]

1 year insurance coverage for tourists? Maybe they need to speak to immigration and decide on a common meaning for "tourist" and confirm how long a "tourist" can stay.

[SoFarAndNear]

hahaha... this is the biggest joke ever... immigration wants to remove long stay tourists....and on the other hand the Tourism authority want to start selling insurances for tourist long stayers... and wait.. ".... riots, terrorism and political turmoil...." Someone here asking if this costs medical costs?!? Bro this thing is worth nothing. If you get shot by a policemen during a riot or died by an bomb attack in patani then you will get some paracetamol for free.

[noahvail]

Do read the link http://www.tourismthailand.org/ThailandTravelShield/ It says that accident and illnesses are covered for hospitalization. I think it's just a large summary sheet, not a T&C page, but there's a lot of good info.

[djjamie]

"Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil."

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year and until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

You say this as if the Junta were behind the terrorist attacks. There is no risk at all unless the UDD terrorists are emboldened and start their attacks again. The reason this is included is because a lot of western insurance does not cover for these incidents so the Junta have proposed this to "fill the gaps" so to speak and restore tourist numbers to benefit the Thai tourist industry. That can only be a good thing right? Restoring confidence and tourist numbers to encourage growth and jobs? Good or bad?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays

Hang on? This is further enforcing my point of evolving excuses as the Junta come up with solutions.

Before they could get insurance the excuses why the tourists were not coming was "Tourists can't get insurance cover" Now they can get insurance cover the excuse has changed to "most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year". Apart from this being your belief as opposed to facts what will the excuse be when they start arriving and the numbers do go up? Darwin's theory of evolution stated evolution takes millions of years. On TVF the excuse evolve on a daily basis.

until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

Well your right. The political situation changed on the 20th of May. It went from daily terrorist attacks in the capital of the country to nothing. When visiting a country do you prefer to visit when there is daily terrorist attacks in the capital or when there is peace and stability? Well going by the below graphs tourists don't like visiting when the capital is rocked with daily terrorist attacks. Numbers dropped quicker than a one armed, blind, drunk rock climber with no safety harness during these daily terrorist attacks compared to 2013. June has seen drop of 27% as well which is no surprise because of the uncertainty of a military take over. Jeez, even I was worried. I put my condo on the market to sell it ASAP. Economic indicators dropped as well. Then we saw the stability and confidence return all the economic indicators bounced back up. I took my condo off the market and things are looking good again.

In fact your peers were correct in their excuses. Tourists didn't want to come, not because the country was peaceful again, not because terrorist attacks stopped (It is funny that I have to explain this), but because they couldn't get insurance cover. Now they can. Now some countries are offered entry with no visa to stimulate the numbers as well. Is that a good thing or not?

I am very receptive to your reasoning how tourists (with insurance) would prefer not to visit a military ruled country with peace and stability where tourists have as much freedom as they did before the coup over a (supposed) democratic country that had daily terrorist attacks in the capital? Do you think the tourist numbers would have gone up if the PTP were still in a stalemate and the daily terrorist attacks continued? See the below graphs again for the tourist trends under daily terrorist attacks before you answer. Would you visit a country that had daily terrorist attacks in the capital? I wouldn't. That is shown in the graph.

So really your whole post is negative and flies against all reason, logic and facts AGAIN! In fact all the negativity by the RS apologists is based on things in the future that have not happened yet. Based on their projection of potential Junta failures and so far they have all been proven wrong every time thus is why the excuses are evolving. Yet they keep projecting when proven wrong. It reminds me of a dedicated 2 ft tall hurdler continuing to try to jump 5ft hurdles. He keeps going even though he will stumble on every hurdle on the way yet still thinks he will jump the next one.

Thailand is better off economically and is more stable than it has been in the past 9 months. Is that not good? Is stability not conducive to tourism? Agenda aside can you answer that honestly? According to some it isn't. I pity those people.

Time to leave the bitter past behind and breath the air of reform.

[smedly]

No good for people staying here for periods of more than 60 days

[JimSiam]

No good for people staying here for periods of more than 60 days

At least 60 days lines up with the new Visa rules about 30 plus 30 days, accident or on purpose its nice to see something thats right.

[ginjag]

Why the heck do we have to have all the bull/uncertain statements.

Look if you give an insurance it covers for 6 months/or 1 year, it therefore covers you for (this that and the other) anything not stated it does not cover.

This is how this should read, there is always get out clauses, hidden no claim things.

If it is for riots disorder terrorism then state that's it.

If it is for limited medical cover then state it.

If it's for full then state it.

Less of the find out for yourself guys, or it's for SOME short term OR it's for some long term---cut out the bull.

[Cthulhu]

"Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil."

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year and until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

You say this as if the Junta were behind the terrorist attacks. There is no risk at all unless the UDD terrorists are emboldened and start their attacks again. The reason this is included is because a lot of western insurance does not cover for these incidents so the Junta have proposed this to "fill the gaps" so to speak and restore tourist numbers to benefit the Thai tourist industry. That can only be a good thing right? Restoring confidence and tourist numbers to encourage growth and jobs? Good or bad?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays

Hang on? This is further enforcing my point of evolving excuses as the Junta come up with solutions.

Before they could get insurance the excuses why the tourists were not coming was "Tourists can't get insurance cover" Now they can get insurance cover the excuse has changed to "most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year". Apart from this being your belief as opposed to facts what will the excuse be when they start arriving and the numbers do go up? Darwin's theory of evolution stated evolution takes millions of years. On TVF the excuse evolve on a daily basis.

until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

Well your right. The political situation changed on the 20th of May. It went from daily terrorist attacks in the capital of the country to nothing. When visiting a country do you prefer to visit when there is daily terrorist attacks in the capital or when there is peace and stability? Well going by the below graphs tourists don't like visiting when the capital is rocked with daily terrorist attacks. Numbers dropped quicker than a one armed, blind, drunk rock climber with no safety harness during these daily terrorist attacks compared to 2013. June has seen drop of 27% as well which is no surprise because of the uncertainty of a military take over. Jeez, even I was worried. I put my condo on the market to sell it ASAP. Economic indicators dropped as well. Then we saw the stability and confidence return all the economic indicators bounced back up. I took my condo off the market and things are looking good again.

In fact your peers were correct in their excuses. Tourists didn't want to come, not because the country was peaceful again, not because terrorist attacks stopped (It is funny that I have to explain this), but because they couldn't get insurance cover. Now they can. Now some countries are offered entry with no visa to stimulate the numbers as well. Is that a good thing or not?

I am very receptive to your reasoning how tourists (with insurance) would prefer not to visit a military ruled country with peace and stability where tourists have as much freedom as they did before the coup over a (supposed) democratic country that had daily terrorist attacks in the capital? Do you think the tourist numbers would have gone up if the PTP were still in a stalemate and the daily terrorist attacks continued? See the below graphs again for the tourist trends under daily terrorist attacks before you answer. Would you visit a country that had daily terrorist attacks in the capital? I wouldn't. That is shown in the graph.

So really your whole post is negative and flies against all reason, logic and facts AGAIN! In fact all the negativity by the RS apologists is based on things in the future that have not happened yet. Based on their projection of potential Junta failures and so far they have all been proven wrong every time thus is why the excuses are evolving. Yet they keep projecting when proven wrong. It reminds me of a dedicated 2 ft tall hurdler continuing to try to jump 5ft hurdles. He keeps going even though he will stumble on every hurdle on the way yet still thinks he will jump the next one.

Thailand is better off economically and is more stable than it has been in the past 9 months. Is that not good? Is stability not conducive to tourism? Agenda aside can you answer that honestly? According to some it isn't. I pity those people.

Time to leave the bitter past behind and breath the air of reform.

You really do come out with some exaggerated drivel !

You keep repeating the mantra of daily "terrorist" attacks. There was nothing of the sort. There were occasional night time skirmishes between the more hot headed UDD and the Suttepista loonies. Sensible tourists, following their own government's advice, stayed well away and got on with having a good time. You really don't know what "terrorism" means. I accept that any form of political violence is unacceptable but your gross over exaggerations are ludicrous.

As for the new world of peace, what we have got now is far more harrasment on the streets and in places of entertainment, with endless road blocks, pee test, pat downs, bag searches, lights on music/off licence checks, forced early closures etc, and now no more moon parties (not that I've ever been to one). (If you don't believe me try reading Stickman's Sunday column about westerners being constantly stopped and searched on Sukhumvit at night.)

This is not what most tourists want. They want the fun time that Thailand used to be famous for. Not military bullying.

The current situation reminds me of the Roman Seneca's remark, "They create a desert and call it peace".

[Thai at Heart]

What happened to the health coverage ?

[jayceenik]

I live here.

This insurance scheme might be useful for tourists but not for me.

This is not full health insurance.

Better keep 1.000.000 baht emergency fund in my BKK bank.

[Baerboxer]

"Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil."

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year and until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

You keep on pretending that all the tourists won't come until the "political situation changes".

A report on Bloomberg earlier in the week suggested otherwise. He was basing his comments based on detailed statistics. And your comments are based on what?

[worgeordie]

You would defiantly have to make sure you read the small print

on the policy before handing over any cash,Banks,Insurance Co.

and Lawyers just cannot trust them,they can wriggle out of anything

regards Worgeordie

[Payboy]

Standing by for the announcement soon making it a compulsory purchase for tourists.

[belg]

i would not be surprised that it might only be for tourists and not for the rest of US

[Baerboxer]

"Such threats include riots, terrorism and political turmoil."

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year and until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

But surely everybody says there is no risk here so why is it necessary?

You say this as if the Junta were behind the terrorist attacks. There is no risk at all unless the UDD terrorists are emboldened and start their attacks again. The reason this is included is because a lot of western insurance does not cover for these incidents so the Junta have proposed this to "fill the gaps" so to speak and restore tourist numbers to benefit the Thai tourist industry. That can only be a good thing right? Restoring confidence and tourist numbers to encourage growth and jobs? Good or bad?

Anyway, doubt if it will have any effect, most travelers will have already booked their holidays

Hang on? This is further enforcing my point of evolving excuses as the Junta come up with solutions.

Before they could get insurance the excuses why the tourists were not coming was "Tourists can't get insurance cover" Now they can get insurance cover the excuse has changed to "most travelers will have already booked their holidays for this year". Apart from this being your belief as opposed to facts what will the excuse be when they start arriving and the numbers do go up? Darwin's theory of evolution stated evolution takes millions of years. On TVF the excuse evolve on a daily basis.

until the political situation changes don't see too many adding Thailand to their list for the coming year(s) either.

Well your right. The political situation changed on the 20th of May. It went from daily terrorist attacks in the capital of the country to nothing. When visiting a country do you prefer to visit when there is daily terrorist attacks in the capital or when there is peace and stability? Well going by the below graphs tourists don't like visiting when the capital is rocked with daily terrorist attacks. Numbers dropped quicker than a one armed, blind, drunk rock climber with no safety harness during these daily terrorist attacks compared to 2013. June has seen drop of 27% as well which is no surprise because of the uncertainty of a military take over. Jeez, even I was worried. I put my condo on the market to sell it ASAP. Economic indicators dropped as well. Then we saw the stability and confidence return all the economic indicators bounced back up. I took my condo off the market and things are looking good again.

In fact your peers were correct in their excuses. Tourists didn't want to come, not because the country was peaceful again, not because terrorist attacks stopped (It is funny that I have to explain this), but because they couldn't get insurance cover. Now they can. Now some countries are offered entry with no visa to stimulate the numbers as well. Is that a good thing or not?

I am very receptive to your reasoning how tourists (with insurance) would prefer not to visit a military ruled country with peace and stability where tourists have as much freedom as they did before the coup over a (supposed) democratic country that had daily terrorist attacks in the capital? Do you think the tourist numbers would have gone up if the PTP were still in a stalemate and the daily terrorist attacks continued? See the below graphs again for the tourist trends under daily terrorist attacks before you answer. Would you visit a country that had daily terrorist attacks in the capital? I wouldn't. That is shown in the graph.

So really your whole post is negative and flies against all reason, logic and facts AGAIN! In fact all the negativity by the RS apologists is based on things in the future that have not happened yet. Based on their projection of potential Junta failures and so far they have all been proven wrong every time thus is why the excuses are evolving. Yet they keep projecting when proven wrong. It reminds me of a dedicated 2 ft tall hurdler continuing to try to jump 5ft hurdles. He keeps going even though he will stumble on every hurdle on the way yet still thinks he will jump the next one.

Thailand is better off economically and is more stable than it has been in the past 9 months. Is that not good? Is stability not conducive to tourism? Agenda aside can you answer that honestly? According to some it isn't. I pity those people.

Time to leave the bitter past behind and breath the air of reform.

You really do come out with some exaggerated drivel !

You keep repeating the mantra of daily "terrorist" attacks. There was nothing of the sort. There were occasional night time skirmishes between the more hot headed UDD and the Suttepista loonies. Sensible tourists, following their own government's advice, stayed well away and got on with having a good time. You really don't know what "terrorism" means. I accept that any form of political violence is unacceptable but your gross over exaggerations are ludicrous.

As for the new world of peace, what we have got now is far more harrasment on the streets and in places of entertainment, with endless road blocks, pee test, pat downs, bag searches, lights on music/off licence checks, forced early closures etc, and now no more moon parties (not that I've ever been to one). (If you don't believe me try reading Stickman's Sunday column about westerners being constantly stopped and searched on Sukhumvit at night.)

This is not what most tourists want. They want the fun time that Thailand used to be famous for. Not military bullying.

The current situation reminds me of the Roman Seneca's remark, "They create a desert and call it peace".

Talking of exaggeration - how many stop and searches have you been subject to since the military took over? Not one in my case.

How often were the attacks? How many were injured, killed and the targets of intimidation? I'm sure they appreciate you calling them "occasional night time skirmishes". Frequency and the fact most were one sided attacks might lead others not to share your terminology.

Most tourists want safety and do not want to be stifled with corruption. More chance of that now than under the lawless previous administration.