Samui Immigration now insisting on hospital medicals

[Tidybeard]

Not sure if this countrywide, but when extending my O-A retirement visa in Samui, they insisted on a full hospital medical, not just a cert from a local doctor. Chatting with friends, this seems to be a new policy...

Don't mind the 735 bht costs, but the whole day of queuing in the hot and crowded waiting rooms was a bit of a pain.

So heads up ... you need to allow an extra 2 day for your visa applications, one day of testing and then pick up the cert the following day.

[ubonjoe]

A physical is not required for a extension of stay (it is not a visa) based upon retirement according to the police order. There have been reports of 1 or 2 rogue offices asking for one.

[Krataiboy]

Sounds like a kickbacks scam.

[Eclipse]

Sounds like a kickbacks scam.

At Samui Immigration? Surely Not.

[Lamkyong]

Sounds like a kickbacks scam.

out of interest how do you think that works ie medical staff/administration doctors even ??/

[Jeffkp]

Did my retirement ext less than a month ago in CM. No such requirement.

[Jeffkp]

Did my retirement ext less than a month ago in CM. No such requirement.

Is that CM in Samui?

No, that's Chiang Mai.

[KhunBENQ]

Did my retirement ext less than a month ago in CM. No such requirement.

As ubonjoe wrote:

There have been reports of 1 or 2 rogue offices asking for one.

CM obviously not one of those.

Seems to be new for Samui and not justified?

But who has the guts to complain? (immigration head office or 1111 complaint hotline)

[samuijimmy]

Some friends got nabbed on this medical nonsense (husband and wife ... both"farang".) ... on Friday, by the time they'd done the hospital, including urine and blood tests, Samui Immigration told them to come back Monday, as it was after 3pm by the time they got back.

He and his wife live on KP, so they were not happy campers as had to make the trip twice.... I think they paid 800 baht each for the tests and letter...

[robertson468]

Samui Immigration ask for blood test, x-ray and urine test and have done so for about two years. Yes, waiting in the hospital is a l-o-n-g protracted waist of time.

[ubonjoe]

Samui Immigration ask for blood test, x-ray and urine test and have done so for about two years. Yes, waiting in the hospital is a l-o-n-g protracted waist of time.

Perhaps you were asked for it but many others have not been asked for it until recently.

[khunPer]

A few has talked about this medical test before, and many has prolonged the annual permission to stay without being asked for it – including myself, after a story about was posted first time – would be good to hear if others recently have been asked for medical test, on for what conditions; i.e. Retirement extension, Work Permit extension, etc.

[evadgib]

Their data handling has to be seen to be believed. Their 'idiots guides' (laminated examples on the table & walls) even include an unredacted Australian passport which is almost certainly real & not something to be shown to or photographed by several hundred people per day.

Edited June 22, 2016 by evadgib

[DTRACKER300]

Dirty rogue officer a scam

[crazykopite]

okay here is my story Friday 17 June catch ferry from Koh Phangan arrive Samui immigration at 1300 hours to renew extension of stay for another year this is now my 10 year of doing it. go to desk polite young lady hands me leaflet telling me of new regulation will post leaflet for all to see. she tells me and my wife we have to go to the Nathon hospital for full medical. cannot believe this is hapening never had to do this before accept when getting Thai drivers licence Get to hospital 13.20 and register they take normal blood pressure / pulse heart reading then sent to fill in forms and then sent to payment counter where we are charged a combined 1,690 which = 845 baht each. We are then told to go to x ray for chest xray from there we then go for blood test and finally urine test wait for 1.5 hours then see the doctor who signs form noticed that it said Drug test negative on our paper work !! back to immigration just after 1500 hours to be told boss gone cannot do visa they check paperwork keep our passports and say come back Monday . Get Boat Monday arrive at 1300 hours told everything okay go sit outside until called waited more than 3 hours to be called was charged 1,900 per visa 1,000 baht re entry and 300 baht photo copying the 300 baht i saw going out of the till into a little box but at least we have our retirement extensions Total cost of visa visit was over 10,000 baht as on the Friday as we missed the last boat back and had to stay on Samui !! The nurse at the hospital told us that this medical was for all those on work permits or retirement so be warned !!!!

[Samui Bodoh]

A few has talked about this medical test before, and many has prolonged the annual permission to stay without being asked for it including myself, after a story about was posted first time would be good to hear if others recently have been asked for medical test, on for what conditions; i.e. Retirement extension, Work Permit extension, etc.

I have the same question. Was it the annual extension? What kind of extension? The OP said OA visa, but that doesn't make sense.

[elviajero]

Given the amount of drugs consumed by foreigners on the islands it's not really surprising.

[evadgib]

Given the amount of drugs consumed by foreigners on the islands it's not really surprising.

How many are on retirement extns & drawing their pensions with a trouble free decade or more under their belts to date?

Edited June 22, 2016 by evadgib

[elviajero]

Given the amount of drugs consumed by foreigners on the islands it's not really surprising.

How many are on retirement extns & drawing their pensions with a trouble free decade or more under their belts to date?

No idea.

The innocent always get caught up in rules brought in to solve a problem often caused by a disconnected minority. The reason for drug testing will be due to the overall drug taking.

[swissie]

.....and if the "medical" shows some health problems, will one be asked to leave the country within 7 days or what?

Cheers.

[falang khinok]

Usually there is a work around befriend a doctor. Get a couple ? of medical beforehand with no date on it when ur turn come fill in date and u fine

[ggt]

Hey...no problem...I will give them my medical checkup certificate just as soon as they give me their psychological evaluation and criminal background check...

[vivasamui]

If you are over 50, you should have an annual health check-up (chest x-ray, cholesterol, blood sugar, PSA for men, etc) The full range of tests at the various Samui int'l hospitals cost around 3,000 baht. Why not get the medical certificate for immigration at the same time as your annual check-up before you go to extend your retirement visa?

[evadgib]

If you are over 50, you should have an annual health check-up (chest x-ray, cholesterol, blood sugar, PSA for men, etc) The full range of tests at the various Samui int'l hospitals cost around 3,000 baht. Why not get the medical certificate for immigration at the same time as your annual check-up before you go to extend your retirement visa?

Because;

a) There's only a 7 day window according to the attachment @ post 16

b ) Confidentiality or should I say lack of outside the medical sphere, &

c ) Their bizarre approach to recycling-Hand everyone's data out on the reverse of these new forms!

Edited June 22, 2016 by evadgib

[DogNo1]

Well, if the motive was drug testing the urinalysis alone should be sufficient. Why are they requiring full medical exams? Is poor health grounds for refusing an extension?

[Psimbo]

Did my retirement ext less than a month ago in CM. No such requirement.

Fascinating but this thread is about Samui.

[chrissables]

If you are over 50, you should have an annual health check-up (chest x-ray, cholesterol, blood sugar, PSA for men, etc) The full range of tests at the various Samui int'l hospitals cost around 3,000 baht. Why not get the medical certificate for immigration at the same time as your annual check-up before you go to extend your retirement visa?

You are joking i presume? Should according to you?

[Can samui]

Well, I guess a day at the hospital with a good book in the week prior to renewal is in the cards.

[john smith]

I note that a previous post stated that a physical examination is not required for renewal of retirement visa. A police order to this effect is mentioned. I would be most obliged if someone could provide a direct link to this police order. I shall shortly have to renew my retirement visa on Koh Samui and it would help if I have documented facts rather than opinions when I refuse to have this medical

[thuisinthailand]

Must be very recent if they do this now standard? Was at Immigration Samui beginning of June for retirement extension. They did not ask for a medical certificate then. In fact, it was the quickest extension ever. Within 1 hour we were in and out... Are they asking at random for medical certificates? Because I remember seeing a list of requirements with medical examination listed last year as well, but also then I was not asked for it.