Thailand to Promote 10 Year Visa for Medical Tourism

[webfact]

Thailand to Promote 10 Year Visa for Medical Tourism

 

Medical Tourist Recovering from Plastic Surgery by Swimming Pool in Bangkok

 

BANGKOK – Thailand has come up with a new visa scheme in a bid to boost its medical tourism sector. On Tuesday, the Thai Cabinet extended to 10 years from one, the long-stay visa for foreigners aged 50 or older.

 

The visa will be valid initially for five years and can be renewed for another five, Colonel Apisit Chaiyanuwat, vice-minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, said. The visa fee is 10,000 baht (S$400), he added.

 

Colonel Apisit Chaiyanuwat, said The new visa seeks to promote medical and wellness tourism in line with the government’s policy.

 

Full story: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailand-to-promote-10-year-visa-for-medical-tourism.html

 

-- © Copyright Chiang Rai Times 2016-11-28

[SoFarAndNear]

"Medical Tourism".

 

Who would ever stay longer then 1 year in Thailand just for "medical reasons". So if you don't have a "medical reason" you won't be able to get the visa?

[Kerryd]

This is the exact same story already being (heavily) discussed in another thread (or two).

[Somtamnication]

That speaks of the quality of medical care in Thailand: We expect you to never be cured, so come for 10 years!! 

[bodymassagemyfriend]

42 minutes ago, SoFarAndNear said:

"Medical Tourism".

 

Who would ever stay longer then 1 year in Thailand just for "medical reasons". So if you don't have a "medical reason" you won't be able to get the visa?

Dont worry , there are many ways to extend your medical stay here : Miniwan , rude taxi , ... :)

[Lingba]

Medical care in Thailand is sub par!....who on earth would want to come here to have anything serious taken care of...no to mention the costs are not as cheap as they indicate...You get much much better care in Malaysia or even Singapore at less costs

[NCC1701A]

So much confusion. Has the requirements changed or not? Do you need the 3 mil baht? How far in advance of applying for your visa does the money need to be in the bank?

[colinneil]

16 minutes ago, Lingba said:

Medical care in Thailand is sub par!....who on earth would want to come here to have anything serious taken care of...no to mention the costs are not as cheap as they indicate...You get much much better care in Malaysia or even Singapore at less costs

 

Sir have you got first hand experience about this subject, or are you just spouting off?

I am 1 TV member who can comment about treatment here.

I got first class care in Khonkaen hospital after my accident, and i would say i could not have received better care/treatment  anywhere else in the world. Surgeon who put me back together was excellent, nursing care excellent.

After 6 major operations, carried out by excellent first rate people, i feel your comments are totally wrong.

[Munotlaw]

Medical care: Thailand has some excellent clinics for Azheimer patients. Nurses take good care of these mostly helpless old people. Costs in comparison to Switzerland about 60 - 70% less. So this type of visa makes sense. 

MUNOTLAW 

[ezzra]

 

I knew that in order to get into cemeteries you have to be dead, but Thailand

is doing even better, you want a 10 year visa mate? you gotta be terribly sick,

like terminal sick to get one... Nice Thailand....

[Sphere]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Medical Tourist Recovering from Plastic Surgery by Swimming Pool in Bangkok

 

Because, nothing beats getting a bit of tan on the unbandaged part of your face after a nose job.

Edited November 28, 2016 by Sphere

[fruitman]

I've been in a Thai hospital once, at the reception was an angry farang yelling to them that they should learn english.

 

The reception had to give him his medicines.

 

Another time i visited a familymember, the whole room smelled like fungus which was all over the ceiling, also there were meggarts crawling on the floor in her room.

[rabas]

1 hour ago, Lingba said:

Medical care in Thailand is sub par!....who on earth would want to come here to have anything serious taken care of...no to mention the costs are not as cheap as they indicate...You get much much better care in Malaysia or even Singapore at less costs

 

No!

 

Having lived long years in both Singapore and Thailand I can verify that's wrong. They are different, Thailand relies more on often excellent medical experience, Singapore likes there expensive machines. But some of the worst, most bizarre mis-diagnoses were in Singapore, sometimes by 'top' doctors.  (But yeah, can happen here too)

 

Wife had developed walking pain in both legs, went through hoops in Singapore and got nowhere. Then saw a middle age doctor in Phaiyathai 2. After a few minutes with a hammer, feather, and some touchies he anounced she had a compressed disk that was slipping out from C4-C5 just enough to cause walking pain. Returned to Singapore, got an MRI, then the Singapore doctors could figure it out.

 

Don't get me wrong, both have some excellent doctors, but you need to shop for good ones. Both have quacks. But if you want doctors that really care about you and your case it is about Thai 7  - Sing 4.

Edited November 28, 2016 by rabas

[Pimay1]

1 hour ago, colinneil said:

Sir have you got first hand experience about this subject, or are you just spouting off?

I am 1 TV member who can comment about treatment here.

I got first class care in Khonkaen hospital after my accident, and i would say i could not have received better care/treatment  anywhere else in the world. Surgeon who put me back together was excellent, nursing care excellent.

After 6 major operations, carried out by excellent first rate people, i feel your comments are totally wrong.

I have to agree with you Colin. I was in the Queen Sirikit Heart Center in Khon Kaen for eight days having two stents placed in my coronary arteries. I could not have asked for better physicians or post op care. The total cost was 240,000 Baht which I consider quite reasonable. 

[JAG]

I've been in a Thai hospital once, at the reception was an angry farang yelling to them that they should learn english.
 
The reception had to give him his medicines.
 
Another time i visited a familymember, the whole room smelled like fungus which was all over the ceiling, also there were meggarts crawling on the floor in her room.

I use my local hospital although not covered by the "30 Baht scheme", I have found the care very good, the infrastructure clean and the costs reasonable.

I can't imagine a need to yell at the staff!

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Munotlaw said:

Medical care: Thailand has some excellent clinics for Azheimer patients. Nurses take good care of these mostly helpless old people. Costs in comparison to Switzerland about 60 - 70% less. So this type of visa makes sense. 

 

Opportunity knocks.  This is a huge market, and this additional long term visa option could open the door for hundreds of eldercare condo projects around the country.  With tens of thousands of jobs for cooks, maids, nurses and assistants, doctors, physical trainers, chauffeurs (competent mini-van drivers- I know that sounds strange...), and on and on.

 

All at a fraction of the cost of growing old in the freezing cold.

Edited November 28, 2016 by impulse

[fruitman]

Just now, JAG said:

I use my local hospital although not covered by the "30 Baht scheme", I have found the care very good, the infrastructure clean and the costs reasonable.

I can't imagine a need to yell at the staff!

 

I can, the one who has to give the medicines indeed should speak english...it's very dangerous if they can't. 

 

Another aunte of mine was in Sirirach last month, her appendix had been infected and broken. After a week she was allowed to go home but got very sick again...then she had to go back and stay another 3 weeks in there....she almost died.

 

[theoldgit]

1 hour ago, Lingba said:

Medical care in Thailand is sub par!....who on earth would want to come here to have anything serious taken care of...no to mention the costs are not as cheap as they indicate...You get much much better care in Malaysia or even Singapore at less costs

I had a medical procedure to fit a stent to a blocked artery whilst in Singapore which cost 700,000 Baht, I had a  stent fitted to a second blocked artery here in Bangkok and that cost me 280,000 Baht. The care at both hospitals was superb, with the added bonus the food was far superior here in Bangkok

I'm pretty sure your statements that "medical care in Thailand is sub par" and that you can get better care in Singapore at less cost is accurate, I don't know about Malaysia. In fact the specialist in Singapore advised me that that treatment in Bangkok hospitals was first class and considerably cheaper, he proved to be spot on. 

[Dexlowe]

A 5 year visa for medical treatment extendable to 10 years for 10,000 baht as opposed to 3 million baht for the latest 5-10 year proposal for the over-50s??? I feel sick.

 

 

[impulse]

1 minute ago, theoldgit said:

I had a medical procedure to fit a stent to a blocked artery whilst in Singapore which cost 700,000 Baht, I had a  stent fitted to a second blocked artery here in Bangkok and that cost me 280,000 Baht. The care at both hospitals was superb, with the added bonus the food was far superior here in Bangkok

  

The care is great once they know you need the stents.  In my case, they didn't figure that out in 3 years of quarterly testing, and I ended up needing a bypass.  Quite a few of my co-workers also have horror stories of mis- and missed diagnosis at the best known hospitals in BKK.  IMO, diagnosis is weak here in BKK hospitals.  More accurately, hit and miss.  Some of the doctors seem good, but some of them are tragically bad.  Roll of the dice if you don't have a referral from a friend.

 

Care in the recovery process was amazing.  I'd recommend that to anyone in the world.  Which is why I think elder care would be wonderful in Thailand.

[nausea]

2 minutes ago, Dexlowe said:

A 5 year visa for medical treatment extendable to 10 years for 10,000 baht as opposed to 3 million baht for the latest 5-10 year proposal for the over-50s??? I feel sick.

 

 

We can probably assume they're one and the same.

[rabas]

Why, is he in a wheelchair after a nose-job?

[madmitch]

Why wasn't this embedded on one of the other posts. Perhaps this thread might be a little shorter though.

[ExpatOilWorker]

19 minutes ago, rabas said:

Why, is he in a wheelchair after a nose-job?

 

Maybe his name is Pinocchio?

[Lingba]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Sir have you got first hand experience about this subject, or are you just spouting off?

I am 1 TV member who can comment about treatment here.

I got first class care in Khonkaen hospital after my accident, and i would say i could not have received better care/treatment  anywhere else in the world. Surgeon who put me back together was excellent, nursing care excellent.

After 6 major operations, carried out by excellent first rate people, i feel your comments are totally wrong.

 

Swell sir let me tell you that in my own personal experiences in Phuket the doctors were terrible trying to make assesments let alone come up with any substantial determinents on anything..I'm not going to get into depth about my issue...but these doctors are more interested in trying to milk your insurance benefits than finding causes and cures...Oh sure the nurses are sweet...but I have some medical background myself and was appalled at the steps taken to diagnose and the recommendations given to mend...It's a crapshoot in Thailand as far as I'm concerned..I'm glad that you had a good time but if I needed anything serious to be done there is no way in Hell I would have most any of these doctors touch me unless I knew they were educated outside of Thailand (Europe, Australia, America)

[IMA_FARANG]

Not possible for me.

I am 70 years old and a diabetic.

Where can i get Medical insurance at that age an with a pre-existing problem?

Additionally i have a U.S. pension at less than 100K monthly.

No chance.

 

 

[GeorgeCross]

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

So much confusion. Has the requirements changed or not? Do you need the 3 mil baht? How far in advance of applying for your visa does the money need to be in the bank?

 

so.. get sick, deposit money, wait 1 year (hope not die!), apply visa, accepted, get medical treatment.

 

hmm i'm no Sherlock but there may be a flaw in this process 

[impulse]

1 hour ago, IMA_FARANG said:

Not possible for me.

I am 70 years old and a diabetic.

Where can i get Medical insurance at that age an with a pre-existing problem?

 

That's the part I don't get.  If someone has to have 3 million in the bank, why require them to buy 350,000 worth of insurance coverage?  Seems rather redundant given that low coverage requirement.

 

Especially if they're going for medical care focused on the elderly who are going to have problems getting coverage.  

 

Edit: I can understand if they're in under the 100K baht per month, but it seems like allowing 350K in the bank as an alternative to the insurance would be reasonable, especially given the high probability of getting shafted by the insurance company when they have to pay out and find something from 20 years ago that makes it a pre-existing condition.

Edited November 28, 2016 by impulse

[rak sa_ngop]

The perfect Catch-22 situation:

 

10 year visa for people with medical conditions.

 

Health insurance 10,000 USD cover required.

 

Health insurance denied because of pre-existing health conditions.

 

Visa not granted.

 

(I know there is no mention of a health insurance requirement...........yet!)

 

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2016 by rak sa_ngop

[JLCrab]

So as long as some are now suggesting alternatives to what the current proposal seems to suggest, maybe they are designing a Visa for persons that already have insurance and not for those over 50 who who then need to go shopping for insurance or put moneys into a somehow impregnable reserve fund.