Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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SydneyGuy
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Compulsory Travel Insurance for Thailand

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Insurance to be compulsory for travellers to Thailand
All foreign tourists will soon be required to have travel insurance before entering Thailand under a proposal put forward by a committee of the Tourism and Sports Ministry, according to an informed source.

The plan has been proposed by a committee working on the development of Thailand as a wellness tourism hub, and will be forwarded for consideration by the national tourism policy commission.

The requirement should not be seen as a "hurdle" to visitors to Thailand, the source said on Monday.

Under the proposal, the Office of the Insurance Commission would draft details on insurance policies and insurance distribution channels, including the installation of automatic vending machines at international airports and border checkpoints.

The Tourism and Sports Ministry first proposed requiring foreign visitors to have travel insurance last year, explaining it did not have enough staff to supervise the safety and welfare of the growing number of tourists.

Hospitals have until now often been left carrying the cost of medical treatment of tourists injured during their stay in Thailand and who have no means to pay their bills.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general ... o-thailand
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StevePIraq
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Re: Compulsory Travel Insurance for Thailand

Post by StevePIraq »

It is really not a bad idea but to simplify it why does Thailand not implement an entry fee for tourists which would give access to a Thai insurance scheme.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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Thailand as a wellness tourism hub? if that's their objective they'd better improve the medical education. if the doctor that operated on me had been in the u.s. he'd have been sued and lost his license.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by Big Boy »

handdrummer wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2017 2:17 pm if the doctor that operated on me had been in the u.s. he'd have been sued and lost his license.
I'm guessing, but if you know that as a fact, then they must have similar problems in the US.
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StevePIraq
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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However like so many proposals in Thailand will it ever come into effect
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by HHTel »

Of course there are people whom insurance companies will not offer travel insurance. My mother is 92 and she's not been able to get travel insurance for some years now. Would she therefore be prevented from coming again?
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Nereus
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by Nereus »

The following just popped up. May be of some use.

http://th.bestexpatinsurancedeals.com/?src=gdn&lid=thsm
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by europtimiste »

HHTel wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2017 3:32 pm Of course there are people whom insurance companies will not offer travel insurance. My mother is 92 and she's not been able to get travel insurance for some years now. Would she therefore be prevented from coming again?
A this age, better stay home.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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Why, you idiot? My mum's been coming for 3 months every year for the last 20 years. What would be your advice? Put her down!!!!
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by bert91157 »

HH.

Could try these people first. http://www.freespirittravelinsurance.co ... /over-90s/
Save having her put down as a last option. :D
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by HHTel »

Thanks for that. She has spent time trying lots of companies to no avail. However even the one you've put forward will not give 90 days cover.
Our single trip policy can give you up to 94 days cover (45 days if aged 76 years or over)
But thanks for trying.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by oakdale160 »

Here is the problem with travel INS
If you have permanent coverage with a good company, it will cover you when out of the country.
The best hospitals have agreements with good comps to take DIRECT PAYMENT. When you are admitted the hospital gets a GOP (Guarantee of Payment) from the company (Usually in about 24h) and the bills go directly to the company.

With Travel ins you have to pay, get receipts and submit them for reimbursement.
BUT, you have to come up with cash, which may be difficult if you are very ill or even unconscious and CCs often have a daily limit.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by Stargeezer »

If you go to Thailand and only need the use of clinics, it is cheap, cheap, it is when you need to go into
a hospital and stay in a room, then the expenses are high. I am not sure in HH, but in Pattaya Hospital
it was very expensive for a Farang friend from Vancouver. Good thing he was well off and had lots of
money and credit cards with him. This may make it slower to get through the airport lines for sure, on arrival
of the holiday.
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oakdale160
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by oakdale160 »

Which brings up a point--Thai hospitals will try to admit pts who could be treated as out-patients. More often than this, they tend to keep pts in too long, for instance surgical wounds only need re-dressing once a day and this can be done as an O-P. The GOP is great but it is an open check book
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by Big Boy »

Maybe this initiative will help the elderly https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/thaila ... -tourists/
A source told Bangkok Post that the new requirement shouldn’t be viewed as a hinderance to visiting the country.

In fact, they may even install automatic travel insurance vending machines at the country’s international airports and land borders.
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