Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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HHTel
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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europtimiste wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:56 am
HHTel wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:09 am
It is idiotic to add ill health etc to everyone who is in their advanced years. I know people 20 years younger who is nowhere near as fit as some.
Will happen soon or later, it's not idiotic to say, one day it's the end.
My mother (92) has been reading your comments. She's still here on her annual holiday. She would love to meet you "I'll give him a moment to remember!!"
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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HHTel wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:13 pm
europtimiste wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:56 am
HHTel wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:09 am
It is idiotic to add ill health etc to everyone who is in their advanced years. I know people 20 years younger who is nowhere near as fit as some.
Will happen soon or later, it's not idiotic to say, one day it's the end.
My mother (92) has been reading your comments. She's still here on her annual holiday. She would love to meet you "I'll give him a moment to remember!!"
Hello to your mother and I wish her nice holidays.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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we havve wandered away from discussing whether this will be implemented. Apparently several countries have discussed this but only a couple have implemented it. I expect that with Brexit it will be more important for UK visitors to Europe to have private coverage.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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Compulsory travel health insurance merely forces people to do what they should be doing. Why should the Thai taxpayer pick up the bill for irresponsible foreigners. This is obviously unfortunate for people with health problems who can't get insurance. Perhaps this could be got round by them providing some form of guarantee that they could pay their bills. However some scenarios would be totally unaffordable.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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dundrillin wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:49 pm Compulsory travel health insurance merely forces people to do what they should be doing. Why should the Thai taxpayer pick up the bill for irresponsible foreigners. This is obviously unfortunate for people with health problems who can't get insurance. Perhaps this could be got round by them providing some form of guarantee that they could pay their bills. However some scenarios would be totally unaffordable.
Totally agree,
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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dundrillin wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:49 pm Compulsory travel health insurance merely forces people to do what they should be doing. Why should the Thai taxpayer pick up the bill for irresponsible foreigners. This is obviously unfortunate for people with health problems who can't get insurance. Perhaps this could be got round by them providing some form of guarantee that they could pay their bills. However some scenarios would be totally unaffordable.
As far as I know Thai people don't pay taxes. There are no property taxes and no income tax and no sales tax here in Thailand.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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Sales tax (VAT) is 7% but only on major businesses most small shops etc pay no VAT. True that most Thais pay no income tax, that's why so many have lots of cash. There is property tax.

http://www.rd.go.th/publish/6045.0.html
Last edited by StevePIraq on Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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Name Taken wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:01 pm
dundrillin wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:49 pm Compulsory travel health insurance merely forces people to do what they should be doing. Why should the Thai taxpayer pick up the bill for irresponsible foreigners. This is obviously unfortunate for people with health problems who can't get insurance. Perhaps this could be got round by them providing some form of guarantee that they could pay their bills. However some scenarios would be totally unaffordable.
As far as I know Thai people don't pay taxes. There are no property taxes and no income tax and no sales tax here in Thailand.
Apart from being wrong in every aspect, an interesting comment. I presume that what you mean is that a lot of people avoid paying tax, but certainly not everybody. Property tax for Thai's is very low but more for foreigners. Income tax is payable for higher earners. All of the big hotels and big shopping outlets charge VAT
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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Dannie Boy wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:11 pm
Name Taken wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 3:01 pm
dundrillin wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 2:49 pm Compulsory travel health insurance merely forces people to do what they should be doing. Why should the Thai taxpayer pick up the bill for irresponsible foreigners. This is obviously unfortunate for people with health problems who can't get insurance. Perhaps this could be got round by them providing some form of guarantee that they could pay their bills. However some scenarios would be totally unaffordable.
As far as I know Thai people don't pay taxes. There are no property taxes and no income tax and no sales tax here in Thailand.
Apart from being wrong in every aspect, an interesting comment. I presume that what you mean is that a lot of people avoid paying tax, but certainly not everybody. Property tax for Thai's is very low but more for foreigners. Income tax is payable for higher earners. All of the big hotels and big shopping outlets charge VAT
Read it again , it is nothing to do with avoiding paying tax it is about irresponsible travellers avoiding paying medical bills whilst on holiday. I'm not talking about expats who live here. Many countries are having to pick up the bill when irresponsible travellers do not take out TRAVEL insurance. Got it???
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by oakdale160 »

It also explains why the hospitals are very greedy when a farang with money seeks care. Each hospital has huge debts incurred by farang who do not pay.
The other problem on insisting on each visitor having to have Health Ins is that it would make processing at the airport much much more lengthy as the officer scanned you insurance certificate.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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What about Expats? I think they will ask everyone arriving for an insurance certificate.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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For those who apply for a Visa from an embassy before they travel it would be easy to require them to produce evidence of HI before it was issued. t is those coming in on a 30day airport admission that are the problem. Many of those without insurance or money are here on a long-expired 30 day admission.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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oakdale160 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:33 am For those who apply for a Visa from an embassy before they travel it would be easy to require them to produce evidence of HI before it was issued. t is those coming in on a 30day airport admission that are the problem. Many of those without insurance or money are here on a long-expired 30 day admission.
Still no problem to enforce as they could be required to show insurance when checking in at the origination.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

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I wonder if this requirement is across the board e.g. Cambodian or Burmese workers, who are probably a lot more likely to be embarrassed by a large hospital bill.
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Re: Thailand to introduce compulsory travel insurance/tourist tax

Post by oakdale160 »

at the present-- Russia, Cuba, Malaysia and Dubai are the only countries requiring proof of insurance. The 15 Schengen countries have some arrangements and requirements but this will change with Brexit.
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