Thread: Health Insurance Now Required for Long Stay Expats

...I guess we can ask Tod as to when this latest edict comes into effect: https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/110..._campaign=news

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Asked about foreigners who cannot buy health insurance because their health risks are considered too high, Nattawuth said relevant authorities might consider requiring them to have higher deposits in bank accounts so as to make sure that they have enough to live in Thailand.

Originally Posted by Dragonfly

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Asked about foreigners who cannot buy health insurance because their health risks are considered too high, Nattawuth said relevant authorities might consider requiring them to have higher deposits in bank accounts so as to make sure that they have enough to live in Thailand.

..... or more accurately. Enough to die in Thailand.

Why is it not seen, if married with children, that as per the Thai way, the children will care for the parent(s). There once was an extension, based on being supported by a Thai child, where a farang could get an extension without showing money in the bank. I obtained one in 2006-7, as I recall. So what happened to the 'Thai way?'

Originally Posted by Switch

..... or more accurately. Enough to die in Thailand.

... and make someone happy with his bank balance

Well, it took a while, but looks as though they finally found a deal breaker for the majority of farangs.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Well, it took a while, but looks as though they finally found a deal breaker for the majority of farangs.

Too soon to tell. Immigration has been floating all sorts of "requirements" too see reaction. This is likely another.

It’s really the shits if one is planning to live out their days in Thailand. Costs for over the over 75 gang gets too high.

Can’t see why the government couldn’t let the “old timers” buy into the 30 baht plan if they want to die like a Thai, that is, without all the life extending treatments.

Originally Posted by misskit

It’s really the shits if one is planning to live out their days in Thailand. Costs for over the over 75 gang gets too high.

Can’t see why the government couldn’t let the “old timers” buy into the 30 baht plan if they want to die like a Thai, that is, without all the life extending treatments.

Wouldn't that "person" be on a permission to stay extension rather than a visa ?

Originally Posted by misskit

Can’t see why the government couldn’t let the “old timers” buy into the 30 baht plan if they want to die like a Thai

They actually did try it a few years back but cancelled it after about a year. Thailand government claimed it was only meant for migratory foreigners.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Why is it not seen, if married with children, that as per the Thai way, the children will care for the parent(s). There once was an extension, based on being supported by a Thai child, where a farang could get an extension without showing money in the bank. I obtained one in 2006-7, as I recall. So what happened to the 'Thai way?'

What happened?

As usual, dodgy farangs abusing the system.

2 of my mates got it at the time, one got the extension based on being supported by a 14 year old, the other based on being supported by a 3 year old.*


Little wonder it was foked off after a year, and back to 400k in the bank or documented 40k p/m income based on wife or child.





* I didn't have a child at the time, but was willing to steal one.

Originally Posted by terry57

Many other cuntrys require Health Insurance from Foreign scum who want to stay long term

name them

Originally Posted by misskit

Can’t see why the government couldn’t let the “old timers” buy into the 30 baht plan if they want to die like a Thai,

pallative care insurance - enough to pay for a nurse and morphine

Originally Posted by baldrick

pallative care insurance - enough to pay for a nurse and morphine

In a nutshell that's pretty much all that's really required.

Originally Posted by bowie

In a nutshell that's pretty much all that's really required.

...nonsense: swollen prostates, fatty livers, high blood pressure, morbid obesity, etc may all require medical attention well before a trip to the oven...

Originally Posted by tomcat

Long Stay Expats

Define long stay and how it relates to a one year visa or extension at the time of application.

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

They actually did try it a few years back but cancelled it after about a year.

They did and like then, this too shall pass. No need to panic. As always, will be at discretion of your local immigration office.

Indonesia requires life insurance. All handled by honest (cough) agents here.

Originally Posted by Switch

Indonesia requires life insurance. All handled by honest (cough) agents here.

Likely same will transpire here if this health insurance requirement prevails.

Originally Posted by Norton

Likely same will transpire here if this health insurance requirement prevails.

Having experienced both systems, it’s probably time for agents to take over in Thailand too. Does away with any IO vagaries and the concerns that it can create for applicants.

The gent must be close to flogging his arse to an Arab by now anyway.

Originally Posted by Norton

As always, will be at discretion of your local immigration office.

It surely was, being as when I got mine the IO said that I had to show some money in that I had to prove I could sustain myself. But the logic behind the extension was that I didn't have to sustain myself as my child was looking after me.
As I recall, we settled on showing 200,000 in the bank. But I can't recall if I had to have a bank letter confirming such.

Originally Posted by misskit

Costs for over the over 75 gang gets too high.

From the charts - the 75 and older crowd'll be paying 100k/annum for 400k in coverage - and imagine how many pre-existng conditions will be exempted from the coverage - the champagne corks'll be popping in the insurance company board rooms for sure.

Of course, on a different note, insurance is a highly competitive business, I'm sure several expat insurance companies are eyeing the developments and will offer competitive plans to satisfy the potential requirements.

But, good luck to all trying to do an "apples-to-apples" comparison of insurance company plans - really do need a "broker" to figure it out, and brokers of course have biases.

The biggest problem with the over 75 gang is the (long) list of "pre-existing" conditions that'll be exempted from the coverage.

Originally Posted by tomcat

...nonsense: swollen prostates, fatty livers, high blood pressure, morbid obesity, etc may all require medical attention well before a trip to the oven...

hmm... sounds like a shit load of pre-existing conditions you let yourself fall into, good luck getting an insurance company to "foot-the-bill" of your lifestyle

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

I had to prove I could sustain myself.

If the logic is that the foreigner has to show he can sustain himself for a year, they'd accept seeing the balance, expiry date and limit of his overseas credit card. Future extensions could be based on that credit card being maintained.

Man there are some people losing their minds over this (Not on this site but the other). I can understand being it appears that many live on the ragged edge and a financial set back like this could be a lot of stress especially if they are all in. But one has to believe that they know things would change, they always do.

For now, its life as usual. Like all new rules and regs anywhere in the world there will be adjustments, considerations and likely allowances and as we all know every immigration office will have their own spin on it. There is nothing defined yet. The Nation news clip had nothing in it, it just started mass hysteria.