Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Mandatory Insurance in the context specifically of retirees. I made another video contemporaneously with this one where we discussed this in the context of Thai Visas generally. I thought of not making this video; I have talked about this a lot; I know it causes a lot of consternation but I think it is worth bringing it back up because it is kind of back in the ether of the internet right now. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: New Thai health insurance policy for foreigners in border regions only. So let's start with this. Whatever this new insurance policy is, it primarily pertains to migrant labour that is coming in across Thailand's borders, so primarily pertains to people from like Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, this isn't all foreigners, so let's start from that premise. The other thing is, just bear in mind, look, there is only one Immigration regime so there's all manner of foreigners but there is kind of a separate sort of a sub-immigration regime that deals primarily again with folks from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar because there are a number of migrant labourers that come from there and honestly there is just going to be different considerations to be made with regard to folks coming across a land border from a neighboring country than quite honestly folks who are flying in from places as far afield as Europe or USA or wherever. You are just going to have to deal with those things practically in a different way. So if people kind of, they say to themselves "well why do they have these differing systems?" Well because practically you have to deal with different people differently. That said, going back to this Pattaya Mail, pattayamail.com, the article is: New Thai Health Insurance policy for foreigners in border regions only. Quoting directly: "Press reports that a new registration scheme will help boost access to healthcare for foreign nationals and the stateless is creating confusion in expat circles. Now again, I urge those who are watching this video, go read the article detail. Again we are primarily talking about what is being rolled out as a sort of digital tracking system, registration system I guess you could call it, for those folks who are in kind of dire straits some of them, along the borders are coming in as migrant labour and basically a more efficient way of putting them into the system for health coverage here in Thailand.

That said, quoting further: "Most foreign tourists and expats are not currently required to have comprehensive medical treatment although the exceptions include some retirees with a long term O-A Visa issued by Thai Embassy.” Again I urge those who are watching this video, go check out that article for more detail. I guess this is becoming something of a perennial question, I discuss it from time to time, "is it possible that O Retirement Visas, not O-A; as noted in that article O-A Retirement Visas are issued at Embassies abroad, they can be extended in Thailand under the O-A category but their place of issuance, their place of promulgation if you will is at an Embassy. Here in Thailand, if you happen to be in O Retirement Visa status or are looking to be in O Retirement Visa status or have maintained it for a long period of time, those folks that are in O Retirement Visa status operate under a different set of regulations because the O Retirement Visa basically operates under the auspices of Thai Immigration here in Thailand. And at the present time, there is no regulation requiring O retirees to get health insurance. The question posed is could they make it mandatory? As I have discussed in many other videos, yes they could. Do I think it's likely? Not really, although I must say it is notable, and quoting further from here; actually it's not in this one, but I did another video on this as well that this whole new scheme that they talk about in that article is set to go online January 1, 2024.

Now anybody that has been watching this channel knows that January 1, 2024 is kind of a red letter date in terms of tax policy. So again a lot going on. January 1, 2024 seems to be kind of a big day in terms of things changing over here. Now does that mean we are going to see mandatory insurance? I kind of doubt it and in fact I am not seeing anything or heard anything that leaves me to believe that that is coming down the pipe. Now that, said, I am not the end all be all. There could be plans out there but I just kind of don't think there would be. Also from a PR standpoint, I don't think it would be a good idea to do that during the middle of the high season. If that were to happen, I would kind of think it would probably happen sometime in the doldrums of the low season out in next summer rather than doing it now. Again one man's opinion. They could change everything on January 1 and just come out and tell everybody that day that that's what's happened. I think that's unlikely but we will certainly keep you updated on this channel as the situation evolves.