FOR THE EXPAT IN ALL OF US! ISSUE 431 9th June 2017
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Good Times Every Night A DJ To Save Your Life
covered?
insurance scheme for tourists proposed again
•A •revival of a proposal that previously reared it’s head in 2013, and again last year, to require all foreign hua hin
tourists to have travel insurance, was in the news this week, as a committee working on the development of Thailand as a wellness tourism hub put the idea forward again, as a response to the increasing burden on hospitals of caring for tourists who don’t have the finances to pay for their treatment. Given that this idea has cropped up several times before, the likelihood of it being implemented is not great, but there is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed for the hospitals. While figures are not available, it is likely that many of the foreigners who end up in hospital have done so as a result of a motorbike accident, which begs the question of why there are no apparent regulations relating to the renting of motorbikes and insurance for same. However this latest version of insurance for foreign tourists has padded out somewhat with ideas such as the installation of automatic vending machines at international airports and border checkpoints. No mention has been made of any consequences a tourist might suffer should they not hold any insurance as they enter, and should this idea become a reality, careful thought will need to be made on that matter, as well as the issue for older travellers who may be unable to get coverage at all. With the current lack of tourists in Hua Hin, anything that might dissuade them coming seems like a bad idea, but the need to ensure the Thai health system is not saddled with unpaid bills is equally important, assuming they receive any money raised. While it may seem unfair on those who do take out insurance, perhaps a small charge added to all flight tickets would be a more workable solution.