AussieBob

Thanks mate - much appreciated - sounds like a great place.

Yep - the Thailand bureaucracy is extremely disorganised - across all services. Besides having confusing and conflicting Federal regulations, they also have the same between the Provinces. Not an easy place to live when it comes to dealing with all levels of the bureaucracy - but it makes up for it in many other ways. As I said before, there was talk that they were going to impose that private insurance requirement on all 'retirement extensions' and then across to all non-resident Visas. Covid stopped that discussion progressing, but I sure do hope that it does not become the situation long term. However, if it ever does, I think that your Thai coverage might be accepted by a local friendly IO as adequate - that is one of the advantages - local authorities have autonomy and are not tightly controlled by strictly enforced Federal requirements.

I hear you - the ones I have looked at are about half and half - Thais and Global. I think I must defer to your media experience, but you will agree that a tourist was arrested for posting a negative review on a hotel in tripadviser and facebook - and jailed for the weekend - and that a journalist was in serious trouble and had to leave the country for posting a story about a businessman that was found guilty of robbing workers. Thailand defamation laws are extreme - and they are often used by some Thai people and organisations to silence critics. With regards to insurance, I am more looking at an arrangement that covers a major incident that could cost millions of baht - like a car accident or heart attack/stroke that results in serious complications and expensive medical treatment. Yes I am aware you can talk to the insurance company before having a procedure - I know of several blokes who have had minor procedures done after contacting the insurance company and either fully or partially covered. I am also aware of a bloke that had a brain tumour and was denied coverage because his wife told a doctor that he had some headaches many years ago - they ruled pre-existing condition - even though he was never examined or diagnosed with the problem - he had to pay - recovered enough to come back to Australia. Not sure what you mean by NHS - we Aussies have Medicare - and all hospital treatments and aftercare is free - and most medications are either free (when over 65/70) or heavily discounted - the PBS scheme. But regarding the Thai system, I am not shaking the cage, I am happy to pay 50K a year to join it, but I know I do not qualify - wish I could. But regarding an Expat winning a court case against a Thai or Thai company - I will go with Tim at the Thaiger - he has experienced and seen enough - I would have a chickens teeth chance of winning. Pacific Cross is one of the good ones - I have checked out their prices and coverage before and one of my mates uses them. But like me he is worried about the costs over 20 years as he gets older. As per your link the Maxima Plus is 91K at 65 and the prices stop there. The last time I got their rates for each year from 65 upwards, it went up and up a lot each year - and if a recall it was over 300K per year when I hit 80. The way I see it, Pacific Cross is a good option up until I reach 70, but then it gets less cost effective, and at 75 it becomes way too much, and at 80 it will be unaffordable. I figure 5 early years of saving 100-200 a year in a fund (or some deal like @Derek Dangleberries is talking about ) and then topping that up each year as required, means that once I am 75 there will be enough for just about anything - and it is my money still. Plus we could take it home with us if we decided to come back to Aust again if/when China takes over and mandates 14 day reporting of all aliens and tattooed numbers on our foreheads 😅

Interesting thought. Like a 'pre-approved' loan or overdraft for 2 million baht secured by the Condo as collateral. But as you say - what if you die. And of course, where will you live if/when they repossess the Condo to pay the loan and interest and fees due. Interest rates are low in Thailand now - 1% (20K PA) - but what if they were 5% or more. But is it wise to 'play' with Thai banks - they are worse then the insurance companies IMO. I doubt they would give any Expat a loan anyway - it would have to be in the Thai wife's name etc. - but we all (should) know what can happen with those sorts of arrangements. Maybe a 'credit card' in my name though? I was forced to open a credit card account because when hiring a car in Thailand they will not accept cash (the big ones). I had to deposit 20K into a 'special' Thai bank account to then be able to have a credit card for 20K maximum amount so I could hire a car. But would I risk a loan on a condo with a Thai bank so I could have a credit card for the amount of the loan deposited in such an account - nuh. The biggest problem with being an Expat in Thailand, when things go poo poo, is that you have no/little legal rights. You are wasting your time and money trying to take a Thai insurance company or bank to court if something goes very wrong, or if they do the wrong thing. You 'publicise' anything about that matter and you will be sent home and blacklisted never to enter again. Being right aint got nothing to do with it in Thailand - even for Thais. I know that some 'expats clubs' have insurance policies than gain 'group' discounts, but I have also heard of how that can go very wrong over time and how some members have paid, but are not actually insured as much as they thought they were - with again very little legal redress available in Thailand. I would prefer to got it alone with all such serious issues in Thailand - only got myself to blame that way 😄

Further to that question - has anyone done any research into how to find and use a decent/quality 'ambulance' service in Thailand. I understand they are rubbish compared to genuine ambulances in the west, and they are unregulated, and they are like the tow-truck industry who focus on being first there and 'owning' the towing 'right' after a car accident. But has anyone gone into the processes and found out how to stop somchai (who watched a video) and his mate pornee (who sleep through the video) turning up and throwing you in the back of their pickup and taking you to the most expensive private hospital and earning a 500 baht 'finders fee' ?

Can you let us know whereabouts in Thailand you have found this Hospital. Any tips on how to select the 'right' Hospital and how to register as a patient.

Tommy you are indeed so helpful - some would say matriarchal. Thanks for that, but I will say that IMO the public health program at 50K a year is a better option by far. The public cover will not dramatically increase in premiums, and will provide free coverage for all medical services - no limits. I am very dubious about the Thai private health insurance industry, having heard many bad stories - and many good ones. The cheaper policies come with conditions like maximum 400K per event, and within that 400K are limits for each category of costs. Therefore to cover it all (which is what it is for really - a bad car accident or serious illness) it costs a bit more than 60K a year - and as you get older the premiums increase - dramatically after 70. I once did a cost calculation based on 3% annual increase (it will be more if I make a claim), and it totalled over 3 million baht by the time I was 85 (average 150K a year) Sure there are cheaper plans - but as I pointed out to one bloke - the plan he had for about 40K back then, only paid out 400K for any single event and 100K max for 'hospital costs'. That might be good for a busted leg or something, but what if he has a serious car accident. He was shocked (he never read the fine print) as his policy claimed '1 million' coverage. Mate I am pedantic (you might have noticed) and I read the fine print and I do the costs forecasting over 20 years. By the way, you know why there are never any negative stories published about Expats and their medical insurance problems and ripoffs - guaranteed deportation and/or annual extension refusal - the defamation laws in Thailand mean being correct is irrelevant - just ask that British journalist and that Tourist who slagged off on social media about that Hotel. When the Thai Govt mandated the very expensive health insurance for all new O-A Visas (Retirement from overseas), the big concern was that same coverage option was going to be applied to both existing Retirees in Thailand, and to all Marriage and Business etc long stay Visas, at their next annual extension application. The reason for the ridiculous fees was the inclusion of outpatient coverage - which they refused to drop. It is clear to me that some very Junta Govt 'influencer' Thais own insurance companies, and they wanted to make more money from 'rich' Expats. Covid crashed all that and I do believe there will be an announcement soon about the existing health insurance mandated for all new O-A applications (they might remove it). Govt control and regulation of the Thai health insurance industry, like many others, is very loose and disjointed and some would say corrupted. Even for Thais it can be a nightmare getting matters addressed, but for an alien who has all the legal rights of a tourist in Thailand, it is extremely unlikely to be resolved positively - like it would in our home countries. Therefore, I will be very cautious and distrusting if/when I organise health insurance next time we live there - and building up a pool of funds to use for annual extensions and for medical costs is definitely my preferred option (with a cheap basic coverage for the first few years).

Please provide a link to any Immigrant Visa for entry into Thailand. OK so you agree that. It may be semantics, but that is how the law works. But lets agree to disagree.

Yes, based on what @Yesitisdakid has advised. Full coverage in Govt Hospitals and paid Private Hospital if needed because Govt cannot provide. 48K per year is cheap compared to the private insurance policies I have been quoted. I am well over 60 so that is not an option the way he got it, but if it was made available to long stay Expats who had become Residents after 3 years, then I would definitely take it up.

May I ask how you were able to get that? I assume it was through employment for a long period? Or was it another way - marriage? - Thai wife in public service?

Did you not listen when I said that was the forst tiome I realised that (from the video) so I did some extensive research. 1. Why do all long term non-immigrant Visas require 90 days reporting? 2. Why do all long term non-immigrant Visas require applications to extend permission to stay beyond 12 months? 1. Because they are all Tourist Visas under the Thailand Immigration Laws and the maximum legal period of a Tourist Visa in Thailand is 90 days. 'Reporting' means automatic extension of the permission to stay under a non-immigrant Visa. Under the Thai Elite and such Visa programs, the 'reporting' is done automatically for the holder but the annual extensions require their Passports to be provided (and they do the annual extension process for them). 2. Because they are all Tourist Visas under the Thailand Immigration Laws and the maximum legal period for the 'validity' of a Tourist Visa is 12 months. If you are approved for a long term non-immigrant Visa you have 12 months to enter the Kingdom. Once you enter you must report every 90 days for permission to stay longer, up to a maximum of 12 months from the date of entry. To stay any longer you must apply for an annual extension of your permission to stay, which if approved, impose the same conditions for staying - 90 day reports for automatic extension of permission to stay. Australia has many Tourist Visas and many Immigrant Visas - they are each separate Laws (Enactments) under the Australian Immigration Act - one covers Tourists (all visitors) and the other is for Immigrants. Being a Tourist provides certain rights and conditions, but being an Immigrant provides far more rights and conditions and leads to Residency and Citizenship. Thailand only has Tourist Visas - it is the only Laws under the Thailand Immigration Act that allows for non-citizens to Visit or Stay in Thailand (all are Visitors or as per the act Aliens). All 'Visitors' to Thailand are legally Aliens - short term long term makes no difference. There are no Immigration Visas in Thailand under the Thailand Immigration Act. Zero. None. Nada. I cannot make it any plainer for you - and I aint gonna try anymore.

Rory is what we Aussies call a 'dingbat' - he really, really, seriously, needs a caddie to tell him what to do, but more importantly, what not to do. Unfortunately, because of his extraordinary talent Rory was taught that playing golf is all about hitting great shots and scoring low. That worked while he was younger, but it has not for almost 10 years now. What the picture doesn't tell was that at that point, Rory was 13 under par overall, and 5 under for the day - he ended up even for the day and is at 8 under overall - he not only lost many shots because of a couple of bad decisions on that hole - it broke his confidence and he limped home. Because he is so good, he genuinely thinks he can do anything - and the problem is that he can. But he lacks that 'filter' that tells him 'maybe not this time' and 'maybe not today'. He knows that he can shoot 62 on any course - but he lacks the 'filter' to realise that some days and sometimes, he needs to pull it back. As Jack said - It is not about having the lowest possible lowest score every day - it is about scoring less than all the other blokes over 4 days. Or as Greg said: You cant win it on day 1 or 2 - but you can lose it then. Harry - the best thing you can do for Rory is to resign. Rory just won the RBC Canadian without you mate - he doesnt 'need' you - he does need a professional caddie to 'manage' him when things go wrong - whether he likes it or not. Unfortunately, Rory is still basically a boy, and has not grown up and accepted his faults and limitations - the wife thinks he never will. Rory will every now and then show us just how good he is when he puts together 4 great rounds and wins. But I fear he will never become the golf player he could have been - meaning winning many events especially majors. Rory has been slagging Greg Norman lately saying he has won 21 PGA events - 1 more than Norman. Rory has won 33 professional events - Greg won 89. Greg was world's number 1 for 331 weeks - Rory so far for 106 weeks. Rory - it aint about comparing wins on PGA - it is about how many and how long over your career - Jack and Tiger are ahead of everyone - Greg and many others are well behind those two - and so are you Rory. They cannot do anymore - but you can - a lot more - grow up and get on with it.

If anyone needs to understand why things are so screwed up theses days (and they are - it aint us just being old males) - it is because women like this are over-educated idiots and are involved in way too many areas of life. Not saying they should stay in the kitchen, but when they were there, only one man had to put up with all their sheite - now we all have to do it. Sorry - not a joke - although it is a joke. And that is why I love my Thai wife to bits - she knows and accepts who shie is and is extremely happy with life (unlike the idiot above) - she was brought up the old way - the much better way.

Yep - and they are all technically a Tourist Visa.