New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

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Up2u

Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Up2u »

Dodger wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 10:01 am Up2u. I hate to badger you with this, but could you please link us to the TV reports you're referring to.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1395920320731833/

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113256 ... nce-today/

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113256 ... nce-today/

Like everything on TV it takes some patience to find the relevant information. Also, please post pics if you can of your friends successful extension in Buriram. I would also post it on TV.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Up2u wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 10:19 pm
Dodger wrote: Mon Nov 18, 2019 10:01 am Up2u. I hate to badger you with this, but could you please link us to the TV reports you're referring to.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1395920320731833/

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113256 ... nce-today/

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113256 ... nce-today/

Like everything on TV it takes some patience to find the relevant information. Also, please post pics if you can of your friends successful extension in Buriram. I would also post it on TV.
Much appreciated.

I just reviewed the discussions in the links you provided and don't see any reported cases of retirees with extensions being required to have health insurance. I've also been monitoring these TV topics regularly, and unfortunately, I don't see any reported cases as of yet.

There are many reports coming in from people who are holding O-A visa's that are being required to show proof of insurance, but as far as retirees who have previously received Extensions of Stay on a base O-A visa, there are no reports coming in from what I can see.

Honestly, the reports you provided relating to what your friends were being told at Chonburi Immigration were the first and only reports I've heard to date, other than the firsthand reports I received from retirees in Buriram. I'm not doubting your friends at all, as it's quite possible this is the position Chonburi is going to take, but we still lack cases coming from retirees who have actually reapplied for their extensions after Oct 31.

Regarding Buriram reports: Asking people I barely know if I can take photographs of their passports/visa's to post on-line would not be something I'd be inclined to do.

There are a lot of visa renewals happening at the end of the calendar year - so we'll know what's going on by years end.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:09 am we'll know what's going on by years end.
I hope that's right, but as for me, I'm only going to know the day I go to immigration for my own extension. That's when I'll know. I'm going to apply for my extension a month in advance of the expiration date, as I always do, to make sure if there are any problems I'll have time to deal with them.

As I've said, regardless of how many reports we get, I'm not going to assume a thing. I'm going to have all my ducks in a row as best as I can and hopefully encounter no problems. But the way things are at the moment I don't see how anyone can be certain what will take place at immigration.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:31 am
Dodger wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:09 am we'll know what's going on by years end.
I hope that's right, but as for me, I'm only going to know the day I go to immigration for my own extension. That's when I'll know. I'm going to apply for my extension a month in advance of the expiration date, as I always do, to make sure if there are any problems I'll have time to deal with them.
In the military we relied a lot on reconnaissance reports. The reports we received from the field were never expected to tell us exactly what would happen, but helped us a lot in preparing for the unknown. That's about all we can expect from these expat reports. We won't know for sure until we walk into immigration ourselves, although reading the reports and gaining as much knowledge as possible certainly won't hurt anything.

Not for the purpose of belaboring this, but one can not assume with 100% certainty, that applying for their extension renewal 30 days early would necessarily work. For instance, if a person, who as not reading the reports or keeping abreast of what's going on, felt they didn't need health insurance, when in fact they did, it could possibly take longer than 30 days to secure the insurance policy with the expected bottleneck, especially if a physical exam was required. If the same person was keeping up with the actual accounts of how their local immigration office was handling things, he may have had the required insurance before he walked in the door. This scenario I just used as an example actually occurs quite frequently.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 10:17 am one can not assume with 100% certainty, that applying for their extension renewal 30 days early would necessarily work.
Yes, things can still go wrong even then. But if you have a better suggestion, I'm all ears . . .
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Undaunted »

Gaybutton wrote: As I've said, regardless of how many reports we get, I'm not going to assume a thing. I'm going to have all my ducks in a row as best as I can and hopefully encounter no problems. But the way things are at the moment I don't see how anyone can be certain what will take place at immigration.
I totally agree, having said that why continue the thread if it only adds to confusion and panic till the Immigration policy can actually be varied :?:
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Gaybutton »

Undaunted wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:31 am why continue the thread
As long as nobody is violating board rules, the topic stays open. I don't know what more can be said either. We're going to have some people say the requirements are a problem. Some will say it isn't. Some will say, "I know people who . . .", Some will tell us about their friend's experience. Some will tell us their own. Some will tell us what they read elsewhere.

However, I'm not going to close the topic. If people have more they want to say, they are free to do so.
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Gaybutton wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 10:56 am
Dodger wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 10:17 am one can not assume with 100% certainty, that applying for their extension renewal 30 days early would necessarily work.
Yes, things can still go wrong even then. But if you have a better suggestion, I'm all ears . . .
Beats the hell out of me... :lol:

Just kidding.

Seriously, I would suggest visiting immigration 60 days early and ask to speak directly to the Superintendent to make sure you comply with Chonburi's interpretations of the requirements. I would not ask these questions to any of the officers (clerks). Whatever the Superintendent told me I needed to do - I would do. If I was told I needed to make adjustments in order to comply, I would have 60 days to accomplish this.

I mentioned earlier in this thread that I did exactly that back in August, and based on the information I received from the Superintendent (Chonburi) I was able to have my ducks neatly in a row when I returned in October to renew my extension.

The Superintendent showed no reluctance in speaking with me, and he couldn't have been friendlier or more forthcoming, I had the impression that there haven't been too many farang who have requested to speak to him directly before. I could be wrong, but that was my impression. In all of the reports that are published on the various forums, I have never once heard of a situation where someone actually asked policy questions to a member of the immigration offices top management. They are always dealing solely the officers (clerks).

Maybe there's a certain element of fear attached to this for some people. I don't know. But what I do know, is that I pulled up all roots in American and transplanted myself here on Thai soil, and have made considerable investments in doing so. I fully intend to follow all the laws, but someone has to tell me what the laws are first. If the officers who work in the immigration offices lack concrete knowledge of these legal requirements, which they obviously do, then I need to speak to the person who's responsible for the officers. It's just as simple as that.

As a side not: If anyone does intend on ever speaking to a Superintendent of any of the Immigration Divisions, I would suggest being sober, dress appropriately, keep your questions short and direct. He already knows why you're there so don't waste his time with emotional ramblings about things he already knows. Just cut to the chase. I started by thanking him for taking the time from his busy schedule to talk to me, which he seemed to appreciate.
Up2u

Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Up2u »

I post this because it is Jomtien. Go to post #1312.

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113256 ... nce-today/
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Re: New Health Insurance Requirements Announced O-A

Post by Dodger »

Up2u wrote: Tue Nov 19, 2019 8:20 pm I post this because it is Jomtien. Go to post #1312.

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/113256 ... nce-today/
I don't see where posts are numbered on TV. Maybe you're referring to the 12th post on page 13, If so, that post has nothing to do with the question at hand. Please correct me if I'm missing something.

There are now 89 pages on TV posted on this topic. I've been monitoring them since Oct 31. Still no reports of retirees being told they have to have health insurance when renewing their extensions, other than the case that you cited involving your friends. With that exception, there are hundreds of reports coming in from people with O-A visas with no previous extensions where insurance is mandated as expected, but ZERO from those who are currently retired who have already been receiving extensions...not in any Province.

I'm actually starting to get bored listening to myself talk about this subject, and I'm sure others are getting bored as well.
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