Thailand to impose compulsory insurance fee
All foreign tourists are likely to be charged a compulsory insurance fee on arrival in the country.
The Thai ministry of tourism and sports has long advocated a mandatory fee to cover costs when things go wrong as the number of tourists unable – or unwilling – to pay medical fees has steadily risen.
The issue of an insurance fee was last mooted seriously a couple of years ago as losses incurred by hospitals due to unpaid medical fees had surged to more than $100 million a year.
A fee of THB100 (US$3) is set to be charged for emergency medical treatment and to cover repatriation of the dead.
It could begin in about six months, the ministry says, although there are no details on how it would be processed and whether there will be a waiver for travellers already with travel insurance.
All previous attempts to impose a fee in the past have been knocked back due to these issues.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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