Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Asia > Thailand
Reload this Page >

Test & Go Application Process changes

Test & Go Application Process changes

Old Apr 22, 2022, 5:38 am
  #421  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
The health insurance requirement remains a problem.

I have an 84-year-old client living in Thailand on an Non-Imm O long-stay "retirement" visa.

He can't leave the country as he can't obtain medical insurance to return, even though he deposits ฿800,000 a year in Thailand to qualify for the visa.

It's a real problem for the elderly.
Are there a special requirements for long term stays? Because here (Germany) there are a couple of travel insurances who dont have an age limit. Its more expensive for elderly, but possible. For tourists its not a problem to get the insurance for the Thailand Pass.
thbe is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 7:15 am
  #422  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,740
Originally Posted by thbe
Are there a special requirements for long term stays? Because here (Germany) there are a couple of travel insurances who dont have an age limit. Its more expensive for elderly, but possible. For tourists its not a problem to get the insurance for the Thailand Pass.
To obtain a Thailand Travel Pass, one must provide a copy of the insurance policy that meets Thailand standards for Covid medical coverage to enter the country.

The coverage must last the duration of the stay. In the case of a retiree, that is for the duration of the annual visa.

We have thus far been unable to locate coverage for retirees over the age of 80.
Always Flyin is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 7:17 am
  #423  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Lincoln UK/BKK
Programs: BAEC Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 422
Some more information here

https://www.tatnews.org/2022/04/thai...om-1-may-2022/

Especially those cannot meet vaccinated requirements:

International travellers who are unvaccinated or are not fully vaccinated will also no longer be required to show proof of a pre-arrival negative RT-PCR test nor undergo an arrival test.

They are required to register for a Thailand Pass with a 5-day hotel booking and an insurance policy with coverage no less than US$10,000 (reduced from US$20,000).

Once arriving in Thailand, they must proceed to undergo the quarantine for 5 days and undergo an RT-PCR test on Day 5.

Exception is made for unvaccinated travellers who are able to upload proof of a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of travel via the Thailand Pass system, they – like those fully vaccinated – will be allowed entry and are free to go anywhere in the kingdom.
LETTERBOY and Kmxu like this.
manymany is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 7:21 am
  #424  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: EVA Air , * G, QR Privilege Club S
Posts: 5,090
Originally Posted by thbe
Source is the official CCSA meeting. That includes the PM, the Vice-PM, a couple of ministers and experts.
Yes it is already on the Thailand Pass website. The registration under the new format would be open from the 29th of April. But I have a feeling that it would be overwhelmed by the increase in the number of applications.
Davvidd is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 8:37 am
  #425  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
To obtain a Thailand Travel Pass, one must provide a copy of the insurance policy that meets Thailand standards for Covid medical coverage to enter the country.

The coverage must last the duration of the stay. In the case of a retiree, that is for the duration of the annual visa.

We have thus far been unable to locate coverage for retirees over the age of 80.
I see. Its possible to get an insurance for a year, but only for stays up to 42-60 days each. I think, if its possible to get the Thailand Pass with that document, but Im not sure. Maybe the Thailand Pass approver read the fine print when they see the age, but I dont think so. They will return to the automatic check of the documents, focusing on the vaccination documents.

You could take the risk of waisting a couple of bucks, check out if you can get that kind of travel insurance in the US/UK oder maybe also in Germany (online) and try to get a Thailand Pass with that.

Anyway, the Thailand Pass will be history after July 1, maybe after June 1.
thbe is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 8:40 am
  #426  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
Originally Posted by Davvidd
Yes it is already on the Thailand Pass website. The registration under the new format would be open from the 29th of April. But I have a feeling that it would be overwhelmed by the increase in the number of applications.
Yes, but they dont need the manual confirmation by the hotel anymore. They will approve most of the TP automatically.
Davvidd likes this.
thbe is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 5:27 pm
  #427  
Marriott Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Platinum, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, UA 1k, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 109
Originally Posted by thbe
Yes, but they dont need the manual confirmation by the hotel anymore. They will approve most of the TP automatically.
My flight is on May 1st. Really hoping those approvals come within 24 hours.

Do they do approvals over the weekend? I've seen some places saying business days only and others saying they work basically 24/7
flybyFIRE is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2022, 8:32 pm
  #428  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,278
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
To obtain a Thailand Travel Pass, one must provide a copy of the insurance policy that meets Thailand standards for Covid medical coverage to enter the country.

The coverage must last the duration of the stay. In the case of a retiree, that is for the duration of the annual visa.

We have thus far been unable to locate coverage for retirees over the age of 80.
He could leave and plan to return just before his annual renewal thus minimising the time period for insurance, but in practice even for those getting stamped in for almost a year, 30 days insurance is all that is being required.

Despite that the first insurer recommended on the Thailand Pass website has this in their summary:




and the TGIA recommended insurance has this:



https://covid19.tgia.org/
ft101 is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2022, 1:16 am
  #429  
 
Join Date: Dec 2019
Programs: AY Platinum, IHG Diamond
Posts: 158
This is good news (getting rid of mandatory testing). Took a lot of weight of my shoulders
Let's hope things stay relatively stable and they don't have to make more restrictions.

Luckily I booked 2 weeks hotel stays literally day before the news broke out. Don't know if the prices will go up since it's not high season anymore though.
plain is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2022, 3:37 am
  #430  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,740
Originally Posted by ft101
He could leave and plan to return just before his annual renewal thus minimising the time period for insurance, but in practice even for those getting stamped in for almost a year, 30 days insurance is all that is being required.

Despite that the first insurer recommended on the Thailand Pass website has this in their summary:




and the TGIA recommended insurance has this:



https://covid19.tgia.org/
When you click through, you get this:

For Visa type : Non-O (Retirement), O-X , STV a separate Health Insurance Policy is required. The limit sum insured for In-Patient is not less than THB 400,000 and for Out-Patient is not less than THB 40,000

To apply the Online Health Policy, please click https://longstay.tgia.org
From age 76, they only allow renewals of existing policies.
Always Flyin is offline  
Old Apr 23, 2022, 7:58 am
  #431  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,481
Originally Posted by flybyFIRE
My flight is on May 1st. Really hoping those approvals come within 24 hours.

Do they do approvals over the weekend? I've seen some places saying business days only and others saying they work basically 24/7
We had different kind of TP requirements so far and that affected the time for approval. Many were approved automatically within a few minutes, some needed more than a week.

For sure they work over the weekend. If they approve manually, it seems like they work faster on workdays and during business hours.

You can also use your existing TP to enter Thailand. From May 1 you dont need the hotel confirmation and test package anymore. So you can cancel hotel and test package and still use your approved old Thailand Pass. Of course there is always the risk, that the staff at the check-in doesnt have the newest information. But Thailands immigration will let you in with that old Thailand Pass.
thbe is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2022, 4:36 am
  #432  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,278
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
When you click through, you get this:

For Visa type : Non-O (Retirement), O-X , STV a separate Health Insurance Policy is required. The limit sum insured for In-Patient is not less than THB 400,000 and for Out-Patient is not less than THB 40,000

To apply the Online Health Policy, please click https://longstay.tgia.org
That refers to when applying for a visa and you've said he is there on a visa so he will enter on that with a re-entry permit. No visa application necessary.

Originally Posted by Always Flyin
From age 76, they only allow renewals of existing policies.
I've just been all the way throught to the payment page of the TGIA recommended one entering a date of birth of 1937 and been accepted. Cost was 11,000 THB.
ft101 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2022, 8:38 am
  #433  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,740
Originally Posted by ft101
That refers to when applying for a visa and you've said he is there on a visa so he will enter on that with a re-entry permit. No visa application necessary.
He still has to have a Thailand Pass to enter with a visa. To obtain that, he needs the insurance.

I've just been all the way throught to the payment page of the TGIA recommended one entering a date of birth of 1937 and been accepted. Cost was 11,000 THB.
That is because you are applying as a tourist without a visa. The rules are different for visa holders.
Always Flyin is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2022, 10:12 am
  #434  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,278
Originally Posted by Always Flyin
He still has to have a Thailand Pass to enter with a visa. To obtain that, he needs the insurance.



That is because you are applying as a tourist without a visa. The rules are different for visa holders.
This is 100% wrong. He needs the 20K USD (soon to be 10K USD) insurance to apply for the Thai Pass and it's available up to age 99. The 400/40K THB is for applying for some Visa types but is totally irrelevant here.

When you apply for the Thai Pass, the authorisation process don't know or care whether you will enter with a long term visa, tourist visa, visa exemption or anything else. There is no difference in the TP requirements for these categories.
ft101 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2022, 10:47 am
  #435  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,740
Originally Posted by ft101
This is 100% wrong. He needs the 20K USD (soon to be 10K USD) insurance to apply for the Thai Pass and it's available up to age 99. The 400/40K THB is for applying for some Visa types but is totally irrelevant here.

When you apply for the Thai Pass, the authorisation process don't know or care whether you will enter with a long term visa, tourist visa, visa exemption or anything else. There is no difference in the TP requirements for these categories.
I went through the steps to apply for the insurance and, once it is declared that you are entering on a non-imm "O" visa, you are not eligible for the tourist insurance. The insurance that is offered is age limited.

Go to the insurance site referenced above and try it for yourself.

This is a big issue right now for elderly retirees and we have yet to find a solution.
Always Flyin is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.