Reader Talkback Results: Should health insurance stay mandatory after borders to Thailand open again?

Thailand-

It is time for our weekly feature in which we highlight our reader’s comments around a news worthy issue or something of interest to those in Thailand and Pattaya overall. This week, we asked you the following:

Reader Talkback: Should health insurance stay mandatory after borders to Thailand open again?

We had a lot of comments, e-mails and feedback. Let’s take a look at some of the most diverse comments we had and see what our readers feel regarding this question:

You can comment on this, by the way, if you have yet to do so, in several ways: By posting in comments below, commenting on our social media channels like Facebook or Twitter or sending us a mail at Pattayanewseditor@gmail.com. For your privacy, we only use first names when posting results at the end of the week.

JP M-No to mandatory health insurance !!! Seems like an excuse to enrich the big boys controlling the insurance company.
No problem I’m actually require much if the lightbulb comes on, Show them proof that you’ve been taking ivermectin, vitamin D & B, Vitamin C, NAC, Etc. ? It would be for he benefit of everybody.

Keith E: Definitely not, Why should people be forced to buy RIP OFF health insurance, people over 72 cannot anyway. I recently had to have an operation to remove a cancerous tumour from my temple, the total cost, ( operation, hospital stay medicines etc ) was a lot less than one year cost of health insurance. Individuals choice.

Deon R-The same rules as in the past should continue, it’s up to every person to have medical insurance ,otherwise just pay when you need it at clinic or hospital
The covid nonsense is becoming a money making racket, and is just chasing more tourist away .
The government is a failure of their own success, and all their restrictions should be cancelled ,but a covid negative certificate must be produced to enter to satisfy them

Somchai C-Other tourism dependent countries have a very different approach.
For example the Dominican Rep provides free healthcare for every visitor if they get sick with covid. Emirates covers all covid related medical costs of its passengers during their stay in Dubai . Even for economy class passengers.
They want to attract travelers in these hard times.
It seems the Thai govt doesn’t really want tourists, they dont care about economy and how people make a living in the country.

Fadi M-Those who think health insurance for the sake of Covid is mandatory are delusional. Proof of vaccine, possibly a necessity but health insurance for $100K is laughable to say the least.

Willi H-Absolutely YES

Yun S-Thailand government has to think about this matter in detail. If tourists go to other countries instead of Thailand due to complicate and expensive insurance system, they may know that other countries are good for tourists and will recommend the country to their friends. It means, many tourists will change to other countries. So, the insurance requirements are not best way.

Nigel W-As an expat who has lived here for 7 years, I often hear of people talk openly that they have no health insurance whilst in Thailand. Many of these people are 70+ and have known medical problems. Any illness contracted during their stay creates extra work in the hospitals, with some people unable to pay their bills. This undoubtedly leads to an increased cost for those honest citizens living here.
Additionally, with the traffic problems and abundance of accidents, ineffective enforcement of wearing a helmet, many people are injured in motorbike accidents and treated in hospital.
Many see Thailand as a cheap vacation, and come here with little money, insufficient for all eventualities. I would suggest that health insurance is made mandatory, with cover at least 10,000,000 baht
Robert D-Holiday insurance should go back to what it was there people like myself who aren’t rich and cant afford 100.000 dollars I’m British and not rich its ridiculous the amount they want I have a girlfriend in chaiyaphum and I’m I’m covid free be in isolation since I come back from pattaya in March I need to get back so we can register our marriage and make marriage arrangements but I can’t no planes and insurance price is ridiculous 
As always, thank you for reading and your comments. The answers this week were diverse, but a slight majority supported no insurance, bringing up concerns of inability to get insurance due to age or health conditions as the largest reason.
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Adam Judd
Mr. Adam Judd is the Co-owner of TPN Media since December 2017. He is originally from Washington D.C., America, but has also lived in Dallas, Sarasota, and Portsmouth. His background is in retail sales, HR, and operations management, and has written about news and Thailand for many years. He has lived in Pattaya for over nine years as a full-time resident, is well known locally and been visiting the country as a regular visitor for over a decade. His full contact information, including office contact information, can be found on our Contact Us page below. Stories please e-mail Editor@ThePattayanews.com About Us: https://thepattayanews.com/about-us/ Contact Us: https://thepattayanews.com/contact-us/