Thailand to launch new medical treatment visa on Jan 1

#Thailand will introduce a new medical treatment visa on Jan 1 in a bid to help establish itself as a global leader for healthcare tourism.

Deputy government spokeswoman Tipanan Sirichana said the new multiple entry medical visas will be valid for a period of one year and will allow the holder to stay in Thailand for 90 days.

Up to three family members can also be included on the visa, Ms Tipanan added.

Applicants will need to prove they have funds of at least 800,000 baht to cover expenses in Thailand and they must also have accident and COVID-19 insurance which provide a minimum coverage of 3 million baht or US$100,000.

Ms Tipanan said the medical visa will be restricted to people who require continuous treatment for a medical condition for more than 90 days. Partner hospitals will also be required to outline a concrete treatment plan and detail the expenses for the patient.

The visas will be aimed at people looking for treatment in Thailand for such conditions as cancer, cardiovascular disease, organ transplants, and dental care, while those seeking anti-aging and cosmetic surgery would also qualify, she said.

Currently, foreigners visiting Thailand for the purpose of medical treatment apply for a tourist or non-immigrant visa, which allows only a single entry into the country.

However, there is an exemption in place for visitors from eleven countries, including those in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates), as well as Cambodia, China, Loas, Myanmar and Vietnam.

The fee for the new new medical treatment visas will be 5,000 baht, Ms Tipanan confirmed.

Source - Hua Hin Today

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BBC says Thailand is among 7 top places in the world to live after retiring

Thailand is among the world's top seven countries for retirees to live as it has everything they need and want to make retirement life affordable, according to BBC. 

A travel article written by BBC’s author Rob Budden this week said a growing number of pensioners are seeking far-flung destinations.

They’re lured by hours of sunshine, a slower pace of life, favourable tax rates, and the prospect of a more fulfilling lifestyle where their income goes much further than it does at home.

Considered carefully, retiring abroad can deliver all of the above without compromising home comforts or quality healthcare, he wrote.

He then guided seven best countries to retire from from tropical towns in Thailand to coastal comforts in Central America where he said they have it all.

The seven best places to live after retirement are Panama, Ecuador, Malaysia, Spain, Malta, Portugal, and Thailand.

For Thailand, he wrote that “Known as the “The Land of Smiles”, Thailand offers expats retiring here plenty to smile about — a low cost of living, tropical clime, culture that respects older people plus no tax on RETIREE income from abroad.

International Living magazine ranked the country as one of the cheapest in its cost of living index, buoyed by competitive property prices. Eating out remains reasonable with a typical Pad Thai lunch available from just $1.

As well, the country’s retirement visa, which is renewable annually, is available to all retirees with monthly pensions of 65,000 Thai baht ($1,800) or to pensioners depositing 800,000 baht ($22,125) in a Thai bank account.

While the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office rates many private hospitals in Thailand equivalent to western standards, it says standards at local  hospitals can vary. Retirees should therefore budget to pay for local health insurance.

Further he wrote that a low cost of living, no tax on retiree income from abroad, a tropical climate and a culture that respects the elderly — what’s not to like in this retirement destination known as “The Land of Smiles”

Thailand is also the land of affordable living, according to International Living magazine. It ranked the country as the second least-expensive in its cost of living index, pointing out that an “over-the-top” luxury two-bedroom condo with great views can be rented for less than 40,000 baht ($1,200) per month. A Pad Thai lunch can be had for $1.

However, you should budget to pay for local health insurance as, while the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office rates many private hospitals to western standards, the group notes that standards at local hospitals vary, he noted.

Source: Thaibps

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