June 6, 2017 - Beckah Ripley
Thailand is a backpacker’s paradise. In the south, long beaches transition into lush valleys while further north, street vendors sell spectacular noodle dishes in some of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant cities. Around every corner is an opportunity for adventure, which is why, if you’re fortunate enough to travel to Thailand, you’ll end up wishing you could stay forever. It’s one of the most majestic places on earth, and one of the most heavily trafficked, too, with over 32 million people traveling to the country in 2016 and 35 million expected to in 2017.
According to Jaturon Phakdeewanit, Director of Tourism Safety and Security Standards, medical services for visitors without travel insurance cost Thailand over $117 million in 2016, and the government is having an increasingly difficult time ensuring the safety and welfare of its visitors.
If the proposal passes, the Office of the Insurance Commission will install automatic vending machines at airports where travelers can purchase insurance if they haven’t already done so. While this may sound ideal, it really isn’t, as those plans will actually end up being much more expensive (and limited in terms of benefits) than they will be if you purchase one in advance.
We’ve made sure that all of the policies we sell provide coverage in Thailand and come with an array of important add-ons for travel to Asia, such as high medical evacuation limits. If you plan on doing any of the awesome things we suggested in our Top 10 Things To Do In Thailand article, trust us – you’ll want to be covered.
We’ll keep you posted on updates about Thailand’s insurance requirements, but in the meantime, feel free to ask us questions about the news by getting in touch with us by emailing [email protected].
