Thailand is offering foreign tourists accident insurance with a coverage of 500,000 baht from 1 January to 31 August 2024
The Thai government has launched a scheme to offer visitors to the kingdom medical insurance covering up to US$14,000 in the event of an accident as the country seeks to attract tourists back after the pandemic, the tourism minister said.
The government will cover medical expenses of up to 500,000 baht (US$14,000) and pay compensation of up to 1 million baht (US$28,000) in case of death under the new scheme. If a person loses limbs or eyes or becomes disabled, the lump sum compensation will be 300 thousand baht.
To receive compensation for medical expenses up to 500,000 baht, one must have a passport with a tourist visa and not work or earn income in Thailand. Tourists are encouraged to register for the programme on the Thailand Traveller Safety website at tts.go.th.
The application can be made at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, provincial tourism and sports offices, and tourist information centres at Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports by post or email.
The Thai government stresses that the programme does not include accidents caused by its own negligence, illegal acts or risky behaviour.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions hit the kingdom’s vital tourism sector, and arrivals have not recovered as quickly as officials had hoped.
Tourism and Sports Minister Sudawan Wangsupkhakijkosol said Prime Minister Settha Thawisin had approved 50 million baht from the Emergency and Necessary Expenditure Reserve Fund to provide relief and compensation to foreign tourists who had accidents in Thailand between 1 January and 31 August 2024.
“The campaign aims to reassure foreign tourists that Thailand is safe and visitors are well looked after,” the minister said.
The policy of charging foreigners a “tourist levy” of 300 baht per person for air travel and 150 baht per person for land and sea border crossings has not been cancelled. However, the fee has not been levied because the market for foreign tourists is still recovering.
The kingdom has long been popular with young travellers from around the world seeking sun, sand and adrenaline. However, accidents are not uncommon, and in recent months, there have been numerous reports of young foreign travellers facing hefty medical bills with inadequate insurance.
“Tourism is a key revenue-generating sector for the Thai economy. Therefore, it is important to encourage foreign tourists to travel and spend more money. After all, it creates jobs and generates income for the Thai people,” the minister said.
In 2023, 28 million people will visit Thailand, up 11 million from a year earlier. But still significantly less than the 40 million people who visited the kingdom in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
The government has set a target of generating 3.5 trillion baht in revenue from 35 million foreign and 205 million domestic tourists by 2024. Prime Minister Settha Thavisin emphasised the importance of taking care of foreign tourists in terms of convenience and safety to create a positive impression throughout their trip to Thailand.
More Articles Here
More Articles Here
