Thailand to require foreign tourists to buy health insurance

Published: June 28, 2013 at 6:04 PM from UPI.com

 BANGKOK, June 28 (UPI) -- Lawmakers in Thailand say they want all foreign tourists to be required to purchase travel and health insurance before arriving in their country.

Thailand's Public Health Ministry Wednesday proposed the measure during a meeting with representatives from the Airports of Thailand, Royal Thai Police and other government ministries, the Bangkok Post reported.

The health ministry has suggested the cost of health insurance coverage might be included in visa fees, Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said at the meeting. 

Those visiting Thailand without visas would be required to buy insurance at immigration checkpoints or the fees could be added to the cost of airline tickets.

After the meeting, Pradit said all of those involved agreed to set up a subcommittee to work on the proposal.

The health ministry set up the meeting after Thailand's government asked it to address concerns about the financial burden on the country's state hospitals, which are required to provide foreigners with free medical service, Pradit said.

People not allowed to splash water down from pickup trucks during Songkran

BANGKOK, 29 March 2013 (NNT) – The Ministry of Interior aims to ban the practice of carrying water containers on pickup trucks and splashing water down from the trucks, for the upcoming Songkran water festival.

 File photo. Source: Wikipedia.org

An Interior Ministry meeting to discuss reducing road accidents and casualties during Songkran holiday has set April 11-17 as days when tight control on the road will be implemented.

Aiming to increase road safety during the period of water play, the meeting agreed to switch from the previous model of using a central command center that issued guidelines to provincial officials to a model that allows provincial administrators to adjust their methods to best fit their localities.

Under the new model, provincial governors must lay down measures and guidelines for districts, municipalities and other local administrative bodies to follow and implement.

Every province must establish zoning for Songkran water play.

People on pickup trucks will be banned from splashing water on public roads, in order to reduce the risk of accident occurring.

 
-- NNT 2013-03-29

Thailand is not just a poor mans paradise

Thailands reputation as a low budget tourist destination or poor ex-pat haven may proceed itself. 





Backpackers come from all over and hit the hostels of Bangkok, Chaing mai, Koh Samui, and Koh Pan Ngans Full Moon Party.

Ex-pats that sometimes fill the description on runaway, refugee, or retiree flock lower income housing developments and apartments in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Jomtien Beach. Some stay in Thai style apartments anywhere from 2,000 THB to 6,000 THB, others buy condos starting at less than 700,000THB for smaller units.

Would you believe a high end condo unit in Bangkok has just been sold for 480 Million THB??? According to an article in the Bangkok Post, luxury property developer Pace Development Corporation Plc last month sold a 1500 square meter unit in its Ritz-Carlton Residences for 480 MB!!! 

 

• Who would buy a condo for that kind of money?? Apparently it was all affordable enough for a retired Indian property investor that has been based in Dubai.
• Why would anyone spend that kind of money? Pace Development Corporation Plc.'s chief director Sorapoj Techakraisri seems to feel that "This year will be good for the high-end residential market, as foreign buyers' confidence is growing stronger,"
• What is the Ritz-Carlton Residences? The Ritz-Carlton Residences will be a luxury condo project with 194 units priced at 280,000 baht per sq m on average for a 99-year leasehold. It is part of the 77-storey MahaNakhon luxury mixed-use skyscraper being built on nine rai of Narathiwat Road next to Chong Nonsi skytrain station.
• How will such an expensive sell?  To date, Pace has sold 100 units worth a combined 5 billion baht, with 60% bought by foreign buyers. Another 3 billion baht in sales is expected this year.

 

Wealthy foreign buyers do not feel 400,000 baht per sq m, the level now offered for a resale penthouse at the St. Regis on Ratchadamri Road, is high, as they are used to paying more than that in major destinations such as London, Hong Kong and Singapore, Mr Phanom said.

So who said Thailand is a poor country or only for washouts, sex tourists, sex-pats, and back packers. It seems Thailand is capable of drawing the worlds richest investors. The only real explanation is that contrary to popular belief...Thailand has alot to offer!!

Thailands tourist destinations suffering from poor infrastrcture

Thailand's infrastructure continues to suffer from poor planning and under estimated growth.  

You see it everytime a new road is cut. They are typically 6-8 meters wide and this is supposed to support 2-way traffic with parking. Small roads with land on either side being purchased for major condo and housing developments with no thought on how to support the wave of coming traffic. 

According to an article in The Nation newspaper today this can be largely blamed on private sector investment not being matched by government spending...

1. " The key issues are the same as in Phuket and all of Asia's resort destinations at present. Private-sector investment fuelled by booming economies is not being matched by government spending on infrastructure," said Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks, a Phuket-based hotel and residential consulting firm. "Also, Thailand's resort destinations are no longer simple idyllic destinations but are becoming urbanised, with issues now of population growth, traffic, waste disposal and crime. Local government does not have the support for this growth."

     2. "This has especially held true for Koh Samui  "Its tourism numbers are restrained by the lack of capacity, and it cannot attract broader charter flights and low-cost carriers. This is not entirely a bad thing, as the hotel market has stabilised and positioned the island at the top end of the market, but longer-term it will impair the growth cycle. The airport, roadways, water and electricity are key priorities for the government," he said.

Pattaya's Theppraya road was a classic example of this. 10-12 years ago it was a small deserted 2 land road with littole mom pop shops lining it selling gasoline, plants, and a few mini marts. With a rapid expansion the citys of Pattaya and Jomtien were forced to put together a project to widen the road to support the new massive development. It took over 6 years to complete and has turned out fairly nice. 

Fortunately city officials carried this construction out from Hanuman Cove in Jomtien Beach all the way out to soi Chaiyapreuk. Figuring out where to put the u-turns could prove to be another difficult challenge with already most of the traffic on this new road heading the wrong way down the street.

Another issue is the number of tour buses on the roads now. It seems like there are at least 10 times more buses around town than just a few short years ago. These tour buses wind their way down narrow sois to try and bypass the traffic problems the bigger roads can no longer support. This clogs up sois locals use, mostly on small motorbikes, to negotiate the congestion on larger roads. Check out this video below and take a ride down Jomtien Beach Road!

Weather in Pattaya is just perfect right now!

You simply could not ask for better weather in Pattaya or most of Thailand for that matter. 

Daytime temps have been averaging about 30-31c or roughly 85f with relatively low humidity. Skies have fluctuated between hazy sunshine and clear blue! Nights have been very pleasant at around 23c or 73f.

  
This is my favorite time of year here in Thailand. With virtually no rain and comfortable temperatures i find myself taking far more bike rides somtimes making them into full day trips. Also spend more time enjoying the beaches not so much here in Pattaya but taking a ride down to Bang Sarae or heading off to Koh Larn. Nights are perfect to hang out with friends at outdoor bars and enjoy a few -- not usually quiet -- drinks together.

Bangkok has been averaging around 32c or 87f during the day and 25c or 75f at night. Chaing Mai has been very mild at night around 18c or 65f and warming up nicely to around 32c or 88f. Phuket and Koh Samui have also been sunny and mild


Good news is this weather is supposed to stick around a while. With a rainy season that lasted well into December, Thailands old man winter took a little longer to arrive and according to this article i read it looks like the cold season should last until the end of February with a possible exception for the south of Thailand where temps in Koh Samui, Krabi and Phuket may warm up a bit earlier.

If you ever wanted to get an idea of how big of an area Pattaya covers you should check out his video i found on You Tube taken from a Cessna 172 Sightseeing tour

Thailands 90 day check in...Mail it in!!

The fine for failure to file the 90-day report on time is up to 2,000 baht set at the discretion of immigration officer who discovers the fact. You are NOT charged with an Overstay for failure to file the report on time unless you overstay your visa.

Police Colonel Chusak summoned Police Lieutenant Jakkid Kidmeekiatdee who is in charge of all 90-Day reporting for the Chonburi Immigration offices located in Pattaya, Sriracha and Koh Srichang.

Here are the steps to take every 90-days to avoid having to go in person to the Immigration office to report your address: Read more...