Thailand: Travel insurance likely to be made compulsory from this year

Very soon, you might need to buy a special policy once you land in Thailand. As per the reports, Thailand is planning to make travel insurance compulsory for visitors to the country.
It is expected that the new policy might be rolled out later this year. All earnings from the said policy will go to Thailand’s Tourism Promotion Fund, which will be used to cover payments in case of a claim.

The scheme will, however, be implemented after getting approval from the Tourism and Sports Ministry. One can buy such a policy at the immigration offices at Thailand airports, which would further offer upto 1 million baht (INR 2251674) of cover in case of death.
The idea behind introducing travel insurance is to reassure travellers about their safety and build their confidence when visiting the country.
Referring to this development, an official stated that though this policy might be a compulsory purchase, but it must not be used as a replacement for travel insurance. And as travel insurance is not a one-size-fits-all, travellers are encouraged to read their policy terms carefully to make sure that their policy is suitable for their trips and needs.

The official also mentioned that it is always a better option for those travelling abroad that their travel insurance covers all aspects of their trip, and should not be limited to only medical expenses, cancellation and curtailment, and personal possessions. One should also bear in mind that the information released as of now explains that Thailand’s compulsory policy only covers death cases.