What is the current health insurance requirement for Non-Immigrant O-A visa holders in Thailand post-October 2019?

As many people do have problems reading the Immigration website, hereby the link to download the Police Order 548/2562 in PDF. in PDF. https://www.immigration.go.th/download/1570519806090.pdf

Always pays to listen to the advice and check the entry stamp immediately as it definitely appears that it’s a common mistake by only been given 30 days, this happened to me and was promptly corrected by the officer when I pointed it out.

This is a print screen of page 5 or the announcement. It is in Thai language, but if you visit the official page and you scroll down to page 7, it become all English. 2a8aa&fbclid=IwAR26GL_ft9O3J2m0OWUgsMpxo7YWIg9Jk1s86id6r5TA_VLiYJulmIYq5DY

I’m becoming more and more convinced that the best way to re-enter the kingdom if you leave with an O-A issued before 31-oct-19 and don’t have Thai insurance is by land.

Page 5 of their own document states that the insurance is only for new applicants after October 31

My OA visa was issued Jan.18, 2019. I’m leaving for Laos on the 10th fly back on 14th. My visa agent told me today to make sure insurance is in place. She has already had clients refused the one year extension with no insurance and just given 30 day stamp on arrival. This is in CM .

One way to get more time on your visa without insurance

Today, i arrived at Suvarnabhumi, my non OA visa was issued in july 2019, so no mandatory health insurance, multiple visa, 2 precedent travel in Thailand with this visa, first July 2019, second November 2019, no problem ... Today, was asked for proof of insurance : the officer call the supervisor, supervisor bring me in small office and ask for proof of insurance, i tell no need insurance because my visa issued before /2019. She look some official papers and tell me : ok, follow me. Then she stamp my passsport for one more year. She took pictures of my visa, passeport id and stamp ... So keep cool, explain calmly the situation and all is cleared ok at the end 🙂

Her last entry was dec 30th and stamped one year at CM

As I mentioned earlier this week ...inconsistency is the thing that I hate here....my wife came in on O-A no problems one year and this was second entry since October 30th with OA issued August 2019!.....

This is very interesting but seriously concerning.

We return to CM via BKK in a couple of weeks. Non o-a extension, with ME, issued last May. No local insurance but have travel insurance issued in UK. It’ll be interesting to see if they only give us 30 days!

I’ll update with results later this month.

I was issued my O A multiple entry visa in Sydney Oct 2019

I arrived at DKK Dec 2019 stamped in for a year no questions asked re Health insurance

Mind you I have the health insurance so would have been ok if they asked for it.

Truly unfortunate but thanks for updating the group.

I like Tod's advice to try getting a 1-year stamp by crossing the border and as he said even if you only get another 30-day stamp you'll probably need that time to get the insurance.

You know what I would do? You are on a 30 day visa exempt entry now, it's after the first of the year (so that means you get TWO new 30 day visa exempt entries by land)

I would border bounce at the Mae Sai - Tachiliek border with Myanmar, AND I'd argue with them that visas issued before the change don't require proof of insurance :O I mean you might get stamped in for a whole new year, BUT at the worst you'd get a new 30 day visa exempt entry stamp and you could follow your plan now, get insurance, and go get the stamp corrected.

I don't think you're out anything by trying it, AND you would have 30 more days to sort out the insurance if you didn't get a new year stamp (which I think you WILL get at that border) ;)

I'm curious if you had a reentry permit or multiple entry visa before leaving and returning on December.

Where did you stamp IN to the country where they did this? Most people on O-A visas issued BEFORE the Oct 31st rule change are not being asked for proof of insurance.

I would almost fly out and back in just to see what happens.

We need added information from you.

When did you first arrive into Thailand with the O-A visa?

What was the permission to stay date placed into your passport ?