I saw this on Thai-visa-.com. The OP has always seemed to be knowledgeable and level headed. She wrote to the US Embassy and here is their response.
Thank you very much for your email and this on-the-ground perspective. Over the past six months, we have been engaging the Royal Thai government (RTG) to attempt to ensure that U.S. health insurance policies can be used to satisfy the new immigration requirement for health insurance for foreign retirees. This advocacy was done by official Diplomatic Note, as well as during the recent RTG press conference announcing the policy. During that event, the Consul General cited US veterans with TRICARE coverage specially as a population of concern in Thailand. At least one other Embassy (the UK) cited concern as well.
The U.S. Embassy plans to continue our advocacy with the RTG regarding the option for U.S. citizens to use existing insurance – regardless of where that insurance is based – to meet the requirements. We acknowledge there could be a difficult transition period as the Thai’s determine exactly how to implement the new health insurance requirement. As you note, the language in the official police order is vague in some respects. Therefore, we may have some room to navigate and improve on implementation.
Ultimately, this is a Thai regulation and the Thai government is the final arbiter of how this regulation will be implemented.
Again, we will continue to engage with the RTP on this issue.
Respectfully,
ACS"
TLDR : Answer Summary
The U.S. Embassy is actively engaging with the Royal Thai Government regarding health insurance requirements for foreign retirees in Thailand. Due to new regulations, there is potential for existing U.S. health insurance policies to be recognized. The embassy acknowledges challenges during the transition and aims to advocate for flexibility in implementation. Community discussions express a mix of hope and concern for the clarity and accessibility of these new requirements.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
- For immediate assistance, contact Thai Visa Centre directly via LINE at @ThaiVisaCentre or Email them.
- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
- Join the Thai Visa Advice Facebook Group to ask your questions, and get advice from others.
