A guide to Phuket’s Sandbox scheme: All you need to know

As of July 1st, 2021, Phuket began welcoming back (without the need to quarantine) tourists and expats that have been vaccinated against COVID-19. The milestone came after months of preparation, from introducing effective health measures and vaccinating the local population to ensuring a robust system to seamlessly guide visitors from immigration from Phuket International Airport …

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Your guide to COVID-19, insurance, and retirement visas in Thailand

Now that there are new rules for entering Thailand, with mandatory quarantine slashed from 14 days to only 1 day, many expats in the country are planning a trip back to their home country. But some elderly expats on retirement visas have been concerned and confused regarding the insurance requirements. In this Pacific Prime Thailand …

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How to avoid the obesity pandemic in Thailand

Thailand is world-renowned for its mouth-watering regional delicacies and five main flavors, including salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. For centuries, the combination of all five flavors has brought happiness to people’s lives (and their stomachs). However, with a population that has grown over 15 times in the last two centuries and a society heavily …

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Why should expats secure COVID-19 insurance for Thailand?

Before the COVID-19 era, Thailand was a getaway destination for expats. Savings and disposable cash (when exchanged) were worth a lot more than at home. Daily costs such as food and travel were seen as incredibly affordable. However, times have changed considerably with medical inflation and inflated costs of living. Furthermore, expensive hospital bills are …

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List of “Hospitels” for COVID-19 patients in Thailand

With the rising number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per day, it’s no wonder that hospital beds in Thailand are nearing capacity. In comes a new type of quarantine facility to offload the number of patients staying at hospitals. “Hospitels” are hotels transformed into field hospitals for patients with less severe symptoms. This leaves the intensive …

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Thailand’s COVID-19 vaccination program and health insurance coverage

The national vaccination rollout for approximately 67 million Thais and 3 million expats is underway with millions already registered to receive their first jab within the next few weeks and months. The Thai government aims to vaccinate 70% of the population (50 million people) by the end of 2021. The mass vaccination campaign which began …

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New COVID-19 insurance requirement for long-stay expats in Thailand

On June 15, 2021, deputy spokeswoman for the Thai government, Ms. Traisuree Taisaranakul, confirmed in principle that all foreign nationals applying for the non-immigrant O-A visa will be required to prove that they have insurance coverage of at least USD $100,000 (THB ฿3 million). This will likely be enforced once the Immigration Bureau has published …

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