In an effort to restore the trust of tourists, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand has taken a bold step by abandoning the long-delayed 300 baht tourist fee and is now looking for another type of insurance for tourists.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is spearheading an ambitious plan to provide insurance of up to 500,000 baht for injuries and a jaw-dropping 1 million baht in the event of a fatal accident.
With growing concerns about Thailand's safety, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports is developing an ambitious insurance blueprint to protect tourists. Prime Minister Sreta, at a decisive cabinet meeting held yesterday (19 December), instructed the ministry to develop an insurance scheme to guarantee the safety of all tourists during their trip to the country.
Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, revealed that in order to stabilize tourism sentiment, the government will abandon the previously difficult to achieve 300 baht fee plan. Instead, they are exploring other avenues to ensure the safety of tourists, with the goal of providing insurance for 500,000 baht for the injured and 1 million baht in the event of the unfortunate death of a tourist due to an accident.
The department initially proposed a case-by-case compensation plan, using a budget of 50 million baht to deal with incidents such as the mass shooting at Siam Paragon or the tragic death of a recent Taiwanese tourist who did not receive emergency care in a private hospital. However, as the Prime Minister insisted on extending insurance coverage to all tourists, the department will consult with the relevant authorities and the Insurance Commission Office to develop a comprehensive plan and budget that exceeds the initial forecast of 50 million baht.
Although the Foreign Tourist Assistance Fund, which previously provided compensation to tourists in the event of an accident, was disbanded two years ago, there is still no permanent mechanism or budget to assist tourists. The 61-year-old prime minister urged the Ministry of Tourism and Sports to work with the Ministry of Public Health to develop public health measures. According to the Bangkok Post, he stressed the need to present the plan to the cabinet as soon as possible and suggested that the central budget be used if necessary.
Scope of Indemnity
In order to strengthen the security of tourists, Sreta also called on the ministry to cooperate with the Royal Thai Police to supervise the immigration police and the tourist police. The measures come in the wake of a recent incident in which a Taiwanese tourist was denied entry to a private hospital, resulting in his tragic death.
Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, President of the Thai Hotel Association, expressed optimism that providing travel insurance to all foreign tourists will greatly boost their confidence in traveling to Thailand. She suggested that the government transparently list the amount of compensation based on different types of illnesses and injuries to ensure that tourists are clearly informed.
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