Thai authorities may soon require tourists to have travel insurance. The proposal arose during a seminar organized by Thailand’s National Legislative Assembly committee on religion, culture, and tourism, and piqued the interest of Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat.
This initiative is also aimed at alluring Chinese travelers back to Thailand. The number of Chinese tourists declined after a fatal accident on the Phoenix tourist boat, which sank not far from Phuket about a month ago, killing 47 Chinese passengers. The government has already paid about THB 60 million (around U.S. $1.8 million) to victims’ families. Compulsory insurance would lessen the burden on the compensation fund, which could become insolvent if another major accident involving tourists occurs.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, in 2017 Thailand received 35 million foreign visitors, who spent THB 1.8 trillion (U.S. $54.1 billion).
This is not the first attempt to enforce obligatory travel insurance in Thailand. The move would ensure the availability of expensive medical services to all foreign visitors.