Juthaporn Rerngronasa, the TAT’s deputy governor for international marketing (Europe, Africa, Middle East and Americas), said the authority will help promote travel insurance from three insurance companies — Muang Thai Insurance, Chao Phaya Insurance and Siam City Insurance.
The offering will help foreign travellers who want to visit Thailand but cannot buy travel insurance from overseas insurers because the country is under martial law.
Available from July 15 with a premium of 650 baht, the insurance will have a 1-million-baht cover to include accident, health, baggage loss or delay and airport closures. Assuming the plan is approved, tourists will be able to buy this insurance policy online.
The three insurance companies said they will seek approval from the Office of Insurance Commission before selling the policy.
“This travel insurance will help attract more tourists from Britain, the US and Hong Kong to visit Thailand,” Ms Juthaporn said. Twenty-seven TAT offices overseas will promote the insurance policy.
The TAT projected 2014 tourism revenue to be about 1.93 trillion baht, of which 1.23 trillion baht will come from foreign travellers and 700 billion from domestic tourism. It will ask the help of both international and domestic tour operators to sell the travel insurance to clients, especially in sensitive markets.
Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said the travel insurance idea is a good way to restore tourist confidence, especially in Europe. But travel insurance is just one factor.
“I think government representatives should promote and convince tourists that Thailand is safe for them to visit,” he said.
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