OIC is partly to blame

Re: "OIC assures on insurance", (Business, Feb 7).

The analysis on the Thailand insurance industry and the regulatory role of the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC) regarding Covid-19 coverage is timely and a few lessons can be learned from the drama.

Early in 2020, it was made clear by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the Covid 19 pandemic was coming. The last similar worldwide viral pandemic was the Spanish Flu more than 100 years ago.

There was no recent precedent for any actuary in the industry to gauge what the premium should be to cover the risk of claims. It is hard to find one country outside Thailand that dared to offer coverage for Covid 19.

However, Thailand's coverage was popularised as good public relations work with the catch phrase "Jer Jai Job" -- if caught, immediate payment and end of story.

It was thought those companies not in the game were missing out. Things took on a less rosy hue when the number of cases arose and loopholes were exploited. The Omicron variant put paid to those insurers. Realising hefty claims were on their way, one insurer started to cancel its coverage and offered to refund partially paid premiums.

The insurer has the right to do so under its policies. Similar cases happened during the great floods. After complaints, the OIC issued an order to the industry forbidding such cancellations. Thereafter, two insurers were forced out of business. From your analysis, it is heartening to note that out of 56 insurers, only 16 offered Covid-19 coverage, while 40 had enough professional sense to avoid the risk. The current disarray would not have arisen if the OIC had not issued that earlier order.

SONGDEJ PRADITSMANONT
'DASH' to warn others

Re: "TAT launches drive to restore tourism", (BP, Feb 12).

The brains that enliven the Tourist Authority of Thailand never cease to amaze me. I have a more downbeat version of TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn's "DASH" model for tourists. But this is directed at foreign tourists rather than the local variety:

D stands for "Don't bother coming here, you'll just get hassled."

A stands for "Ask any foreign resident to get the true skinny."

S stands for "Stay at home, where you belong."

H stands for "Hell, yes, I'm a curmudgeon, and you'll get to be one too if you stay here long enough."

YE OLDE CURMUDGEON
Unusual Grab prices

Re: "Grab a life", (PostBag, Feb 5).

Something seems amiss with the algorithms on Grab these days. Yesterday, a trip from work to home was quoted at 240 baht.

I took a taxi from the street for 120 baht.

This morning home to work was quoted at 179 baht due to high demand.

Lots of taxis available; the meter was 110 baht.

Is this just greed or is something amiss?

ANGUS MACGILLIVARY
We're stumped

Re:"Easing English", (PostBag, Feb 11).

Darius Hober ugget that Englih would be eaier to teah if the letter c, k and s were eliminated.

I don't get it. How do we write cat without a c or k for the initial consonant? How about plurals without s?

He would have a point with write and right, but the elimination of letters for which there are no alternative sounds, contrary to his claim, leaves me baffled.

Am I missing something?

RAY BAN
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