soisanuk

A month or so ago I had a similar experience. Wise advised that I would receive money about 2pm the next day (I use long stay in Thailand as reason so they will use Bangkok bank and not their other partner bank). The next morning I received the usual email the the transfer on its way (transfer was from my US account to Bangkok bank account). Around 2 pm no deposit. Next morning I contacted Bangkok Bank (no response) and Wise (they said to give it 3 days then contact them if it had not arrived). I did arrive at 2pm - a day late - delay appears to have been with Bangkok Bank.

If I recall correctly, the rabies vaccination for dogs and other domestic animals is good for only 1 to 3 years, then they need to be re vaccinated. Since the dog that bit you had the shot 6-7 years ago, it would was no longer effective.

The Pattaya City Expats Club has checklists on their website for documents required. They should be complete, but remember that the Immigration Officer can sometimes require something in addition. I use the 65k baht per month method and used that checklist. All were accepted an nothing additional was required. The Jomtien Immigration Office now requires you to show evidence that you have a TM.30 on file - if you cannot provide the evidence, they will most likely require you to file a new one. I did a TM.30 early his year upon moving to a new residence. I included a copy of the TM.30 receipt with my documents and noted that the Immigration Officer looked it over and used his marker to highlight some of the information shown on it (likewise on other documents submitted). The PCEC's checklist can be found here: https://pcec.club/CHECKLISTS-Extensions-of-Stay

The Pattaya City Expats Club has a webpage listing the documents required and process at Jomtien Immigration Office: https://pcec.club/ResidencyCertificate/ As noted, if being used for both car and motorcycle license, tick only one of those on the request form and you can use it and a photocopy at the Dept of Land Transport Office to obtain both licenses. However, you will probably need a another original certificate for purchasing a vehicle especially if the transfer is being handled by an auto dealer. If buying from the owner, the section in the Land Transport Office that handles it is separate from the driving license section and will most likely want an original residence certificate.

If you are in the Jomtien area, VIP Visa will do it for 200B - I had them do mine along with getting stamps transferred to my new passport (500B). They were recommended by a friend that used them for his stamp transfer. It did involve a trip to the agent to drop off the passport (all they needed) and pick it up - but more convenient than going to Jomtien Immigration, getting queue number, wait, etc. - well worth the 700B total. They are located on Jomtien 2nd Road near Soi Boon Kanchana intersection - you can use Google to get more information.

Agree! When doing your first extension of stay to a Non-Immigrant O Visa, Jomtien will set up your next 90 day report to be 90 days from date of extension application. Future renewal(s) of your extension will have no relationship to the 90 day address reporting date. When you do the 90 day report Jomtien gave you, your next report will be 90 days from the date you report which can be from 14 days before to 7 days after the due date. The fine for late filing can be up to 5000 baht but Jomtien normally fines 2000 baht.

I did my annual extension at Jomtien on Thursday morning (20 June) arriving at 8:30 am. There was no line at the info desk and my queue number for desk 8 was #3. They did give me two documents to sign along with blank copies to "use next year" - the acknowledgement of penalties for overstay and similar one for knowing the need to visit Immigration if any changes in my status for obtaining the extension. It was then direct into the main building to to desk 8 for a 5 minute wait for the IO (one was processing another person and mine wasn't at the desk yet). He went through the documents (I use 65k monthly income - USA, so no Embassy letter). I obtained my bank letters the previous day (Bangkok Bank - passbook not kept up to date during the year so I had ordered bank statements one week previously which the teller used to prepare the letter listing foreign deposits for the preceding 12 months). I did do a transaction that morning at the Bangkok Bank branch near Immigration and then updated passbook - I don't recall the IO even looking at it (the previous year I didn't update on the day I renewed and there was no question raised). The only issue was in the past they were satisfied with copies of passbook pages (even though not regularly updated) and bank letter listing foreign deposits. However, this time, the IO wanted the bank statements (which I had with me and gave to him). I departed at about 8:45am with instructions as usual to pick up passport the next day after 2pm. One change was he said I did not have to return in person and that my Thai companion could pick up the passport for me - which they did the following day.

If applying at Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration, you do not have to have it printed front to back - they will accept it as 2 separate pages. Also, if doing it there, the photo can be handed to them separately and they will do the attaching. They do require that you include your telephone number on the form - usually at the bottom of the 2nd page.

That link notes it applies to those using the FEP Basic plan: "For Part B, you pay a premium. FEP Blue Basic members who have Medicare Part A and Part B can get up to $800 with a Medicare Reimbursement Account." I and I would expect many of the FEP insured residing overseas have the Standard option. Thus it appears that would not apply to them.

Yes, there is an increase. For each year you have opted out, it is 10%. Since I opted out 15 years ago, that would mean a 150% increase in the Part B premium if I should return to USA. If I recall correctly, you can opt back in March of each year. Since I did not pay a premium during those 15 years, it would take some time before I hit the break even point. When I researched the matter at the time I made the decision to opt out, FEP Blue would still cover any USA medical costs at 85% up to the amount on medicare's fee schedule; and I would be responsible for 100% of any charges in excess of the fee schedule. I also found that by law that if you are medicare eligible but do not have Part B, outpatient costs allowed to be charged to you cannot exceed 115% of the medicare schedule. Considering the above and that I did not intend to return to USA, I decided that opting out of Part B was the best course of action.

I presume this was for non emergency treatment. As for FEP covered inpatient treatment when you have medicare, yes they cover 100%. Once you are on medicare Part A, FEP Blue offers supplemental cover paying inpatient medical costs not covered by medicare. Since medicare generally does not cover you outside the USA, FEP Blue will cover 100%. In my case, I opted out of Part B as I was living in Thailand and saw no reason to pay the monthly premium for Part B. FEP Blue continued to be my primary health care insurer for outpatient care paying 85%. If you opt out of Part B, the only change is that FEP Blue must use the medicare schedule for limitations on cost. Considering that medical care in Thailand is considerably less than USA, limiting the cost to the medicare schedule has no adverse affects.

I did just that. I waited until the 90 day was due within the two week before period. The stamps were transferred, then the 90 day report. This was about 2 weeks ago, so hopefully my next 90 day report can be done online with no problems.

I received an almost identical letter in February regarding my claim submitted in January indicating a 15 day delay. That claim was eventually approved an paid over 2 months after it was submitted.

I received a letter dated 11 May from BCBS FEP stating: I expect the claims volume is normal and the cause really is either the inexperience of the GeoBlue processors, insufficient staff, or both. If I recall correctly, GMMI had similar issues when the started. Adding to that, when they first started, BCBS FEP was performing a second review to assess their the quality of GMMI's processing of the claim before giving final approval for payment. This may also be the case with GeoBlue. With GMMI, it sorted out after a while, but I don't recall the delays lasting 5 months as it now has with the change over to GeoBlue. As to the guarantee letter, I request the hospital to direct bill for inpatient care only. For outpatient, I pay the bill and file a claim for reimbursement. This reduces my out of pocket cost as my Hospital, if they are direct billing my USA health insurance substantially increases the cost from what I incur if I "self" pay. Thus my 15% copay for outpatient care is more if I have them direct bill FEP. .

Thank you Sheryl. I fully agree. I use Circadin (melatonin) as a sleep aide. It was prescribed for me a few years ago when I was an inpatient at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya for a lung infection. At the time, it was also suspected I had sleep apnea and this was confirmed by tests supervised by their doctor that specialized in in sleep disorders. She prescribed the cirdadin to help me sleep. I have used it ever since when I have trouble sleeping. Although not 100%, I have found it to help me sleep more often then not. So this thread was of interest, especially if there were other medicines that might be 100% effective. Yesterday, I had another medicine suggested to me by a fellow expat. He says he uses hydroxyzine. Looking up both hydroxyzine and gabapentin online, I noted they are used primarily to treat other medical conditions and not as a sleep aide. Also, they are not recommended for those with certain medical conditions without first consulting with a physician. Since I do have more than one of the cited medical conditions, for now, I will continue with melatonin.

Yes, they are exceedingly slow in processing claims. My claim last January took over 2 1/2 months to process and then it took over 2 weeks from the "date paid" until the bank transfer was rec'd in my Thai bank account (normally, that took 5 days when GMMI was processing). My current claim they rec'd on April 10 shows as still "in process" in their online tracking system.

The Pattaya City Expats Club updated their Latest Immigration Information website page on 8 May 2024 to say the following:

Chonburi (Pattaya) Immigration: If using the 65k monthly income method will want a letter from your Thai bank listing all the foreign deposits to your account for the past 12 months. They will then check to make sure there was a deposit of at least 65k in each of those months. It is my understanding that Bangkok Bank can provide the letter using your passbook - listing the deposits with an FTT code. Otherwise, they can use bank statements for each month (I don't keep my passbook regularly updated, so I have always ordered statements for the preceding 12 months and they use those to prepare the letter. In addition to the letter listing the deposits, they will also want the usual bank letter verifying the account (required whether using 800k deposit or 65k monthly income). If using 800k in your Thai bank account for renewal, they will accept copies from your passbook showing all transactions (no net entries which occur if you do not keep the passbook regularly updated). They will check to make sure that your balance remained at 800k for 3 months after your previous extension and for the 2 months before your current application and that in the months in between, the balance never went below 400k. If you have net entries, they will want to see bank statements for the 12 previous months; it is my understanding these have to be certified by the bank. I have always obtained the both letters the day before going to Immigration (early morning before bank branches open) with no difficulty. They may want to see your passbook showing a transaction on the day you apply (apparently depends on the Immigration Officer as last year I didn't do so and there was no problem).

Correct. My branch is on Phratamnak Road (2nd road becomes Phratamnak once you go past South (Pattaya Tai) Road traveling toward Jomtien). For the past several years, I have obtained my bank information from the counter at Tesco Lotus South (now closed - so next month when I need to obtain again, I will get from another branch). As mentioned, if you will need 12 months of statements, give yourself time - Bangkok Bank Branches can only provide 6 months, so they must order more than that from Bangkok HQ. This takes at least 5 business days.

The Pattaya City Expats Club has a webpage with information on getting a Thai IDP which is obtained at the Chonburi DLT (the Banglamung DLT - near International School- does not issue IDPs. The PCEC webpage URL: https://pcec.club/Thailand-IDP/

In Pattaya I have obtained circadin at both Fascino and D Pharmacies.

Some do and some don't. Whether it will work depends on whether your financial institution. My bank added a 2nd tier security check in for online access - code sent by phone or text message (previously the had done this by email, but did away with that option). I use a Skype VOIP USA phone number (US$40 per year fee) as my number for my banks & credit cards. After the switch I selected text message and did not receive it. I then selected phone. Likewise, I did not receive a telephone call. So, apparently they could detect it was a VOIP number. Using their 800 number, I changed my phone number to my brother's mobile number in USA. I arranged for my brother to give me the code using Facebook messenger so I could use it to to gain access. I also encountered this when my retirement personnel system switched to a similar 2 tier log in. Only in that case, when I entered my Skype VOIP USA telephone number, I immediately received a message that I they would not accept VOIP telephone numbers.

When sending US dollars to a Bangkok Bank account, they charge a conversion fee - it 1/4% of the amount received with a minimum fee of 200 baht and a maximum of 500 baht. My US bank a few years ago instituted a system in their online banking to do int'l transfers for a US$5 fee, BUT to use it you had to let them convert the USD to baht before sending. When they started the system, I did a comparison for sending US$ 2,000 by their system and by Wise. The result was a deposit of US$50 less by my bank's transfer vs that by Wise. So my US bank's exchange rate was in essence a "hidden fee." Bangkok Bank NY does have a baht remittance service (doesn't use the ACH system, you have to send them a paper check). I used it once as a test in case I might need it as a backup system. They converted the USD to baht before transmitting and charged a US$10fee (US$60 if you want it sent in USD). The exchange rate the NY Branch used was the same that Bangkok Bank would have charged here - so no hidden fee as the NY Branch did not use a lower exchange rate. Since the transfer from the NY Branch was in baht, the full amount was deposited in my account here (no conversion fee).

As noted in my previous post, the following is on the list (sign) at Pattaya Immigration's 90 day address reporting desk: That seems fairly clear - it makes no mention about Visas. Using a multiple entry visa doesn't change the fact that you will need to do the next 90 day report at Immigration; not online as a new TM.47 will be required to show your new entry date into Thailand which will start the 'clock' running again for the 90 consecutive days to the next report.

The renewal time seems to vary - the renewal application with photos are sent by the Embassy to the State Department. So the time it takes will depend on the volume of passport renewals being processed at that time. My friend that did his own said it took 11 weeks for him to get it. This was several months ago. My friends that used Key Visa received their passports after 4 weeks in one case (his was applied for about 4 months ago) and in the other it took 3 weeks (his was within the last 2 months). The Embassy's website, if I recall correctly, says the mail in process will take 6 to 8 weeks.