soisanuk

If you are extending your stay based on your underlying visa being category "O-A", you are correct that you will need to have health insurance the same as was required for getting the Visa - BUT, you must have the health insurance from a Thai company as Thai Immigration will not accept a foreign policy. The Thai companies are listed on the tgia website - https://longstay.tgia.org/

I found myself having to change eyeglasses a little more frequently - for regular exam and getting eyeglasses, I used EUROPTIC located on 2nd Road opposite Royal Garden, but I think she has now moved into the Royal Garden. I decided it was time for a complete eye exam which I had at BHP. The lady doctor said I had cataracts in both eyes. She said I could continue getting new eyeglasses but could instead have surgery to remove them but could wait if I wished. I was reluctant to have surgery and purchased new eyeglasses. But as the cataracts grew, my vision continued to change even more frequently, so I decided it was time for surgery. Dr. Srisuraj at BHP performed the surgery on one eye and checked the results the following day, then he did the other eye. I chose monofocal lenses (far vision) primarily due to cost as the multifocal lenses (far and near vision) were much more expensive. Another factor in my choice was my USA health insurance would cover only the cost of surgery and monofocal lenses; not multifocal. I am glad I had the surgery did and kicked myself for not doing it sooner. This was several years ago. I do need glasses for reading, but that is not a problem as a pair of cheap drugstore eyeglasses do the job.

I had cataracts identified during an exam at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (BHP) but it was not so bad that I wanted to have surgery. But as my vision continued to get worse with more frequent change in prescription for glasses. I decided to have cataract surgery, which was done a few years ago by Dr. Srisuraj Sawang at BHP. No complications and great vision afterward.

I use Wise transfers to my my Bangkok Bank account using the "long stay Thailand" purpose for the transfer. This assured they sent the transfer through Bangkok Bank rather than a partner bank. Bangkok Bank the recorded the deposits as a Foreign Telegraphic Transfers (code FTT). However, this year my November 1 transfer went through their partner bank and was recorded as domestic transfer. I doubted that Jomtien Immigration would accept the Wise receipt as adequate as they have always required a letter from my bank listing foreign deposits for 12 months my application for extension renewal. I cannot say for certain, but expect that the Wise receipt would not be accepted at Jomtien. My option for November was to either send another transfer of at least 65,000 baht or go to Kasikorn (the Wise partner bank that funds were sent through) bank branch on Central Road to their Trade Dept (2nd floor) to get an FET form to show the funds originated outside of Thailand. Since I was not sure Immigration would accept the FET form, I used a different method to transfer another 65k+ to ensure I had one for November coded FTT and would be included in the bank letter listing my deposits. Wise has apparently fixed the problem and now assures using the long stay purpose will result in my transfers going through Bangkok Bank rather than Kasikorn. My December & January Wise transfers did get recorded as FTT transfers. Others may be able to say more specifically whether Jomtien Immigration will accept the Wise receipt and/or FET form as sufficient proof of transferring the required amount if using monthly income to meet the financial requirements for retirement extensions.

Reporting to Pattaya Immigration to show you still have 800k in bank for 3 months from getting extension renewal doesn't matter if it is after the date they gave you as it will still show you kept funds in bank for the required period. In the past, reports from folks that planned to be out of country or out of Pattaya on the due date they were given asked Jomtien Immigration about it and were told no problem, just report when you get back. That said, from reports I have seen, Jomtien Immigration has no system to track such reporting and when you do, they do not enter any information to show the report was made. So one could skip reporting entirely without any problems -- but, still probably best to make the report to be on the safe side.