khunPer

Global obesity pandemic, virus spread by all the Western foreigners visiting Land of Smiling Slim Ladies...

March 29th to 31st, TAT Samui Open Beach Volleyball Tournament The 6th annual TAT Samui Open Beach Volleyball Tournament will be held on Koh Samui, Thailand 29-31 March 2024 at SEEN Beach Club on Chaweng Beach. Promising to be a thrilling sporting event, the international tournament will be a big boost for Sports-Tourism for Southern Thailand & Koh Samui. The now fully registered tournament will see 88 teams with 130 athletes and 28 countries represented from Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Australia and Asia. 80% of the athletes are from overseas and 20% are Thai and Foreign National. 100,000THB in prize money will be awarded to tournament winners along with trophies, medals, sponsor vouchers, volleyball gear and apparel. The Beach Volleyball Event is partnering with ‘HUB Beach Volleyball’ Camp from Australia offering a 3-day Training Camp prior to the event and features Olympic Volleyball Silver Medalist, David McKienzie, as the Head Coach. Read more HERE.

However, the link I gave you about successfully change of extension of stay is to a recent tread from 2023...

Yes, I do... – and numerous of my home country fellows think the same...

Simple advice without too many details... First of all, you'll need your own domain name, which would be best at your business' brand name or something short for that; i.e., MYNAME.COM. You can search and buy a domain name several places, I use Homepage Universe in US. You can pay by credit card. They also offers you hosting (web hotel) of a homepage from a few US$ per month, but you can shop around and check prices and facilities other places. To build your own homepage, many people – including professionals – use WordPress, which is probably the most easy way to create a professional looking website. There are other also easy to use software, which hosting providers offers for free, including WordPress, which can be upgraded to a professional version. Today you also need a safety certificate (SSL), as otherwise browsers will often not connect to your homepage and show a "not secure"-warning. The hosting providers can often install a certificate for you. If you are not doing a trade on your homepage (shop and payment), you can choose a simple cheap SSL from around $30 per year. You might find little cheaper certificates when shopping around, but then you need to install it yourself. It might be best for a novice to get all service under one roof; i.e., buy domain, hosting and certificate from the same provider. A Facebook profile for your business is good – you homepage can link to the Facebook-profile vice versa – as you can get potential clients to follow you. You can share links to pages on your homepage and direct business/visits to that from your Facebook-profile. Furthermore you can use Facebook for advertising your business and create further interest and more followers. However, don't replace your own homepage with only a Facebook-profile, it's not the same and you don't have menu options in a Facebook profile. A little, but important hint is: Use the so-called mega-tags in your homepage-builder software to name "keywords" and a short "description" for each page, not to forget a describing "title", to optimize Google's and other search engine's robots to include your homepage in their search results. Search engine optimization is special expert subject, but just a few things like using the meta-tags can make a huge difference.

In general when applying for non-O in Thailand after visa exempt entry, your funds needs to come from abroad, and they do not need to be seasoned. Maturing of two month is needed when you apply for extension of stay (based on retirement). A personal recommendation: As soon as you get you non-O, then move the 800k to a separate bank account – i.e. another bank account than used for transfers and daily transaction – so it clear that they have been seasoned and not under the limit. If you can afford it, make it it a 12-month fixed account and just leave the funds there for best interest, which you can withdraw once a year so you keep 800k baht clean in the account. That will make you sleep well – the funds are there – and not worrying about baht exchange rates and topping up from 400k to 800k in time.

New Seahorse car-ferry route from Bangkok to Samui – or change of departure from Sattahip to Bangkok – starting March 23, with tickets sales opening on March 9th... Read more on Seahorse's Facebook profile, link HERE.

Non O-A is a different and special so-called "retirement visa" by some Thai embassies, it's valid for 12 month with 12 months stay on each entry. It's possible to stay as retiree in Thailand after work – which OP also is aware of, and it's not his question – please read answers in this ASEAN NOW-thread...

From May 13, 2024, Scoot, a subsidiary of Singapore Airline, will operate daily flights between Singapore and Ko Samui using its new Embraer E190-E2 aircraft. "Scoot’s network expansion comes as the Singapore Airlines Group unit prepares to take delivery of its first Embraer 190-E2 aircraft. The airline on 5 March disclosed the E2’s initial network, including the addition of two regional points from Singapore. The airline announced that the E2s – on lease from lessor Azorra – will be flying to Samui in Thailand from May, and Sibu in Malaysia from June. In addition, the E2s will be deployed on flights to Hat Yai and Krabi in Thailand, as well as to Kuantan and Miri in Malaysia." Source: Flight Global.

Probably better to open your Sterling-account off shore, or in your home country, if you are staying 180 days or more during a calendar year in Thailand. All fund transferred into Thailand after January 1st 2024 will be eligible for income taxation, if it's not proven savings from before 2024, or covered by a Double Taxation Agreement. A longer and detailed explanation is in the link shared above.

You should check if you can get a 60-days extension for being married to a Thai, which will be enough to mature your 400k deposit. It's not you visa you transfer from non-B to non-O – your visa has expired – it's the reason for extension of stay, which you change from business/work to retirement.

Wow, cheap, I pay 500 baht for having visa-stamps moved, which is actually a reasonable fee, if you think of it and compares to what public service costs at many places...

In a way I agree; if you as a foreigner don't like Thailand, you are free to move to some other place or back home...

You shall have a blue book for a car, and it shall be up to date with tax and insurance. I would wish to physically inspect a second hand car before deciding to buy it. I would not pay before at the land transport office, when the car is moved to a new owner; i.e. power of attorney etc. accepted.

It's not your visa that you change, but the condition for extension of stay; your visa has normally already expired shortly after you get your first extension of stay. I don't believe that you can get a 90-day extension, it will normally be for one year, or as long as you passport is valid if that period is shorter than one year. To my knowledge, when you ends your working life, you can continue to stay as retiree, if you fulfill the the needed requirements. That is why the 800k baht deposit don't need to come from abroad, as you can be saving up while working here; or you can have a Thai retirement pension savings or other income that will be minimum 65k baht per month.

I use an ice cold shower to stop temptation from girls and something that looks like girls...

Samui Immigration accepts income affidavit according to their list of documents for extension of stay, both based on marriage and retirement. You might find more about it the pinned thread in the local Samui-forum, link here is for the last page... The scan hereunder is the documents required for extension of stay based on marriage at Samui Immigration – document collected in the office yesterday, March 1st 2024 – set 2 is the same in Thai language for the wife to read...

Yes, as parent – and the child can be a foreigner – many international schools will help you with the process.

It's been 22:00 for the last 20+ years; i.e., airport closed between 22:00 and 06:00. However, delayed flights are permitted. During the 2004 tsunami chaos, night flights were permitted, as tourists could not enter Phuket.

To my knowledge you need to be registered in a Thai House Book to be eligible for a Thai ID-card; i.e. living/resident in Thailand. You probably needs to be mature – i.e., 20 years or older – to apply for anything without parents or a guardians acceptance; I'm not sure of there is a lower age for ID-cards. You don't need a Thai ID-card to staying long term in Phuket. You needs either a long-stay visa and extension of stay when using your British passport, or get a Thai passport. With the latter you enters Thailand as a Thai national and there is no limitation of the period you can stay in the kingdom.

My advise would be to hold some level of funds in Thailand for both easy access and avoiding currency exchange rate fluctuation. A safe possibility is a "rainy day" 12-month fixed account – funds can be withdrawn without notice, but with loss of interest for the last 12-month period – up to 1 million baht in bank deposit is guaranteed by the government. You can have accounts in more than one bank. Some security money should always be places in a normal extra savings account, preferably with an ATM-card, for easy access in case of emergency; keep it apart for the daily transaction-bank account – where for example retirement pension or whatever other income flows to – so you don't mix up the funds. Another possibility for deposit funds in Thailand is so-called "fund books", which many, if not most, banks offer. It's mutual funds with numerous possibilities. Selecting "fixed income funds" is pretty safe. They are normally accumulating, which means that the interest/outcome is added to the value. When in need of capital you sell out whatever needed. Cash will be available within one to three bank days in the associated savings bank account. There is no loss of interest, as the fund are accumulating. I've been using that in several years for both safety-fund and other long-term savings, for example for the next car or coming major property maintenance. In general the gain is a tiny bit higher than interest from a 12-month fixed account. Investment in the Thai stock market is a bit different story. It's my experience that the Thai stocks lives a bit of their own life, but still partly follows international trend. They are mainly dividend paying stock rather than accumulating value. The dividends however, can easily be in the four to six percent level, or even higher, and with only 10 percent withholding tax it's quite good. Furthermore, you avoid currency exchange rate fluctuation. Capital gains from SET-listed (SET = Stock Exchange of Thailand) stock are income tax free. I have some funds invested in the Thai stock market, but would name is a more risky zone, mainly because it's for a forreigner more difficult to know and follow the game. Investing in one's home country – my major funds savings are in mu home country – has the benefit that you knows better what's going on, than in the Thai stock market. For Western countries the investment also mainly follows the World market and it's sectors. Also in case of returning to one's home country – for whatever reason – there are some safe fund there. It can of course also be in an offshore account a safe place. The only downside is currency exchange rate fluctuation. Most countries have a Double Taxation Agreement (DTA) with Thailand, including taxation of stock dividends. Any fund transferred into Thailand that are not covered by an DTA or savings from before 1st January 2024, might be eligible for Thai income taxation.

Could theoretically also be people searching for posts in former Twitter...

I'm 74 years old and normally don't have sleep problems. I'm mainly B-human – sleeps late and wake up late after an excellent sleep – but I follow my body, or "listen" to my body, and sleep when tired, and wake up when I wake up, not by an alarm clock. Some times I take a nap in the afternoon, if my body needs it; it would be around 45 minutes. I'm former from music business, so my sleeping pattern might originate from that. I take a Central multi mineral-vitamin once a week, and extra B-12 complex once a week – B12 since I many years back had vision nerve infection, and B12 keeps me free of that infection – furthermore, I take a 1,000mg daily vitamin-C. I enjoy a glass of wine (about 12.5cl) or two with my dinner, but otherwise hardly drink any alcohol. And yes to change of sleeping pattern. Where I before to my awake knowledge would sleep all night of 7-8 hours through, I now wake up a couple of times – seems like 1½ hour patterns – now being aware of my exiting dreams; it's actually a quite nice experience to know one's dreams.

To my knowledge it's quite normal that young Thai girls have relationship with toms, as they are still "virgins" when they find a boyfriend or a fiance. Furthermore a tom-relationship might be less difficult than a boyfriend. And of course, they likely won't get pregnant with a tom.

Lucky you...😀