georgey

Thank you. I suppose that's really the issue - what is my length of stay considered to be? I consider TH, for the time being anyway, to be my home (as it has been for so long already), the Thai government considers otherwise, as I am not a PR. So I wonder if, for this purpose, it will be taken as lasting till the expiry of my present extension (which I intend to extend)? I don't have a date by which I intend to leave TH, as is the case for many or most long-term expats.

I'm hoping to return to TH on one of next month's repatriation flights from LHR-BKK (I understand there will be 3), & would be grateful if someone can tell me for how long I'm required to be covered for insurance against the virus. I'm married to a Thai & my extension expires in November. I have no finite length of stay in mind, having already lived in the country for more than 10 years, & obviously don't have a return ticket to anywhere. I'd like to keep the coverage as short as possible, but of course don't want to risk being denied the COE. I'm guessing the right time period for the cover is going to be one of: up to renewal date of extension (in my case 2 months), or, one year, or, some random period like 3 or 6 months.

Also, while I'm aware that some lists of insurers providing appropriate/acceptable cover were published on TV some time ago, if anyone has more up-to-date info as to which companies are are best for this purpose, it would be very helpful to me.

On 8/10/2020 at 9:01 AM, Nigel Garvie said:

Thanks, lopburi3 and Petrogas for raising this issue.

 

My Thai partner and I have been back in Scotland for 6 weeks, but she has to return to CM for work etc soon. Her KLM return flight was cancelled, and we are also told the only option is a repatriation flight. Endless attempts to contact the Thai embassy in London have failed. The phone menu options just lead you in circles, clearly like so many of them in business this was written by a sadist.

 

If anyone can offer any help or advice about how we should tackle this (Whilst we still retain some sanity!) I/we would be very grateful.

My (Thai) wife & I are also "stuck" in Scotland (though for the purposes of this discussion, I think Scotland is no different to the rest of the UK, particularly as most, or maybe all, repat flights leave from LHR), & have been for 5 months now. My wife originally (sometime last month) attempted to register & join a queue to get on a flight; this drew a blank, & according to Facebook posts, no-one knew how many were in the queue, or what their position was; eventually the embassy gave up on this approach & announced that they would be open for new online registrations/flight bookings at 9am on 31/7. This of course led to a huge number of people trying to get into the system at the same time, & its inevitable crashing. However, it came back to life, & she was confirmed, the same day, on the TG flight from LHR - BKK on 23rd of this month. You need to register via https://thaiembassy.sociallab.co.th/ , & this will lead to your being given a link to set up a password in a process which appears to be v convoluted & frustrating, but which may eventually get you where you want to be. She's going back partly because her permission to stay (180 days) runs out next month. Being Thai, she doesn't need the virus test (presumably so that if she was carrying the disease, she'd be able to infect others on the flight) or insurance, & the fit-to-fly cert. is v. easy to arrange (can be done on a phone call (so you have to wonder about the point of it), the one we'll be using costing £80).

The embassy appears to rely on Facebook for the spread of information (or rumours), which strikes me as being strangely (or hugely, maybe) informal & unprofessional, as well as potentially misleading. My wife has yet to receive any request for payment, or any follow-up confirmation, since the initial communication of 31/7; we would, of course, have expected something more comprehensive soon after that date, in part because we have to arrange domestic flights & other little details. As you say, there is absolutely no hope of getting through on the phone, so we'll just have to wait.

I haven't yet tried to register, but will do soon. I had been hoping that, if I waited long enough, I'd be able to use the return leg of my (Emirates) flight, but I think, unfortunately, that will have to go in the bin. If you'd like to know how I get on with this & all the associated requirements, I'd be happy to share with you.

11 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Thai is easy. Ever tried Hungarian or Finish, I have.

Finish what? Finish learning Hungarian??

Thank you all vm for the advice

thank you vm....that's v helpful

I'd greatly appreciate advice regarding my 90-day situation.

When I realised recently that my 90-day date was approaching, I first tried to report online, which involved traipsing around BKK looking for a place which would allow me to use internet explorer (as we only have Macs at home); of course, when I eventually (internet cafes being a thing of the past) located such a place, online reporting wasn't operational.

I'd read up on this forum about doing the report by mail, & chose to ignore the (as it turns out, apparently very accurate) info to the effect that the docs need to arrive more than 7 days before the relevant date; mine were delivered at CW only 5 days before. I'd enclosed a self-addressed return envelope with 40 Baht stamps on, as advised.

Anyway, I waited for confirmation that either the necessary had been accomplished, or that the docs had arrived too late to process, & that I'd need to make the expedition to CW. It's now 18 days since my 90-day date, I've had no acknowledgement of anything from CW, so I'm obviously going to have to pay the B2,000 fine.

As I'm flying out of the country in 24 days (ie 42 days after the 90-day date), I wonder if anyone could inform me, firstly, if the fine increases over time, or whether it stays fixed at B2,000, & secondly, whether it can be paid, without undue hassle &/or time-wasting, at the airport prior to departure, thus eliminating the need for the tedious trip to CW.

I would have expected the courtesy of some sort of communication from CW; it looks like that was seriously naive.....

I've done this every year for the last 6 or 7. Always completed before their lunch break if I arrive at or slightly before opening time. Otherwise may stretch into the pm, though never failed to complete in one day. 

I agree with you. I make all my curry pastes & they keep for a long time in the fridge. They are also infinitely better than anything you'll get in all but the very best restaurants. They take me a long to make, but we'll worth the effort. Dog is inadvertently barking up the wrong tree because he's talking about keeping the finished dish as opposed to the curry paste alone.

Pre-made curry is like pre-made salsa: loaded with bacteria. Best to find a dependable vendor of freshly made curry. Of course, if the curry is cooked at a high temperature for long enough, the bacteria WILL die. The key words are long and high. Freshly made usually tastes better, right.

How many bacteria strains can thrive in a paste made mainly out of chillies / ginger / tumeric / garlic? All of those ingredients have highly anti-bacterial characteristics.

If you trust your wife enough then go to your bank with her ( and passport and her ID card) and change your bank accounts to be in joint names. I suspect that if they are in your name only the bank would refuse your wife access to the money without some sort of court order which might be delayed if you have not made a will.

It is possible the bank will will insist on opening a new account in joint names rather than change your account.but it won't hurt to ask.

It would be better for you to make two wills. One for the disposal of your goods here, and the the other one for the disposal of your goods in your home country.

I have written a folder out for my wife with all details in it.

eg

Full name, place/date of birth, parents names place of birth, my National insurance number (I'm English), previous addresses in England. family and friends contact names,addresses, email and phone numbers, pension company adress, UK bank account details, British Embassy details etc. Your widow (!) will need to take your arrival card and copy of passport to immigration. The hospital might not release your body without a letter from your embassy and the temple might not cremate you without such letter. She will need multiple copies of your death certificate. And official translations for your home country's officials. Where can she get the certificate translated locally? Find out and put it in the folder. There are so many details, I am constantly updating the folder for her. I went through the folder with her, she didn't like to think about it, but knew it was necessary. Is she entitled to a widow's pension from your company? Find out and draft a letter to them that she only has to date and sign. Which account will the widow's pension be paid into? And do revise your will every few years, things change.

Let's hope it won't be needed for decades yet. But it might be.

Great info, thanks.

But I can't use a joint account because I think it will mess things up for my future marriage extensions. (The account has to be in my name only as far as I'm aware)

Thanks for daring to ask these questions. Good information as a result.

Just a comment though. I only have one Thai bank account and that is in joint names with my wife _ in reality its with her maiden name. This has never been an issue with Immigration in my marriage visa extensions. Indeed it has never even been commented upon.

Fair enough!

That's good and thanks for your comment.

I'm fairly sure I've read that for extensions based on marriage the bank account had to be in the husband's name only.

Obviously not then. . .

Hopefully one of the wonderful mods will come along and clarify it.

A few years ago I attempted to get an extension based on marriage & showed them a bank a/c in our 2 names at Chaeng Wattana. It was rejected, though we had in excess of B5m in the a/c. (So I changed back to an a/c in my sole name; that was rejected as I hadn't kept paperwork to prove the money originated outside Thailand! I now use the income method; more expensive but easier....) Rules may have changed though; more likely just different interpretation of the same rules by different officials.

" He ranged the police for help" . Ranged ? where on earth did this journalist learn his english RUNG as in past tense and there is no such word as RANGED unless you are 3 and making a call to Santa Clause

I Ranged up Santa but he was much busy with the elves and will can't come to the phone.

"realenglish1".....really

RUNG in capitals....."rang" is also a possibility surely?

I pretty much gave up commenting on the use of English on TV a long time ago, because it is typically so abysmal that you have to assume that most hail from countries where English is seldom if ever used. So to criticise would be unfair (unless, of course, you call yourself "real English").

However, a clause could probably be described as part of a sentence; it's not the way Santa spells his surname.

I'm happily married thanks and I'm not trying to impress anyone. What these women did was illegal, what the men were willing to pay for was equally illegal. If I had 10thb for every hypocritical post I've seen on here I could buy an island next to Richard Branstons.

Is that the guy who makes the pickle?? Didn't realise he had an island.....

tku vm for your help

I would very much appreciate any information on this dilemma:

I hold a UK passport with 6 years, but with only a few unused pages, left - in this is my extension of stay based on retirement, which expires in two months.

I also have an Australian passport, with plenty of unused pages and 7 years till expiry.

When I come to renew my extension of stay, will I be able to do so using my Australian passport? If so, I can avoid having to renew my UK passport. This would be the easiest option.

If I can't switch over to the Australian passport, I will have to renew my UK passport when next over there (later this month), which I understand can be done in a day with the necessary financial inducements. I can't renew it in Thailand, as I have to travel more than once a month, so it will take too long.

What is the procedure then in terms of coming back to Thailand using my extension of stay, which will still be in my old passport?

How long before expiry of the extension of stay should I go to extend it?

Thank you.

I for one certainly hope you're not ridiculed.....& if you are, it would be most likely by people who don't understand the attraction of fly fishing. I'd really like to catch a mahseer....

I travel all over the world, from Thailand, to fly fish in other countries - mostly saltwater these days, but fresh as well from time to time. I'd be really interested to hear what you find out, & what sort of experiences you have. So far, in the 7 years I've lived here, I haven't even tried casting a fly in Thailand.

Good luck

georgey thanks for that info. Not to hijack the thread, it's been good, but about Rompin, is there website available? How about other species than sails? Accommodations, leisure hours? I love off-shore fishing, grew up on the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast fishing for reds, specs, and ling, along with a few others. I think a big problem with Thailand fishing is not only have the fish been over fished, but in general the old slow wooden boats can't cover the distances needed and can't move fast enough to 'hunt' the fish. I had, now lost, a video of a Thai guy, wish I could remember the connection, that had gone out of the Pattaya area in a twin outboard obviously built with fishing in mind. His group used jigging and had a good haul of decent size fish. I don't think they are all gone, one just has to be able to hunt and find. Thanks again for this thread and the posts, there are a few of us that do like to fish.

The outfit we used is: http://rompinbluesailsfishing.com/

I'm sure there must be other species around, but we didn't encounter anything else over 2 days. I've caught Spanish mack & mahi-mahi (& of course bonito) off Tioman, so imagine these must be available off Rompin too. While we saw many Sails finning, & caught a decent number, it's nothing like the fishing off, say, Cairns, where, on a decent day you'll see loads of surface action created by a large number of species, & the birds to go with it.....but, the price is a bit different too!

In response to the post below yours, this particular company doesn't require you to bring your own gear, & in fact supplies decent-quality tackle (or at least used to).....

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Tip nr 1: clean up your mess at the rivers and beaches... You will find out that tourists hate garbage

Tip nr 2: Do something with eco tourism while you have some nice forests and sea life left

Tip nr 3: Learn English to accommodate your tourists

Tip nr 4: Think of tourisme in the long run, it's not good when they feel ripped of

Tip nr 5: Charge the same prices for all, no separate Thai/ Farang

etc , etc

I think some more people can add here !!!

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i can, pls stop making out english is the all of the world, it is not, they have 1.7 billion chinese next door.

to speak english is usefull, but it wont break thailand if 1 million english speakers go and 100 million chinese replace them.

and by the way i speak 5 languages, but even i admit, i should learn chinese, which i dont speak.

And your English needs help too. But the rest of the list is oh so true.

SW, you beat me to it, well done.....

What a ridiculous post....

why should anyone care what this guy spends on what? how can it possibly be of any interest?

I highly suggest you transfer you funds into the country if plan to convert from a visa exempt or tourist visa entry to get non immigrant visa to get your extension. There was a recent report that immigration would not accept a currency exchange receipt as proof that funds came from abroad.

TT rates are better than cash exchange.

EUR Euro Zone 41.59 cash 41.88250 TT.

Todays Bangkok Bank rates.

Vasu money changer (Suk 7/1 - 42.05).

Never change money at the banks, but if you have to, don't use BBL

Thanks, that really went in circles.

IMO: 1 year license is not valid in the UK.

not what I really wanted to hear, but thank you vm anyway.....