boomerexpat

2 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Bangkok Bank using New York international ACH is currently the only way to direct deposit and that requires the special account with no access but visit. 

Bangkok Bank told me that I can have it deposited directly to Thailand without going through NYC and that is the approach most US customers are taking.

1 minute ago, marcusarelus said:

Leave the country and come back in and they will stamp you for another year. 

I knew of someone who was stamped for another 6 months. If it is extended do I need to show the money in the bank during that time or just the 3 months before my new exp date. the reason I'm asking is that this year I will be taxed on part of the amount in the US that I will be withdrawing from my retirement account but next year I won't so would be great to be able to wait until Jan.

9 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

 

If you are on an O-A visa you have 2 years. 

I have never heard that the O-A is two years. My has to be renewed in August.

I am on the first year of the retirement visa and need to renew by mid-August. I need to start doing the transfers of my US social security to Thailand monthly and deposit some money in a bank account here to make up for shortfall since my SS is below 800,000 year.

I currently have an account with K Bank but have heard that they aren't reliable for this process.

I would prefer to have my ss deposited in a bank here. Bangkok Bank was referred to me as the best to do business with on visas but they insist if I have the money direct deposited to Thailand or their NYC office I can't have ATM and need to go into their office to switch the money to another account once a month. I would really prefer not to do that especially given I could be traveling.

So, some questions:

1. Have you found any type of workaround with BB on the no ATM issue?

2. What bank would you recommend?

3. My other option is to wire the money each month.  If you have wired you money here what has your experience been with it being done efficiently and what bank do you use?

4. The portion of the retirement in the bank deposit. Does that need to stay in the bank at that level all year of just the three months before the next extension?

Thanks!

I would caution the op against taking the advice of some that getting older and depression are a natural state. Happiness studies tend to show that happiness drops in your 30s and starts to rise in your 50s with over 70 being a happy time (assuming no major illness I imagine).

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-darkness/201112/happiness-in-old-age-why-are-those-over-70s-so-happy

Thinking of your future is natural and, done right, healthy. But I've found that using Buddhist and Stoic philosophy to live in the present and not depend on outside things to make me happy has dramatically helped me be happy more often than not. I am 64 and sometimes go into a funk when I start worrying about my old old age (75+) but then I pull myself back to the present then set aside some time to plan for the future rather than worrying about it.

Everyone has his own situation to deal with and what works for one might not work for another but I've found the hard way that living in the moment, enjoying the small things in life, exercising (weights, aerobics and stretching), meditation and working on my finances/investments (so that I'll stay financially sound) combine to making this one of the happiest times of my life even though I spend more time alone than what I would like and my libido is lower than I expected at this age.

Good luck.

Learn something every day. Might not need to do the visa run then unless stay for 3 months.

I'm an American. I really love Vietnam but if I'm going to the hassle of getting their visa, I might as well make it a longer trip. I've explored a lot of the North and would like to return to check out the South.

I can imagine that HK would be efficient. The Chinese visa process in Bangkok was  horrible and smooth as could be in HK. Alas, HK is over my budget right now to stay longer but if I can get a cheap deal on a flight it  might be worth putting into the mix for one night. I'm just winding down a 2.5 month jaunt through the former Eastern block and Greece so I need to count my baht for a while to make up for it.

Seems like Vientianne is the winner since it is easy and I haven't been there yet. 

 By the way, it is nice to get all straight to the point helpful responses to my question. Usually those are mixed in with tangents and snippy comments.

Thanks for all your feedback. I didn't know that you could get a 30 day extension with a 30 day on arrival? It used to be one week extension only.

I'm in Hungary right now and they won't give non-EU residents the 2 month tourist visas. I have to fly in and get the 1 month on arrival then fly out and get the 2 month. I want to stay in Thailand this trip a total of 3 to 4 months. Cambodia looks like the easiest because of using an agent but I'm not that interested in spending a week in Phnom Penh right now. I prefer only spending 2 to 3 days since I unwisely booked a condo for two months. I can always cancel the second month but would prefer not to deal with that hassle. 

Q1: With a trade off of price, low aggravation from embassy staff, and time required for the visa, what do you think is the best place to do a short jaunt to get the visa? I see people mentioning Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia (I've done the KL before), Philippines and Cambodia. It seems like the cooperation level of the embassy staff tends to change regularly.

Q2: If I do go to Cambodia, I would rather go to Siem Reap. Is it an efficient place like Phnom Penh? I could at least see Angkor Wat that way.

thanks

I don't see any sense in getting worked up about this. While it is unfortunate for the victims and their families, Europeans have decided terror attacks are an acceptable tradeoff for eventually becoming Muslim nations. In many Muslim nations being a non Muslim can be dangerous. So they need to get used to it. As a tourist I stick to places that don't view terror as just a part of modern life as does the mayor of London

On 10/6/2016 at 11:00 AM, Gary A said:

I had health insurance for a number of years here in Thailand. I chose that particular policy because it had a clause that said they would never cancel the policy because of age. What I failed to see was that they would price me out with outrageous premiums. After giving it a lot of thought and reading that their maximum payout was 1.25 million baht, I cancelled the policy. Not that I am wealthy but I could easily pay 1.25 million baht out of my nest egg. I cancelled the policy when I was 65 years old and am now 71 years old. I am well ahead of their game.

 

I had a stroke a couple of years ago. I went to a government hospital. I had an MRI and all sorts of tests that I had no idea what they were for, even a chest X Ray. I got to worrying that they were just inflating my bill because of all those tests. I had 20,000 baht in my wallet and feared that it would not be enough. I was pretty sure that I would have to find a bank. After three days I checked out and was given a bag full of drugs. On to the cashier. My total bill was 7,000 baht.

 

In the US, even with Medicare, I would have likely have had a heart attack after seeing my bill. I go to the local small hospital for a blood test and check up every three months. They supply drugs for three next months. My last bill totalled 550 baht. It does shoot almost an entire day, mostly because of waiting for the blood test results.

Your experience with the healthcare is what I found when I saw the steep increases in premiums and limits on payout. I just couldn't see how it made sense after 70. Just bank the money you would pay and keep it reserved for emergencies. I have even seen some policies get as high as 10000 USD by late 70's.

On 10/6/2016 at 7:27 AM, akentryan said:

I have several health issues but I do have health insurance from the USA that covers about 70% of my cost here including medicine. Anything major and I go to the USA where cost is zero.

What kinds of insurance do you have from the states that covers 70 percent in Thailand?

On 10/6/2016 at 3:34 AM, Kwasaki said:

 

Yeah I get what you say but don't necessary agree, many places in Thailand where all of what you post are not like that.

What are the areas that you think would be good for a very old person? 

8 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

Some people are delusional and fooling themselves.   Old people require advocates, guardians to  look out for them and to speak out on their behalf when they seek medical care or need to  make a  major purchase.  The reality in Thailand is that it sucks to be old if you do not have someone to   there for you.

I would imagine that to be true. It can suck to be old old and frail anywhere but I imagine it is particularly hard in a country that old age care is based around family and you don't have the family

On 10/5/2016 at 5:36 PM, Jeffkp said:

Most importantly, living in Thailand without health insurance is a fools game.

Problem is that health insurance can be very expensive after 70 and misty plans don't cover you after 75 anyway

17 minutes ago, Kwasaki said:

 

Personally without a caring Thai family I wouldn't stay in Thailand.

Quote

 

 

 

That is what I was wondering about. In developing countries family is the safety net  and assisted living support  aids. Family help seems especially important given the lack of handicapped accessible places, bad sidewalks, aggressive drivers and lack of good 911. Not sure if something like Lanna Care can compensate for that but it looks helpful.

1 minute ago, JingerBen said:

 

Without one you are nobody... farang tao-nahn eng.

'What about the expats without families? Do most end up marrying Thais? I encountered a lot in Bangkok and Chiang Mai who didn't.

I imagine there are old Thais in the villages but that wasn't my question. 

I lived in Bangkok and spent time in Chiang Mai and Phuket. As I mentioned, I can't remember seeing any very old expats.

What happens to the expats in Thailand when they are very old and/or frail?

I have seen a lot of expats who are up into their mid- 70's but can't remember seeing any who are old, old. On average people after 75 start having health problems. Most expats I know of, especially women, feel they are going to be healthy until at least 100 by eating right. Maybe but shit has a way of happening and few after 90 especially are free of major problems.

The Thais, like people in almost all developing countries, usually have family to take care of them and help them out or, if more affluent, servants to do so.

What about the expats? Many don't have family or a lot of money. Any idea what life is like for them, if they don't have a loving family in Thailand, and where they live? Especially if one has a walker or has had a stroke, how do they even get around? I can't remember ever seeing it. Does their liver just give out before then?

I didn't like the Omni. Too many Arabs and I found the rooms dated. but central location and decent size.

You might want to try Liberty Place Sukhumvit Soi 22. Liberty is 14000 studio size 30 sq meters. Not large but doable.  I like Soi 22 more than 4. Can walk to Asoke.

http://www.libplace.com/EN/roomrate.html

2 within walking of Asoke. 

You might want to try either Liberty Place Sukhumvit Soi 22 or Serenita Residence which is a little more expensive but nicer and close to Soi 22. Liberty is 14000 studio to 26,000 1 bedroom. A few years back Serenita was 23000 for a studio. 

7 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I'm for anything legal that helps defeat the greatest danger to my nation in my lifetime -- dangerous donald trump.

Do the naked trumps help?

Then bring them on.

That's not liberal hypocrisy.

That's patriotic reality.

This horrible fascistic demagogue MUST be stopped.

Period. End of.

Larry Wilmore. The Nightly Show.

The left always projects. Donald Trump's stands would be controversial in any non-white nation for being too lenient on immigration.

The standard charger with the standard cable for a standard samsung?

Everywhere. Starting from 20Bt Shop to any phone Shop to Samsung.

Or: Lazada.co.th

What I need is a charger that will allow me to charge the battery when it isn't in the phone because the internal connector doesn't work.

Try the Samsung Service Center in MBK. I think that it's on the 5th floor. Private phone shops on the 4th floor could also probably do the repair that you describe.

A couple of people have mentioned the Samsung in Fortune Town. Any idea which is better? I like the MBK suggestion because of all the small shops there if Samsung itself doesn't pan out. However, that does raise the issue of how to pick a trustworthy shop.

I will only be in Bangkok for a few days but need to see if it is possible to have my phone repaired by fixing a connector instead of replacing the whole motherboard. Any suggestions where someone talented can do a quick turnaround on a repair if the repair is possible?