peter37

A lot of good input on this, thank you.

Captain Monday made a good suggestion. Does he or anybody else have experience/knowledge of being able to arrange power of attorney without actually visiting Thailand (which is of course what I am trying to achieve)?

After living in Thailand for about 10 years, with a visa extended annually on the basis of retirement, I took my annual intended break to visit my family in the UK for two weeks in early March last year. Well, we all know what happened at that time and I have not dared return as yet. My circumstances have changed significantly and although still able-bodied I would much prefer not to have to travel again in these troubled covid times (which could last a very long time) especially in view of my advancing years. I sent an email to Bangkok Bank underlining the extremity of the circumstances and not very optimistically asked if there might be a way of closing my two accounts with them and having the funds transferred to a UK bank account. I do not have the online banking facility.

Unfortunately, there answer was in line with my expectations:

“As mentioned in your email about you would like to close your account, please be informed that customer cannot close the account without coming into the Bank branch in person. And to close the account only can be done at the home branch. Document required are your valid passport and account book.”

Does anybody have any positive suggestions or know of any way round this? Or is it, as I suspect, absolutely an unyielding situation?

It has been my impression over the recent years that I have been here that it is possible to get your hands largely on any product of practical importance here in Udon Thani, regardless of the fact that it is far from the cosmopolitan center of Bangkok. For the first time I think I am a bit stumped. I put out a call on the udonmap forum and have yet to get much clarity in my search for a locally sourceable product akin to formica, as in the laminate sheeting that is used to cover many a kitchen counter top.

One gentleman on that forum has underlined what I suspect worryingly might be a reasonable picture of reality he said that he had great difficulty finding it but did come across it in Wood Street in Bangkok. Can anybody out there in greater Thailand shed any light on the availability of such a product, particularly up here in Isaan?

I am absolutely delighted to have recently discovered a fantastic on-line aid for Thai language students: aakanee.com It helps to fill that great resource-gap for intermediate learners of the Thai language.

I do not think it has been around long because the copyright refers to 2015-2016. The web site “About” section reveals the person who has put it together is called Andrej and he/she could not get a bigger thumbs up from me for the web site content.

I would like to offer some clarification/correction regarding the name of bus station at Suwanaphum. For those of you who understand some Thai you will appreciate that Kunsong as I stated (better transliterated as kohn sohng) merely means transporting people and is not the place name of the bus station per se. In English the best way to ask is perhaps simply: the Suwanaphum bus station. For those who want the fully fledged transliterated Thai it is something like satani kohn sohng thaaaagaatsayaan suwanaphum.

I do not understand Tolsti's comment regarding "Blue ball express?". Does it help in some way with asking for the bus at Suwanaphum, can he clarify?

"and want to set off as soon as possible to Isaan."

This might be of interest for people who are flying in lateish either planned or unplanned to Suwanaphum and want to set off as soon as possible to Isaan.

There is only one bus per day in each direction. It leaves Suwanaphum at 21.00 and passes through Korat (15 minute rest stop), Khonkaen and Udon Thani before arriving at Nongkhai. It leaves Nongkhai as a reverse journey beginning at 20.00. The bus is the regular “luxury” air-conditioned long distance type with reclining seats. A thin blanket, bottle of water and packet of wafer biscuits were supplied to me at the outset of my recent journey. I was told the seat cannot be booked any other way than visiting the bus station. The fare in my case to Udon Thani was 403 baht.

I am led to believe that until relatively recently the bus could be boarded immediately at the airport near where bus/minibus transport is still available to Huahin and Pattaya on the 1^st floor. But the bus to Isaan (and others) is now located about 10 minutes away at the Kunsong bus station. You can get a free transfer there with the shuttle bus. Most of you maybe would not have a problem at this juncture but I asked inadequately prepared questions (in Thailand sometimes a dangerous route to go) and ended up on a minivan which only indirectly took me to the bus station but if you get on the large bus that says specifically in big red letters “shuttle bus” then you will get to the Kunsong bus station.

Personally I find it difficult to sleep on these buses, I love catching the train to Isaan but if your flight arrives late into Suwanaphum you not only have to get to Huamlamphong train station in time (approx. 20.00) but there is a possibility you will not get a sleeper ticket if the train is busy whereas I saw people getting tickets right up to the last minute at the bus station and there were still empty seats when we set off.

No charges whatsoever. I would also add and reiterate quite rightly what BobTH said "It is so easy it is almost scary ..... the people in the tax office are so friendly and helpful."

I wish to thank those who have previously taken the time to explain the procedure for obtaining a tax refund on interest paid on fixed bank accounts which I followed, and seemingly successfully filed an application today.

For those of you who might want to do this in Udon Thani I recount my experience.

Follow the advice in the threads below to get your Tax Identification Number (TIN), it is a chit of stiffish, yellow paper about 3 inches square with your details on including the all-important personal tax number.

http://www.pattayaci...e-sid-1292.html

When you have your TIN and Official Tax Claim forms from the bank show these at the tax office together with the actual bank book or books where you have the accounts and your passport.

The process was very simple. All my data was apparently input in the computer and the most time consuming item was for them to find the official name for United Kingdom in their great list which clearly does not contain “Angrit”. No copies were taken other than perhaps what seemed to be a scan of my passport. An acknowledgement of my application was stapled to the bank papers and everything handed back with the explanation that a cheque would arrive in the post in a month for the full amount that had been deducted by the bank as tax from my accrued interest. The full procedure today took about 15 minutes. I submitted for the last two years but note that others say up to 3 years back-dated can be claimed.

Simply to round off the story (and this thread?):

As was correctly anticipated by a number of you my extension for one year was duly granted today – the day they asked me to return. I received one year from the date of my initial application and not one year from today although the 90 day reporting was shifted along one week. There was no further explanation nor did I ask for one. I do note, however, that another full page has been used in my passport, in other words a page for last week’s extension and another page for today’s year extension.

To satisfy OJAS's curiosity there was no "in advance" of the application. I applied on the last day of the previous extension.
Many thanks to all of you who have made informative posts.

Udon Thani immigration - September 10^th

Requesting my third extension of non-O immigrant on basis of retirement today. I met with a surprise.

I provided the same papers as last year, naturally updated (on the basis of 100% money properly seasoned in Thai bank by the way), and there was no request from the officer for anything extra while he conducted his paperwork. Then as the process seemed to be very nearly finished there was a very long discussion between him and his supervisor while they consulted the computer screen, another officer and at different times seemed to make various changes to their keyboard input. When all was finished I was told I would get a 7-day extension and would have to come back in seven days bearing only my passport because there were new regulations. I was asked to pay the 1,900 baht for a year's extension. I tried initially to point out that I was paying for 365 days but only being guaranteed 7 days. Considering the language gap I soon let that drop, paid the fee and will return in 7 days. I have no other embellishments in my passport other than the visa and previous two extension stamps.
Can anybody shed any informative light on this?

5-year driving licence first renewal situation in Udon Thani today (for motor-bike and car)

Firstly, at Udon Immigration I provided the requisite papers to obtain the residence permit (as required by the driving authorities). The procedure was straightforward and relatively quick. I was aware that a forum post indicated if you were applying for 2 licences you only needed one original and a copy would do for the second (definitely the case for the medical certificate). When asked to present my licence I handed over both licences, I think if you handed over just the one maybe you could get that copied and it would suffice and of course only pay the single ฿500 but I did not want to risk it and was given 2 residence certificates for the price of ฿1,000.

At the driving licence centre the procedure was almost the same as last year when I obtained my first licences with the exception that this time they asked me to take the traffic light and brake test. There was one strange moment when the seemingly experienced worker questioned my visa status of her colleague believing that my one year permission to stay based on retirement may only allow me to renew for another year. There was an inference (thankfully seemingly only from her) that if I was married then that would more obviously entitle me to a 5-year licence.

They were not very busy and the whole procedure took about 20 minutes. ฿960 for the two.

Thanks for your responses fletchsmile, poooket and JAS21. Very helpful.

I have had tax deducted from my savings account with Bangkok Bank. I obtained a Tax ID number and took the form filled in by Bangkok Bank outlining the details of the bank account and tax paid together with my Tax ID number to the local tax office. The tax officer said I should come back next year (2015). My details show the tax was deducted from my account in January 2014. I have not seen any reference to timing in the forums on this subject. Is this correct then that you must apply for the refund in the calendar year following the initial deduction?

I think it is prudent to question the strategies of any organization that has commercial expansion as one of its chief principles. We are so fortunate that we have LINUX therefore, as an alternative to Microsoft.

Re: lopburi3 post 09:36 Today

No I wasn’t asking about the TM-7, but that information will of course be useful when I get there. I was merely wanting to know what the precise definition is so that I can avoid joining in the usual semantic mistakes such as referring to a “retirement visa” which I understand does not actually exist even though “in spirit” many refer to such a thing.

Thanks for that clarification Lopburi3. It is extremely clear in this and other threads that the action each year in this circumstance is ALWAYS an extension of permission to stay. Would I be right then in saying that the extension to stay request is on the basis of having a non-O visa which was originally extended on the basis of retirement?

Or should the wording follow along some other line?

Thanks for all the input very good to know about the 9-month prior UK passport renewal concept. It is also very clear from the information provided on this thread that travel to countries other than the passport issuing country could be a problem when there is less than 6 months left on a passport (not an issue in my own case – or is it? Hope that some of the readers might be able to clarify this too – would airlines refuse to take me if I had a 4-month valid passport and I was flying in transit through a third country such as India or Saudi Arabia between Thailand and the UK that is?).

However to dot an “i” and cross a “t”: I am left confused as to what is the situation regarding period of time of validity of a passport when applying for an annual extension of a non-O visa on the basis of retirement then. According to lopburi3’s comments it looks like even 6 months is not necessarily required and I would even read into it that there is no period at all pertaining to this particular visa maneuver or is there?

Would like to join in this thread and try and seek out opinions on quite a pedantic but important issue to me on the theme. Is it considered/believed/opined or even known if the six month period is exactly six calendar months because I have a passport due for renewal on 12^th March 2014 and my extension of stay/ (O visa with retirement extension) expires on 10^th September? Yep 6 months and 2 days prior to my passport expiring! Would love to wait until next year to renew my passport.

I'm an expat in Singapore, and I can see how it would appeal to some, especially if money is not an issue. But the place doesn't have much 'soul', and they're killing more of it each year in their bid to turn it into an upscale disneyland. There used to be dirtier, edgier places here where things went on that you wouldn't want your mother to know about. But those places are being squeezed out by shiny new shopping malls and condos. So yeah, a great place if your priorities are on efficiency, predictability, cleanliness, safety, education, air conditioning, being able to speak English with people, and shopping for branded goods. Some of these things I appreciate too. But I find that I'm much happier when I go to Thailand (usually Isaan) where there is a rich culture and more warmth and openness to foreigners... and where my money goes so much further.

Very nicely put!

To tie up this particular story I can bring you the final account of my trip to Udon Immigration.

Taking Lopburi’s advice again I went along after about the 60-day mark. I took with me new copies of all the documents that have been previously outlined in this thread. There was only one thing lacking: a map of the location of my accommodation. The young lady at reception was quite emphatic about that thereby indicating it is an absolute requirement, at least at the Udon office, but she unhesitatingly offered to sketch me a map in order to help me complete the papers. The immigration officer I dealt with processed all the papers without hesitation. The only fact that I was uncertain about until the visa was granted was from which precise date the visa extension would run. From the date I entered Thailand with my non-immigrant “O”, from the date of my application or from the date when my non-“O” visa would expire at the 90-day mark? Well, gratifyingly it was the third of these.

Thank you again Lopburi for all your help and I guess, as is the intention of these threads, it will be much clearer for the next person coming along to Udon immigration who wants to convert his tourist visa to a non-“O” with retirement extension. Until the rules change of course!

Good advice again Mr Lopburi3, thank you for all your support.

Absolutely no problem in getting the non-immigrant O in Vientiane. For further reference I took the papers you outlined would be necessary. The two points of note were that a letter and photocopy of ID of owner/manager of the hotel together with photocopies of my last 3 months receipts and a letter from Bangkok Bank (suggested after a telephone conversation between the Udon branch and head office) outlining the equivalent baht value of my foreign currency deposits (together naturally with photocopies of recently updated passbooks) were what I offered and were unquestioningly accepted.

Interestingly enough this thread was kicked off asking if transfer from tourist to non-immigrant O is possible in Udon. If you read this thread through entirely then the story so far is revealed but in a kind of sum up it would seem that the regulations indicate it should be possible and the “professional” officer in the Nong Khai office stated clearly that is where I should have done it thereby confirming that if anyone needs such who lives in Nong Khai then it can surely be done there.

However, I would read that Udon is somewhat behind the game because there is no relevant form (TM86) made obviously available thereby paving the way for the currently unscrupulous head man to step in and offer “his” services for “his” exorbitant fee. As I posted in the thread earlier it might be possible to just try taking all the documents along including a downloaded form and presenting them. If a “special” transaction fee is mentioned then one clearly has the option to go to Vientiane (or Bangkok or any other Embassy I presume) instead.

Do I assume right that when I go for the extension in 60-80 days I take along the exact same (obviously updated versions) papers?

Thank you for that information. As always very useful.

Of course I would have loved to have obtained my non-immigrant O close to where I reside: Udon Thani.

Due to the fact there seems to be doubt about which immigration offices actually offer the tourist to non-immigrant O status change I merely inquired at the Udon Thani office of the possibility. I now realize that with hindsight I would have perhaps been better off downloading the TM86 form, filling everything in and presenting all the papers there as a kind of fait accompli. Unfortunately my hesitation opened the door to the head honcho inviting me into his office for a "private chat" where he explained that with some work on his part and especially a phone call to his boss together with a 20,000 baht payment the deed could be done. There was no further interchange with the man because immediately after him making this claim he said he was going to make a phone call and left me to think about it. I wordlessly, perhaps more out of shock than anything else, merely left the building.

I have no idea how the organisation works but if I were to fear the worst it is almost as if this official could thwart me at any point whether it be a real attempt at submitting the correct papers with my downloaded TM86, or a request for an extension of the visa after the first 90 days if I were to obtain the O visa in Vientiane or even thereafter at the obligatory three-monthly reporting for as long as I remain in Udon Thani. This possibly puts me in unfortunate and unwelcome territory. So I suppose the question that now sits with me (possibly ridiculous because I do not know the culture) is there any official way forward such as an appeal to another individual or other office if they should refuse me at any point along the way? I fully realize they are in the driving seat and presumably can easily think up all kinds of official sounding reasons to deny my application even if the actual reason were to be nothing other than failure to pay a sum of money determined uniquely in the Udon Thani office.

Well, well, well. In contrast to the “gentleman” I dealt with at Udon Immigration, the official in Nong Khai was actually a gentleman. He was doing his job and was helpful beyond his call, even though he was not able to grant me a change of visa status to non-immigrant O. Due to my current situation of living in Udon Thani he clearly stated that was an area outside his jurisdiction and I should apply at Udon immigration for that. He was too professional to enter into details about the rather extraordinary “unofficial” sum of money I was asked for beyond the official 2000 baht in the Udon office for such an application but was quite confident I could get what I wanted by applying at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane. I had suggested I perhaps go to Bangkok. He kindly looked through my papers and indicated that in his opinion they would pass muster although he raised doubts about one aspect. Even though I have seen no specific requirement stated especially on this forum (certainly not by Lopburi3), wise counsel in these parts suggested I should have some kind of reference to my accommodation such as proof thereof. I had a letter from my hotel (actually in English) and a photocopy of the last three months of receipts. Ironically the only point this official in Nong Khai picked up on was that maybe if I had a letter from a Thai friend as a form of certification it would be “better”.

So in simple terms if I go next week to Vientaine I wonder where I will stand since I suspect the rules will have changed. I am now applying outside the kingdom and perhaps I am now no longer even requesting a change of visa status but applying for a non-immigrant O single entry.

Any comments would be very welcome as always especially as I can’t find anything on the forum on this.