Thaiquila

When I heard the report of thousands of government sanctioned extra-judicial murders to fight yaa baa under Thaksin, thats all I needed to hear. That was that bad. I also didn't like the blatant vote buying.

Actually drug sweep was good.... most of the thai(s) think so too, well unless you are one of those taking a dirt nap.

Yes, I am aware that there was little Thai outrage over these murders.

So what? We are supposed to leave all of our values at the airport?

Extra-judicial murders are objectively bad.

When I heard the report of thousands of government sanctioned extra-judicial murders to fight yaa baa under Thaksin, thats all I needed to hear. That was that bad. I also didn't like the blatant vote buying.

The US needs a coup to replace Bush...the only problem is there would be no one qualified to run the country

Nah. The US has some good military men as well.

We don't do coups though.

Not enough BANANAS.

I don't mind that Washington is trying to apply pressure for elections to happen sooner than later. The trouble is that Washington has pretty much lost all its credibility under the current failed and morally questionable leadership.

But unfortunately Thaiquila, as recent history has shown us, The US will scream for free and democratic elections, but if the winning candidate did not meet with the acceptance of the US, all aid would be cut off and sanctions probably put in place.....

No, I fear, the only democratic elections approvable by the current US admin, would be their own preapproved candidate.

I am as anti-Bush as they come, but that is ridiculous.

The US would accept any reasonably fair elections in Thailand and any winner.I am not saying in some countries in the past and now that the US is much more involved (Iraq) but they are not all that influential in modern Thailand.

Thaiquila, I know that this will go against your grain, but what about the democratic, free, and certified recent elections in Palestine.....

The Palestine voters spoke, but not to US liking..... so what was the result..... Not saying that I agree with the end result either but that is the democratic process.

Here I do think there was a time and a place for this coup....I am pleased to see the good General Surayud , the new PM taking the steps he is..... If it and he continues on this path, I think Thailand will be a much better place for all. Thais and expats.

Geez!

Read what I said.

I said quite clearly the US foreign policy is indeed hypocritical and does not automatically support all democratic elections, now or in the past.

I also made it quite clear Thailand is NOT Palestine, and there is no conceivable scenario where Thailand will elect an Al Queda friendly prime minister, so in the case of today's Thailand, you can be sure the US will be OK with elections and the results.

I also acknowledged, that the bush foreign policy is so extremely morally bankrupt, that whatever it is says carries almost no weight in today's world. This to me is a shame, because calling for elections as soon as possible is to my mind a good message, no matter that it comes from the bush white house. If all western democracies applied similar messages, it would perhaps increase the likelihood that Thailand doesn't have a military regime installed for a decade (as it has in the past). End of 2007 for elections sounds reasonable, but there is no guarantee of that.

Regarding alternatives to bush and bush foreign policy, don't get me started! Of course, there are alternatives. Many are chomping at the bit to take on bush's failed party. And the change will occur in due time, democratically and peacefully. It may be boring and slow, but a change will happen. And the obvious alternative number one: the war in Iraq was not necessary and Iraq had nothing to do with Al Queda.

The US needs a coup to replace Bush...the only problem is there would be no one qualified to run the country

Nah. The US has some good military men as well.

We don't do coups though.

Not enough BANANAS.

I don't mind that Washington is trying to apply pressure for elections to happen sooner than later. The trouble is that Washington has pretty much lost all its credibility under the current failed and morally questionable leadership.

But unfortunately Thaiquila, as recent history has shown us, The US will scream for free and democratic elections, but if the winning candidate did not meet with the acceptance of the US, all aid would be cut off and sanctions probably put in place.....

No, I fear, the only democratic elections approvable by the current US admin, would be their own preapproved candidate.

I am as anti-Bush as they come, but that is ridiculous.

The US would accept any reasonably fair elections in Thailand and any winner.

I am not saying in some countries in the past and now that the US is much more involved (Iraq) but they are not all that influential in modern Thailand.

To me they should do away with the 'letter of income' from the Embassy. Can't speak on the other Embassys but the US one proves nothing.

They should concentrate on the actual monies coming into the bank account. It seems they are headed down this path more and more.

Perhaps, but that would be a shame that the abuse of some causes so many problems for so many others. I am sure lots of people like to keep more of their money in the West, and get money by ATMS, not having to take all that currency risk and dealing with all those international transfers.

Lets hope level heads prevail, and the policies are moderated.

Hey, consider that Thai immigration reads this site for ideas!

I am sure there a number of people who are "playing games with the truth" now or are considering doing so concerning their pension or income amount to offset the bank account requirements.

I would suggest that this is risky.

As the post above suggests ... what next?

BTW, if someone was caught doing that, what do you think the consequences would be from Thai authorities? Not granting an extension for sure, but what else? For example, blacklisting.

The US needs a coup to replace Bush...the only problem is there would be no one qualified to run the country

Nah. The US has some good military men as well.

We don't do coups though.

Not enough BANANAS.

I don't mind that Washington is trying to apply pressure for elections to happen sooner than later. The trouble is that Washington has pretty much lost all its credibility under the current failed and morally questionable leadership.

Excuse me once again, but I see NO EVIDENCE that immigration is now requiring the 800K to be in the bank account 3 months in advance for those retirees providing a document about their income source. Or did I get this wrong?

Having annual income

combined with the saving

money in the Bank not less than

800,000 Baht from on the date

submitting the application.

I don't think there is any evidence at all that they are enforcing the SPENDING of 65K per month!

For example, a retiree could still SPEND 500K baht per year as long as he was transferring in money and keeping his account over the magic number, yes?

More than a money, tax, fight against crime, keeping record of people, face or whatever issue, I see the so called "visa shakeup" as only a symptom of Thailand seing itself as a modern country.

The party is over.

Don't get your point. Every country on earth in 2006 is a "modern" country. Are you talking about first world countries or something economic? If so, do you really think Thailand is a first world country? And, actually, there are certainly other "modern" countries where people can reside for years on tourist visas ...

Please, not CATS!

OK, so for the FUTURE, the money will have to be in there three month early.

So, like I said before, that seems to translate that you have to transfer 800K PLUS over three months living expenses, so the requirement has indeed been raised for all practical purposes.

Am I correct in assuming that for a NEW (first) extension based on retirement the looking back three months will NOT be an issue?

Also, does anyone know if a medical certificate is required for NEW (first) extensions based on retirement?

OK, visa gurus, enlighten us please:

The so called retirement visa.

This allows foreigners aged 50 and over to extend a non-immigrant visa for up to 12 months from the date of the last entry into Thailand. It requires either 800,000 baht in a Thai bank or a combination of cash in the bank and proof of pension paid in the home country. A letter from the respective embassy is required for proof of pension. From now on, the immigration officer will need to see proof that the 800,000 baht has been there for three months prior to the visa being issued. This is to stop the practice of moving money into a bank account, and promptly out again, once the visa is granted.

To simplify this, lets assume we are talking about retirees qualifying on BANK ACCOUNT alone (not pension).

OK, when I first read this I thought it meant you have to show that you have 800K in your account for 90 days BEFORE application for extension based on retirement. Some others have commented that the real meaning is that immigration needs to see the 800K in the account for 90 days AFTER the application for extension.

So how would this work exactly?

Lets imagine the applicant applies for an extension about 30 days before expiry of his previous extension to stay (or perhaps is trying to get his FIRST extension of stay).

Lets say the applicant then has one million baht in his Thai bank account.

So, what does immigration do at that point? This applicant only has 30 days left and yet he won't get the NEW extension for 90 days from application, correct? So does he get a 30 day stamp for each 30 days up to the 90 days, or one 90 day stamp for the whole period? If a series of 30 day stamps, I suppose that would mean a series of pleasant trips to immigration?

And so at the end of 90 days, the applicant gets the full year extension of stay, right? Is that backdated to the end of the previous extension of stay, or would it begin at a later point, after those series of application under consideration stamp(s)?

And does the new rule require that the FULL 800K be in the account after 90 days? Or could say an applicant make an initial application with 800K and then spend normally for 90 days and perhaps have 600K? I understand the spirit of this new (to my mind rather draconian) rule is to prevent rapid money transfer "abuse", but an individual who is doing normal spending is not doing that, but that is irrelevant, I suppose, will this normal spending down be allowed or not?

If not, this new rule in effect really INCREASES the real financial requirement on application to more like a million baht, than 800K baht? Is that the reality?

I am sorry. This sounds complicated. Does anyone know the real story about this new change?

I'd go to India or Nepal. They have everything that Thailand has and less hassle for some things.

The beautiful beaches in the south, the Himalaya, beautiful temples/women etc etc. Some places don't have cheap alcohol but have cheap legal opium and ganja. People are friendlier too, and the food is ten times better.

Interesting idea. Turns out there is no retirement visa for India, but for Americans only, there is such as thing as a TEN year tourist visa:

http://www.retireaway.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=198

I am giving a lot of thought to the Philippines. Since I am married to a Filippina, visa stays are minimal problem and I am entitled to work simply by registering with the Department of Labor.

Phillipines has great beaches, but is a more frustrating and more dangerous place to live.

I've lived in the Philippines for 5 years, and now 1 year in Thailand. I live with my Filipino girlfriend.

What can be more frustrating than a solid language and religious barrier. Thais have zero concept of anything that is not Thai. I've never been more frustrated in my life than trying to communicate with these people that just don't like us and have no interest in anything but the money.

Filipinos genuinely like foreigners and are excited to see them and communicate with them. It won't be long before I head back again.

In the Philippines visa runs are only required once a year, and in that time you would have to make 6 visits to an Immigration Office for a 59 day extension costing around P2000. The whole year would end up costing just under 9000 baht. The Immigration Office I used could usually process my extension in 30 minutes or less, so the total time spent for the whole year was around 3 hours.

Well said

Where exactly do you live in the Philippines? I like Filipino people and they have those incredible beaches. But the instability and crime are a concern and the food doesn't really compare well with Thailand. I consider the Philippines an interesting backup choice for many (including me) if I get bumped out by a future shake em out Thai visa change.

OK, this is crude (please forgive) but if comparing Filipinos and Thais, Thais would be catlike (they are the center of the universe) in relation to farangs, and Filipinos would be doglike (they want to please). Omidod, that sounds offensive. To both, of course, farangs are monkeylike.

I have a related question.

Apparantly, the medical report is not needed for REPEATED retirement EXTENSIONS.

What about the FIRST time, if applying for a one year extension based on retirement from a non-immigrant O visa IN Thailand? Is that first time requirment also waived?

There are lots of alternatives for retirees other than Thailand. Some are easier and some are harder than Thailand, especially if you don't have a pension. Check out the country profiles here for some ideas: http://www.retireaway.com

RETIREMENT VISA EXTENSION BASED ON BANK ACCOUNT:

This change impacts alot of people RIGHT NOW.

Scenario 1:

People who have been already getting the one year extensions, and their extension comes up soon, making it IMPOSSIPLE to have the 800K in the bank 3 months prior if they didn't have it already.

Scenario 2:

Coming to Thailand with a single entry Non immigrant O visa and then applying for an extension based on retirement using the bank account balance SOON. Again, IMPOSSIBLE to have the 800K in the bank 3 months prior if they didn't have it already.

Please, someone with contacts to immigration, can there be a clarification about whether there will be a GRACE PERIOD after Oct 1 for the above two scenarios?

To me, this statement is paradoxical:

And, in essence, it must mean a democratic/equality society not a hierarchical/stratified one.

I think they are talking mostly about Thai peasants, not Thai elites.

I don't know if there is no demand. I would go. I don't live in Chiang Mai but I might even make a special trip if there was a really good show.

I have never heard of anybody trying such a thing before in Thailand. If it was done well, had a decent budget, and a decent publicity budget, and it spoke to the lives of expats, I would think there would be a demand. Not profits mind you, but an audience.

BTW, these expat shows in San Francisco, often had some "crossover" audience, non-Asians interested in Asian culture. I wonder if English speaking Thais would also be interested.

OK, I'll bite.

Though I doubt this is possible.

I lived in the San Francisco area for 25 years. Of course, there is a huge American Asian and Asian expat community there. There is also a vital Asian American theater scene. New plays with an American twist reflecting the lives of these Asian expats in America.

Thats what would be interesting to me. A small avante garde theater company that developed scripts in English that dealt with the farang experience in Thailand. Our culture as it were.

Even if there was a demand and the money could be raised, what kind of visa would these artists be able to get?

Frankly, any attempt to just put on shows from the "old country" are likely to be pitiful. They are likely to be pale copies of the real thing. What I am suggesting, is a real NEW thing.

By the way, when you consider the STORIES on Thaivisa, and the wealth of farang in Thailand literature, there is most definitely the MATERIAL for new plays, in abundance. Perhaps a start could be a theatrical adaption of one of the more popular farang in Thailand novels.

Marshbags,

I think there is alot of moral judgement and plain old Calvinism in people's attitudes towards overweight people. The perception is they are lazy and eat too much and it is all their fault. If you look at the science of lifetime fat people who have lost and gained weight several times, the odds get more and more remote of a sustained successful loss. Something to do with a massive amount of fat cells waiting to be fed. The statistic I cited, 99 percent is perhaps a bit high, but it is certainly very rare for a fat person to permanantly change into a thin person. Heredity is a huge factor! So are modern fast food diets of course. Haven't you observed this in your life? Children of fat parents have a very high probability of being fat adults. There are also real medical reasons for overweight such as thryroid deficiencies (much more common than people think and underdiagnosed, I have this personally).

I agree up till now there are no satisfactory medical solutions. That does NOT mean there won't be one or many in future and Rimonabant because it works on the brain part of it is a very interesting, and perhaps promising new approach. Obesity kills. More people than Aids in Western countries, and it is convenient to spout the line that diet and exercise provide a solution, but sorry it is just not that simple. The success rate from that is dismal. So don't be so quick in dismissing the masses of large mass people looking with hope for some real help from modern science.

Now, I would agree that to the pharma companies, this class of drugs is just another huge profit center. But someday they might come up with a really good med that really works for most people without serious side effects. They have in the past for several human problems, why not obesity? Now, I am not sure if Rimonabant is this super drug. We will likely know in a few years.

I will get off my soapbox now.

If you go to one of the rip off farang hospitals, don't be shocked if they order up a battery of tests and tell you have diabetes or cancer (it happened to me on a dry skin complaint).

You might try these things:

showering only in warm or cool water (no hot water)

cut out all soap, find sensitive skin non soap cleaning products (at Boots)

moisturize two times daily after shower with sensitive skin moisturizers (also at Boots) and never use lanolin

take Zyrtec once a night for two weeks, then every two or three days (this will help if you are allergic person)

Skin complaints (dry skin, rashes etc) are common with people moving from temperate climates to the hot and humid tropics.

Its hard enough to open a CHECKING account for many foreigners IN Thailand. I seriously doubt you can open any kind of account in Thailand from abroad.

I feel your pain. I once wired 40 dollars to book a hotel and paid 50 dollars to wire it. Just pay it and forget it. Cost of doing business.

Would that mean you would still need it for the FIRST extension based on retirement?

Also, there was a post a while back saying there would a new rule effective 1 October saying you would have to show that you have at least 400K in your bank account 90 days BEFORE applying for an extension. (And then obviously over 800K at the application time if qualifying based on bank account).

I find that appalling. I understand the intent to prevent people playing games with short term inflows and outflows, but still, how would that be enforced/documented? Is this really true????? If this is true, another example of the every foreigner being seen as a suspect rather than a guest.