Grusa

On 3/14/2019 at 7:14 PM, johng said:

On 3/14/2019 at 7:11 PM, Grusa said:

No, they had the forms in a sort of filing system (disorganised heap) . read this and sign, sign this other - signed copy to you, original in the file. It states the date, 3 months, to show the statement.  I will post a photo shortly.
 
 

Ok thanks...please do post the photo...will be interesting to see what it says.

Sorry to take so long!

2 hours ago, johng said:

Really ? that's  new I went last week and was given the "overstay" form and yet another one "confirming my address" but nothing about having to show bank book again...I will of course keep over 400,000 in until they stamp my extension...

 

  maybe its because you are both foreigners ?????

No, they had the forms in a sort of filing system (disorganised heap) . read this and sign, sign this other - signed copy to you, original in the file. It states the date, 3 months, to show the statement.  I will post a photo shortly.

My (farang) wife and I renewed our retirement extensions at Jomtien yesterday.

Previously we have always done this as stand alone extensions, with 800,000 each. This year we went for joint marriage extension - only 400,000 each, or in this case, only one 800,000 in her name. No problems, but we were told by the bank (scb) that we must go to immigration on the same day as the letter is issued. Also, a. notice at immigration that a limited number of queue places would be issued, and only in the afternoon.

My wife was given a notice to read and asked to sign an undertaking to return in three months and show an updated bank book for the 400,000 that must stay in the account.

3 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Sorry Grusa, I disagree. Maria at Euro Optic in Pattaya is a very competent practitioner. Had several pairs very successfully. She evaluated a pair I had bought from an online place in UK, and said they were the cheapest, worst lenses she had ever seen. My vision through them confirmed that.

After moving up here I went to KT Optic in Central and, as I said previously, PERFECT SPECTACLES and good service.

You are lucky, and you are entitled to your opinion.

I am making an informed statement based on personal research and 40 years professional experience in the field.

On 2/19/2019 at 2:42 PM, wgdanson said:

It all depends on what quality you are after. Most of the high street opticians in UK fit their own standard lenses. But if you want Premium quality like Hoya or Rodenstock or others, you will pay. I was quoted £600 for titanium frames with progressive Hoya lenses in UK. Got the same at KT Optic in Central for the same price. Absolutely PERFECT. You get what you pay for. 

All true.

Bring your own prescription: there are NO competent optometrists, or opticians or ophthalmologists, at any level, in Thailand. No matter what certificates they hang on the wall.

13 hours ago, VYCM said:

The CoR issued by immigration is dated, also the expiry date is on the certificate.

 

There are no variables..........again, all of mine have been dated to coincide with my visa expiration date.

 

I have been getting CoR certificates since 2003 when I purchased my first scooter.

Over the years I have been on Tourist visas as I have been working offshore.....so on occasions, I would get a CoR 2 weeks (or whatever) after my tourist visa was issued and it was valid for 2 weeks (or thereabouts). 

 

No variables - length of visa issued.

 

You are of course 100% correct. Nevertheless, I have had two-year expired certificates accepted! 

You are assuming that anybody cares, bothers or is capable of reading them.

19 hours ago, jackdd said:

Usually 30 days

It depends what it is for. Every time I get one, I scan it and submit a copy. Sometimes the copy is accepted, sometimes not. If two are needed simultaneously, eg. car/mc licences, the original and one copy is ok.

Next time I need one, I use a copy. Mostly it is accepted, for pilots licences, banks, you name it, even sale of m/c, purchase of ???.

I have had copies of two year old Certificates accepted by government departments, no problem.

All that said, Immigration will provide these in Thai or in English on request - it all depends who wants it, and for what....

14 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Actually 6 months, 3 before and 3 after renewal.

The only “ grandfathering “ which appears to be allowed is for people here since 1998 and over 60 years old ( back in 1998 I assume) , they are allowed 200,000 but I doubt many fit the requirements.

I can't help wondering if it's a mistranslation. 1998 is a long time ago.

I find it hard to believe:-

1. That there are 38 pages of responses to this crap - I only reached 13 before giving up,

2. That there are so many people so close to the edge that they need to worry - my (farang) wife and I would qualify, by the way -

3. That any government organisation anywhere could be so completely incompetent as to not model/analyse/modify/translate their ruminations before promulgating them.

4. That there seems to be no consideration of "grandfather rights" for those who have been well behaved "guests" for donkeys' years.

Or, maybe there are! IOs have absolute discretion, so I understand, in their decisions. I have never had any problem in my or my wifes' dealings with them, over 12 years. No agencies, no dodgy deals, no brown envelopes, no tea money, no "friends in high places".. I have them if needed, but never used.

If you follow the rules to the letter, turn up properly prepared, properly dressed, and with a proper....not obsequious (crawling?) attitude, and quietly submit to whatever ritual paperwork humiliation they can impose, you will be fine. If you turn up with all your tattoos, your manbreasts and/or your dick hanging out, you will be refused. Respect is not Rocket Science!

As to the money, what they require is obvious...they want to know you will not become a burden on the State. Same as USA, UK, Woop-Woop. Just use whichever strategy ticks their collective boxes, and you are in. Do it well, do it in good time, and do it politely. These guys have, in theory at least, lost most of their sources of revenue. Why should they cut you any slack?

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Party ? WONT BE MUCH OF A PARTY,only water and cola being served, now that will be boring.

Don't you know cola is worse for health than alcohol?

Happy New Year an congratulations on your prestigious award. Next year, Nobel.

On 12/24/2018 at 6:48 PM, janclaes47 said:

 

Hmm, they don't look really good in a living room

I meant between rug and floor, I thought that was obvious. Or, are you being sarcastic?

Ikea sell exactly what you need, works well, not expensive. Or, buy a few non-slip phone mats from a car accessory shop.

My wife and I are both on retirement extensions, and we have lived at the same address for 8+ years. We both recently travelled abroad, separately. We were both told, separately, at Jomtien, by uniformed IOs, that if we are returning to the same address as previously notified on 90days, etc., no TM28 or TM30 is needed, for travel inside OR OUTSIDE Thailand, and our 90days is due 90days from last entry, not last report. All perfectly clear and explained in good English, no room for misunderstanding.

What every farang resident in Thailand needs, is a powerful Thai "friend". Who it is largely does not matter, so long as the individual concerned is not actually under a political cloud at the time. Royalty is best, high ranking police, army, navy, government, airforce next best more or less in that order, and bearing in mind that "police" encompasses a number of divisions. You should carry the persons' business card at all times, if at all possible a signed one, makes it worth ten unsigned. When challenged on anything - from no helmet to murder -ask for id, photograph it and the accuser, then ask the accuser nicely to phone the number on the card, and present your phone with the number preprogrammed and ready to dial. 

The chances are no phone call will ever be made, but if it is, be sure that your friend is one who will a)remember who you are, b)outrank your accuser and c)be prepared to use that rank to help you.

There is potential for disaster if you pick the wrong friend! and I do accept that some will not be in a position to meet such people.

11 hours ago, StreetCowboy said:

People don't realise that soft tyres are more prone to punctures - not only 'pinch' flats, but also the soft tyre spreads over more of the road so more likely to pick up objects, and it envelops them rather than riding over them.  

 

Before I got a floor pump I was plagued with punctures, some inexplicable - probably pinch flats, but also loads more little pieces of wire than I get now.

 

SC  

I often wonder about these motocy with skinny tyres and 3+ bodies on board. At what point does a tyre say "enough of this s**t" and blow out, causing loss of control?

You are right, Colin, there are many helpful Thai out there. The problem is, not many are "hiso".

Although they are obviously worth something, they are a bloody nuisance, never enough to get anything, and they get damp and sticky in the wallet - messy. 

So when I get my receipt and change, I say "Mai Ow, khrap," and give them back to the cashier.

It's nothing short of amazing when a lazy, bored and disinterested cashier suddenly perks up and becomes friendly and attentive. As I am not a 'hansum man' they must be worth collecting........!

(Even the boys)

2 hours ago, bipper said:

When Thais ask for your passport they mean ID. It's a language issue.

 

Anytime I'm asked for my passport (other than at immigration) I show my Thai driving license. That has my passport number on it and is our ID number in Thailand. 

Yes that is true. However I have never received a satisfactory answer to this:- Since my Drivers Licences were issued some 3 years ago, my passport has been renewed and carries a new number. I have continued to use the dl and the old number, for hotels, post office, phone registration, etc., with no problems so far. The only people, apart from immigration, who insist on my passport for id etc are the bank and government agencies such as CAAT. Have I commited an offense by not changing my dl, will I retain the same number when I renew them, and am I commiting an offense by continuing to use them as id? No one seems to know or care.....which suits me, ....for now!????

The truth is, the definition of "work" is whatever the officer concerned wants it to be on the day.

If you are "shopped" by a farang, it is unlikely anything will happen. If you are "shopped" by a Thai, you will be prosecuted to the limit of the law, regardless of the validity of the accusation. 

As ever, the effort expended is directly, or possibly exponentially, proportional to the potential financial return. 

Whatever the outcome, it will cost you!

36 minutes ago, jimn said:

OP where are you based? I use a farang chap who runs a company in Pattaya. He does a complete safe treatment once a year and 3 further follow up visits on my housefor a quick sprey and recheck. He only uses safe treatments from Australia. Very good value not expensive. If you or anyone wants his number PM me. By the way I am not him nor have I any interests in his business.

I think I know him. If he is German, I thoroughly recommend him, but it is 8 years since I had cause to use him.

At the time, I was renting a pool villa on the Dark Side of Pattaya. It had a Thai-style copy of a European kitchen, which is to say that all the solid looking wood is actually two layers of cheap thin plywood, separated by strips of whatever scrap is to hand. To the point where it would be less cost and trouble to use the real (if you can call chipboard and mdf real) thing!

SWMBO and I had noticed a foul smell, increasing, but could not identify the source, until a cupboard shelf collapsed. Horrors, it‘s termites, call in the experts. To cut a long story short, the German guy referred to investigated, found a huge nest under the plinth, estimated 5,000,000 termites in residence. They were in all the cupboard structural panels, shelves, doors - anything hollow! They had found their way from the lower units, proceeded behind the wall tiles, to the upper units, and were eating them too!

The only option was to strip out everything and burn all detritus immediately. It became obvious that the point of entry was a hole in the wall, for the gas supply to the hob. It had been drilled, a plastic pipe passed through, and never sealed. The basic nest was 600*500*15mm under the sink plinth.

We were very lucky, the landlord agreed to pay for a replacement kitchen to our design within reason.......great! We had to strip all the tiles, and replace. But still,  Thai style construction.

We moved out a year or so later, we had a strange smell from the bedroom fitted furniture.........(amongst other problems).=

<deleted>, same as their parents.

If we tell everyone where to find that which you seek, it will very quickly cease to be such!

17 hours ago, My Thai Life said:

Biggest expenses

 

Fuel for cars - 12,000 pm

Alcohol - 0 to 20,000 pm

Books 100,000 in the last year

 

 

Books 100,000? Try kindle and www.bookbub.com - no need to pay anything.

22 hours ago, Maradona 10 said:

The problem with most Xpats, and excuse the truth because it hurts, is the majority of xpats didn't plan for their retirement, they drank their wages, now drinking the pension and have nothing to fall back on, personally if I had to depend on the pension to survive, I too would be depressed too, so saying "who are we trying to kid fella", is disingenuine, we are content, and will remain here as long as we are allowed to remain, that said, we can also up and leave at anytime to a new destination, why, because we have the funds to do it, "it does actually makes sense", if you can see past your disbelief and jealousy.

Not necessarily true. My wife (farang) and I DID plan, and we could have lived a very wealthy and happy life anywhere in the world. BUT, the wanking bankers stole it all. We still survive on my state pension and some property rental, the UK government swindled her out of eight years of hers.

4 hours ago, elviajero said:

I meant if it were a replacement to the 1 year extension, which they would only do if they wanted to reduce numbers.

Same numbers, same money, a third of the work!