JB300

It will be interesting to see if more people start reverting to ED-Visas & whether the requirements around these start to ease off a bit.

Found a great Palestinian Film "Borrowed Identity" on Genesis.great english subs embedded too.

Story of a sensitive non violent and intelligent arab kid growing up in Israel.beautifully observed and a nice surprise ending.

PS. When you search on genesis the cover will say Mon Fils which I guess is the name it released under in francehow bizarre. The original title is far more appropriate.

guys guys guys,i keep on about it but this is a truly great site it had about a 100 different links for this film,,

http://www.alluc.ee/

oh excellent film by the way

+1 for Alluc... My #1 site for streaming stuff (tend to watch things on my IPad so downloading is a non-starter)

No it is either or

TOURIST VISA WITH MULTIPLE ENTRIES

COPIES OF LATEST 6 MONTHS BANK STATEMENTS SHOWING MINIMUM OF £5,000 CONTINUOUSLY BANK STATEMENTS MUST SHOW APPLICANT'S NAME AND ADDRESS

COPY OF CONFIRMED RETURN OR ONWARD AIR TICKET WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF ENTERING THAILAND COPY OF CONFIRMED RESERVATION AT A HOTEL

or

IF STAYING WITH RELATIVES/FRIENDS, COPY OF UTILITY BILL SHOWING THEIR NAME & ADDRESS IN THAILAND

LETTER FROM EMPLOYER STATING HOW LONG YOU HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED AND THAT THEY ARE AWARE YOU ARE GOING TO THAILAND FOR UP TO 6 MONTHS

or

IF SELF EMPLOYED, PHOTOCOPY OF LATEST SUBMITTED HMRC SA100 SELF EMPLOYED TAX RETURN FORM

It is not. What you are posting is saying.............

6 months bank statements showing £5,000

and

Plane ticket and hotel booking OR Utility bill if staying with relatives/freinds.

and

Letter from employer OR Self employed tax return.

And... "Bank statements must show applicant’s name and #current UK address#."

It would be interested to know peoples opinion:

If you were planning on using the METV for continual 6 months stay, would you choose to use:

2 entries+2 extensions+ 1 visa run

OR

3 visa runs (no extensions)

By my calculations it would work out just as easy to 3 visa runs, but maybe i am overlooking something?

Depends how close to the port of entry you are -- no big deal to do 3 entries if you live in Nong Khai.

I honestly can not imagine being on holiday (i.e. a tourist) for 60 days in any 1 country & can't remember the last time I stayed in one for 30 days, never mind 60 or 90... Why would you travel all the way from US, UK etc... & then not visit Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Philippines... Etc... Etc...

(IMHO) a genuine tourist would be looking to maximize their time in the region & visit as many other places/countries as they can, E.g when my parents come to visit me in Singapore, there's always a "side trip" to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand etc... & not for "Visa reasons" (Brits get 90 days in Singapore) but because they've travelled all this way & it would be a shame not to visit/experience different places.

From my readings the METV was designed primarily for persons in the region who want to make multiple (as in many or more than 3) short term trips to Thailand over the six-month validity period and not designed for someone to stay in Thailand continuously for the 6 month validity period exiting only to activate a new 60-day entry period.

But who are these people & why would they bother to get a Visa if they're just "Popping" to Thailand?

I can only comment from my time living in Singapore but there is no way that I (or anybody else living there) would go through the hassle of getting a visa to visit Thailand.

You just pop over, get a Visa Exempt, have a nice holiday, go home & go back again whenever you feel like it... Did this 6-8 times a year (once, 4 times in 1 month) for 6 years & immigration never batted an eyelid.

So I'm still not sure who the METV is targeted at...

- It can't be Retirees "Snow birds" as the have no proof of employment (though I expect this to be loosened & people on pensions will be able to qualify)

- Can't be Gap Year, Back/Flash packers - as, again, typically either no proof of employment or only visiting for a short enough period to make METV irrelevant (how many of these spend more than 30, never mind 60 or 90, days in Thailand without visiting a neighboring country)?

- Can't be Genuine tourists from neighboring countries as they won't visit for long enough to make it worthwhile.

- Can't be for People who want to live in Thailand under the pretext of being a tourist as they will just find another way or overstay.

Appreciate it only came into effect yesterday but does anybody know somebody who's gone in to get one yet or is going to be applying for one soon?

Can't imagine them shifting many of them.

Still though, number of genuine tourists affected, close to zero.

Number of hanger ons that cannot get a long-term visa but refuse to leave voluntarily, lots and lots.

Aliens have no birth-right to stay here.

If you are married to a local, have a child with a local, study here, work here, are retired here, are volunterring here, there are easy ways to get the appropriate visas and extensions no bother at all.

95%+ of tourists here don't even need a visa and simply enjoy the great V.E. that Thailand offers.

As the Gen has said "Good foreigners in, bad foreigners out"

As I've posted before, I'm potentially impacted by this if it means further tightening of the Visa Exempts.

I visit Thailand about 6-8 times per year, always on Visa Exempt, stays ranging from 3 - 28 days, always at least 3 weeks between visits (except for December 2014 when I visited 4 times in 1 month for a couple of birthday trips & meeting up with old friends who were passing through).

Rarely plan far enough ahead to get an SETV, but do visit the UK at least twice a year so would be happy to get an METV that would cover me for 6 months... Only I'm ineligible as I'm (self-funded) retired.

I'm curious as to whether I'm a "Good Foreigner" or a "Bad" one?

You seem like a nice bloke

One thing, why completely write off the chances of using METV? There are no clear rules for retirees so it could go either way. Personally I would bet money that if you prove you have enough funds they will give you the METV.

Any reason why you shouldn't be able to continue using visa exempt?

None so far, but they have been clamping down on them for a while, so am trying to plan what to do if it happens to me and (when announced) I thought the METV was going to be just the ticket [emoji106]

Haven't written METV off yet, I'll give it 6 months to see if the requirements loosen up or Visa Exempt remains viable, I'm just one of those people who like to plan for the worse & hope for the best

Oh & I am a bloody thoroughly nice bloke (said in a Harry Enfield "Tim nice but dim" voice )... http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrT6VmRkEVWAckAZPhEDN04;_ylu=X3oDMTByNzhwY2hkBHNlYwNzcgRwb3MDMgRjb2xvA2dxMQR2dGlkAw--/RV=2/RE=1447428369/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fm.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dNC0IJQ_s7No/RK=0/RS=TsuEVyvI8NWyErS8sDpBGC_9ccg-

Can't imagine them shifting many of them.

Still though, number of genuine tourists affected, close to zero.

Number of hanger ons that cannot get a long-term visa but refuse to leave voluntarily, lots and lots.

Aliens have no birth-right to stay here.

If you are married to a local, have a child with a local, study here, work here, are retired here, are volunterring here, there are easy ways to get the appropriate visas and extensions no bother at all.

95%+ of tourists here don't even need a visa and simply enjoy the great V.E. that Thailand offers.

As the Gen has said "Good foreigners in, bad foreigners out"

As I've posted before, I'm potentially impacted by this if it means further tightening of the Visa Exempts.

I visit Thailand about 6-8 times per year, always on Visa Exempt, stays ranging from 3 - 28 days, always at least 3 weeks between visits (except for December 2014 when I visited 4 times in 1 month for a couple of birthday trips & meeting up with old friends who were passing through).

Rarely plan far enough ahead to get an SETV, but do visit the UK at least twice a year so would be happy to get an METV that would cover me for 6 months... Only I'm ineligible as I'm (self-funded) retired.

I'm curious as to whether I'm a "Good Foreigner" or a "Bad" one?

I agree that neither of us know if illegal or not.

I don't want it to be outside the rules I'm just sick of you and your mates trying to justify every "grey area" with what comes down to spin.

Just pointing out possible options for people. After all you can't go purely by what is on consulate websites. They are notoriously wrong/incomplete/out of date the world over.

Just thought I'd point out this from the Cardif consulate:

CAN SOMEONE ELSE COLLECT MY VISA FOR ME? Yes, they can provided you are in the UK at the time of application and you have signed the application form. they will need to bring with them your passport, 1 passport photo of you and the completed application form.

UK METV requirements have been posted in another thread... http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?/topic/868729-METV-Visa---Vientiane%2C-Laos%2E-It%27s-official%2E/page__view__findpost__p__10067334

Edit: Only fair to credit the guy who found it http://www.johnsjourney.com/

hmmm...does a masaman curry traditionally call for pork or beef? I'm sure that I've seen a few recipes that call for beef...

today at lotac all they had on offer in the meat section was chicken and fish and I'm determined to do a masaman before I go back to work in the middle east...them chicken breasts sure were nice lookin'...

I love Masaman Curries & generally it's beef but I have seen it as chicken (can't stand, won't eat the stuff) in a few places in KL.

Here we go for UK travelers. I've just got back from the Cardiff consulate and manged to ask them to print this out. More details on my site on how I think people can run with this especially on the finances. I travel so much for my non Thai business that single tourists between trips would do for me. I thought I'd post the pic here too.

Thanks John... Great information, even if it's not good news as it confirms a lot of our fears.

Oh well, METV is a bust for me (no employment as I'm a self-funded retiree), but as I'm a nomad (not a Digital Nomad but somebody who never stays in 1 country for longer than 3-4 weeks at a time before moving to the next 1 for 3-4 weeks), I'll just carry on using Visa Exempts until they say "No More", then look to see what the best approach is to being a genuine multi-entry Tourist at that time.

Applying for SETVs probably won't work as I tend to be spontaneous in my traveling & rarely book anything more than a couple of days in advance so had high hopes for the METV

Agree with you luke. I have been saying that the metv is dumb and suits very few. Of course that wont be the case if the METV becomes available in nearby consulates without the requirement to be resident.

The other complaint is the concept that it could never be invisaged that people might choose to obtain these back to back ongoing. That would of been obvious at time of making rules re setv. If they limit how many you can have later on, then just shows lack of forsight in first place

Personally, I didnt ever decide or choose to live permanently in Thailand .

I came here five years ago, just for a two month holiday .

I wasnt looking, but met a woman and stayed in Thailand to be with her .

Five years later, and Im still with her and we have a two year old boy together .

Would I have left her five years ago if I knew they would tighten up Visa regulations ? No

Some things, you cannot plan for .

Luke, could you not alternate between getting a Visa to see your little boy (60 days I believe extendable to 90) & SETVs?

I think you might even be able to come in on a Visa Exempt & extend it on the basis of visiting your kid.

"There is already a limit on back to backs from Laos and there is still the possibility to apply for METV in Malaysia and Srilanka"

We were in the Thai Consulate in Penang this morning and they told us that METVs are ONLY for Malaysian residents.

Yes but it's not the case for KL

http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/th/services/962/18989-Required-Documents.html

Hope you're right but my money would be on them not having completely updated their site as KL is renowned for being non-Foreigner friendly when it comes to TVs...

Also, the same page asks for :-

6. Supporting documents, i.e.,

6.1 Letter from the school/college/university certified by authorized school director and affixed by the seal of the school/college/university. or

6.2 Letter from the spouse and copy of marriage certificate and spouse’ identity card.

If I had 6.1 I'd be applying for an ED Visa, if I had 6.2 I'd be applying for a non-O M

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passport_stamp - Explains they no longer issue US entry stamps as normal practice, it can happen though. Also Google it and a lot of forum threads come up, people report it happening maybe 10% of the time. A nice analogy there to how sometimes rules are in a grey area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passport_stamp#United_Kingdom - Explains UK nationals don't get stamped. Those UK stamps in post 48 (which you then deleted) would be for non nationals.

As a non-UK resident for Tax purposes I need to tell HMRC how many days I've spent in the UK when completing my annual tax return & was told by my accountant that HMRC knows when you're in/out of the country & can check this if they think you're trying to pull a fast one.

If HMRC has the information, then you can bet other Government Departments can access it as well though I doubt the Embassy would check, instead relying on you to make a true declaration about being permanently resident in UK.

Your bigger problem is going to be the money in the Bank for 6 months (it's going to raise alarm bells if this isn't in a UK bank with a UK address) & proof of employment/owning a company (again, anything non-uk domiciled is going to raise red flags).

NB. The Funds/Employment requirements haven't been confirmed in the UK yet, but every other Embassy has at least the Funds one & most (including Canada) have both.

While not a new Thai visa option, bringing it back into the spotlight may be a reaction to Malaysia's current attempt at coaxing retirees to settle in Malaysia.

According to the recent article in the Australian press, "The Malaysian government has admitted the long-term visa program is an attempt to get foreign money flowing into the country.

"With this program there is a lot of money coming from overseas," tourism minister Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz told the ABC during an interview in the country's Parliament House.

"The money is big. Each person I can say is bringing in 1 million Malaysian ringgit at least."

Also in the article, "To qualify for the (10 year) MM2H visa, applicants over the age of 50 are required to supply 100,000 ringgit (AUD32,700) for a long-term fixed deposit and purchase a property that costs 1 million ringgit (AUD327,000)."

I could be wrong but it seems that the Thai investment visa option is a better (and cheaper) option than the Malaysian offer. (I am only basing this on the 'glossies' I have read and not any in-depth research.)

The requirements listed on the MM2H site (http://www.mm2h.com/mm2h-requirements-terms-and-conditions.php) are...

i) MM2H Applicants aged below 50 years old:

Must place a Fixed Deposit in a bank account in Malaysia of RM300,000 (little less than 2.5Million THB )

Can withdraw up to RM150,000 for the purchase of house, medical insurance or children’s education expenses after the deposit has been placed for one year

Applicants can use their car purchase grant to withdraw part of their Fixed Deposit after two years.

Must maintain a minimum balance of RM150,000 from second year onwards and throughout stay in Malaysia under this programme.

ii) MM2H Applicants aged 50 years and above:

Must place a Fixed Deposit in a bank account in Malaysia of RM150,000 (little less than 1.25Million THB )

Can withdraw up to RM50,000 of the fixed deposit after one year to purchase of house, medical insurance or children’s education expenses.

Applicants can use their car purchase grant to withdraw part of their Fixed Deposit after two years.

Must maintain a minimum balance of RM100,000 throughout their stay in Malaysia under this programme.

0f course the Philippines SRRV is cheaper still at $20,000USD (approx 720,000 THB and available to anybody 35years & older).

Highly recommend the Amari hotel, not cheap but the rooms are really nice, the beers cold & it has a direct walkway to the Airport Terminal.

NB I may have a rose tinted view as I stayed there after having to leave Bangkok 10 days into a 30 day trip due to a cough/chest infection that I couldn't shift & caused me to have next to no sleep for 4 or 5 days so had one of the best nights sleep I've ever had in a hotel there.

Am sure I read somewhere that most of the beef in Thailand & Philippines comes from buffalo (& surprisingly a lot comes from Indian) rather than cows that were more used to in UK/Aus etc...

Either way most of the time it's like chewing shoe leather unless you opt for the higher quality stuff like Wagyu (even Angus is a serious step up).

It does not say in Thailand so Cebu City. If Thailand maybe Koh Chiang.

Cebu yes, but I'd prefer to live somewhere in the provinces around the SW peninsula (Say somewhere between Oslob/Tan Awan going round the coast up to Malabuyoc & only visiting Cebu City when I needed some "City Living".

If I had to pick a city to #Work# in it would be Singapore (tax here is ridiculously low) but to #Live# in, it would have to be Bangkok.

Do try to master the quote system .^

I think you'll find its Tapatalk, the "quote" tags are there, but it's not processing them correctly.

It's funny how holier than though folks on retirement visa start behaving once they are caught red-handed working illegally in Thailand.

They start to make all kinds of excuses.

But they seem to have issues with "digital nomads"

Fact is even if you check your stock portfolio, you are working in Thailand and breaking the law.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if immigration next move is to move retirement age to 65.

After all this is the official retirement age in most countries.

Then they'll cry on this forum how life is unfair.

Mark my words.

How is checking my stock portfolio working? Or reading an email from the company that manages my rental property? By that logic, looking at a bank statement where I've earned interest is also working!!!

However, if somebody paid me to look after their share portfolio, or paid me for information to use for their portfolio then I would be working as I'd be carrying out an activity for another in exchange for payment.

So clearly if you're a "Digital Nomad" and are (in exchange for payment)...

- Designing/Coding/Testing/Documenting

- Managing somebody else's websites

- performing SEO

- Writing Books

- Writing (paid for) subscription articles

- Selling stuff on eBay

... You're working... Irrespective of whether the customer/cash is in Thailand.

It doesn't matter what you think.

By law, you are required to have a work permit regarding activities you have just described above.

You are checking your portfolio from Thailand? You are working,

You are managing your rentals from Thailand? You are working.

Bank sends you a statement via email and you open it in Thailand? You are working.

It doesn't matter one iota what you think and your comparison to digital nomads is irrelevant. You are as guilty as a digital nomad for working illegally in Thailand.

Period.

Can you show me the law that says any of those things are "Working" as I think just about any foreigner with any kind of asset holidaying in Thailand has most likely broken it at some point.

There is no law that says I cannot check my stock portfolio, or read an email from my property management agent or pop onto my online banking site & notice the pittance of interest they've given me, if there were the US (I'm a Brit btw) would have found a way of taxing visitors for it.

Fact is all of the above activities are "Passive Income" & wouldn't be considered "Working"/"Employment".

This has been discussed many times on Thai visa and even answered by lawyers.

You are using Thailand as a base for your overseas income. You are using a computer and internet from Thailand. You are working illegally.

Again, you are using your own definition because it affects you negatively, but the law is the law.

I have nothing against you and do not care how you make your money, but the same rules apply to you just as they apply to digital nomads.

Why is this hard for you to understand?

I am not arguing the ridiculousness of the law, but it is what it is.

Can you point us to the thread where this conclusion was made as that would mean that I couldn't use my laptop/tab/phone in Thailand in case somebody (without me asking) informed me of receiving some money that I did nothing to earn except to have left some money with them at some point in the past.

Surely you know there's a difference between Passive (Not Working) & Active (Working) income.

Again.... who cares if I know the difference between passive and active income.

Completely irrelevant.

It's what the law says.

Sorry, I can not point you to a thread, but someone else surely will. It's there.

Hint: 1 of them is "Working", the other not so it's very relevant, though not for this thread.

It's funny how holier than though folks on retirement visa start behaving once they are caught red-handed working illegally in Thailand.

They start to make all kinds of excuses.

But they seem to have issues with "digital nomads"

Fact is even if you check your stock portfolio, you are working in Thailand and breaking the law.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if immigration next move is to move retirement age to 65.

After all this is the official retirement age in most countries.

Then they'll cry on this forum how life is unfair.

Mark my words.

How is checking my stock portfolio working? Or reading an email from the company that manages my rental property? By that logic, looking at a bank statement where I've earned interest is also working!!!

However, if somebody paid me to look after their share portfolio, or paid me for information to use for their portfolio then I would be working as I'd be carrying out an activity for another in exchange for payment.

So clearly if you're a "Digital Nomad" and are (in exchange for payment)...

- Designing/Coding/Testing/Documenting

- Managing somebody else's websites

- performing SEO

- Writing Books

- Writing (paid for) subscription articles

- Selling stuff on eBay

... You're working... Irrespective of whether the customer/cash is in Thailand.

It doesn't matter what you think.

By law, you are required to have a work permit regarding activities you have just described above.

You are checking your portfolio from Thailand? You are working,

You are managing your rentals from Thailand? You are working.

Bank sends you a statement via email and you open it in Thailand? You are working.

It doesn't matter one iota what you think and your comparison to digital nomads is irrelevant. You are as guilty as a digital nomad for working illegally in Thailand.

Period.

Can you show me the law that says any of those things are "Working" as I think just about any foreigner with any kind of asset holidaying in Thailand has most likely broken it at some point.

There is no law that says I cannot check my stock portfolio, or read an email from my property management agent or pop onto my online banking site & notice the pittance of interest they've given me, if there were the US (I'm a Brit btw) would have found a way of taxing visitors for it.

Fact is all of the above activities are "Passive Income" & wouldn't be considered "Working"/"Employment".

This has been discussed many times on Thai visa and even answered by lawyers.

You are using Thailand as a base for your overseas income. You are using a computer and internet from Thailand. You are working illegally.

Again, you are using your own definition because it affects you negatively, but the law is the law.

I have nothing against you and do not care how you make your money, but the same rules apply to you just as they apply to digital nomads.

Why is this hard for you to understand?

I am not arguing the ridiculousness of the law, but it is what it is.

Can you point us to the thread where this conclusion was made as that would mean that I couldn't use my laptop/tab/phone in Thailand in case somebody (without me asking) informed me of receiving some money that I did nothing to earn except to have left some money with them at some point in the past.

Surely you know there's a difference between Passive (Not Working) & Active (Working) income.

Hell, gaining interest from your Thai bank savings account would need a work permit.

Lol, the good news is that we'll all be able to sue the Banks for them forcing us to break Thai law by not checking we have a WP before paying us interest [emoji12]

But joking aside, we've strayed well off topic now (apologies, I find these sort of discussions fascinating), so we should probably get back to discussing METV.

Any news from London yet?

It's funny how holier than though folks on retirement visa start behaving once they are caught red-handed working illegally in Thailand.

They start to make all kinds of excuses.

But they seem to have issues with "digital nomads"

Fact is even if you check your stock portfolio, you are working in Thailand and breaking the law.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if immigration next move is to move retirement age to 65.

After all this is the official retirement age in most countries.

Then they'll cry on this forum how life is unfair.

Mark my words.

How is checking my stock portfolio working? Or reading an email from the company that manages my rental property? By that logic, looking at a bank statement where I've earned interest is also working!!!

However, if somebody paid me to look after their share portfolio, or paid me for information to use for their portfolio then I would be working as I'd be carrying out an activity for another in exchange for payment.

So clearly if you're a "Digital Nomad" and are (in exchange for payment)...

- Designing/Coding/Testing/Documenting

- Managing somebody else's websites

- performing SEO

- Writing Books

- Writing (paid for) subscription articles

- Selling stuff on eBay

... You're working... Irrespective of whether the customer/cash is in Thailand.

It doesn't matter what you think.

By law, you are required to have a work permit regarding activities you have just described above.

You are checking your portfolio from Thailand? You are working,

You are managing your rentals from Thailand? You are working.

Bank sends you a statement via email and you open it in Thailand? You are working.

It doesn't matter one iota what you think and your comparison to digital nomads is irrelevant. You are as guilty as a digital nomad for working illegally in Thailand.

Period.

Can you show me the law that says any of those things are "Working" as I think just about any foreigner with any kind of asset holidaying in Thailand has most likely broken it at some point.

There is no law that says I cannot check my stock portfolio, or read an email from my property management agent or pop onto my online banking site & notice the pittance of interest they've given me, if there were the US (I'm a Brit btw) would have found a way of taxing visitors for it.

Fact is all of the above activities are "Passive Income" & wouldn't be considered "Working"/"Employment".

This has been discussed many times on Thai visa and even answered by lawyers.

You are using Thailand as a base for your overseas income. You are using a computer and internet from Thailand. You are working illegally.

Again, you are using your own definition because it affects you negatively, but the law is the law.

I have nothing against you and do not care how you make your money, but the same rules apply to you just as they apply to digital nomads.

Why is this hard for you to understand?

I am not arguing the ridiculousness of the law, but it is what it is.

Can you point us to the thread where this conclusion was made as that would mean that I couldn't use my laptop/tab/phone in Thailand in case somebody (without me asking) informed me of receiving some money that I did nothing to earn except to have left some money with them at some point in the past.

Surely you know there's a difference between Passive (Not Working) & Active (Working) income.

How is checking my stock portfolio working? Or reading an email from the company that manages my rental property? By that logic, looking at a bank statement where I've earned interest is also working!!!

You have moved the goalposts .

He stated that he was "buying and selling", not just looking

He posted

"Looking at a share portfolio everyday & buying & selling to fund existence" isn't retired. "

It was stated that he was buying and selling , this was pointed out that this was working and you asked how is just checking a statement working !!!!!!!

I replied to the comment

Fact is even if you check your stock portfolio, you are working in Thailand and breaking the law.

In what way have I moved the goalposts?

The quote you've mentioned wasn't in the comment I replied to.

It's funny how holier than though folks on retirement visa start behaving once they are caught red-handed working illegally in Thailand.

They start to make all kinds of excuses.

But they seem to have issues with "digital nomads"

Fact is even if you check your stock portfolio, you are working in Thailand and breaking the law.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if immigration next move is to move retirement age to 65.

After all this is the official retirement age in most countries.

Then they'll cry on this forum how life is unfair.

Mark my words.

How is checking my stock portfolio working? Or reading an email from the company that manages my rental property? By that logic, looking at a bank statement where I've earned interest is also working!!!

However, if somebody paid me to look after their share portfolio, or paid me for information to use for their portfolio then I would be working as I'd be carrying out an activity for another in exchange for payment.

So clearly if you're a "Digital Nomad" and are (in exchange for payment)...

- Designing/Coding/Testing/Documenting

- Managing somebody else's websites

- performing SEO

- Writing Books

- Writing (paid for) subscription articles

- Selling stuff on eBay

... You're working... Irrespective of whether the customer/cash is in Thailand.

It doesn't matter what you think.

By law, you are required to have a work permit regarding activities you have just described above.

You are checking your portfolio from Thailand? You are working,

You are managing your rentals from Thailand? You are working.

Bank sends you a statement via email and you open it in Thailand? You are working.

It doesn't matter one iota what you think and your comparison to digital nomads is irrelevant. You are as guilty as a digital nomad for working illegally in Thailand.

Period.

Can you show me the law that says any of those things are "Working" as I think just about any foreigner with any kind of asset holidaying in Thailand has most likely broken it at some point.

There is no law that says I cannot check my stock portfolio, or read an email from my property management agent or pop onto my online banking site & notice the pittance of interest they've given me, if there were the US (I'm a Brit btw) would have found a way of taxing visitors for it.

Fact is all of the above activities are "Passive Income" & wouldn't be considered "Working"/"Employment".

It's funny how holier than though folks on retirement visa start behaving once they are caught red-handed working illegally in Thailand.

They start to make all kinds of excuses.

But they seem to have issues with "digital nomads"

Fact is even if you check your stock portfolio, you are working in Thailand and breaking the law.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if immigration next move is to move retirement age to 65.

After all this is the official retirement age in most countries.

Then they'll cry on this forum how life is unfair.

Mark my words.

How is checking my stock portfolio working? Or reading an email from the company that manages my rental property? By that logic, looking at a bank statement where I've earned interest is also working!!!

However, if somebody paid me to look after their share portfolio, or paid me for information to use for their portfolio then I would be working as I'd be carrying out an activity for another in exchange for payment.

So clearly if you're a "Digital Nomad" and are (in exchange for payment)...

- Designing/Coding/Testing/Documenting

- Managing somebody else's websites

- performing SEO

- Writing Books

- Writing (paid for) subscription articles

- Selling stuff on eBay

... You're working... Irrespective of whether the customer/cash is in Thailand.