SooKee

I've not progressed any line of enquiry with AOC about NOW, that would have been amongst my next steps. However, given that NOW are based out of Hong Kong and also in light of some comments by Sheryl in another thread, I won't even be considering changing to NOW. The impression I get is that AOC have an axe to grind with April, perhaps hence their recommendation to switch, I could be wrong but it looks highly suspicious. I'm most definitely not interested in switching just because AOC want me to out of spite!

I posted comments in another thread that Sheryl responded to that may give some insight as to why AOC recommends NOW. Concerns me enough to ignore their advice in this regard. I might even look for yet another broker, just can't be bothered at the moment.

Hmmm, interesting, thanks. I'ver had no claims, 68 this year so probably could change but any policy is going to get expensive as age creeps up. NOW is out then, definitely not interested in that, nor in any fortune telling claim that it likely won't go up as much as April, until it does that is! I'll likely stick with April. I definitely don't want to change just because AOC has an axe to grind against April, not impressed with their service anyway thus far.

My renewal is due with April this year and AOC brokers are recommending (peddling?) Now Health to me too. I always get a bit suspicious when I hear of the same broker promoting a single company and always wonder why. They advised me to switch last year too when the Now Health policy was even more expensive than April! While I'm not averse to switching companies if it is definitely in my best interests to do so but I'm not entirely sure if this switch is in my best interests or someone else's. In fairness I've not been that impressed with AOC Brokers either! Nowhere near as good as when AA were operating here (and still dealing with non-Thai policies). Of course not paying and self-insuring as I know many do is a tempting option, given the escalating cost of treatment though and the potential for repeat treatments being needed I wouldn't consider myself to be self insured unless I had $5m in the bank. I have seen lots of posts from folks saying they have THB 1m set aside for self-insurance, IMO that would cut it only if nothing serious happened.

My renewal is due with April France this year and AOC brokers are recommending (peddling?) Now Health to me too. I always get a bit suspicious when I hear of the same broker repeatedly promoting a single company and always wonder why. They advised me to switch last year too when the Now Health policy was even more expensive than April! While I'm not averse to switching companies if it is definitely in my best interests to do so, I'm not entirely sure if this switch is in my best interests or someone else's. I have to say I've not been that impressed with AOC Brokers either, last year I received nothing from them at all regarding my renewal and had to contact them after I received a notice from April direct, a far cry from the gold standard service they said they offered when I switched to them the year before. Summary review - crap! ! Nowhere near as good as when AA were operating here (and still dealing with non-Thai policies).

Old post now but my renewal is due with April this year and AOC brokers are recommending (peddling?) Now Health to me too. I always get a bit suspicious when I hear of the same broker promoting a single company and always wonder why. They advised me to switch last year too when the Now Health policy was even more expensive than April! While I'm not averse to switching companies if it is definitely in my best interests to do so but I'm not entirely sure if this switch is in my best interests or someone else's. In fairness I've not been that impressed with AOC Brokers either! Nowhere near as good as when AA were operating here (and still dealing with non-Thai policies).

Are Netizens not outraged this time 🙄

I was looking at the Giorno +125 ABS a couple of weeks ago in Korat, the dealer wanted 77,000! From what I understand it's scarcity that's giving the Honda dealers more leeway to bump the price over the 66,000 RRP. I was considering the Giorno as an alternative to the Yamaha Grand Filano, similar style, has a couple of design features I like more and I generally prefer Honda (more dealerships and service centres mainly) but no way is 10,000+ better, the Grand Filano also being pitched at around the same RRP as the Giorno. I won't be looking to buy for another 8 months or so, maybe the supply chain issues will have eased by then, I def won't be paying 10K over RRP though.

Just noticed a news item indicating that the Cabinet has signed off on 20 new "top up tax' (whatever that means), hopefully it doesn't include this proposed change.

Star??? 🙄

Quick update on this. Received my 90 day receipt approved today 3 Feb from CW following a postal application sent on 21 Dec, (first report after re-entering Thailand, the online report having been rejected) having been approved 3 Jan. So in this case at least, doing a first report after entering Thailand online will be rejected (saying you need to attend in person) but a postal application WILL be accepted. Of course, saying that will apply in every case at every office is a different matter entirely!

Quick update on this. Received my 90 day receipt approved today 3 Feb from CW following a postal application sent on 21 Dec, (first report after re-entering Thailand, the online report having been rejected) having been approved 3 Jan. So in this case at least, doing a first report after entering Thailand online will be rejected (saying you need to attend in person) but a postal application WILL be accepted. Of course, saying that will apply in every case at every office is a different matter entirely!

Ah right. I'll keep my appointments as is then, I will be a month early for my Extension. Thanks for the update re the 90 day queue. IIRC last time I had to do a 90 day in person was at MTT, what a saga that was!

Hmmm. I've got two appointments booked but the 90 day is the first one. I thought they may see no recent 90 Day in the passport and hit me there and then with a fine (unless the extension crew don't get involved with the 90 Day side? The main reason I did the 90 day appointment first is that I can plan the timing for that better. 90 day at 09:20, extension at 10:00. The passport can take some time to come back otherwise (just twigged as I type this, maybe they don't want the passport for the 90 day?). From what I've seen, having juggled multiple appointments, the extension appointments are literally released on a daily basis, 1 month before and only 5 a day. 90 day I found had much more availability but they all go fast.

Indeed. Still waiting for any reply to my postal application that was sent to Chaeng Wattana on 21 December following my online application being rejected (first report after re-entering Thailand needs to be in person so the rejection email said). Only 25 January so there's still time. I will go to renew my extension on 7 February. If it comes back approved before then, fine. If it comes back rejected, so be it. If there's still no reply by 7 February I'll just take my EMS receipt for the postal application and see if that saves a fine. No way will I go to CW just for a 90 day though unless I have something else to do there, appointment or not.

Submit a tax return while they're still unclear what the rules are? Pass. 🙄

Watched or still watching: Wolf Hall S2: Can't say I was that impressed. Endless shots of Cromwell walking from A-B and / or gazing into the distance. A 90 minute movie (max) dragged out for 6 hours. That said I didn't particularly enjoy S1 either, I just like period dramas. Far preferred The Tudors TBH, bit more fast and loose with the history but way better entertainment IMO, plus the cast didn't all look like the walking dead and didn't mumble constantly! Star Trek The Next Generation: Never been a Trekkie but just fancied giving it a spin. Still prefer James T. Kirk and co., not bad though, even if it looks dated (at least S1 does!). I think I could make a more convincing alien planet surface in my garden. "We come in peace, shoot to skill. shoot to kill". 🤣 Dune Prophecy: Really enjoying it. Das Boot S4: One of the better WW2 series IMO. Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: A Guy Ritchie take on a WW2 action movie. Thoroughly enjoyed The Penguin: Pretty decent too, even if I prefer that Sofia Falcone part of the story. Gladiatior II: Wash, rinse & repeat of Gladiator pretty much with a less interesting story and not a particularly outstanding cast. Gone for the wow action scenes too much in this one IMO. I'd go so far as to say I thought it was crap! Silo S2: Nowhere near as good as S1, really slow, struggled to get to the end of it, lost interest about half way through. Bad Sisters S2: Not bad, again S1 better IMO. Looking forward to The White Lotus S3 (set in Thailand this time), again that suffered with S2 not being as good as S1.

Except that CW now specifically stated in their online rejection email that the first report after re-entering Thailand has to be done in person, in person does not include by post unless they mean that but fall short of actually saying it. So they don't have to accept it all, the reason being their requirement that it's done in person. I'm hoping that postal also qualifies but there's no guarantee at all.

I know you report at Building B, been doing it for years. My reference to IMPACT was merely because I often go there and if I happen to be there it means the trip to Immigration is not SUCH a ball ache. Yeah I've got the link etc. I use appointments all the time. Just juggling the dates to see what best suits. I will likely just wait until the extension is due. If the postal 90 day comes back approved before, all well and good. If it doesn't I'll just stick to my already booked appointment for the extension. If the 90 day gets approved in the meantime, fine. If not, I'll just eat the fine. At least I'll know whether postal applications do or don't work after re-entry, at least until it changes again!

Yeah, I have an appointment booked to do a report in person at CW on 7 Jan (2 days before the end of the 7 day grace period) if it isn't back by then (i don't expect it to be). Just depends if I'll be out at IMPACT as to whether I'll bother. My earliest "45 day before expiry" for doing my Extension though is 22 January, if it's going to be rejected, better if comes back only a couple of days before then, I can then do both at the same time and maybe the EMS receipt and delivery confirmation etc will avoid a fine. It's no big deal if doesn't though and I'd rather wait and see if the postal option does work rather than pre-empt it by reporting in person on 7th. Meanwhile I'll keep juggling the online appointments. Be great of the postal comes back approved. Much less hassle.

I wait with bated breath to see if the postal application works. Fingers crossed! Maybe the IO being able to see the paperwork, including the last entry stamp, will swing it. Either that or it definitely IS in person only now.

It was 13 days before the due date (luckily my online rejected reply came back within 2 days, a few 'Approved' replies I got last year / early this took 2-3 weeks) so I might get away with it, got away with it with one when I was doing postal before and that was also late by a only 2-3 days, just got a "submit earlier next time" note in with the receipt. Last time I returned to Thailand following a trip overseas was March 2020, the first application after that trip was made online and that got accepted so it took me by surprise when it got bounced this time. Maybe that was due to covid lockdown though, I arrived literally the day before they shut the borders. Either that or the 'policy' changed since then with in person reports (hopefully postal too) only being accepted.

I've never had a problem with an online 90 day after renewing my extension. Only time I had to go in person until recently was the first 90 day in a new passport. I did however get an online application rejected by CW about a week ago, it being the first since I returned to Thailand in October. Now waiting to see if a postal application will be accepted (despite the rejection email for the online report saying fist 90 day after re-entry must be done in person). Not holding out much hope but if they do accept it, it will save me some hassle, worth the 50 baht to see.

Thought I might as well try it by post. Sent today, 12 days before the due date. I too had a “send earlier next time” note on one of mine once before when I was doing postal regularly, before online came into being. Since then though, online has worked for me, only needed to go in person when I renewed my passport. More importantly, I can see if they still accept postal as a first report after returning to Thailand. I already have an appointment made for 7 Jan which is two days before the 7 day cut off. If it comes back rejected before 7 January I can still go in person (or not). If it comes back later than 30 days so much the better. If it’s accepted, all good, if it’s rejected I’ll be within my 45 days before expiry renewal period so can do it with extension renewal, provided they don’t say “we already told you by email to go in person”. If they do accept the postal I can’t think why online isn’t acceptable, unless they want to see a copy of your entry stamp in the passport which they will with postal (but they can see your entry date on the system anyway), or even if they just need to have physical forms to input from for the first report. We’ll see.

I'm at 12 days now, given it's just a couple of stamps I might give it a try (as per above post), just claim ignorance if they reject it. Worst that can happen is having to pay up. Online always works for me, just this time I screwed up, aside from is all being pointless hassle of course 🙁