ronnie50

Hi @Sheryl Can you recommend a good ENT Doctor that specializes on ear problems - like recurrent earaches (e.g. specializes in ears rather than sinsus or nasal)? The one I've been seeing for the last two years says everything seems fine - but it's not..

It would be good if AC turned the seasonal flignts into year-round. AC has the rights to the route it inherited from the (defunct) Canadian Airlines (CP) - THAI Airways joint route. I guess the two countries' government air authorities would need to agree to that. Then again, as you say, particularly for American travelers to/from BKK, there are so many other pretty good connecting flights via Japan, Korea, Taiwan, it probably wouldn't make a lot of business sense. THAI used to fly non-stop to LA for many years - I even took that flight myself once. They tried BKK-New York briefly too. But, yeah, it's tough.

Yes, you're probably right.

Too bad the Corrs or ( whomever) is responsible for their booking has chosen a mall in central Bangkok. While that venue is very good for many things, a real Western style concert IMO (Thai LIbel Lawyers - F-cuk off), needs arena-style seating so that elevation is possible in oval style to see the band and not 4000 people seated on the floor hundreds of metres from the actual performance. I saw the Scorpions at the other place near Lak Si many years ago and that was okay. Not really great but okay thanks to elevated seating options. Anyway, I won't be paying to see the Corrs in central Bangkok - to my own disappointment. I hope others enjoy it - if they can actually see it.

I seem to recall that all concert seating at Paragon Hall in Bangkok is on one level (no risers), is that right? Haven't been there in ages and can't remember. Some photos on the Web suggest all 5,000 seats are floor level.. but maybe there are other modalities? Cheers.

Thanks, I just kept checking each day several times and finally got a convenient day (not too early in the week, in case the bank documeents weren't ready..it would give me extra time to work on the banks)

Thanks @rockedbottom that's very useful. So that's the letter, then the statement is several pages long if you ask for 3 or 6 months, is that right? (and takes longer to get)?

Sorry if not clear. Yes, this is my first retirement extension request following the 3 month O Visa I received for that purpose. My bank is SCB. I know there isn't one at CW. However, a branch near my place (not my own branch) is helpful. They printed the oversease transfer credit advisory same day (in just a few minutes), however that wasn't enough for IO, who then sent me to another branch on Changwattana Road. They gave me a 'certificate of deposits' in Thai language and checked a box that said it's addressed to Immigration and I took that along (for the O visa). Would the two letters (letter and statement) for the extension be different?

I really don't understand why she would stick around and travel around Thailand as a tourist after that experience. Not too smart. As mentioned there are many foreigners who have lost their properties and other wealth, even to fairly low-level operatives and they get no compensation or cooperation in the courts, police, elsewhere. Then there's the farang professional guy who had his PhD thesis copied almost page for page by some Thai pooyai here. When he took the matter to the university, he started getting threats and rocks through his windows.

Thanks, very useful. I wasn't aware the statement would take so long. Isn't it just a print out (of how many months)? Then a stamp by the bank branch? I gather I can go to any branch, not specifically my own for both letter and statement, is that right? Sorry one more question, is the bank 'letter' the same one I took for my O Visa request? It was addressed to Immigration and indicated the amount of international transfer (and I think the balance that day). All in Thai.

Thanks. Useful indeed. So if I show up at 11am, I can ask for an afternoon queue ticket? Or are they just issued continuously, but getting the queue number late morning let's you walk in at 1pm (but then wait my turn while all those from morning who still haven't been seen - is that right?) - also can the two bank letters (letter and statement) be issued while you wait? Like 30 minutes, etc.)?

Does anyone know how often Immigration Division 1 refreshes/opens their online calendar for appointments? The queue for retirement extensions is booked solid for the next four weeks. Do they open it day by day (like 8 am each morning and it quickly fills), or do they do it week by week? Curious if anyone knows the practice. I know I can just go there (CW) early any day without an appointment and line up to get a queue number.. but the appointment system seems better - but not easy to get one..

Thanks again. At Changwattana, can I go back to apply for the retirement extension after 45 days, or do I need to wait for 60 days? The money (800) has been seasoning in my Thai account for more than 2 months already..even before I applied for the O visa..

I've used a few usually around the Pleon Chit area. However, some years back, we were getting a previously translated Thai -to-English birth certificate certified at Changwattana Govt office for our son who was travelling on a school trip out of Thailand and the official there pointed out several inaccuracies in the translated version we had. So it was revised again there - I guess by their own service or proxy - which we paid for.

I'm a bit confused on when my 90 day reporting is required. I entered Thailand 24 November on 60 day visa exemption, then applied for the 3 month O visa based upon retirement. The visa was duly issued on 17th January, backdated to 2 January when I applied for it. So when do I report the first 90 days? Does the clock start when I get a 12 month extension (day 1) , or do the weeks that I was here already on the visa waiver, plus the days here on the O visa combined count toward the 90 days (meaning 90 days in late Feb before getting extension)?

Yes, thanks, I was aware of that. My point was no assets 'and no UK income' (should have added the latter).

True of getting off topic. Anyway, the UK revenue site is clear. If you don't live in UK, have absolutely no assets there (OK maybe just a bank which is fine) you are NON-RESIDENT for tax purposes. There are some other things - your State Pension willl be taxed at source (25%?) but that's it. Others may know more..

This needs a new topic. But the history of this website's political leanings - I mean it's long time posters which I've seen (and I guess before it) might mean it won't get bumped up. Tonight the coup leaders from BOTH past coups were on the Thai Royal news tonight. Yes, they were given prominent exposure - but no one from the present government of the people. That's worrying. Why? At least to me.

I use Siam Commercial Bank - I'm aware they don't have a branch at CW, but there are a few nearby - also one near my place so I would plan to go to SCB in AM and book appoitnment at CW for afternoon. And I believe you said before that I have up to 7 days in advance of IO appointment to get the bank letter and bank statement. I would update the account on the day of the appointment with a small deposit and get a photocopy of the bank book (if bank won't photocopy I can dash home and scan/print). Is there a specific form for the Medical Certificate that the Immigration Dept wants us to use? I guess I can make withdrawals from this account now as long as I keep a balance of more than 800k?

I just got my O Retirement visa today at CW. Many thanks to @DrJack54 and @Upnotover and some others for the very helpful info. The visa's start date was not today (which suprised me a bit), but rather the day I applied to change from 60 day exempt to Non O Retirement. So effectively it's valid 2.5 months from the date they actually stamp it into your passport. Mine will expire 1 April. If I understand DrJack above, that means my window for going back to CW to apply for the extension would be the last two weeks of February (is that correct)? I agree that making four trips there and back seems redundant - but it is what it is - and I was treated well by the IOs. But parking there is a real sh!t show. It took me a full hour to circle through all five floors of parking, and I only found a parking spot on the second attempt at entering the huge parking garage.

BBC did a story on it too. I think the first lawyer ripped him off too though, right?

It gets worse than that. If married (to a Thai) and your spouse runs up huge credit card debts or bank loans (with or without your knowledge), the creditors can come after you to recover 100% of the debts if she won't/can't pay. Like so many things here, what should just be a civil court matter, can also become a criminal matter.

It seems like little more than a sales pitch by these guys - and is the American even legally a tax consultant here? They didn't really answer anything, nor source the part about credit card purchases in THB being assessible. The other thing that I really don't understand is how the TRD would know whether money I transferred from my home country was from a savings account in existance for decades, and was presumably 'after tax savings' (already taxed elsewhere - and how would I even prove that?). Until a government Minister lays out a clear policy statement, this is all still just noise.

In the UK, there used to be a TV series about nasty neighbours. In one episode, one neighbour had a dog that would bark constantly, especially when the owner wasn't home. The neighbours complained to the owner about his dog, but he did nothing to stop it and the barking went on and on. So the complainants decided to record the dog's barking. They then installed a loudspeaker and aimed it across the fence at the dog owner's house. They'd let the recording of the barking play 24/7 when they went away on holidays. And kept playing it at full blast whenever they went out - even after the dog died!

Hello again, I am supposed to return to CW Immigration later this week to find out the 'result' of my request for the O visa (for eventual request for retirement extension). The IO told me to come directly to her on the date. She gave me a pink receipt for the 2,000 baht paid and told me to bring that and my passport on the day. She said no appointment necessary - just come to see her. Does this sound like the standard practice? Should I also bring all the other docs with me just in case I get asked for something else? Cheers.