roath

3 minutes ago, imaderbyfan said:

I believe that I am correct in saying that current Thai immigration regs, in relation to the retirement extension, give an option of a monthly income of at least 65,000 baht, which until now has been verified by the Embassy.....there is no mention of the money being in a Thai account......That has come from the embassy.

So either they are aware of a policy change to immigration regs, or they have made a,  currently, incorrect statement.

Correct

The current requirement (as promulgated) is simply for income of 65K. No mention (to date) of a requirement for funds being transferred to Thailand (which isn't then proof of income, but something else entirely)

All the people calling everyone else stupid don't seem to appreciate that they are the ones showing themselves up as lacking some basic comprehension skills

2 minutes ago, 8OA8 said:

Has anyone used the B800k seasoned funds that were transferred in via Transferwise? 

Previously I used funds transferred in from my bank in UK, however for some time now I've just used the embassy letter and have been happily using Transferwise for receiving my overseas funds as and when required, however I'm aware this could be considered a Hawala arrangement for which the funds aren't coming from outside Thailand. Basically I'm curious to know if Thai Immigration have a record of having accepted documentation of this source of seasoned funds 

Are you aware that TransferWise is transferring funds from within Thailand and not externally? I don't know so I am asking if you have better information. I understood that their system just worked through the FX in the same way as any bank to bank transaction

1 minute ago, Runamile said:

If our embassies couldn't or wouldn't properly check any more I question the ability or willingness of the Thai authorities to do so.  Will they informally introduce a rule of 65K a month so long as it comes into the Thai bank account in an easy to check one or two monthly payments, and preferably with the word "Pension" attached to the details? I find the income issue not, in theory, a great concern. In reality I find the will anybody be bothered to check in difficult detail issue a huge concern.

The requirements are for income (which includes a pension). I don't get a pension for another 15 years 

2 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

How do you prove that using an ATM ? My state pension provider in Germany would transfer money to Thailand but my company pension provider would only transfer money to a German bank. When I asked some time ago if my German bank could automatically transfer my income to a Thai bank each month they seemed reluctant ''We wouldn't advise this method''. Transferwise would be an option but I would have to make a transaction every month.

Your bank account in Thailand should show funds of 65K being transferred in. Presumably, if the amount varies, they will average over 12 months (but really, this needs to be clarified as many, including myself, transfer funds at a different rate every month depending on requirements so some months will be more and some less)

the bank book should show the payments into your account and presumably (again, presuming as don't know yet) the bank can provide a letter confirming

many people (including myself) use a facility called transferwise (or something similar) which is a cheaper way of transferring funds and done from a local bank to their banking facility and then they transfer direct to your local account). Apart from cheaper fees and a better FX rate, they also provide you with a PDF of your transaction which should make things easier to keep tabs on and you don't need to deal with your local bank at all

I read recent reports that DLT are only giving out 2 year DL replacements now for Thai Elite holders rather than 5 year which would be a significant disadvantage of the Elite visa over a standard non-immigrant visa. 

3 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

That wasn't the question.

 

If you need to file a TM30, apply for a Certificate of residence, or an extension, Immigration will request some form of proof of address you write on the form.

If you own a Condo, your limited to what you can supply as documentary evidence.

Blue Tabien Baan, has the address, but your not named in it.

Maybe a Yellow Tabien Baan, that will have your name and address in it,

Chanute will work every time though.

If the condo is your residential address (i.e. the one that you use when you make any application and the one on your driving licence etc.) then yes use that one. It should be the same as the address in the Blue Book (albeit in Thai, so you will need a translation, if you can't read or write Thai)

It makes no difference that you are not recorded on the Blue Book. You will have the Chanote with a copy of your name, and you will probably need this the first time that you register (the first time, I believe you need to do in person for this reason). Once you have registered with immigration, and are recorded on the system, they will give you a reference number which you can use for subsequent registrations.

I am 'house keeper' under the rules so I report myself on TM30 which is slightly nuts (not least as I also have a yellow book which is de facto proof of residence issued by the Thai government) but anyway

You don't need a certificate or residence. Complete nonsense (unless the poster is referring to the address used by immigration for you on the certificate). If you have an old certificate of residence for that address, then you can use a copy of that also as additional proof of address (doesn't matter for these purposes if it's an out' of date certificate) although if you have a certificate of residence and haven't reported your TM30 before, you may be liable to a fine for late reporting (really, a lot depends on which office you are using)

4 hours ago, jackdd said:

If by license you mean "tax" then yes, it can both be done in 7/11. But you need a Thai person with Thai id card with you because they need to put the ID card in their smartcard reader (can be any person)

Or presumably a foreigner with a yellow book or pink ID card

15 hours ago, KittenKong said:

 

 

Moral: never buy anything in Thailand if you can possibly avoid it.

Bit hard to do if you are actually living here I think....

16 hours ago, Bung said:

I've owned a classic 500 for a couple of years now, just 5000 klm ridden. I have to say I am loving this bike, in fact, more than I thought I would! I've always wanted a classic bike and this fits the bill with modern efi for reliability and disc front brake for safety. I've had zero problems. I've fitted an aftermarket exhaust (made locally and nice looking) but was too loud so I had the guy fit a baffle. I also fitted a an ejk fuel controller and it runs a bit smoother now. 

 

 I just use it around town, it's relaxed loping engine is great for tooling around and it will slug along from very low revs. Your wasting your time revving it through the gears, change up early and let the long stroke engine and torque get you along. It is happy at 90 kmh, more for short times. I've done the MHS loop no problems. 

 

Build quality is surprisingly good, I believe there are cheaper local Indian ones and "export quality" ones, the understand Indians are happy with a cheaper product but international customers expect a higher quality. I've seen the "export quality" sticker under the seat. 

 

Expect to see the new 650 twins being released soon, they are an all new engine with none of the vibes of the singles

The export models are often checked by local importers to have known faults remedied. The new models are out in November, and are meant to be up to higher standards with millions being spent on the factory in Chennai, with extensive use of robotics and better quality control.  RE now have a large UK design team which I suspect has also made a difference, with Western standards being applied. The new bikes are larger 650cc twins so should be better for long journeys. I am waiting to see what they are like also before committing, but looking forward to seeing how they are.  I have a scooter but what biker would compare a scooter (practical for getting round town etc.) with the true experience of riding a motorbike. 

Your visa status has nothing to do with the validity of your will in Thailand.

Generally speaking, you should have a Will in your home country for your assets abroad, and a Will specifically for your assets in Thailand. I would not recommend that you mix the two (difficulties over cost and jurisdiction).

You can get DIY kits for foreign will for validity in your home country. They can be executed over here, although I would recommend that you obtain copies of any witnesses' passports and/or ID. If your circumstances are complicated, I would recommend that you get a lawyer who is experienced in dealing with wills and probate (not all are). It can be cheaper in the long run to get it right first time round as obviously it will be too late after the fact. You need to state that your will covers your assets in your home country (or globally apart from Thailand, if you have e.g. off-shore accounts or other assets).

Your foreign will can be modified for use here. You just need to specify that the Will covers your assets in Thailand only.

7 hours ago, jackdd said:

First you said an IDP is valid for use for only 90 days, now you are talking about insurance. In general i can't prove that something does not exist. You said a general 90 day limit exists, so provide a source for it if you think you are correct

 

What you just said is also not correct. The only insurance that is required in Thailand to drive legally is the compulsary insurance and to be covered by this insurance you don't even need a driving license at all, so it also doesn't matter how long you have been in the country http://www.rvp.co.th/ (Click on "How to make a claim" and you see that you only need to provide ID card or passport, no driving license)

 

If you don't have a licence (or a valid licence), then you aren't driving legally, which is a different issue from not being insured (as would be the case in Western countries for example).  However, even if you can claim against compulsory the third party insurance, that insurance is, as I mentioned in my previous post, extremely limited in scope. The poster is, as you point out, confusing two different issues, but that doesn't mean to say that they don't have a point.

Making a claim against First or Second class insurance is the one that counts for anything apart from a minor accident, and the insurance companies can (not always) be a stickler for having a proper licence in order to make a claim. Of course, the fact that the law in Thailand with regarding to foreign licences is somewhat vague isn't helpful, but generally, if you are here as a tourist on a tourist visa then a valid IDP will be accepted, whereas if you are here as an expat on a non-immigrant visa (for example), then you would be expected to have a Thai licence.

It's a grey area for sure, but as a rule of thumb, if you are here longer than 90 days, it makes a lot of sense to get a Thai licence (for which there are numerous other benefits to having anyway) which just avoids the issue completely

7 hours ago, jackdd said:

First you said an IDP is valid for use for only 90 days, now you are talking about insurance. In general i can't prove that something does not exist. You said a general 90 day limit exists, so provide a source for it if you think you are correct

 

What you just said is also not correct. The only insurance that is required in Thailand to drive legally is the compulsary insurance and to be covered by this insurance you don't even need a driving license at all, so it also doesn't matter how long you have been in the country http://www.rvp.co.th/ (Click on "How to make a claim" and you see that you only need to provide ID card or passport, no driving license)

 

Third party compulsory cover is very limited. 80k maximum for injury and 300k maximum for death. 

22 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Sorry no. The IDP ( there is no IDL) is only valid for use for 90 days from your date of entry, that is independent of the validity of the IDP itself (some IDP's are for 3 years).

 

If you have a serious accident you will probably quickly find that out, as your insurance requirement is that you need a Thai licence if you have been in Thailand more than 90 days.

 

Don't believe that just because you were able to rent a car without a Thai licence that the insurance is any different.

Don't believe that just because you bought insurance or renewed your insurance that it is valid if you don't have a Thai licence and you've been in Thailand more than 90 days.

 

Please do not find out the hard way

No IDP is valid for longer than 12 months. The ones that have longer expiry dates are usually offered as a credit card type document, and are not legal. They might work at a roadside check, but may not pass muster with an insurance company in the event of a claim. 

On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 11:25 AM, jackdd said:

KhunBENQ just said in the post above that the DLT in Pattaya doesn't accept an 1968 IDP, so how is it "universally accepted" in Thailand?

 

Because in the law there is no paragraph saying it is only valid for 90 days. But actually there is a section in the treaty which says it's valid for a year. Did you ever hear of anybody who had problems with it after 90 days? Imho the "90 days rule" is just something people copy from each other without ever looking at the laws.

 

It's not my "personal opinion", because everything i said is backed by an official source. But your "90 days rule" is a personal opinion, because nobody here did ever provide an official source for it.

 

And actually i just try to help people who could find themself in big trouble if they listen to wrongfully given advice like that a German IDP is valid in Thailand.

Let's say somebody travels to Thailand with his German license and German IDP and has a health insurance from a German insurance company which also covers him while riding a motorbike. Now in Thailand he is involved in a serious accident and ends up in Hospital for a while, and in the end has to pay a bill of 2 million THB. The insurance company will 100% get one of their lawyers on this, and their lawyer will figure out the the German IDP is not valid in Thailand according to the laws (the same laws that i looked at, see all the quotes in the other topic). And then the health insurance will just refuse to pay because he drove without having a valid license.

From posts I have seen online, I think the 90 day issue has arisen not with the police but with insurance requiring appropriate DLs for residents (terms in the insurance documentation which isn't the same as strict legal requirements) and regarding those in Thailand for longer than 90 days as residents and therefore requiring local licences as opposed to foreign licences.  I may be wrong on that, but that was seemed to be the real issue about not having a Thai DL as a long term resident.

6 hours ago, MunkyBoogar said:

To drive in Thailand you need to possess either a Thai drivers license or an international drivers license(IDL). IDL can only be used for the first year.

If you are here longer than 3 months (i.e. not here as a tourist) then you should get a Thai DL as the IDP may not be valid for insurance purposes if used long term, as it is not intended for a resident of a country to use with a foreign licence. The police are unlikely to do more than a cursory check however, but if you have an accident, then the insurance may check your length of stay as well as everything else. A definite tick in the box for getting a Thai DL then if you are here regularly and/or staying here long term (e.g. on a 1 year family visit extension if you have Thai family). 

It's also worth having a Thai DL for other reasons such as using as photo ID and getting (sometimes) Thai or local prices at various attractions or national parks. You can also book into hotels etc. without having to use (or carry around) your passport. 

Thai nationality is largely irrelevant for whether you can obtain a DL or not. The only difference is that as a foreigner (which you would be without any form of Thai ID), you will need a resident's certificate and copies of passport and visa etc.  

If they haven't already moved in, then you are in a better position than if they are already sitting tenants. You can break the contract, but you will be liable for expenses incurred, which may include agent's fees and removal fees etc. if they have already committed themselves. As others have said, it would be best if you were just honest with your intended tenants and see if you can work something out. Most people would be unhappy at having reluctant landlords, which could cause friction over the course of the year, and of course, the possibility that they will be asked to move at the end of the year regardless (presuming it is a one year contract). Again, it would be worth speaking to the new owner as to what he/she prefers also before speaking to the tenants. 

On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2018 at 7:52 PM, snowgard said:

In the end I learned the following: "Foreign legal consultants are not the money worth because they can't help you real. If you use they, you have to pay the double price because they must use a Thai layer for legal advice and you have to pay for the foreigner legal consultant AND the Thai lawyer." ???

 

So it is in real better and cheaper to find a good, english speaking Thai lawyer as to take a foreign legal consultant. For this have a look at the website of your embassy and ask your friends.

It is certainly the case that you need a Thai Attorney in addition to any FLC should you require to carry out any interface with Thai authority (e.g. at Amphur or at Court, where you can only be represented by a qualified Thai lawyer). It would be malpractice if the FLC did not inform you of that.

However, saying that, to say that FLCs are not worth the money simply because of shows a complete lack of understanding how the legal profession works in practice (where often several lawyers are involved depending on the complexity of the issue/s) and not least the value of professional advice from a foreigner dealing with another foreigner in their nature language and with a common cultural background.

You may have had a bad experience with someone who claimed to be a lawyer (e.g. a visa agent, the vast majority of whom are not even qualified lawyers in their own home countries, so I wouldn't be surprised at all at a bad experience), but that doesn't mean that you can tar the entirety of the professionals who work here trying to help expats. There are many RLC who are properly qualified, and simply cannot practice in Thailand, but that doesn't mean that they have no value over a Thai lawyer. I have had many poor experiences with Thai lawyers here sadly, and the fact is that professional standards and compliance is very poor here compared with the majority of common law jurisdictions. But anyway....

Most Embassies publish a list of local lawyers/consultants, and you can always try and contact one of the firms closest to the model that you intend to use and see if they can give you any pointers if they have done themselves.

The only organisation which is able to issue licences for Lawyers in Thailand is the Thai Bar Association. The Law Society of Thailand may be able to help you, but it is only a trade association representing lawyers and will not be able to issue licences itself.

All the lawyers I know working in Thailand are practising here as Consultants. Not Legal Consultants but simply Consultants. I suspect that in practice only the major law firms are likely to have bothered to register their lawyers for a limited licence. The website makes it clear that it is only to facilitate foreign registered lawyers to give advice on international matters (i.e. matters not reserved to Thai law). This would be similar for example to the system in the USA where foreign lawyers can register and give advice on foreign/international law (or non-jurisidictional services such as mediation), but cannot practice as attorneys in the US. 

On ‎6‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 12:43 AM, Damrongsak said:

When I get back to Loei, I'm going to do legal consulting.  I'm a Barister. 

 

I'll be on the end stool at Saloon Loei.

I thought baristers worked at coffee shops

22 hours ago, Dario said:

Is that new? AFAIK no foreigner can be registered in a blue Thai household registration.

Someone with PR can't have the book in their name, but they can be registered in the blue book as living there

3 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

Blue and Yellow books ? are mutually exclusive. 

 

Not quite. If you have PR, you could have a Yellow Book and be registered in the Blue Book, but generally the yellow book is for foreigners, and the blue book is for Thais.