Firefan

oh, but please tell us HOW you got it! Applied where? What documents needed?

Cheers!

Run from debt to wife/tax authorities!? Mens rights groups!? Buying house in Ecuador!? Losing EU passport for an Ecuadorian passport(takes 2 years btw!)!?

The advise here just gets better and better!

Laughed out loud! - now gotta get rid of the coffee spill, darn it!

Cheers!

PS. btw, where will the 800-900 Euro/month pension be paid from u think...am guessing Ireland - I.e. changing passport/running from debt means consider it GONE.

PPS. still giggling here....

First things first; sort out your divorce. She can certainly divorce you anyway even if you don't want to (especially if you left the country!) - and would you want Interpol/police/embassy messing up your nice retirement?

You make it sound like you can just leave, and they will never find you/collect from you - that is naive at best - criminal too probably. Pay the Euro 250k I presume/you indicate you owe her and sort out the divorce. Next is the taxes; same thing applies!

Yeah, Now you might be left with say Euro 200k or so - quite a different number, but at least you are not in jail

With Euro 200k invested in a well diversified portfolio - preferably somewhere with lower/no taxes (gold, high yield bonds, dividend paying stocks, AUD/EUR cash term/time deposits and other things mentioned here can ALL be part of that) you have a good foundation for moving to Thailand for an initial "test run". If market takes a dip, you will still get income from it - but those can often also drop when the general stock market drops - (dividends cut, high yield bonds defaulting Etc.). A rule of thumb (based on history only!) is that one can take out about 5% (some say 4%) a year without the initial nest egg/capital being reduced (in the long run). Thats about Euro 10.000/year.

I know people that came here with much smaller nest egg, and some with much more - no clear pattern as to whom was broke after a few years, and whom was getting richer - but leaving luck out of the equation; it most often was the ones that understood how to be flexible with their spending - reducing it when markets dip - and understood how to build a well diversified, both in asset classes, currencies and geographically, low cost portfolio.

You have Euro 800-900/mth coming too in a couple of years, and that combined with above should work out just fine for a moderate lifestyle. The 2-3 years in between you might spend a little down on your nest egg, but based on your posts, it sounds like you do not plan for an expensive lifestyle - so a little draw down will be made up for when pension kick in.

As for what you need monthly, nobody can really tell before they try for a bit longer than the typical tourist. You have been in Thailand before so presume you have a better idea than the average tourist about what you need? (forget the house buying/building and car purchases initially! Rent!).

Hope helps, Cheers!

Scooby Doo and Macflurries! I am still laughing after reading this thread!

Cheers!

Would think that all of those things are cheaper in Thailand than Hong Kong.

But as pointed out - it pays to shop around a bit as big variations in both price and standard here in Thailand.

Other items that are popular here, and not mentioned yet, would be total health check up, as well as, in the more alternative world; detoxing/cleansing/colonic treatments.

Cheers!

Boots have their own brand much cheaper than the main brand. Thats the cheapest I have found (forgot the price though). Cheers!

Hi zaza,

Yes - they way private health insurance (be that travel or normal health plans) work is as Samran says. They will not cover things that are pre-existing.

Would she get free (and good level) treatment in Iraq? If so that might be a better way to go about it. Cheers!

Hi TV-insurance,

so my 1993 Honda 1.6L old bat would be able to get what from AXA (I like their free road side service add-on - and their service when I had them before was good).

I prefer cover for fire/theft as well as at least SOME cover for damage (limited to collision w. other vehicle only - but prefer if not limited by that naturally).

If not AXA do you have another option that will accept my above car with more than just standard 3rd class? Heard LMG will - and in this thread Siam Commercial Bank was also mentioned.

Cheers!

Thaivisainsurance, that sounds good: is that 2+1 with AXA or whom? And you you specify the cover (damage on own car? to what level?) Cheers!

AXA is one of several companies who offer 2 +1

As for the level of coverage, that obviously depends to a certain extent on the age of the vehicle.

What's in it? Am sure it has both (semi artificial) creamer as well as artificial sweeteners for a start. Then coffee of course.... And then some smaller amounts of various supplements - too little to really make a difference (bean extracts, carnitine Etc.).

I would say it might be as good as a normal 3-in-one instant coffee (which is pretty bad w. it's creamer and sugar).

Cheers!

Thank you JunkofDavid.

Yes we can indeed now off the 2+1 insurance for vehicle up to the age of 20 years - good news for many

ThaiVisa Insurance

Reviving this thread as really want to get my old bat of a car back on the road

So, can you still insure a 17 year old Honda with something more than basic 3rd class insurance and what would that be? Cheers!

Well you need a "savings account" (with online banking) and then also maybe a "currency account". Thing is that if your salary arrive in THB in Thailand the currency account just adds extra costs without any real advantages. If your salary (or part of) is paid in foreign currency somehow - it might be an advantage.

Kasikorn generally seems to be most flexible, have decent online banking, and foreigner friendly, even though I use Bangkok Bank for both accounts.

Cheers!

Britmav is a messenger of LOVE!

Hi Brit! Let me know when you in town for the next hugging attacks!

Cheers!

Sorry I meant AIA? I checked with you and they turned me down previously - so just wonder if something changed.

Thaivisainsurance, that sounds good: is that 2+1 with AXA or whom? And you you specify the cover (damage on own car? to what level?) Cheers!

Estm. monthly costs. Single. Bangkok.

Rent: none as own but management fee/repairs/cable tv: Baht 5k

Utilities(elec/internet/water/drinking water/land line tel) : Baht 3k

Transport (taxi/BTS/MRT/moto-taxi) : Baht 3k

Health insurance/meds/supplements/vitamins : Baht 4k

Basic groceries(veggies/bread/milk/wash powder Etc.) : Baht 6k

Various:sport and equ for same/PC stuff/clothes/gifts : Baht 4k

So about 25k/mth in base costs. Entertainment, eating/drinking out will add at least 15-20k to that - but can be adjusted depending on income

Cheers!

Cover USD 1M per year for USD 1300/year (if no out patient) - not bad cover at all.

Read all the exclusions though. Looks to me even playing football or other sport with a team/club for fitness/amateur is not covered? Weird.

Cheers!

I might be wrong - but have always understood the date stamped to mean "admitted until the end of this day". I.e. the 17th is included in admitted stay. Cheers!

Tod; first thing they said to me was that I had to go Chang Wattana as it was where I did my last 90 day report. On Fri they were all confused themselves though, as they at the same time said I had to do the 90 day report where I did my extension. For most (non BOI companies) that means Chang Wattana. In short; I am 99% sure you need to go Chang Wattana - but give it a shot! Cheers!

Yes was also in place Friday - but at that time there were not crystal clear whether requirement(for 90 day report) was just where last 90 day report was made, or whether it was where visa extension was made. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/90-Day-Repor...re-t345647.html

It now seems clear that it is where visa extension was made, meaning Suan Plu for most, and therefore Changwattana from now on.

Clever way by boss to direct all the non-BOI "mortals" to Changwattana. Personally I wil mail it in, in the future. Too late this time though.

Cheers, Ben

Ah another post on this topic has come up - and seems to confirm that this place will no longer do 90 day reports (or re-entry visas) for non-BOI people, as claims that the visa extension has to have been done there, for them to do 90day report or re-entry permits from now on..... and only BOI-companies can get visa extensions done there.

Too late for me to mail - so Changwattanna here I come!

Cheers!

Hi Maui!

Yeah - that would not surprise me

That means that after my travel abroad in a couple of months I might be able to restart my 90 day reporting at the BOI.....

Cheers!

I went there(Chamchuree sq BOI office) last Fri for my 90 day reporting. I had however already done it 1 time at the new main office Chang Wattana 90 days ago.

Girl there said that her boss just made new rule, that if reported elsewhere (Chang Wattana in my case) before, one can only go there again in future.

Seemed like a VERY new rule so any experience appreciated.

Cheers!

Vagabond: I noticed in the 2010 pricing sheet that Thaivisa send me for Maxi LMG that the "no cover discount for US, EU" of 20% no longer is an option. Will they "grand father" you in, or should you expect a 20% jump in premium at next renewal?

Cheers!

Gary; I presume the 20% they requested extra last year was due to you using the "non cover of expensive areas like USA, EU Etc." discount. I noticed they have removed that discount option now. Cheers!

Having compared different insurances, I would say that the Thaivisa (AA) deal (w. Thaihealth) is rather good value. Also a bit less "small print"(exclusions Etc.) than some of the other similar priced local insurances.

But the right way to go about it, is to figure out what you want COVERED (Incl. amount of cover, out patient, whether want dental, chronic, dangerous sports Etc. Etc.) - and based on that - compare with your budget - and THEN find the perfect balance between the 2.

I have the Thaivisa insurance but will add some high level cover (with high deductable) with LMG - which Thaivisa (AA) can handle too. Heck I am even trying to send my car insurance to them - to have all in 1 place - if they can figure out how to insure my old little pot....

Cheers!