charliebadenhop

I lost 30 kilos over the course of a year and a half or so, mainly be giving up all heavy carbs. Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta.

I rarely felt "hungry" because of the change in eating, but for the first 3-4 weeks I was having a big time addictive reaction to not eating bread and or toast.

First year in Thailand I gained back about 14 kilo due to falling off the diet.

In the last ten days I have lost 3 kilo and I am likely/hopefully on my way back down.

Hi folks,

I am on US social security for about two years now.

I was living in Japan when I first applied, and I am still getting monthly payments into my bank account in Japan.

Is there a form that needs to be filled out yearly?

If so, can you give me the number for such form?

I was thinking of getting a Non-Imm O visa and then Retirement extension.

B800,000 in the bank I believe, and just copies of passport, and bank book, as well as letter from the bank saying money came from overseas and verifying that indeed the money is in my account.

Is that correct?

But I am also wondering...

Since I would like to use a large portion of my B800,000 within the next 30 days, would I be fine to just switch to a tourist visa for a few months, and then apply for the O in a few months time? I would guess the government could care less, is that so?

I am a US citizen.

What visa type would be best to give me an additional 3 months or more?

Also, assuming I need to leave the country to get a new visa, I would greatly prefer somewhere nearby like Cambodia.

Will that be OK?

Also, when leaving to get a new visa, will I need to show a doc. showing the ED visa is indeed done?

TIA, The help here is always appreciated.

Charlie

Thanks Gary!

I will have a look.

Thanks for the various suggestions for the weeds in our gravel parking lot area.

I have found that getting cheap labor to do such a job often results in other complications!

I have even considered a sheep or two, or a goat or two,

But then the poop needs to be cleaned up!

Thanks Zeichin!

Very surprised to read what you wrote.

I lived in Japan for 30 years (I never taught) and there are very few teaching jobs that go above $4,000 a month, and needless to say the cost of living there is MUCH higher than in Thailand.

What about a weed killer for weeds that come up through the gravel in our parking lot?

Is there anything that is not toxic?

The salaries stated blow my mind.

Some people teaching in Thailand can make more than if they teach in the US or the UK!

Wow!

What a great way to make and save money!

I might just "un-retire"!

:-)

Thanks Lost.

Hi folks,

Am I not somehow misunderstanding what is being said??

150K a month is close to US$5,000.

Some folks teaching in International schools are making $60,000 a year here?!

WOW, IF that is the case!

Thanks Dave, that is what I thought.

I speak Japanese and I am amazed at just how bad Google Translate is.

Seems to me like they should call it Google Translate BETA

And in Thai, a huge weakness that you can't signify whether it is a man or woman who is communicating.

I have two hard working Thai people who come whenever I call them, and regularly exceed my expectations.

Neither one has a phone that can handle Line.

I like to use Line because my speaking skills are still limited, but I can construct a message with an online translator, and then send it to them.

I would take them with me, and ask for what they liked best in the price range I am willing to spend.

BTW- Is there any one online translator that is better than another?

Google is not all that good.

Thanks to all!

Just the kind of info I wanted.

I want as cheap as possible, ALONG WITH dependability. A phone that breaks soon after buying it or is otherwise defective, isn't "cheap" no matter what.

Getting a phone locked to a provider can also be of interest. Are TRUE an AIS both considered good companies when it comes to overall service and prices for the service?

(And now I need to go and look on the site again to find the Tech forum, which eluded me before! Thanks for moving this thread to the proper place.)

Charlie

(I looked for a tech forum to post in, but did not find one, so I am posting here.)

I am considering buying two Thai friends a simple, inexpensive Smartphone.

Mainly I just want a phone that can handle Line so that I can text to them as needed.

Something dependable, and after that, the cheaper the better.

Any and all suggestions welcome.

Thanks folks!

I can fly into Bangkok and either land in the Intl. airport or the domestic airport.

Which airport will be best if I need to take a bus to Pattaya?

HOW to get to the proper bus station?

TIA,

Charlie

Thanks folks, for letting me know they are still in CM!

I was under the impression that Uniqlo had closed in CM, but then someone told me they went to Uniqlo about one month ago.

What is what?

And,

Does anyone know if Uniqlo prices themselves a bit cheaper in Thailand than in larger more developed countries?

And, yet again,

Are there not two Central Plaza malls in CM? The Central Plaza site only seems to show one.

TIA,

Charlie

Just to mention-

Got the final extension for my ED the other day.

Chiang Rai seems like a VERY relaxed place for doing this,

AND the very first thing they have done each time is to check what school I am with, so that seems crucial.

My sense is that some schools either are not all that trusted, or...

there is a possibility that some schools pay some sort of "thank you" fee?

Not saying that is so, just wondering....

Not actually sure what is being asked...

I have paypal accounts in three different countries.

You cannot transfer funds from the acct. of one country to the account of another country.

I think this is due to intl. banking laws.

If you wanted to send money TO Thailand from a paypal account in Thailand, you might be able to do this with no transfer fee, as that is what I do when I sometimes send money to a friend in Manila. I click something like "sending money to a friend or family member" and there is either no transfer fee, or something about 50 cents US.

If you are going to be switching from one currency to another in order to get access to the money, then yes of course, you will not be getting the best possible rate.

Does this help?

Thanks for this info!!

Just what I was needing to know!

Joe, I looked at the link you suggested a week or so ago. http://www.mfa.go.th/main/en/services/4908/15398-Issuance-of-Visa.html

I don't even see a mention of OA.

But for the O it says that an individual only has to show B20,000.

So what is that about?

I believe you when you say B800,000 but wondering why that is not stated on the link you suggested.

Will I need to be showing proof of residency in Thailand?

And then AFTER getting this visa for 90 days, when I go to extend it for reasons of retirement, is that when I need to show B800K?

Or will I need to show the 800K in Vientiane, but NOT as having been in the bank for at least two months?

No need to prove a clean criminal record, and no need for a physical?

Thanks again!

One more thing that I forgot to write before...

Went to Immigration here in Chiang Rai yesterday with my landlord, who is a savvy Thai lady.

We got the guy I was hoping to get. He processed my last two extensions and has been friendly.

He said to wind up changing over the reason for extension to "retirement" I would need to leave the country, no matter what.

So that is part of the reason I am asking if I can't do this in Bangkok.

If you applied for a OA visa you would to show money in a bank in Japan (or here would be accepted) or proof of income or a combination of the 2 totaling 800k baht.

You are an extension of stay based upon attending school. You ED visa has already expired and means nothing now other than it gave you a non immigrant visa entry.

To change the reason for your extension from attending school to retirement you will need to meet the financial requirements on the date your apply. If using money in the bank it would have to be there for 2 months. You could do the change as soon as you have the money in the bank for 2 months. You would not have to wait until your current extension expires.

There is no change from a O to a OA visa. You just apply for an extension of stay based upon retirement.

OA visas are not done here they are only done at embassies and official consulates.

So, I am going to Japan either in late April or early May

I will have enough money in the bank there, BUT you are saying that I will need to show that the money in my bank account in Japan will have to be there two months prior to applying?

If so, that is a problem.

You wrote IF using money in the bank it would need to be there for two months. Since you say "if" is there any other way to meet the financial requirements without showing proof of money in the bank?

What about this option-

I have about $1,000 a month in income from both the US and Japanese government. If I could make up the balance by showing income from my investment account, would I then no longer need to worry about showing any money two months prior?

And then...

I am still not clear.

Are you saying there could be a way to make things work by going to Laos or another country close by?

What I am really trying to avoid is needing to travel back to Japan a month or so after having just been there.

If I had the 800K here in Thailand for two months prior to applying, is there any way to change over in Bangkok?

Thanks again, for all your help!

Regards,

Charlie

Hi Joe,

We are creeping towards the finish line! Thanks so much.

You wrote-

You have a bit of a catch 22 situation in Japan to apply for a non-o visa. First they will not issue you a visa unless you are a citizen or resident of Japan. Second since you are a resident they will not issue you a non-o visa because of that and will only do the OA visa.

//

Charlie asks-

And to get an OA while in Japan I would need to show money in a Thai bank in Thailand?

Joe asked:

I assume you have an extension of stay you got from immigration which is not a visa or are you leaving the country every 90 days because you have a multiple entry non-ed visa.

I am on an ED visa, with an extension.

Charlie replies-

I have to leave in April because I have some business to attend to.

Joe writes again-

If you have an extension of stay you could possibly change the reason for your extension from attending school to retirement. You would need to meet the financial requirements for the extension on the date you do the change. To do this you would need a letter from your school stating the date you are no longer attending classes and do the change on that date. You would have to check wit your local immigration office to see if they will do it.

//

Charlie replies:

This could be excellent if possible.

A couple of questions please.

1. I would NOT need to have the money in an account two months prior to the change? (IF the change is possible)

If so, this would be perfect.

My ED extension ends on Aug. 19, and I could easily have money in my account prior to that.

2. A bit confused still! :-)

You wrote "You cannot change from one non immigrant visa class to another."

Am I correct in thinking that the ED visa is a Non-Imm ED visa, and then you get extensions?

How can I change over to O or OA if indeed a person cannot change from one non-imm class to another?

Again, thanks so much for your kindness!

Regards,

Charlie