Scouse123

I have had the same address listed in the Yellow Book and have been here for 20 years. They told me I didn't need to report when I left and returned to Thailand. It will be on the TDAC anyway.

I think we are finding in all districts outside Bangkok, where people are on much lower wages and more price-conscious, that what sellers are doing to make ends meet is cutting down on portion sizes.

I don't intend to do them at all. Unless there is a need to go to immigration, which I won't have, they will be none the wiser as we are not checked at border posts, and I think the 90 day reports on top of everything else are outdated. Some will disagree.

Essentially, I have a number of appointments at reputable hospitals, backed by previous written medical assessments from the same hospitals, which confirm my ongoing medical needs. Mine is actually a genuine medical application that utilises the soft power of DTV. I have a posthesis and need to have a medical procedure every three months, with a valve replacement each time.

IMHO, I think it's a case of getting all your paperwork in order from the get-go to minimise that risk. All Visas can be rejected for any or no reason, but it's usually because the applicant didn't dot all the i's and cross the t's with the paperwork submitted. I am unsure which Embassies or consulates are considered favourable, but mine was fairly straightforward in Cambodia.

OK, To activate the visa I had to wait until my retirement extension expired. This meant leaving the country and re-entering using the Thai e-visa today. I had enered Thailand in late May from the UK using my retirement extension until July 17th. The 5 year E- Visa was granted by the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penn in January,2025. Once granted, you can use it to enter at any land border you wish to or by air or sea. I had the visa printed and in my possession since it was granted in January 2025, as it was delivered by email and then I printed it off. I didn't need to visit any Embassy or consulate. I simply exited Thailand, entered Laos and exited Laos and entered Thailand through the immigration channels showing the E-VISA on my return. Thailand isn't interested as to where youy obtained the visa, they just care that you have one.

Yes, Additionally, you must have 500,000 baht to demonstrate, but it can be held in your own country, and there is no requirement to have it in a Thai bank, earning no interest at all. With retirement, I had the normal 1,900 baht fee, plus a 4,800 baht multi-entry pass fee, and 800,000 baht in a Thai bank account. With DTV, there's no need to go to immigration at all. Each time you re-enter the country, you get 180 days.

I believe he means he has what you mention in the second paragraph of your post.

I did it alone without an agent and used Soft Option Medical.

Switched today from the annual Thai retirement extension circus to the 5-year DTV soft option. My retirement extension officially expires tomorrow — good timing. I actually got approved for the DTV back in January in Cambodia, but sat on it until now. The Border Run (a.k.a. “Activate DTV Mode”): I didn’t want to waste another full passport page on a giant Lao visa, so I applied for the Lao e-visa — the total cost was $51.75 (because administrative fees are now a thing, apparently). Pricey, but neat and tidy. Entered at Savannakhet. Not a soul in line at the e-visa counter, just me and a bored immigration officer who barely looked up. Quick QR scan, a small sticker (about the size of a postage stamp, but rectangular ) and a Lao immigration stamp — job done. Immediately did a U-turn and headed back. I wasn’t there for sightseeing, and frankly, Savannakhet isn’t exactly calling to me. Border “Extras”: 50 baht bus over the bridge, both ways. 40 baht mystery “processing fee” in Laos — no explanation, but a receipt given to get you through the barrier. On the way out, immigration staff gave us the famous smile and asked for 100 baht each — no receipt, of course. My Mrs asked, “What’s that for?” and got a smile. Everyone was paying for it. It’s not legal, but arguing about 100 baht at a border post? No thanks — I’ve got whisky to buy. Speaking of which, I scored a 1.75L jug of Johnnie Walker Black at Lao duty-free — $68, with a big glass handle, looking like something Clint Eastwood would take to a gunfight. Cash only. Back in Thailand and now stamped in until January 12, 2026. I’ll be out before that anyway, probably grabbing another jug of whisky. Why I Like the DTV: No more yearly visit to immigration with a rainforest’s worth of paperwork. Cheaper over five years than doing extensions. Yes, you have to leave every six months — but I actually enjoy that. Get a change of scenery, grab some duty-free, and remind yourself why you live in Thailand. Final Thought: If you're fed up with the annual immigration dance and piles of documents, the DTV route is smooth, fast, and for me — a no-brainer. If you’ve already obtained approval, simply cross the border and activate it. Easy.

In Thailand, trying to apply basic logic or suggest efficiency improvements is like shouting into a typhoon. Take rice, for example. Every year, it’s the same routine: planting, tending, harvesting — all for a yield that’s completely at the mercy of the weather, pests, and sheer luck. I’ve crunched the numbers. Between the cost of seed, wages, fuel, and equipment — not to mention the headaches when the crop inevitably underperforms — it would be cheaper, smarter, and far less stressful to just buy rice from the supermarket as needed. We live in a farming area, for heaven’s sake — there’s no shortage of fresh, affordable rice nearby. But when I point this out, I get the usual response: a blank stare like I’ve just insulted the family ancestors, followed by the old chestnut: “But we’ve always done it this way.” The same thing happens when I suggest something as simple as batch cooking. Prep a few meals at once, freeze them, save money, save time — job done. But again, it’s met with indifference. No one’s interested. Why bother cooking when you can swing in a hammock all afternoon, gossip about the neighbors, and dream about winning the lottery? It’s not a resource issue. It’s not poverty. Furthermore, it’s a mindset — one stuck on repeat, wrapped in tradition and lulled by inertia. Meanwhile, any attempt at common sense is seen as disruption with a No, thanks — just pass the lucky numbers and another bag of takeout.

You are quite right, it was value for money. If you have a black cat on this board, someone has to have one that is blacker, you can't win.

I posted here not long ago about how much supermarket prices had jumped in the UK when I visited back in May. The reaction? Utter denial. A pile-on of abuse like I’d fabricated the whole thing. Apparently, pointing out the obvious now makes you public enemy number one. Funny how people are only just waking up to the cost-of-living squeeze — something I've been saying for years. Suddenly it’s “I can’t afford lunch!” and “Groceries are extortionate!” Really? No kidding. Meanwhile, here at home in Thailand, we’ve got both a Thai and a Western kitchen. A full outdoor BBQ setup. Every pan, burner, and cutting board imaginable. And not one of them — not one — lifts a finger to cook. Why? Because I pay for everything. So they don't have to. It's not poverty. It’s not lack of time. Likewise, it’s not even lack of skill. It’s sheer, unfiltered bone idleness. And yes — I’ve pointed it out. Many times. What do I get in return? Blank stares and passive resistance, like I’ve just suggested they take up coal mining. Let me tell you — I’m 63. Not exactly from the Victorian era. Raised in a big UK family. My mum was widowed when I was just 18 months old. She worked an 8-hour factory shift every day and still managed to prep and cook dinner for seven kids. Not UberEats. Not takeaways. Real food. Real effort. By the time I joined the Royal Navy, I could already cook, wash, iron, and sew — because in our house, you had to know how to survive. And guess what? Those skills came in bloody useful. We’ve gone from self-reliance to self-entitlement in a single generation. Somewhere along the way, personal responsibility became optional. Now, people treat “preparing your own lunch” like it’s a hardship on par with indentured servitude. And before anyone gets defensive — this isn’t about wealth. It’s about attitude. If my mother could feed eight on a widow’s wage, there’s no excuse for a household full of able-bodied adults staring at a stocked fridge like it’s a museum exhibit. Wake up. This isn't just a financial crisis — it's a cultural one.

I have heard the same as you are saying now from multiple sources. I was thinking about us going there, given the ease of travel for Thais, who don't require visas. She has a full 10-year UK visa, but isn't bothered about going there after so many visits already. No way are we going now; there are way too many reports for it to be a coincidence or just one or two people having a bad holiday. We will take a multi-city tour of Vietnam instead.

Products like these have always been available aimed at those that don't smoke, but still want the effect.