jas007

For the original poster: I’m in the same boat. I’m not entirely sure I remember correctly, but when I briefly looked into the issue a few weeks ago, I determined there was no real problem. If you’re in Thailand and need meds, can’t you just go to a doctor at a recognized hospital, obtain whatever prescription you need, and submit a claim to Blue Cross once you’ve paid for the medication? This would be outside the mail order drug plan. That way of submitting a claim was always available in lieu of buying the medications through the mail order plan. Maybe it’s still the same? Anyway, I’m sorry if I’m wrong. I never really take any expensive meds.

I kept Medicare Part B, just in case. I also have a Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield plan that works all over the world. I guess I also pay for that. Maybe around $400 a month. Anyway, that plan has an overseas coordinator that will arrange payment at a preferred provider. I recently had an occasion to try it out for a few appointments and tests at Bumrungrad hospital in Bangkok. It worked great. When it came time to pay, I didn’t have to pay anything. For treatment at non-preferred providers, you still have coverage, but you pay first and submit a clam later, unless other arrangements are made. I’m thinking about getting some sort of Thai accident insurance, just in case something weird happens and I have to go to the nearest medical facility. As for Thai health insurance, I looked into that and for me, the cost was over $500. Not cheap. I guess there’s also the option of hopping on a plane back to the US if anything major ever comes up. So far, I’ve been lucky. They never find anything wrong with me.

Last week I bought a couple of Australian grass fed rib eye steaks at the grocery store at Central Festival. I think it was 1590 baht for two small steaks. They were pretty good.

Two Hooters in Bangkok are still open. One on Soi 15, the other on Soi 4. I don’t see a problem with them. People who want to go will go, others won’t. Anyway, I used to stop into the one on Beach Road once in a while, just for a beer or two and to watch the world go by. In the US, they’re all over the place, along with other restaurants using a similar business model. Twin Peaks, for example. Same idea, but with better food. A couple of lunches from Twin Peaks. Not “healthy,” but pretty good with a couple of draft beers.

Just a quick question. I have everything I need for renewal, including more than enough money in the bank. My renewal is coming up. Can an agent do this for me, or do I have to appear in person at the Immigration Office?

Maybe it has already been said, but expats in Thailand receiving income from government pensions or Social Security type programs should check the provisions of the tax treaty between their country and Thailand. There may well be a section of the treaty that addresses government pensions and the like. For example, the treaty with the USA specifically indicates that government pensions are to be taxed only in the country where earned. It looks like Social Security benefits would be treated the same. So, it’s simply a matter of only bringing into Thailand money from those types of sources. In my case, I get more money every month than I need, so even if I earn money from dividends or stock trading, I’ll just keep those earnings out of Thailand. I just hope I’ll be able to skip any income tax return filing in Thailand. That alone could be a pain in the neck, even if no tax is owed.

Dom Pizza. Marcos. And from what I remember from a few years back, the pizza at Cafe Le Mar was good.

When I take a baht bus down Beach Road before noon, there are always some people already there, drinking. I assume most are just on a different schedule and probably won’t still be there later in the day. Years ago, I lived at the beach in San Diego and I used to run every morning. Anyway, right on the Boardwalk at a place called Crystal Pier, there was a bar that was somehow open very early, with music blasting and people inside, drinking. I assumed then that people drinking at 7am might have had an alcohol problem.

I’ve lived in both places. Jomtien a few years ago, and I’m currently in Wongamat. Jomtien has more going on, for sure. More restaurants, night markets, etc. Baht buses running up and down Beach Road. Wongamat is less busy. More of a residential area. Nice condos and some hotels mixed in. To be sure, there’s everything you need. Some restaurants, some convenience stores, street food. They keep the beach pretty clean It’s hard to get into too much trouble around here, although a Bolt taxi to central Pattaya doesn’t cost much.

Sometimes, they’re ok. The last few times I tried them, though, I thought they could use a little more seasoning.

Hooters. They were running daily specials. Everything half price between 3pm and 4pm or so. I used to go in the US once in a while, for lunch. In Pattaya, I’d sometimes go n the afternoon, just because of the special pricing and because it was open and I could watch the people walk by on Beach Road. Ditto for the location on Soi 4 in Bangkok. Whatever else you can say about Hooters, at least they were open during the day. Sometimes in Thailand, it seems as though trying to find something to do before 5pm is an exercise in futility. Air conditioning would have helped, no doubt. There are similar type places in the US. One chain is called Twin Peaks. Another is called Tilted Kilt. There are others, as well. Breastraunts. I don’t have a problem with the concept and I don’t mind paying for cold beer and decent food.

Anyway, it seems strange. If the requirements are eventually increased, fine. My only concern was to have some advanced notice.

So this is a fake site?

I wonder why the change in the financial requirements listed for the OA visa on the website of the Thai Australian consulate? Someone make a mistake? Or is each consulate free to make their own requirements?

I recently saw a YouTube video from Integrity Legal. The discussion was about the financial requirements for the OA retirement visa extension as listed on the website of the Thai Australian Consulate. Apparently, the financial requirements have increased substantially and, at least according to the figures listed, the requirement is to now show the equivalent of approximately 1.2 million Thai baht in an account or a monthly income that would be equivalent to that amount over the course of a year. Has anyone has heard anything about a potential increase in the financial requirements for the O visa extension for purposes of retirement? If I have to increase the amount I keep in my Thai account, it would be nice to have some advanced warning.