JimboJ

Have a look at the condos on soi 15 of soi buakhow.  I have one myself for around 3 million, 45 m2 foreign name, but it's just been rented out for a year.

The Abraham Accords?

If you use an agent to get a retirement visa, for about 20,000 baht, they will deal with all complications.

The police tried to shake me down a few years ago with a taxi driver claiming criminal damage to her car - total 4,000 baht.  First appeared a nasty midget who I ignored. Then two large police in a shiny pickup to take me to the station.  Where the uniformed police seemed more embarrassed than anything, but there was a scumbag in plain cloths who kept telling me it would be better to pay.  The tourist police kept out of the way.

I remained calm and polite and after a few hours everyone got bored and let me go.

I now carry the number of a lawyer with me.

With hindsight, I wish I had refused to go to the station to see what would have happened.

All this was at the beginning of the covid, so I didn't follow it up.

Probably a routine scam, which would work on anyone on their way to the airport. 

They have been using 3rd Rd. down to the overpass as a night time racetrack for years, and making as much noise as possible.  Strange that the local constabulary has not spotted the opportunity.  But there again....

Arabs without silencers have been using 3rd Rd  going down to Trapprara Rd as a race track for years, in the early hours of the morning.

All hired vehicles should clearly display an official ID.  A few years ago a Grab taxi driver tried to rip me off, with the aid of the police, by claiming I had caused criminal damage to her taxi.  I had photos of the driver and taxi, but there was no way of identifying her.  And of course Grab were completely unhelpful.  

On 3/15/2022 at 7:10 PM, RedArmy said:

Why would you need an agent for a 30 day extension to a TV ???

 

Very simple & straightforward process - Cost 1900 baht.

To avoid having to queue all day at Jomtien immigration and catching covid.

I recently got a 30 day extension to a 60 day tourist visa through an agent for 4,000 baht, and was told I could have a 60 day extension for 6,000.

23 hours ago, danferguson said:

Good point - had not thought of that

Visa exempt is 30 days plus 30 extension, right?

Tourist visa is 60 plus 30 extension I believe?

I recently got a 30 day extension to a 60 day tourist visa for 4,000 baht via an agent.  (To avoid going to Jomtien immigration and queuing for hours to get covid.) She told me I could have 60 days extension for 6,000 baht.  So that would make 4 months from an online tourist visa.

She also told me it would be 25,000 for a retirement visa, even with the 800,000 in the bank.

A problem not mentioned with the agent but no money in bank method is that if you annoy someone important, like the police trying to rip you off, all they have to do is check your bank records and file criminal charges.

Anyone know where a Moderna jab can be obtained in Pattaya?  Bangkok Hospital site is only offering Pfizer or AZ, and that is booked up.

7 hours ago, thequietman said:

Check the bottom of the pool for a toaster!

 

Seriously, maybe electrical fault in pool lighting for example, and both electrocuted.

 

There better be an autopsy. ????

Pool lights run on 12 volts.  Try putting each hand on the terminals of your car battery, and see if you die.

According to the Irish government website the passport issuing service has been suspended because of covid. https://www.dfa.ie/passportonline/onlinefaqs/

Another problem, if you have Irish parents, is that you need their wedding certificate as well as one birth certificate.

On 10/17/2020 at 6:34 PM, DavisH said:

Yong has over 1000 pulblications in virology International journals. How about you? I don't see any racism in his articles. Perhaps take of your beer glasses occasionally and you will see that. 

Where do you get this information from?

On 10/16/2020 at 12:07 PM, Flying Saucage said:

Poster ukrules just posted this interesting paper in another thread: 

 

https://jvi.asm.org/content/88/14/7692

 

This is a scientific article which unravels quite well some of the mechanisms why other countries with other climatic conditions have different numbers of seasonal flu infections, and it seems quite viable to extend these insights also to the Corona virus. It gives some hints why Thailand regionally might be in a more lucky situation as well.

 

I have some doubts if this "expert" Yong ever reads somehing like this, otherwise he would debate on higher standards and should feel quite embarrassed himselve by his dumb weekly gossip. Reading his gossip between the lines shows again his strong and hardly hidden anti-western racism and his aim to boost xenobhobia against caucasians in Thailand. 

 

For a similar study specifically on Covid do a search for SSRN-id3550308.

16 hours ago, treetops said:

What does the sticker in your passport have under the heading "Category"?

Can't find a sticker.  The only mention of category is on the re-entry permit, which says 'non-imm'.  But looking back through the visa stamps on my passport, the original one says 'NON "O" RETIREMENT', and I've just been renewing that every year.  Also, there's been no requirement to have health insurance.

So presumably the requirement for an OA now is because it comes with health insurance.  

Does anyone know whether it's possible to convert an O to an OA in London?  

Novana Pattaya. This year 11,328 for a 25 sq m studio, works out to 37.76/sq m/month.

About 280 units. With management company, gym, sauna, pool, security guard at night.

But the sinking fund keeps disappearing and we have to make extra payments to replenish it.

The Avenue Pattaya, about 40 baht/sq. m/month.  In house management.  

O or OA?

A friend has just returned to Thailand from London on an OA retirement visa, plus lots of certificates and two weeks quarantine in an expensive hotel.  He thinks that O visas are still not accepted.

My visa simply says retirement, so I am not sure whether it is O or OA.  From the information on the London consulate web page, it seems that the difference is that O only allow a stay of 90 days.  If this is correct, I have an OA.  Anyone know more on this topic?

3 hours ago, Trillian said:

There are two types of bank account in Thailand, Resident accounts and Non Resident accounts. Foreigners can open non-resident accounts and transfer funds into and out of it at will, without needing any additional paper work or authorsiation, those accounts do not allow deposits in Thai Baht. When a foreigner opens an account here it is typically a resident account, unless a non-resident account is requested specifically. Foriegn currency deposited into a Foriegn Currency Non-Resident account can be converted to THB for use in country. Foriegn Currency that is transfered out of Thailand once again is subject to a commission in lieu of the foreign currency exchange commission.

How can you tell if a foreign currency account is resident or non-resident?

Please explain the last sentence.  How much is the commission?  And is there any limit on how much can be transferred out, if it was already transferred in?

3 hours ago, Peter Denis said:

Would a non-resident account holding the equivalent in foreign currency of the required 800K/400K money-in-bank be accepted by your local IO as proof that you meet the financial requirements when applying for the 1-year extension of your Non Imm O Visa?

Yes, I have used foreign currency accounts twice at Jomtien immigration for the 800,000 baht requirement.

On 6/4/2020 at 9:09 AM, Trillian said:

Thai Baht is a controlled currency, it cannot be freely exported and is subject to rules that are different for Thai nationals, foreigners in Thailand and financial institutions outsiode Thailand, the BOT rules are here: https://www.bot.or.th/English/FinancialMarkets/ForeignExchangeRegulations/FXRegulation/Pages/default.aspx

I found the attached somewhere on the internet last night - I forget where.

A thai friend assures me that it says nothing about swimming pools.  Perhaps others would like to check.

Its also worth looking at https://www.troublefreepool.com/wiki/index.php?title=Swimming_Pools_and_COVID-19_Coronavirus.

It seems that chlorine is very effective against the virus.

Chonburi communicable diseases committee COVID-19.pdf

1 minute ago, ubonjoe said:

You already wrote what it is. It is a often called a multiple entry non-o visa I assume it is for retirement if you are 65 or over and getting a state pension.

I am over 65, but no proof of state pension was required.  Perhaps it was just assumed.

I just checked the Thai Consulate London website and it says that for non-immigrant type O a pension statement is required if the applicant is a pension earner.

I was over 65 when I got a visa in London last year, but was simply given a multiple entry tourist visa - two entries for 50 GBP.  This is no longer available.  The new METV also costs 125 GBP but only allows 60 days initial stay, which can be extended for an additional 30 days.  Also, it is only valid for 6 months, whereas mine is valid for a year.

If it is a retirement visa, do I have to leave after 90 days, or can I just get it renewed?

I did not ask for a retirement visa.  But the easy availability is good news for the over 65's, especially if the 90 days can be renewed without doing a visa run.

2 minutes ago, DUS said:

You do not have a METV.

I take it that METV stands for multiple entry tourist visa.  I have a visa for tourists, which allows multiple entries.  Could you tell us all the correct name for it?

METV - London  90 days on arrival

I got what I think people are referring to as an METV in London on 3rd October.  The actual visa says Non-immigrant, category O, No. of entry M.  Cost 125 GBP.

The surprising thing is that I was given 90 days at Suvarnabhumi - from 7th Oct to 4 Jan.

I went to Immigration Pattaya to ask if I will be able to extend this for 30 days, and was told that I will only be allowed 7 days.  The official may not have known what she was talking about, and I couldn't see anyone senior.  I have not been able to find anything on various web sites.

To obtain the visa, I only had to submit passport, form and photos - and money.

I stay here about 6 months a year, so intend to leave and return within about a week.  Leaving before 4th Jan to avoid possible problems.  It will be interesting to see if I get another 90 days when I come back.  Perhaps it's worth going via Suvarnabhumi, although Don Muang is likely to be more convenient.

Does anyone else have relevant experience of the length of stay granted on entry?