kdf

Hello,

Unfortunately no ac no deal. Bangkok self storage was about 2200 baht for 1.5 square meters. We need more space, but without air it just will not happen.

kdf

You could have a look at mttbkk.com for a shell studio apt (no aircon) for 1500bt /month.

Just check the locks or install your own.

How much per sq ft did bkkstorage quote you?

Hello skipper,

Bangkok self storage is unfortuately not climate controlled, so a definite no go. The Cremonas are nice as are most from Sonus Faber. I especially liked their large stand 2 way speaker, the extrema perhaps. Kinda partial to my Watt/puppies and have no real time to try and sell. Our bed is a cusom lattoflex that allows independent sitting or lying. Nice feature, if you fall asleep in the up position, it will gentle you down flat unless locked. Maybe some kind of medical paperwork will work for both, physical and emotional eh?

Well must find more info re import, duty or duty free.

.

.

There are lots of beds and speakers for sale around here.

In fact, I have some Sonus Faber Cremonas for sale if interested....

First of all much thanks to those who have helped. Yes the Honorary way is the best. LA consulate has been impossible to reach of rude when I have. Sooo try an honorary consul, much nicer.

Also it looks like I may need to change from O visa to get some few household goods in. Any further suggestions than the sunbelt page?

kdf

Hello Skipper,

Thanks I Have contacted Bangkok self storage and they may fit the bill. I apparently have bigger problems now with customs questions. Not sure what items may be duty free and howmuch duty may be on items we cannot get in duty free. Mainly hoping to bring in a special bed, may fit as a medical requirement and some very expensive speakers that I would hate to part with. There is also some art work and other odds and ends. O well it will be an adventure.

kdf

Why don't you try Bangkok Self Storage on Rama 4 Rd.

http://www.bangkokselfstorage.com/bss_thanku.html

Lopburi,

You are EVERYWHERE. I have benefitted from many of your past posts, thanks. Yeah, I know the PAL and voltage things, however have an irreplaceable bed, some expensive speakers, and the other odd and end. I thought we could bring in our used stuff duty free? I know customs is high, but tax a man's bed???? NoTV's, only a few electronics that are voltage adjustable, I wish I could follow the sage advice of bring money and a suitcase. I am ridding myself of 2 Lotus or Loti cars and much other stuff. Still wonder about the Ducati though.

Am I wrong about import without duty? Should I change one of our visa's to retirement? Married couple, noone a Thai, no need to work, but might want to run a bar/restaurant--its in the blood.

I will be in trouble with the wife if I blew it on the visa choice. Oh well, I am just happy to be going back to LOS.

kdf

You are aware, I hope, that you will be paying full customs duty on everything you bring into Thailand. That the electric system is 230v at 50Hz. That the TV system is PAL.

Not sure what where I live now matters, but here goes ... I am now in San Francisco. Would like storage in Pattaya or Bangkok. We are not yet sure where we will live in LOS.

thanks

kdf

Well ......... You might get some more help if you told us where you are living now.

Hello gang,

Just got our O visas and heading to LOS. Anyone have any ideas about good storage places for our household goods for a period of 6 months or so. We would need about 150 square feet climate controlled and secure. Also cost info.

Thanks for any ideas.

KDF

Hello Jim,

It was not just blind luck, but close. I had looked around on the web and here, but most information available was contradictory and a lot is based on having a Thai wife. When folks who know what they are talking about disagree, I find it is because the "facts" are fluid. I was about to pony up for Sunbelt's visa help (I am likely to use their other services), but decided to give it a go myself. I talked to a very helpfull someone at the consulate and they had me fill out a very short one page form and send it with a picture and passport. 4 business days later I had my visa in hand. I knew to ask for a multiple entry visa and they asked for $125. I was not real sure what kind of visa I was going to get. Turned out to be an O. Found out here what that means.

It is not clear to me what visa we have and what we are allowed to do with it.

Uh, out of curiosity, what did you say on your application to the Consulate? Presumably, it was more than "goin' to Thailand, need visa?" How did you know to send in $125 (the price of a multi-entry Non Imm visa)? Sounds like maybe Consulate advised you prior to submitting your application...........(?)

Just curious, as "O" visas usually require more than blind luck.

WOW!

It is starting to look like we fell into the best possible visa for us at this time.

1. Leave every 90 days no problem, beats the 30 day run

2. Can work with addition of work permit Great, no need to work right now, but may find it interesting, and posible w/addition of permit obtainable in LOS maybe with Sunbelt help

3. Can change later to O-A while in LOS which I assume is the retirement visa

4. Can change later to investment type

Only real visa question left is How does this differ from a B visa, if I can work with addition of permit?

Another question involves bringing in and storing household goods, which to bring, which to buy, how to set up? I will do search on these things as per suggestion.

Thanks folks!

Hi............just to add a bit to Krub's post.

The multiple entry visa's you have are normally issued with a validity of one year from date of issue.........this being the type you have there is no need to concern yourself at the moment with re-entry permits.

Re-entry permits are used normally (but not always) by people who have come to Thailand and extended their stay by one year at a time either for retirement purposes or work............basically if for sake of arguement you had extended your stay in Thailand and immigration had given you "leave" to stay until January 07 but you decide to exit Thailand for a holiday before then , then what you would do is apply for a re-entry permit so that when you return you would be allowed to stay as before until Jan 07 without said permit you would have to commence the 1 year extension of stay all over again.

As Krub has said with your visa you can simply come to Thailand and exit and re-enter every 90 days.............by leaving and re-entering just before the visa expires you can almost achieve a total of 15 months stay.

Other options that may be open to you are,

1. Extend your stay by 1 year at a time (for retirement purposes over 50's only)

2. Extend your stay by 1 year at a time for work purposes...........subject to qualifying.

3. Extend your stay by 1 year at a time by means of Investment here (3m baht Govt bonds etc.)

Yes you can work on the back of your O visa providing you obtain a work permit.

Not quite sure what you mean by investment............but there are no restrictions on bringing money into Thailand............restrictions do apply on property ownership however.

If you do a search on this Forum you will a bit more detailed info on all the above.

Sorry not used to forum techniques.

Thanks for info Jack. Does O visa allow work or investment? Ours do not say employment prohibited on the botom as I have been told some do.

Hi Gang,

Sorry for what may be repetitious question. My wife and I got multiple entry type O visas from a consulate here in the US. These state O not O-anything. It is not clear to me what visa we have and what we are allowed to do with it. We are not Thai, nor dependents of any Thais, so I am unclear what this is. Is it supposed to be atype B visa, which is what we thought we were getting or a retirement visa, which we did not apply for. We are confused, any ideas?

The 'O' visa you received has got

1. A validity.

Mine was valid for only 3 months from date of issue (means I had to enter Thaiand within those dates)

2. A number of entries (single, multi only for type O I think)

This means that within the validity of the visa (see 1) you are free if a multi to enter and leave Thailand and receive each time a new period of stay of 90 days (see below)

Once you enter Thailand the immigration officer at the port of entry will give you a stamp with a period of stay (generaly 90 days from your date of entry). You are supposed to get out of Thailand before the end date of the period of stay or

-obtain a re-entry permit which will be valid until the end pf the period of stay.

-obtain an extension of period of stay which will be different depending on the purpose of the extension (retirement, support, work, etc.)

The 'O' visa you obtained is one of the more flexible visa around

Hi Gang,

Sorry for what may be repetitious question. My wife and I got multiple entry type O visas from a consulate here in the US. These state O not O-anything. It is not clear to me what visa we have and what we are allowed to do with it. We are not Thai, nor dependents of any Thais, so I am unclear what this is. Is it supposed to be atype B visa, which is what we thought we were getting or a retirement visa, which we did not apply for. We are confused, any ideas?

Thanks to all for the info. I will have to review these data rich posts to get it all. Forums like this are invaluable.

Sunbelt, good on you for taking a real vacation. I am inclined to follow your advise and after some looking around at your site, I see that your company has MUCH to offer of interested to me. (Off topic alert) Your executive desk program looks interesting. Can mail and/or call forwarding services also be purchased? I now believe that a business visa, multiple entry will serve us best. It can easily be changed to fit our situation as it develops. I must review your massive post, but I assume that the multiple entry b visa can be extended only with Thai employees. Does a consultancy business need to make money or just pay taxes?

When reasonably informed and experienced people disagree on facts, I surmise that the "facts" are fluid and dependent on interpretation. When these same folks differ on opinion (retirement vs business visa), it is usually because there is not that great a gap between them.

Again I appreciate all this input.

KDF

Thanks for such a quick response!! Ole'Irish, I have further questions below.

And thank you sunbelt asia for your addition. FYI, I made 4 emails to the email address from your website starting 12/26. I also attempted 4-5 times to chat with your online representatives. With literally hours of waiting I kept getting the we are busy but will be here as soon as we can response. I understand being busy, I did not understand the lack of email response. I am willing to pay for services and information. I am a man of some means and honor with a belief that those two states are related. A letter stating that I am looking for investments/retirement in Thailand would be true. I understand that your opinion and that of Lopburi are that this would not be sufficient. Is that correct? I understand playing by the rules and easing the machinations of government, but I am a poor dissembler. Of what nature is your letter in support of a business visa?

A few further bits. From these responses, I gather that it should (TITS) not be too difficult to change from retirement to investor or business. Correct?

If my wife is on my visa/extension of stay is she restricted and privileged in the same fashion?

My car is not easily replaced, a 30+ year old classic Lotus, my bike Ducati. I am willing to give them up, but am interested in learning more as to what it might take to bring them. My audio/video gear is very high end and expensive to replace.

Having owned a bar/restaurant or two, I cannot imagine how one can own one without working at it. Is this a semantic, paperwork issue?

I am not familiar with the Amity treaty company status, but would not likely own a business with any partners. I can only trust my interests to myself or a friend and friends, in my experience, make better friends than partners. Therefore this Amity Treaty issue is of interest to me.

Sunbelt, your repsose regarding owning a company with 4 Thai employees was somewhat confusing. You say that I could make an extension without 4 employees, I think. Which is it? I would not initially need 4 employees, but an assistant/interpreter is high on my list. Also I am confused as to the type of visa for which you sponsor folks. At one point you seem to say it is for a business visa, multiple entry, later you say "However my understanding is they still need a Thai company to sponsor you for the reason of investment. " I need a Thai company to sponsor an investment visa? I may be confused on the visa versus extension of stay terms. To get there I need a visa, to stay I need an extension of stay and in some cases a yearly visa renewal, right?

I appreciate all help offered and hope that these issues are of value to others.

thanks

KDF

Hello gang,

I have read much and learned much on this forum. Thanks. However, my particulars are somewhat different from what I have found here. My wife , not Thai, and I are moving to LOS. We are both over 50 and have the funds needed for the retirement visas. We also have the funds for the 3 million baht investment visa. However, we are not yet knowledgeable enough to make this investment. We do not know what kinds of investments are OK, even after reading about it at LA consul site. Also owning a small business has appeal to us, bar/restaurant. We will want to travel around SE Asia some and leaving every 90 days does not (now) seem to be to big a bother. I have asked these questions of Sunbelt Asia SEVERAL times, without the curtesy of a response. They finally responded with what appeared a canned reponse of their available sevices. Disapointing.

What kind of visa would you o'knowledgeable ones suggest?

Can my wife qualify for a spouse visa, or will she need her own?

We do have belongings we would like to take with us, but not right away. Which visa type is most helpfull for this?

What about a car, motorcycle, and electronics, buy there or bring?

My current plan, based on readings here, is too seek non immigrant business visas and change later to the most approprite visa. Some time back on this forum it was suggested that a letter to Houston or Denver's consulates with the reason "looking for investment and /or retirement possibilities in Thailand" would be sufficient to gain this visa. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

kdf