CMBob

17 hours ago, nichopaulcnx said:

Bank letter in valid for 7 days and your bank book should be updated the same day you apply for your extension..

For those using the 800k method to support an extension based on retirement and keep the funds in a savings account, there have been some posts saying they require the savings account passbook to be updated the same date as your date of application (and some posts saying they've updated those prior to the date of application without any problem); however, for those having separate term accounts (6 months, 11 months, etc.) at some banks (Siam Commercial Bank, for example), those passbooks cannot be updated regardless of who sticks the passbook in the update machine.  My last annual extension was in April of this year and the last entry in my fixed term passbook was December of 2018 (when the 800k rolled over into a new term) and there was no question or problem about it.

On 11/8/2019 at 12:16 PM, JESSVANPELT said:

Extensions of stay based on retirement do not require health insurance.

Based on what I've been reading, that's only correct if the person never first entered Thailand with an 0-A visa (because, if they did, they will have to obtain the long-stay insurance or their next extension based on retirement will not be granted).  Those obtaining annual extensions of stay based on an original Non-O visa do not (so far) have to comply with any health insurance requirement.

I'm going to try to post an url to the posted schedule:   Loy Krathong Schedule

As to the route of the big parade, it's the same....from east on Thaphae Road from Thaphae Gate and then to the city municipal office on the river.

Edit:  The schedule (English version) is the one on the right.

The big night parade, according to the schedule posted on the Chiangmai municipal website, is on Tuesday night (the 12th).  There are some opening ceremony events tonight (9th) at Three Kings.  I'm not aware of any parade on Sunday and the posted schedule doesn't indicate any.

On 11/5/2019 at 6:30 AM, BritTim said:

I am a little surprised to see that they copied old visa information. Commonly, they only copy stamps relevant to your current permission to stay. It seems possible that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked Immigration to keep a record of Non Ed visa applications when transferring stamps so it is easier to prevent people staying long term on serial Non Ed Visas. Interesting.

Disagree as others have said.  In my opinion, when transferring current stamps into a new passport, the first information they place in the new passport is what was the basis for the initial entry into Thailand (the OP came in on an ED visa in October of 2017).  In my case, the first stamp in the new passport lists the Non-O that was issued to me more than a decade ago.

Contrary to how some people analyze the situation, I don't believe the OP's first ED visa or my first Non-O is completely dead as, in my view, all annual extensions are based on that original entry and that's why the information is transferred into a new passport along with the latest extension information (and, if still alive, an existing re-entry stamp).

2 hours ago, connda said:

Drove into town today and found two places with a decent selection of cards.  First a tiny shop on the corner of Thapae and Thapae Soi 5 next to 7/11, and then on the way out of Rimping (Iron Bridge) next to the magazines after checking out.  Found some nice cards with a local flavor to send to folks back home for the holidays.  So if anyone else is looking for cards, add those locations to your list.

That first place you mention is the second place on Thaphae Road that I've gotten the Xmas cards before; however, I walked buy there today and stopped and looked carefully at what they had (while they had some nice cards, they still had none of the sa/mulberry paper Xmas cards that I referred to above). Hopefully they'll show up within the next couple of weeks.

2 hours ago, connda said:

Thanks for the suggestion.  Their cards are standard commercial cards.  The shop that I used to buy cards from stocked post cards and greeting cards that reflected the Thai culture and must have been produced in Thailand.  Example, the retailer stocked Nancy Chandler cards which unfortunately, the that retailer, are no longer available. I'm looking for a similar retailer: local retailer stocking items produced regionally. 

I think I know what you mean, the ones made of sa paper often with layers of decorations on the face of the card.  I get those every year and relatives and friends rather enjoy the unusual cards.  One of my main sources for the cards was the shop, I think, you mentioned - it was located on the south side between Chang Klan and Soi 1.  There's another shop which has had them a few hundred yards farther west on the same side of the road but they had none as yet last week.  I've also picked them up on at a shop south of Sompet Market and at another shop near Wat Phra Singh....but haven't looked there as yet.  Hopefully the cards will show up within 2-3 weeks (typically I can't find them until the middle of November).  

16 minutes ago, stephehr said:

Makes know difference what time you get there you will still have to wait all day, and maybe the next

The OP's question and this thread are about Chiangmai Immigration only.  I mention that as your comment has no relationship to fact with respect to CM Immigration.

An old topic but for those who haven't seen it, here are some photos of the memorial to the Flying Tigers at the Chiangmai Foreign Cemetery:

21 minutes ago, cusanus said:

.....so I don't understand how the medical system has been getting stuck....

Nor do I.  According to multiple newspaper accounts, this new requirement all came about due to Thai hospitals (whether all or just government hospitals, they haven't said) losing a total of 16 million (US) dollars per year because of "foreigners" not paying their hospital bills. Would note:

(1)  They never mentioned who these "foreigners" were.  If they were including Lao, Burmese, and Cambodians, they likely outnumber westerners by 50+ to 1 and that group is probably a heck of lot more likely not to pay their hospital bills than westerners.  As to why they would target O-A visa holders, that's beyond me as it would seem that they (having to prove adequate funds in their home country bank) would not likely be the ones stiffing the Thai hospitals.

(2)  And the 16 million dollar figure is peanuts compared to what all of us expats pay to the Thai hospitals every year (and be mindful the Thai government has blessed the practice of private hospitals charging us more than Thais for the same services).  And that's not even dealing with the tons of money that Thai hospitals take in via medical tourism.  All in all, I'd think that Thai hospitals (at least the private ones) would be in bankruptcy proceedings but for the expat and medical tourism money.

(3)  I presume...but obviously don't know...that the Thai insurance companies lobbied for the new rule as they (and the few elite Thais who own those companies) are the ones who'll make some money on the new scheme.

14 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

I have used TurboTax for years...including filing US income taxes from Thailand.  

 

The most difficult part for me is gathering all the records.  It helps if there is someone on the states that can copy and forward docs you may can not get yourself...????

Yes, the only hassle is if you retain a US address (your own or a friend's) for mailings and then your 1099's or whatever are mailed there....as you need that stuff to file the return, use Turbotax, or whatever.  If somebody who gets mail for you in the US can scan or photograph the stuff and email it to you, that usually works out well.  But, for almost everything (US bank records, social security receipts, etc.), you can go online and get the information you need for the 1040 form. 

I successfully registered for the Section 38 app a month or so ago.  Two days ago, after flying back in to Chiangmai from Taiwan, I spent over an hour trying to do the updating with the app and eventually was successful (and took photos of all the screen shots to prove I had updated).  On Monday, since I was nearby, I went to Immigration simply to make sure I was okay with them and to ask a question or two.  Got a queue number on the third floor and had to wait 20-30 minutes until it was my turn.  I advised the young lady why I was there (handing her the printout of the successful updating along with my passport) and she kept asking me if I was the owner of the townhouse (to which I told her no, I was just the renter).  She didn't like that (seemingly insisting that only the owner can use the app), tossed my printout into the waste basket (rudely not returning it to me), and then proceeded to place the regular update stamp (actually, only a date) on the TM30 Receipt of Notification stapled in the back of my passport.

In reality, CM Immigration is so fast with the updating that it's actually easier to simply go there and have them update it and that's what I will do in the future (so far, we in Chiangmai only have to update when re-entering the country).  But it does irritate me to some degree that the young lady wouldn't accept that I had already updated using the Section 38 app. 

1 hour ago, cusanus said:

If you read a little farther, the official states clearly that it will apply to both those entering AND those seeking an extension. Right? 

 

To those affected by the new ruling, yes.  

56 minutes ago, cusanus said:

Maybe she read this: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2019/10/10/health-insurance-will-be-mandatory-for-retiree-visa-holders/. A friend of mine with an O-A has renewed twice and has never had to leave the country, so I don't believe you've got that one right.  Then there's this one: https://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2019/05/hefty-insurance-hovers-over-thai-visa/

The first article you quote starts out:  "Starting Oct. 31, foreigners over 50 entering the country with an O-A visa must show that they have valid health insurance covering their period of stay, deputy public health minister Sathit Pitutecha said."  That clearly will be the rule for people who obtain an O-A visa after October 31, 2019 (or, perhaps, for those who obtained an 0-A visa prior to November 1, 2019, and first entered Thailand after October 31st, 2019).  I was referring to people already here before November 1, 2019, who are here on an O-A visa and are either going to grab a second year (by, let's say, hopping over to Burma and back) or who, at the end of their first or second year, apply for an extension based on retirement or marriage.  Do you happen to see anything promulgated by Immigration (Police) that indicates there will be any retroactive application of the new insurance rule to those people?  I'm not saying 100% that it won't happen (although, for people grabbing onto their second year by a border hop, it defies understanding how that will be enforced....is airport or border-crossing Immigration going to say you can't come in or get your second year without showing your new long-stay insurance?) but I've seen nothing that says it will happen to those already here prior to November 1, 2019.  

What we agree on is that the new rule is clear that no Thai embassy/consulate in another country will apparently issue an 0-A visa to one of their citizens after October 31st unless the citizen provides as part of their application proof of the new "long-stay" insurance.  Starting next week, perhaps we might start getting reports from people who have already been here on an O-A visa and we'll start to understand if any retroactive application is applied for those seeking extensions within Thailand.

4 hours ago, NancyL said:

.......This week will be busy as people try to do their retirement extensions ahead of the October 31 deadline for health insurance.  

I take it you believe that people holding an O-A visa issued before November 1, 2019, have to obtain the insurance to obtain something (which I would guess would be an extension based on retirement or marriage given the "second" year of the O-A visa is only obtained by doing a re-entry into the country).  Presuming that's what you're saying or suggesting, why do you believe that?

Unless the internet is in error (e.g., see Bangkok Full Moon ), the actual full moon in November of 2019 is November 12th.  While perhaps different areas celebrate Loy Krathong on different dates, the opening ceremony here in Chiangmai is November 10th at Thaphae Gate and the big parade ("Grand Krathong Float Processions Contest") is on November 12th (and that's the end of festivities here in Chiangmai).  One can obtain the entire schedule of events here in Chiangmai at the municipal website (see  CM Municipal)

3 hours ago, NancyL said:

I guess I used too many words in my posts.  Hubby's original visa was an O-A, mine was an O, both obtained in the U.S. over a decade ago.   Since then we've applied for yearly extensions due to retirement in Chiang Mai.  So, is he going to be required to have insurance and not me?

In my opinion, neither of you will have to obtain the Thai long-stay insurance UNLESS the Thai authorities alter the rules to require those of us getting annual extensions (based on retirement or whatever) within Thailand to get it.  If that happens (which I see no reason to believe as it hasn't been suggested by Thai authorities so far), a whole bunch of us will be in the same lousy boat.

16 hours ago, NancyL said:

.....So, does this mean that Hubby will have to show proof of health insurance, but I won't?  Incidentally, he just did his annual extension about 10 days ago.  It expires on November 15, but he applied early and nothing was said about insurance required since his expiration is after October 31.  He has 800,000 baht in a Thai bank as his financial proof, so maybe that had some bearing.

 

My annual extension is due in mid-February and I hope they have all this sorted by then.  Incidentally, I have a monthly income in excess of 65,000 baht coming into a Thai bank, so I don't know if that will make difference in wanting proof of insurance, since I can't show a cash reserve in Thailand the way that Hubby can. 

So far, the only health insurance requirement that's surfaced is one enforced by Thai embassies/consulates in one's home country....and, under the language of the police order, it's only to be applied to people who obtain an O-A Visa in their home country after October 31, 2019.  Unless that changes, I don't think either you or hubby have any concerns.

[Some assert that there is one dicey area....where somebody, let's say, obtained an O-A Visa in their home country on October 15, 2019, but didn't first enter the country until after October 31, 2019; however, I personally don't buy that as those people weren't required to have the insurance when they got their O-A Visas and surely airport immigration will only see a proper O-A Visa in the passport and will stamp them in for their first year.]

As far as I'm concerned, the only worry we (you, hubby, myself, and many others) might have in the future is if/when Thai authorities apply a health insurance requirement to those obtaining annual extensions in-country.  So far, there's no rule saying that will happen.

3 hours ago, McTavish said:

I didn't believe it either but a read thru of the law could be interpreted as including all extensions. 

Section (6), of the relatively new police order, the only part that has any reference at all to health insurance, states:  "Only for an alien, who has been granted Non-Immigrant Visa Class O-A, must buy a Thai health insurance online..."    

The language is fairly clear to me but perhaps you might advise as to how one can interpret the language in the police order to say/suggest/imply that the long-stay health insurance is a requirement for anybody who will obtain any annual extension.  

15 hours ago, davehowden said:

What does this "bank letter" show/state, and how is it different to a "bank statement".

The "bank letter" is simply a letter from the bank which, in Thai, verifies that you have the account and there is "x" amount in it.  So far, I've not heard anything about banks changing the format of their standard letter which they have on their computers (perhaps at some point they'll change the letter to discuss a bit more about the history of the account, e.g., that 800k baht has been in there for 60+ days or so).

"Bank statements" (at least how most people are using that term) simply means photocopies of one's passbook (which, of course, like all copies, you must place your signature).