Kalasin Jo

A home visit for a 1 year retirement extension???? Unbelievable! I thought these were only for extensions based on marriage. I recently got a 1 year retirement permission / extension from a single entry 90 day non O based on marriage e-visa at Kalasin IO. Previously my wife did the TM30 shortly after I arrived mid July. Used the same address obviously. Same day service so obviously no home visit although the IO was interested in where we live and asked if he could take a photo of me on his phone and have my phone number. He hasn't called though. Saw him again 3 days ago to get a re entry permit. I got it all wrong on the form where it asks for a visa number/ place of issue and had put in the e- visa details. No, no he said that's finished you must put in the permission to stay number and Kalasin as place of issue. 20 minutes or so later paid the fee and re entry permit stamped in my passport.

Surely almost feel sorry for him.

Highly amusing. Of course it's a snub! He's noted that Thailand's beloved PM is trying to compete with him to obtain the position of lifetime leadership of a nation. And that the PM and his Cabinet have decided not to buy Chinese second hand submarines

Yes! See my comment further down!

Because no entry stamp? About 6 years ago I came in on a new British passport that was completely blank until my entry was stamped in. New because the old one was full. It had not expired. Showed the old cancelled one with my permission to stay and re entry permit to the border IO. No problem. I did this more than once before getting , at that time at the not so local IO at Sakon Nakhon, the permission to stay transferred to the new passport. Pretty sure I was applying for a fresh extension and the IO said the expiring extension ( but not previous ones) needed transferring first. This was done. I recall paying a fee for this but not the exact amount ( perhaps 500 baht) plus the fee for the fresh extension.

should read "restored 2 months prior"

Very, very organised????

Although aware of this I have never been asked to show 20k baht on entry, nor by any airline. I've made many entries some visa exempt, some with non O single entry visa obtained outside Thailand, some on non O multiple entry obtained outside Thailand, some on re entry permits. I often haven't had 20k baht in cash on me at that moment. I do have a Thai bank account and could if asked log in and show the balance or go to a pre immigration ATM and get the cash. Usually the first thing I do after clearing immigration and collected bags is to get baht cash!

Yes. That's my experience. 1 year extension based on retirement to a non O 90 day visa based on marriage. The retirement extension was issued on the day I applied which was as it happens 14 days prior to expiry of the non O. A full year from the expiry date of the non O not the application date. Double the financials for an extension based on marriage but does away with attendance by wife and witnesses, the extra paperwork and marital home photos, the home visit by immigration officers and the under consideration wait of usually around 30 days. But these days it seems you have to sit on all the money in the bank for 3 months from successful application with the retirement extension ( but I don't recall the IO telling me this and there is no notice to return to prove I have done so in my passport). As I was recently corrected by Dr Jack here on TV with the marriage extension you can access half the money immediately on approval. In both cases the full financial requirement must be restored 2 months to your next application date if you are going to apply again.

Had that experience back in 2020. Better, much better now. Of course it may not last.

Same as any addiction.

Why not? Or are you being ironic? Gambling is endemic here the more so probably because illegal. Adds to the buzz as does scattering in all directions on the odd occasion plod has decided to carry out a raid.

Just a thought. May be it's cheaper than Phuket or Samui? Can't fly there though, hence the look of backpacker tourists. Can take a car and I did once. I liked the island, the further from Whitesands the better. I recall some good snorkeling boat trips. Without a car it's fun to do KC, Koh Kut for a couple of nights then to Trat itself which has nothing for tourists but I found interesting. Do it all by speedboats but only once the rainy season has definitely ended and high winds rain and rough seas have gone. From Trat you can check out and now cross again the Thai/Cambodia border crossing there.

Wise card is definitely not good to use for cash from an ATM even if you have converted your funds to baht. Unfortunately it is still recognised and treated as a foreign issued card ( which it is) with the attendant exorbitant charge the Thai banks that operates the machines will charge you. You do though get the benefit of baht for baht or if you haven't already converted the Wise exchange rate of the day rather than the one applied by the Thai bank, MasterCard or Visa. You are warned of the charge in the ATM screen before the point of no return and can cancel the withdrawal. It is very good for "in store" or online purchases. And that why I use mine for and only for these.

I'm afraid that this is very common in Thai customer service, particularly but not exclusively with females,. Not sure if this is just with foreigners or with thais too. Smiles and semi helpful then if they don't know what to do with you they pretend not to understand you (or actually don't understand you!) lose interest and drift away perhaps with a " so sorry". I guess seeking help from a more senior colleague such as a manager is considered too much loss of face for them and it certainly is if you demand they do so. Loss of face is a huge problem for all Thais and can totally stymie progress to a satisfactory solution to the customers needs. One has to be so careful not inadvertently let alone deliberately provoke a loss of face!

My wife decided to use my surname when we married although it's not a requirement to do so in Thailand and that is recorded on the Kor Ror 2. She changed her surname on her ID card and also obtained a Change of Name certificate which she and I have often had to produce for various administrative processes. Including for my extension of stay based on marriage applications.

Apparently not. Yes he's been at the helm more than 8 years but what counts is years since the new constitution was enacted. Way to go yet then. Whilst he and his cronies could always attempt to change that constitution to allow PMships for life. Then he would need to get elected as that PM for life. Seems being PM is not as tiring as he first thought whilst also being much more rewarding than he first thought. This is a very common developing condition in those who have obtained this level of power, whatever they first said their motives were for seeking power. They may also themselves actually believe that they and only they can do the job " in the interests of the nation and its people" the undoubted rewards being fair and just for such a difficult task.

True of most visas from any country. Final decision rests with the border officer to let you in or not. Usually of course they do let you in but they have absolute power to detain and question you then send you back where you came from.

Same in UK. Once the death is notified to a bank it is obliged to freeze the account until the probate and tax ditu had been concluded. This can be very awkward if there are no other funds available to progress winding up an estate. The answer is to draw out some funds, if you can, before the bank or any other entity holding the dressed funds is notified. A spouse, or indeed anyone who has an ATM card and the access pin code on the deceased's account can withdraw funds subject to whatever limits are in place. The same goes for internet banking although this may also require possession of and access into the deceased's smart phone.

Yes Dr Jack is correct. Sadly I was not. Sorry folks.

Ah yes Dr Jack, you are right. Which makes it more like a month after application. Thanks for that correction, important for some I'm sure.

I think he means the the first tranche of income known as the personal allowance. I've heard this rumour before. It would really hit expat pensioners on already low incomes and frozen pensions. The basic UK state pension gross is not enough to meet Thai immigration financial requirements even on a marriage extension, nowhere near for retirement. An IO I explained this to was most surprised. As with most Thais he thought we all are rich!

Yes. It's risen alot against the £ and € ???? though haven't yet looked at today

Kalasin IO. 90 day report notice stapled in to my passport. No "show" passbook or bank statement notice. But I was informed the full amount of money must stay in the account for 3 months and topped up if necessary 2 months before next application for another year or that would be refused. He did agree though that I could still go the marriage route then ( I am married to a Thai) then as long as 400k bht still in the account for 2 months prior

Excellent summary. I would only add that during your first year of permission to stay you could if single and brave enough marry a Thai lady here. Marriage must be registered at Ampur, Buddhist ceremony is not legally recognised. Then you only need 400k baht in the bank for the 2 months prior to your next extension application date and for 3 months after, dipping if you want to 200k baht although even that must be topped back up 2 months before your extension application.