Mike Teavee

17 hours ago, AndrewMciver said:

They'll be back. Oh boy will they will be back. 

 

 

I wouldn't put money on it... Thailand is/was seen as the "In Place to Visit" & a bit of a Status Symbol in China, it wouldn't take too much for it to fall out of vogue (remember the 40+ Chinese tourists who died on the Tourist boat in Phuket?) & somewhere else to take it's crown.

I honestly think Thailand has blown it with the Chinese now, by the time this has all blown over they will have found another "In" destination to visit & it's not like the Chinese are afraid to travel, last time I was working in South Africa, my driver from the hotel told me that the majority of his passengers nowadays were from China, as did the driver on my last trip to Bali (A far superior holiday destination to Thailand unless you're looking for ladies of loose moral values & there are more than enough of those in China so why leave home)...

3 minutes ago, AndyAndyAndy said:

Well, it's how I found out it works here.

 

Every office and every officer here have his own rules. And there's absolutely no point in arguing with them. You might be able to get re-entry permit at any time. But if officer says 7 days, it's 7 days.... . ????

Just put you're going out in 5 days time on the application form, nobody checks & no proof is required, the permit is valid until it's used (Single Entry) or until your Visa/Extension expires 

On 1/31/2020 at 9:17 PM, DrJack54 said:

That's a fair post. 

I fly out of don Mueang every 2 weeks. I always glance at reentry permit office, just past passport control. Hardly see one person there 95% empty. 

Swampy perhaps more busy but either way far more easy at airport unless you deal with small imm office.

I do extensions at CW. Would never dream of obtaining reentry permit there. 

I obtain at airport. Absolute breeze.

I also use CW & did my 1st re-entry permit via an Agent (5,000 THB) so I didn't need to go in person (Now just get one at the same time as the extension)

I would have done it at the airport, but I use Fast Track (via membership of Thailand Longstay Management, only valid in Swampy) & it seems the re-entry permit offices are in the "Normal" immigration channel.

Is it true that if you get a re-entry permit you're fast-tracked through the normal channel or do you then need to go & join the queue [As you can probably tell, I hate queueing so make every reasonable effort to avoid them]

Also, I thought it was 3,500 not 3,800... [Doesn't matter to me as I paid 5,000 either way]

Depends which package you go for e.g. the 1 Million for 20 year package does not include any transport, the 500K for 5 years only includes 24 trips (i.e. 12 round trips) per calendar year.

I did the SIN-BKK route 20 times a year for the past few years & was tempted by the Thai Elite visa for the Fast Track service alone (not too bothered about airport transfers) but ended up getting 1 year in/out Fast Track with TLM for 20k per year (recently renewed) and it's been worth every satang... NB it's only valid at Suvarnabhumi (BKK) but I don't believe Thai Elite has Fast Track at Don Muang either.

On 2/7/2020 at 5:27 PM, scottiejohn said:

27 minutes ago, GeorgeCross said:

(not just thailand, other asian countries too, singapore especially)

Singapore Government has been around all of the Condos handing out free masks, but in all honesty there aren't that many people wearing them (seen far more people wearing masks on the BTS in Bangkok than I have on the MRT in Singapore).

Prior to my move to Bangkok, I compiled a list of all the places that you can fly direct to from Swampy (BKK) & > 25% of them are in China (NB, this is not the same as > 25% of flights go to China, just the individual destinations you can fly to be it 1 flight a week or 10 flights a day)...

List of Cities in China you can fly direct to from BKK...

Enjoyed "The Stranger" (fact it's on Netflix means it has Thai Subtitles for the GF who also really enjoyed it). 

Also enjoyed Deadwater Falls

9 hours ago, 3 minus 2 said:

https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/february-2020-tv-preview/13

Thanks for the link, Interrogation looks very interesting, it gets a bit of a negative write up but I like the idea behind it... 

The newest CBS All Access original at least gets originality points for using the nature of streaming to experiment with form. The gimmick here is that, outside of the first and last hours, the remaining episodes can be viewed in any order you choose. This will allow you to piece together the evidence of this true-crime-inspired tale (about a man convicted of murdering his mother but who has spent two decades proclaiming his innocence) as you wish.

https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/february-2020-tv-preview/4

14 hours ago, AAArdvark said:

I don't doubt you but do you have any background on those reports about the Philippines, like where can I see them?  I ask because I am heading there in a month.

I'm not sure but there may be some confusion around the difference between a "Visa on Arrival" (Which guys from China & India etc... get & is what I understand the 9a Visa to be) & "Visa Exempt" (The "Stamp" us guys from UK, US, EU etc... get for turning up) 

The only thing I've heard/read (granted I've not been keeping an eye on things as much since splitting up with my Filipina) is they're cracking down on extending Visa on Arrival haven't seen or heard anything about them cracking down on extending Visa Exempt.

Not saying I'm right & even if I am, they may well move on to cracking down on Visa Exempt next, but I don't believe you need to worry just yet...

Having said that, If I wanted to live in the Philippines I'd just go for the SRRV.

I know this has probably been asked a million times before but would really appreciate some up to date advice on getting my Thai GF a Visa to visit UK and/or Europe.

Long story short I've lived in SE Asia for 12 years & my parents come out to visit me for one month every year but mum has recently been diagnosed with COPD so the humidity & bad air quality here makes that a none starter this year.

GF is a "Normal Girl" who has recently quit her job (at my request because I want us to go travel), 34 (I'm 53) will be fully supported (by me) during our time there.

I would be grateful for any tips about the best way to go about getting her visa(s) (In an ideal world we'd go to UK for 2 weeks, then 2 weeks in Portugal or Spain then 2 weeks in UK before coming back home) & recommendations for (Bangkok based) Agents who might be able to make this easier for us (I want everything to be above board, not interested in paying any form of "Back Hander")

Thanks Guys 

Just entered the MRT station at Lumpini & the police were giving free masks away outside the entrance.

Quick heads-up for anybody who's registered address with TransferWise is in Singapore... 

From 28th Jan, there’ll be a new limit on how much you can hold, send and spend with your balance in TransferWise account.
 

What’s happening?

TransferWise is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). And the MAS has introduced a new regulation which imposes limits on how much you can hold, send, or spend with your balance. It’s called the Payment Services Act.

It applies to all personal mobile wallets in Singapore like TransferWise, GrabPay, and others. 

How will this affect me?

You’ll be able to:

• hold up to S$5,000 (or equivalent in other currencies) at the end of the day Singapore time
• send (with your balance) or spend (on TransferWise card) up to S$30,000  (or equivalent in other currencies) every 365 days

This is a MAS specific regulation (though I wouldn't be surprised if HKMA followed suit as the 2 seem to be closely tied) & would mean than you would be unable to use TransferWise to do your full year's Retirement Income (s$30,000 is approx 670,000 THB = approx 56,000 THB per month, well below the 65,000 THB limit). 

59 minutes ago, TerraplaneGuy said:

More expensive in that you have to keep more money in a local account than in Thailand?Or ...?

Yes, the financial requirements (money in bank & income) are much higher than Thailand 

edit (apologies, am on my mobile)... 

Malaysia My Second Home program has one of the most stringent financial requirements as compared to retirement visas from other countries. The government places importance on attracting the people who are financially strong to support their stay here.

MM2H Visa Application: Financial Requirements

1. Applicants below the age of 50 years must provide proof of liquid financial assets or financial strength of at least RM500,000 and an offshore income equivalent to RM10,000 per month. There is no need to transfer any money to Malaysia yet. What is required are bank statements (the three months prior to submission)
2. Applicants above the age of 50 years must provide proof of liquid financial assets or financial strength of at least RM350,000 and an offshore income equivalent to RM10,000 per month. There is no need to transfer any money to Malaysia yet. What is required are bank statements (the three months prior to submission)
3. Sources of income: salary, investment returns, government pension, interest, rental of properties, royalty or any other income type earned outside Malaysia. Please let us know how you are going to meet this requirement. Some income may not be monthly income. It can be used but we need to work together on this matter.
4. Sources of financial strength: Property valuation are not considered. All others are acceptable but you need to let us know what you have.
5. Upon visa approval and in order for the visa to be stamped on the passport, the participant needs to deposit RM300,000 (below the age of 50) or RM150,000 (above the age of 50) in a bank operating in Malaysia. It will be a bank of his/her choice.

1,000 MYR is a little over 7,500 THB 

47 minutes ago, Momofarang said:

And, oh so strangely, no one even mentions the excellent Malaysian option. M2H is still up, running and well designed, as far as I know.

Is is for lack of cheap p!!!y there? Bacon I managed to get.

Spent 15 months using KL as my base while I traveled around the region & no problem with getting bacon or pork there (some of the best lean pork cuts I've had were from the supermarkets in KL & ridiculously cheap), no problem getting cheap pussy either ???? 

But I didn't mention Malaysia as a) It's a lot more expensive than the Thai options & b) It comes with a requirement for Health Insurance (though I believe they will, on a case-by-case basis, wave the requirement & allow you to deposit a bond if none of the insurers will insure you).

The Philippines SRRV option is worth a look, by far the friendliest long term stay option & you can get access to Blue Cross health care (queue the "Yeah, but it's the Philippines" comments, I actually like the place, Visayas in particular, but that's just me).

1 hour ago, mikebell said:

Meanwhile in Vietnam......

I like Vietnam but the 3 month at a time Visa policy worries me more than the 1 year I get in Thailand.

You have to ask yourself how long they will continue to allow it if scores of Expats de-camp to there given that Cambodia has been talking about stricter checks on the 1 year "Business Visa" & even Philippines is debating whether to make changes to bar extensions to Visa on Arrival (i.e. the Visas that people from India/China etc... get) 

Hardly the basis for a long term retirement plan (I know, neither is Thailand anymore). 

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

So if extending on an O-A at CW you have to renew on the same day the previous extension ends... or accept an extension of less than a year to match your insurance.? This is madness. 

It really means people have to dump the O-A permission and extension and get a regular O. 

At worse only for the 1st year as in subsequent years you would renew your insurance 30 days before it expires & then do your extension, that way you will have a policy covering the 30 days & a new policy for the next year. 

E.g. If I had insurance running 1st Jan to 31 Dec 2020 & renewed my extension today, I could extend up to 31 Dec 2020 then on 1st Dec renew my insurance to 31 Dec 2021, when doing the next extension I would show insurance (current policy) to 31st Dec 2020 & another Policy showing insurance from 1st Jan to 31st Dec 2021.

Not ideal, but that's how things are.... at the moment ???? 

17 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

So I'm trying to understand the practical impact of this... for folks with O-A visa extensions of stay requiring insurance (and they DO require insurance, BTW...)

 

AFAIK, I've heard that some of the Thai insurers are willing to write policies for that month or weeks stub period, at a prorated premium amount, and then have the full year follow-on policy that matches one's extension period...

 

And if someone was able to do that with their Thai insurer on the front end for the first time, then I think they'd be OK for future cycles, as their annual insurance period would match their annual extension period... and they could apply to Immigration early because they'd already have valid insurance in force each successive year.

 

If it were me, I would either go down the Non-O route (no guarantees insurance won't become a requirement in the future) OR apply for a 1 month pro-rated insurance policy to take me to my extension date, that way I could then get into yearly cycles of renewing the insurance & extension 30 days early whilst still getting the full 12 months as previously. 

16 hours ago, rastlin said:

 

My advice, for what it is worth (you asked for my 2 cents) would be to stay where you are happy.

 

If you are happy while in Thailand, stay there.  If you are not, leave.  I would not worry to much about the Visa nonsense.  I look at it this way:  Yes, it is a real pain to get a Visa these days.  But when you compare that to what a Thai person has to do to get a Visa in the States and it is nothing.  I have one Thai friend recently turned down for an Irish visa.  Another friend took over a year to get a U.S. Visa.  

 

All in all, relatively speaking, the Visa headache is just one of those things.  It takes some time-and some money.  

 

But go where you are happy.

 

Life is to short to do otherwise.

My GF ("Normal" 34 yr old, works in a department store) is bricking herself at her 1st visit to Singapore (she's coming over with me to help me wind my Condo there down) as she's read all sorts of horror stories on the net about people being refused entry on a SVP (Social Visitors Pass, Singapore equivalent of Visa Exempt)

And Singapore doesn't have any other Visa options we could try for. 

17 hours ago, wahpiangeh56 said:

i'm a clueless as the guy next door. I, too have a Condo unit purchased in 2019.Now with all this mumbo jumbo confusion, it has left me with a bitter after-taste and regretting having done that. Please do give me your 2 cents worth what my next step should be. Retire in Thailand or cut loss and bit the bullet. BTW, I'm from Singapore.

If you're just popping over for a few days every few weeks then I wouldn't worry too much, there are special Immigration counters for Singaporeans & Hong-Kongers, as Thailand is trying to encourage more people to come over on short Food/Shopping trips. 

However, if you're staying for months on end then I would get a Non-O based on being over 50 (as a Citizen or PR you can easily get this from the Thai Embassy near to the Hilton on Orchard Road) or if you're under 50 consider getting the Thai Elite Visa