Mike Teavee

In February we got a Taxi from the kiosk at the Airport, cost 900B...

Interesting... 3Million THB doesn't sound like a lot of money to have to invest, especially if the investment could be a Condo purchase... Does anybody know of anyone that's managed to get PR via the Investment Route? In another thread I made a point that it was next to impossible for Retirees to get a PR & somebody suggested setting up your own business - Feels like a lot of hassle/expense but I guess it's an option for the determined. Edit: I've just found the 3Million THB Investment needs to be made in a "Limited or Public Company" Employment: You have held a Thailand Work Visa and Work Permit for at least three years, and: You have an Extension of Stay based on Employment at the time of application You have worked at your current company for at least one year at the time of application You had a monthly salary of at least 80,000 Baht for two consecutive years or you filed a tax return for an annual income of at least 100,000 Baht for two consecutive years Investment: You have invested at least 3 Million Baht in a limited or public company in Thailand Family: You are a close family member of a Thai citizen (parent, child or spouse) Expert: You have at least a BA Degree and are employed in a position in which you have to work in for at least three consecutive years. Other categories that the Immigration Department considers eligible. https://visaguide.world/asia/thailand-visa/residence-permit/

You can add The Palm to your list. Viewed a nice 2br 2bth unit there (35k PM, Block A, Level 37) with a very nice Sea / Sanctuary of Truth view but at 63sqm it was too small for the 2 of us. Can confirm Rivera Wongamat allows Cats & small Dogs, I would say it's mainly Dogs but I have seen a guy walking his cat (You need to keep them on a lead when in the public areas).

I have heard that Conversions are done up-country but had always assumed normal extensions were done locally. As mentioned I keep the 800K in the bank but use an agent for convenience sake so I couldn't say for sure, perhaps somebody who uses an Agent to "Provide" the 800K could comment.

Sorry I should have said that I’m staying in the same area (actually moving just across the road) so it will be same (Jomtien) IO. I do agree though that the best approach is probably to keep things as simple as possible by doing my 90 Day Report / Extension before the move then doing the TM30 address change the following week.

I believe it’s the same (Jomtien) either way but have always used the 800K in the bank so don’t know for sure.

Maneerat (Pattaya) charge 8,000b (includes the 1,900b immigration fee) to do your extension if you have the 800K in the bank, 12,500 if you don’t. Add on another 4,000b if you want a multi re-entry permit at the same time.

Am moving Condo next month around about the same time as I would normally do my Extension / 90 day report & am unsure as to what the best order is to do things. Background:- Extension - Due 26th September would normally do around 45 Days early so 12th August 90 Day Report - Due 28th August would normally do around 12 days early so 16th August Moving - Get the keys to the new place on 17th August but my current lease expires on 25th August (Gave myself a week to do the move) I think my options are:- Do my Extension & 90 day report before 17th August at my current address & then move / do the TM30 address change the following week. Do the 90 day Report (online) then move & do the TM30 / Extension at my new address. Move do the TM30 then do the Extension / 90 Day Report a few days later at the new address. I'll be using an Agent to do all of the paperwork so will see what they say but would appreciate any thoughts on which is the best order to approach things. TIA MTV

Yes both Visas can continue to be extended for 1 year at a time for as long as you meet the requirements. The only difference between the 2 when it comes to extending is you will need Health Insurance for the Non-IMM OA which is why most people prefer the Non-IMM O.

As he doesn't have Permanent Resident status in Switzerland, he's not eligible to apply for a Non - OA Visa there so no surprise that the Embassy didn't recommend it. OP It sounds like you've got your Non O Visa sorted now but do note it is also possible to get one from a neighbouring country to Thailand (I believe Laos & Vietnam are currently the go-2 places) should you need to.

Can you name some of these countries, currently Greece seems to have the highest retirement age in the EU at 67 (but we all know that was because it was a basket case a few years back allowing people to retire on full pensions at 50) though other reports say it’s 62 & Germany has the highest age at 63.7. https://www.euronews.com/next/2023/04/06/pension-reform-in-france-which-countries-have-the-lowest-and-highest-retirement-ages-in-eu The Uk has one of the highest retirement ages in Europe & that’s 66 raising to 67 between 2026 - 2028 & then 68 between 2044 - 2046.

Went into Bangkok Bank yesterday to update my Bank Books & noticed that my Fixed Term Deposit that expired 1st July has been rolled over at 1.05%… Still not great but 50% more than the 0.7% I was getting ????????

Was in Bangkok Bank doing the Facial Recognition thing a couple of weeks back and the girl doing it was trying to sell me a 4.5 (might have even been 5)% long term deposit account but as "Long Term" seemed to be 12 years I passed. Currently getting 0.7% on my 6 month Fixed Deposit accounts with them so am going to look around for a new account once I get my Extension out of the way next month. Hmmm Seems their 10 & 14 month accounts are offering 1.45% interest Edit: Scratch that, these are only available to Thai Citizens/Corporates... The 10-Month and 14-Month Fixed Deposit Account are available for Thai individuals, corporates, government agencies, insurance companies, non-profit juristic persons, Financial Institution and Other Funds.

Go to see Maneerat (Soi Post Office / Soi 13/2) & they will handle it all for him for approx. 23,500THB at the end of which he'll have his initial 90 Day Non-IMM O Visa + next 12 months extension (so will be good for 15 months). I know a lot of people will say to do it himself (2,000THB) but at 74 & with (I'm assuming) little knowledge about how to get a Non-Imm O Visa I'd recommend just spending the money & taking all of the hassle/stress out of it.

"Retirement" Visas for Thailand are relatively easy to obtain/maintain but which one you go for depends mainly on your finances... If you have an income of > $80,000 per year or have > $40,000 and can invest $250,000 you can apply for the Long Term Resident "Wealthy Pensioner" Visa which will give you a 10 year Visa that can be extended for another 10 years assuming you still meet the criteria. If you have 800,000THB that you can leave in the bank or (as you are French, I believe your Embassy still provides Income Letters) can show an income of >65,000THB per month or a combination of the 2 (e.g. 400,000THB in the bank & income > 32,500THB per month) then you can get a Non-IMM O If you have no finances you can go see an Agent (approx 24,000THB for the initial Visa then 12,500THB each year to extend). In terms of obtaining your 1st Visa you have the choice of... Obtaining it in your home country (NB Unless you have a good Health Insurance policy or are planning to get one then I would recommend going for a Non-IMM O Visa rather than a Non-IMM OA) Obtaining a Non-IMM O Visa in a neighbouring country to Thailand (I believe Laos & maybe Vietnam are favourite places to do this, you will need to be able to show the equivelant of 800,000THB in a Bank Account somewhere. Enter Thailand on a Tourist Visa or Visa Exempt & convert in country (As mentioned approx. 24,000THB for an Agent to do this for you no proof of finances required - If you do it yourself you'll need the 800,000THB in a Bank Account & it will cost 2,000THB)

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Making up things IS HOW Scientists prove things... They propose a hypothesis & then attempt to disprove it. I sort of envy guys like you as you believe in something & then when the end comes & nothing further happens you'll never know how wrong you were whereas guys like us who believe there is nothing after will get there & be proven right without knowing it. I can't reconcile myself to the fact that guys like you would accept a child being born into a religion which doesn't match yours & be condemned to an eternally in "Hell"... In fact by your own estimation you condemn at least 75% of the planet to "Hell"... If that's your God you're welcome to him. But If "Heaven" did exist then I'm minded of Dave Allen... "Religion?" God's secretary asked the first man. "Jewish," the man replied. Okay, go to room 23, but be very quiet when you go past room 8, "Religion?" God's secretary asked the second man "Muslim" Go to room 10, but be very quiet when you go past room 8. "Religion?" God's secretary asked the third man "Agnostic." Go to room 71, but be very quiet when you go past room 8. Agnostic asks... "Why must I be quiet when I go past room 8?"... "Oh, the Catholics are in room 8, and they think that they are they only ones here." Enjoy Room 8 (I know you're not "Catholic" put your own version of Christianity in it's place).

Over the years I’ve found myself taking more & more beers of my drinking list as they seem to cause bad reflux the next day (San Miguel Lights is probably the worse but just recently Singha has been causing me grief). Generally, Miracid (1 tablet in the morning) works for me but I keep a box of Gaviston Tablets (find they work better than the pouches) handy in case it flares up.

It’s a Multi Re-Entry Visa so no need for a Re-Entry permit & if you leave the country at least once every 12 months you don’t need to worry about extensions. If you do have to do an extension is an absolute doddle (especially if you live somewhere where TE will do it for you). 90 Day reports are very easy online nowadays (assuming your IMM Office accepts them) Other perks are Fast-Track & lounge access at the airport + if you get the 5 year (600K) version you get certain number of airport transfers + other perks (Golf, Spa etc… Not 100% sure as it’s been a while since I looked at it) The smart approach seems to be to pay the 600K for the 5 year visa for the additional perks & then pay the extra 400K for the extra 15 years towards the end of it.

As usual AN gives you an excerpt of the news report & a link where you can read the full report… If you click on this link you can see the details of the other 3 cases which seem to involve… #3 - 5 Koreans (Working Illegally) #4 - 1 Chinese guy (on overstay) #5 - > 17 Vietnamese (Illegal gambling + fake passport making).

Each time you enter Thailand on an Elite Visa you will be given a 12 month permission to stay so if you don’t leave Thailand during those 12 months you will need to do the annual extension (TE can help facilitate this, no need to show financials, usual 1,900b Immigration Fee applies). Also note that the 20 year visa is actually a 5 Year Visa which you/they renew 3 times.

The only time I’m wrong is when I think I am… Wait, that’s the GF, I’m wrong all the time apparently. Joking aside I do get things wrong & am grateful to people when they point this out so I can learn from it.

I don’t know about Canada but UK & US allow you to specify international assets in your domestic will HOWEVER I can only imagine how hard this would be to get through the Thai courts so would recommend having a separate Will for your Thai assets. I don’t see why you couldn’t have the same Executor in both wills but unless the Executor is willing to travel between the 2 to deal with banks/courts etc… Might be better to have separate (local) Execs.

Main concern for us retirees is that there doesn’t seem to be a route to PR unless we work & pay Tax for >2 years thus making PR an impossible dream for us.

Had one from Virgin One (Now NatWest) who told me if I didn’t provide one they might have to notify the Thailand Tax authority of the approx £2 interest they pay me per year for keeping my mortgage in credit. As an aside my mate got a call from them, they’re closing his account in September (he closed his mortgage out with them when he sold his house but maintained a current account) & have he needs to make alternative banking arrangements A lot of reports of UK banks closing Expats accounts & I’d be concerned that providing them with a TIN is confirming to them that I am an Expat (use my parents address for all correspondence).