Mike Teavee

LMAO... GMail is Google's email platform ???? Lamest attempt at a scam I've ever seen ????

There is nothing illegal in using an agent to facilitate your extension if you meet all of the requirements (e.g. have the 800K in the bank). But what did cause a "Harsh Punishment" were the guys who were fraudulently getting letters from their embassies claiming to earn 65K+ per month which resulted in the AUS, US & UK embassies no longer providing Income Letters so now people using the "Income" method have to transfer at least 65K every month, this obviously needs to be net of any taxes/expenses in their home country (previously it was Gross Income) so there will no doubt be some guys who were 100% legal & now aren't. Ironically I'll bet most of the guys using those income letters were doing their extensions themselves & those who didn't really meet the 65K+ requirement are now using "Agent Assisted Finances" with their extensions. Edit to Add: It was only AUS, US & UK who stopped providing the income letters (Denmark stopped for a while but then started providing them again) so am sure there are guys from other countries who don't meet the income requirements but are able to obtain a letter from their embassy saying they do which lets them go to immigration & do their own extension (Agents won't do extensions based on income even if you do xfer >65K pm).

A non-Imm OA Visa is typically obtained in your home country (or a country where you have legal residency rights). Non-IMM O Visa's can also be obtained other countries e.g. I got my Non-IMM O on a long weekend trip to Penang in Malaysia (I'm British & was living in Singapore at the time).

I go to Bangkok Bank & they give me a 3 month statement there & then which is enough for my (agent assisted) extension. This will be the 1st year where I’m using a fixed deposit account to support my extension so it will be interesting to see if I need the 3 month letter or whether a copy of the Bankbook (funds have been seeded since 1st July 2022) will do.

I believe a lot of it has stemmed from Brexit whereby the UK Banks can no longer service EU customers so have spat their dummy out & are saying they’ll only service UK customers

Exactly, it’s my money & I choose to spend it making my life easier/more comfortable. Some guys travel economy even though they can afford to fly Business, I choose to allocate 10K pm towards my annual trip to the Uk so I can fly in Business… I could add this to my drinking pot or maybe take up smoking but choose to spend my money like this… Live from the Man-Doh flight…

The best website I’ve found for comparing Insurance Policies is Mister Prakan https://misterprakan.com/th/health/main?lg=en But maybe best to speak to a reliable insurance broker (obviously this will depend on where you’re located).

He was responding to the comment… “ i don't understand why anyone with half a brain needs to use an agent.“ I use an agent for convenience & I drop my passport/bank book at the agents then go back 1-2 days later to pick it up complete with 1 year extension & multi re-entry permit… Cost me 12k all in so approx 35b per day which is well worth it (To Me) Understand that some guys prefer to do it themselves but let’s be honest, if the agent charged 200b for the service then a lot of them would use an agent for the convenience so it’s not about “Brains” it’s about the cost…

I think you mean Class 3 (not Class 1). I back payed 7 years at Class 2 & continued to pay monthly at Class 2 (up until last month, I should have the 40 years I need once they sort out 1 missing week which was their mistake) because I was working overseas, if you’re not working then you will be charged Class 3.

I was working in Singapore when I retired & could easily afford to live there so I guess (Visa Issues Aside) I could afford to live most anywhere Also had a Filipina GF of 8 years & we’d built a house in Davao. But at the end of the day when it came to retiring (technically 18 months before as I was already renting a condo in Bangkok) I picked Thailand because I love the place (warts & all). If I win the lottery (had a go on the UK one yday whilst visiting my parents, didn’t get a single number) I’d still choose Thailand

Lol, the correct answer is “Down there they do” (Harry Enfield, The Scousers) - funny enough I’m visiting my parents about 25 miles away from there at the mo ???? apologies I’ve taken this very interesting thread well OT so will shut up now… Back to topic I think the biggest threat to Expats here is Cost of Living (Loving?) increases (especially to Brits on a frozen pension) but there has been a report of agents no longer providing the proof of 800K in the bank for Jomtien IO which will be a more immediate concern for some.

They do though don’t they though…

Next …

I can only tell you what I saw in the shop window, as I’m here on a “retirement visa” (& Hetro) I had no interest in going in to find out the details. NEXT?

Wow, that’s interesting to learn as obviously the Agent helping with finances has been the way people have been living here for decades so it would be a massive shock if they really did clamp down on it. My mate did his Non-IMM O conversion with them last May & when he went in for them to do his latest 90 day report was told he could do his Extension 90 days early so he did it last Tuesday (23rd May). Again he doesn’t meet the 800K in the bank criteria

Yes Agent doesn’t seem interested in doing it on a xfer >65K per month basis so it’s either you have the money in the bank (8,000b) or you don’t (12,500b).

Non-UK resident Brits visiting the UK are charged 1.5X (150%) of the normal cost charged to a Non-UK Citizen… https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/visiting-or-moving-to-england/how-to-access-nhs-services-in-england-if-you-are-visiting-from-abroad/#:~:text=If you're not ordinarily,of the national NHS rate.

My mate got his annual Non-IMM O extension (finances facilitated by the Agent) at Jomtien last week. I was surprised not that he got it, but by the fact they were able to do it 90 days before it was due (normally 45 at Jomtien). Cost was 12,500b same as last year.

As an aside, There is a Visa Agent in Pattaya (Soi Post Office / Soi 13/2) that has a sign in their window saying something like “Visa for Man with Man” (it’s been a while so don’t quote me on that). Agency is a few doors down from Maneerat as you’re walking to the beach. Back to OP: I don’t think the Government per se will pose a danger to us retired Expats, but the general cost of living increases (which have been quite severe for the past couple of years) will… Especially for Brits living on frozen state pensions Obviously government policy can/will influence the rate of increase but any government that causes it to rise too high too fast won’t last very long here.

Also got the email this morning, I really like Netflix as it allows us to have Thai subtitles when I’m watching an English language program (though sometimes I could do with English language subtitles as actors seem to mutter nowadays) & English subs when she’s watching a Thai programme. Currently on the 419b pm 4 concurrent connections package, 2 are used by us in the same house, & 2 in Bangkok by my mate / her mate (different locations), if Netflix want to charge me an extra 2x99b for these 2 I’ll probably just pay it (at least for her mate, my mate is talking about getting his own subscription anyway). Well worth the subscription cost to me for the subtitles alone. PS Also a fan of the Korean series, for good British series I use my Android box, but very rarely (can’t think of once) can I get Thai subtitles

Good, news as there will be more confidence in UK economy so pound should stay the same or rise

The article says they’re trying to raise the final £4,000 but they’ve already raised £16,705 which minus the £12,500 paid would leave £5,205 so I can only assume the final bill is £20,705 (< 1Million THB), seems very reasonable (cheap) given his injuries

Philippines might be a good option as it’s easy to stay there for up to 3 years on Visa Exempt.

I don’t Think that’s correct as my mate applied for a new passport a while back & we travelled to UK entering via E-gates on 16th May. It’s my understanding that your old passport is only cancelled/ invalidated (corner cut off) when you exchange it for the new one Edit: Have to say I’m a little concerned now as we’re due to fly back on 30th May…

Yes you will need to file a TM30 at Krabi immigration office Docs required are (Normally)… Completed TM30 report. Copy of the landlord's ID/Passport. Copy of a household registration book (ทะเบียนบ้าน) or title deed (โฉนด) Copy of rental agreement or land sale contract (in case of long lease) Do note that filing a TM30 doesn’t (normally) reset your 90 Day reporting date.