Martyp

8 hours ago, Fraser Brown said:

Extended my O-A at Chaeng Wattana this past week using a similar strategy and received my extension until the date of the expiry of my insurance. As the IO was perusing my application/documents I was informed that I would only receive my extension to the expiry of the insurance, viz 51 week extension. 

Interesting. I use CW as well. My extension expires in November. Up until now I have renewed 45 days early but I may have to change that plan. I will contact Pacific Cross about how they think they can align my insurance coverage with my extension dates. Then I will go to CW and ask them want they think about that plan knowing that that advice may of questionable reliability. Personally I don't care much if I lose a week of extension but I don't want to have a problem just a week before expiration.

There is a blank certificate on the TGIA website that you can submit to your insurer. If they sign that certificate and you carry it with you then you should be able to enter through immigration at the borders. Way in the past, a lot of people said their insurance company would not sign the certificate but then some people said they were having success and since then I haven't heard much about it. I would guess that if you have a certificate that isn't entered in the TGIA database you can expect scrutiny and delays whenever someone asks for proof of insurance. Whether you can use this for an extension of stay, I don't know. It seems like the kind of question you need to ask your local immigration office.

On 5/13/2020 at 5:48 PM, Max69xl said:

That receipt shall be kept in your passport. It even says so at the bottom. That's why the IO staples it inside the passport.

I‘ve used the Bangkok office for three years. They have never stapled my 90 day report to my passport. I think I’ve done this in person 7-8x. I don’t keep it in my passport. I keep in my Immigration document box for my next trip to CW. I take a photo of it and keep that with me. I’ve never been asked for it. But if some day some IO wants to staple it into my passport then that is OK with me. The main point of this thread is that it is one of the few documents to bring with you if you file in person. I guess it is no different for the Elite Program. 

There is a slightly different process and different financial requirements. You might want to get that information too.

I think what you are finding out here is that there are differences from office to office and IO to IO. Best to prepare more than you need and go early enough that if there are some surprises then you have enough time to fix them. It shouldn't be expensive or difficult to get a year bank statement. Or you could just go with your homegrown documents and take a chance. It all depends on your risk tolerance. 

5 hours ago, smedly said:

haven't you considered also that the Thailand governments data on the spread of this virus doesn't match with their actions across the country

 

How many tests have they actually carried out now - 50k in 120 days 

 

They did a random antibody test sample of 3000 people in New York and have discovered that at least 25% of the population have been infected 

 

Thailand has actually done two population studies. Every time someone is tested to be positive with Coronavirus they do contact tracing. They have tested thousands of people in this high risk group and found a 1-2% infection rate. The other test was on Phuket, one of the infection hot spots. They tested 1000 people and found 1 person infected. They have, at the moment, decided that testing is too expensive for such a low return on infection rates. 

4 minutes ago, jwest10 said:

Just been up my local 7/11 and they confirm no sales and through May and seen a few sites with that notice 1st May

You asked the kids at the cash register about the liquor policy? 5555

If they were to allow open air businesses then I could imagine that outdoor foot massages would be as safe as anything else.

21 minutes ago, essox essox said:

no doubt your pool will have chlorine in the water....which is put in to kill germs 

I do not know if chlorine KILLS the covid 19 but think it would help to...!!

Chlorine is a common disinfectant for cleaning laboratory surfaces. In any case you are not going to catch the virus from pool water. Pools were closed to discourage large groups of people from socializing. The same with the alcohol ban. I’ve seen plenty of crowded pools at hotels and there are the pool parties. Most condo pools are deserted though. Maybe they would be less so now that people are staying home. They could be easily controlled and monitored but it would depend on the staffing. Also I think uncertainty of social distancing enforcement leads to shutting down everything. 

3 minutes ago, pattjock said:

It IS up to the juristic management of each condo to decide if to close or keep open. Only public pools have to close.

Hmmmm. Then they need encouragement. They posted signs that said they were doing it because of government orders.

2 minutes ago, Oldie said:

Many condominiums are used as hotels (with or without a license). Normally our pools are fully occupied by such hotel guests. This might be a reason why they want to block the pools. 

Yeah but I think the suggestion is to leave it up to the juristic management to decide. Some places may have tourists stuck in their AirBnB rentals. Other places may be vacant of tourists because of the ban on incoming flights. I don't fault the restrictions up to now but going forward, if outdoor areas are opening up, then I think condo pools could be included in that. Large gatherings will still not be allowed even in the public parks. 

18 hours ago, NLseller said:

Most pools in condos are hardly used by occupants in this country and it is ridiculous to see them shut even though there are no covid cases in these buildings. We have a 60m pool in our block in Chaengwattana Pakkred which has been close for the last 5 weeks and is destroying my health and well being as I am a regular lap swimmer. Private pools in condominiums are usually built specifically for a group of people and if there are no risk in that group it should be left to the discretion of the individual juristic to open it up for use.

OHHHHHHH . . . I totally agree. I so miss the pool. We have 7 large platforms around the pool. Well spaced apart for social distancing. There are maintenance people there almost all the time taking care of the area. If people are not behaving they could just tell the juristic office to take care of the problem. In normal times I was the only person using the pool 90% of the time.

1 hour ago, mirage said:

It looks like I will be here for about a year. I have Pacific Cross travel insurance that expires in a couple of weeks. As I am just about to turn 66 Pacific Cross will not give me health insurance without a medical. I have no intention to travel to a hospital for a medical and blood tests they asked for, as I consider hospitals to be high risk places for COVID 19. Can any one give me an option ?. I only need major in-hospital cover, all minor problems I can cover myself. If I was to self insure would 2 million Baht be enough ?.

Can you go to a smaller clinic rather than a big hospital?

1 minute ago, JimHuaHin said:

Thank you for your detailed reply.

 

I have taken all of the factors you have mentioned into account.

 

I already have comprehensive health insurance in Australia (though I am not expecting to return there to live) through my Australian retirement pension plan.

 

In addition, I have had IMG international health insurance since living in Thailand, which meets my needs.

 

At this time, I need only basic Thai coverage to meet Thai Immigration's requirements.  However, over the next few years I may decide to dump IMG and just go with a Thai-based company - thus my post.

 

Thank you.

I have Pacific Cross insurance. It sounds like your minimum need is the cheapest possible plan to qualify for your extension. You should however talk to Pacific Cross about a more comprehensive plan that might cover the immigration requirements and your insurance needs.

I initially purchased my PC insurance when I realized my US plan didn’t adequately cover me here in Thailand as a long term expat. I suspended my US insurance and bought a 10 million baht plan with a sizable deduction. The cost was less than my US plan. For routine care Thai medical costs are so inexpensive I prefer to just pay that myself. This is just a suggested option. Maybe now or for next year.

Your situation is different from mine because I didn’t have an alternate insurance plan in the US. I was starting from scratch and just chose to go into the Thai insurance market without shopping for international plans. 

If they only give you a permission to stay stamp until December then you can apply for a one year of extension of stay in December. There is no rule that you have to get a second year. However, you will need your new passport before December. I'm just suggesting this to give you a little more time to sort out your passport issue.

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

No need to apply for a one year extension for about 2 years with OA long stay visa. All that needs to done is to get a new one year entry just before it expires.

 

Yes. There is no need. You can get the extra year but at this time with the borders closed that might not be the best thing to try to do. Some people (not you) seem to to think you have to do the 2nd year. Like it is some kind of personal failure to not do it.

On 4/2/2020 at 8:16 AM, SiSePuede419 said:

You apply for a one year retirement visa from the Thai Embassy in your home country. 

 

It must be done once a year with full documentation.

 

Period.  End of discussion. ????

Yes you must get an O-A visa in your home country but at the end of the first year you can apply for a 1 year extension of stay while in Thailand. 

It may just be a crisis response. Last year at this time I wasn’t allowed to open a joint account with my new wife. We were told it was because of the uncertainty of the election results. A week after the election results were announced we opened an account with no problem. At that time I waited a month. No telling what they will do now. I’m sure it is not every branch or every bank.

oops I guess it is a coronavirus thing.

The Covid insurance requirement is separate from the insurance requirement for those with an OA visa. The Covid insurance requirement applies to foreigners entering during this epidemic. If you leave I think you can only get back in if you have a work permit

I’m sure the Ambassador has some influence on that issue with the State Department. Since the world is in the midst of a growing pandemic I would think he is busy with other things now.

You really want to exit Thailand at this time? With the restrictions on foreigners on entering Thailand? You don't have to get the second year that you get for leaving and re-entering. You can get a 1 year extension at the end of your first year on the OA. You have to meet the financial and various other requirements of course.

2 minutes ago, USNret said:

62, and not at the peak of fitness. I would consider myself moderate or high risk.

Yeah. I would keep an eye on any new procedures that come with the emergency decree. I would definitely take the suggestion to go in a private car. I don’t know anything about agents. Traveling anywhere in the world is going to be incredibly difficult long past May so I would make every effort to get the year extension but that is just me. If you are forced to leave when your permission to stay expires you will be traveling at high risk anyway. 

6 minutes ago, USNret said:

Yes, that’s precisely the point of my predicament.

How old are you? Or where do you fall in the spectrum of risk relative to the Coronavirus?