Terry2905

Hi everyone. 3 days ago I was robbed at knife point from the balcony of the condo I stay in, on the ground floor. I was standing outside having a cigarette at 02:30 am when a Thai man suddenly came out of nowhere, and threatened me a meat cleaver. He demanded money, which I gave him from my wallet, about 3,500 baht, and he also demanded a box of cigarettes, which I also gave him. He had originally just snatched my whole wallet, but I persuaded him by sign language (he did not speak English and I can't speak Thai), to hand me my wallet, and I took all the money out of it. I guess I was lucky, because if he had taken my wallet, I would have to have cancelled my credit and debit cards and get them replaced, and I would have had to get replacement Thai driving licences. Although my mobile phone and laptop and tablet were in full view, he didn't steal them! Phew! Anyway, the entrance to my balcony has an open area, with only 2 steps, about 2 metres wide. I want to have a gate fitted across that entrance way, as a deterrent, and to give me added security and a little peace of mind? If I had a gate, it would give me the time to get into my room and lock the door, should the same thing happen again in the future. But I don't know anywhere in pattaya that would make and fit a custom gate. Does anyone know where there is a steel manufacturer in pattaya that would come and measure and manufacture and install a small gate? The condo I stay in, in central pattaya has no security guard, but does have cctv. Of course I did call the police, made a report, and the police were very good, and took me back to my room at 04:00, and took some photos. They returned later, and found out that the guy next door has also had an attempt to rob him, and the police came back the next day to review the cctv. The Thai man was clearly seen, carrying the meat cleaver. Of course I am s**t scared! Although I am only 65 years old, I don't have the skills to take on a guy with a meat cleaver! I don't want to smoke inside my room, and please don't reply with any comments about giving up smoking! There is actually more to the story than the theft from me being threatened with a lethal weapon. The guy next door actually has an open area beside his room, and it turns out that the Thai man that robbed me, had also tried to rob the guy next door of a microwave, a barbecue grill and an outside tv! The guy next door had turned his open area into a small outdoor bar, which was why he had a small kitchen area and tv, to entertain his friends. The police found all that outside, on the floor in the road outside, so the burglar must have been seen by someone and had run away? All that was actually stolen from my next door neighbour was the tv remote control and a pair of sandals! He has now installed cctv and motion sensors in that recreational area, with an alarm linked to his phone. In conclusion, all that I can really do is to put a gate across the open entrance to my balcony, obviously padlocked, which would at least give me those precious few seconds to get inside my room and lock the door and call the police. I have asked the owner of the condo, both for permission to put a gate, at my own expense, which he has agreed to, but he doesn't know anywhere that makes gates, although he will ask around, but I am posting this in case someone knows of a place in pattaya that would make a small gate, probably 2 small hinged gates with a central place to put a lock. And as cheap as possible, because I am by no means rich! As an aside, when the police viewed the condo cctv, they actually saw the Thai man following another farang up the road, but he lives upstairs from me, and the main door is a security door, with a key card, and that door automatically locks when it shuts. He was lucky, because he was the initial intended victim! I was unlucky, and was robbed of about 3,500 baht, and a pack of cigarettes, but I was also lucky that the robber didn’t take my new phone or my laptop or tablet. The robber could have taken everything, because he had a meat cleaver. Of course I know that the police will not do anything more! It is very unlikely that they will identify the robber, even though it is actually a serious offence! Armed robbery is serious. Never mind the emotional stress also. I am s**t scared to go outside now! I have "lashed up" a temporary barrier, using a big clothes horse with a chain, a lock, and an old car battery, to make it heavier, but of course that is not really a permanent solution. Thanks for any advice or help where I can get a gate made.

Yeah. That part of the story doesn't seem to fit in with the circumstances? No return flight, and she stole his yacht and passport and money and everything else? Most likely she found him out with a bar girl, and just jumped on their yacht and sailed away, which would probably have had his passport and personal belongings on board? I feel sorry for this guy. So before anyone "slags" off this poor guy, think about the reality of life.

Last time I did my extension myself 2 years ago, I had to join the queue which stretched all the way to the beach! It took 6 hours to get inside, standing in blazing sunshine and was then told to come back the next day! So, yes, I use an agent now!

OK I read that post. So even though a visa exempt is 30 days, it is actually 28 days from date of entry. He made that clear. But he added that day of arrival and departure would be 30 days Yes I agree that the seasoning is now only 2 months, but it used to be 3 months. I apologise for the slight information. However, I still want to put the record straight. No, I didn't have the 800,000 baht in my bank account, which was why I used an agent. I had to spend the all my savings to pay for a heart operation last year. The local Thai insurance company refused to pay, because I neglected to declare that I had a hemorrhoid removed at pattaya city hospital in 2017. They have now cancelled my health insurance. "You are funny" is not a remark that I take lightly! So? You are an expert for all immigration related things. Then why not just give me some advice instead of abuse! I am not a newcomer to Thailand. I have been coming here for more than 25 years, but the rules change almost on a daily basis, and it is hard to keep up with. If I remember correctly, the seasoning of the 800,000 baht used to be 6 months, which then got reduced to 3 months, but now I see that it is only 2 months? But we still have to go back after 3 months to immigration after an extension, to show that we still have 800,000 baht in the bank. It is total nonsense. And I am not the fool you seem to take me for. This all started with my concern about renewal of my cancelled non o extension. I have a lot to lose if I was forced to leave Thailand, because of the stupid immigration system. I could move to the Philippines and get a 1 time visa for life. None of the nonsense of 90 day report. But Still with about 100,000 baht tied up in a bank account there. Cambodia is also very relaxed about visas. 1 application, with an annual renewal through any travel agents. No bank deposit needed. I am going to ignore any further comments from you, unless you will be civil enough not to call me a fool or ignorant. I am seeking advice, but you seem to be hell bent on criticism!

I was actually only given a 28 day visa on entry stamp in my UK passport. Why only 28 days, I have no idea, but that was the visa that I was given, a visa on entry, and not visa exempt. Yes you are partially correct, but I was not given a visa exempt stamp. Yes I can then get a 90 day extension on application for a non o stamp, and then get a 1 year extension, based on retirement. Of course all based on the initial entry date. So, to get an extension for permission to stay, you 1st have to apply for a 90 day extension from date of arrival. Then apply for a further 1 year extension based on retirement, giving the 1st "retirement visa", 15 months from arrival date. Then extend the original visa every year for 12 months. Of course with 800,000 baht locked away in a thai bank for the rest of your life. I wonder what actually happens to that 800,000 baht when you die?

How I wish I had my passport in hand, to refute your misinformation. I was given a 28 day voa when I returned. NOT 30 days, so get your facts straight! That may have been because I arrived via Hong Kong, but the stamp in my passport was definitely a 28 day voa, and not visa exempt! In your words, geez! The system is very clear. Yes, arrive from the UK, get a visa exempt stamp for 30 days, then apply for a 90 day extension from the original date of entry, followed by a 1 year application for a non o visa based on retirement. You really need to swat up on your misleading information! The immigration officer at Bangkok Airport was adamant that she could only give me a 28 day voa. If I had not acted quickly, I would have been charged with a 2 day overstay on my voa. I am stating the facts. Yes I arrived on a British passport but I was not given a visa exempt stamp in my passport. In fact, according to the Thailand immigration website, a voa is only valid for 15 days! I can't understand or explain why I was given a maximum 28 day voa, but that is what the immigration officer gave me. NOT 30 days visa exempt. Look, I am only sharing my known information. I arrived in Thailand, via Hong Kong, on a British passport, and was given a 28 day voa. That can be extended for 90 days, from the date of arrival. NOT 90 days after expiry of the voa. Of course "seasoning" of 800,000 baht in a thai bank account is needed before an application for a non o visa based on retirement can be applied for. You seem to be spreading misinformation. I am however telling the truth. I am talking rubbish. I am sharing this information, so that other people know the actual facts. Yes, there is actually no such thing as a retirement visa. It is an extension, based on 90 days after your original arrival date. Hence the 1st "extension for a non o "visa" is 15 months. How many times have people have to say this to you before you understand! If you read all the replies to my post, many replies have been the same. 90 day extension from date of entry, followed by a 1 year extension based on retirement. Giving an initial permission to stay for 15 months. I don't know where you are getting your wrong information from, but you are wrong in everything you say.

I know it is complicated. I am not giving poor information. I am stating the facts. I had a non o visa based on retirement, but when I left Thailand and did not have a re entry stamp, my original non o visa was cancelled. My visa agent told me that my visa, and extension to stay was automatically cancelled when I left Thailand without a re entry stamp. So they have applied for a 90 day extension of the 28 day voa, followed by a 1 year extension. I am not giving false information. Take a look at some of the other replies, who say the same thing. Entry visa, followed by a 90 day extension, followed by a 1 year non o stamp based on retirement, giving an initial 15 month stay, followed by yearly extension. I know a lot more than you think I know, and I know about the "border bounce" system, but that is not the same thing. I am not giving misinformation. I am sharing my experience of already having a non o extension of stay, which got cancelled when I left Thailand without a re entry stamp. I did not know if I could get a 2nd non o visa based on retirement. Anyway, the agent seems to have it all in hand, with the usual brown envelope! I have not seen your threads, but the thai immigration system is very complex. Of course I know the procedure. Seasoning of at least 800,000 baht in a thai bank for at least 3 months (90 days), and then get a yearly extension, equalling 15 months after arrival. Yes the agent uses the brown envelope to bypass the system. In reality, you arrive on a voa, with a 90 day extension, followed by an application for a non o visa application based on retirement. The agents pay to "fix" the dates! I have no doubt that when I get my passport back, it will show my entry voa date, with a 90 day extension, followed by a 1 year non o visa stamp, exactly the same way as I originally got my non o retirement visa.

Yes, I had expected to be given free boarding maybe in a cheap b&b, and some money for essentials, as the many refugees get. The uk government is completely broken, when they turn their backs on uk citizens, who have paid NI contributions all their life, but give refugees a luxury lifestyle!

I beg to differ. My 1st non o visa was for 15 months, followed by yearly 1 year extensions. I was actually still working abroad when I got my initial 15 month non o visa, but I got stuck in Thailand during covid and I couldn't get back to work. I lost my job because of that. So I used an agent, who got me a 15 month non o visa for retirement, even though I was actually still employed at that time! Difficult to explain. I sought advice from an agent, because my employer was threatening me with unemployment. I did actually eventually get back to work, but the covid-19 situation became untenable, so I resigned. If you take a look at some of the other replies, a new non o visa based on retirement is for 15 months (90 day voa extension, with a further 1 year extension). And that is what the visa agent that I use has told me today. You may be confused about applying for a non o visa in a Thailand embassy abroad, but it is slightly different when you apply for it when you in Thailand. I don't actually know, because I never applied for a non o visa from abroad.

Yes. That was why the Manchester City hospital refused to help me, because my records showed that my previous address and gp was in Blackpool.

Thank you for your reply. Yes I may have to go twice to jomtien immigration, but the agent told me today that I only need to go to the bank again, and that I will get my passport back on Thursday, with a 15 month non o visa based on retirement. I just have to wait and see.

I have learned my lesson. The hard and expensive way! A multi entry stamp is really only necessary for people who do travel around the world, for whatever reason. But if there is a next time for me, I will remember to get a re entry stamp at the airport immigration office.

I have talked to the visa agent today. They have told me that I will get a non o visa based on retirement, valid for 15 months, and that jomtien immigration only want to see my bank account again. Of course I don't know the reason, but I assume that the jomtien immigration want 2 bank letter, 1 for the voa extension and another 1 for the non o visa? Anyway, the visa agent has assured me that I will get a new non o visa based on retirement, on Thursday. I do actually now have more than the 800,000 baht in my thai bank. I unexpectedly received some money from my late Father (thank you Dad). Not a lot, but enough to last me until I start to get my UK oap next year. Thank goodness for visa agents! As they say in star trek, live long and prosper! I will add 1 final note. Not all of us that have chosen Thailand to retire to have 800,000 baht to lock away in the bank forever. I will be able to live in Thailand on only my UK oap, now also with some emergency savings, thanks to my Father who sadly passed away last year, and left me a small inheritance. I will close by saying a big thank you to those of you who gave me positive feedback. To those of you who only gave derogatory remarks. There was no need to reply with derogatory remarks! This forum is meant to be a social forum, where we can share our experiences and ask for helpful advice. I asked a simple question concerning my non o retirement visa, but I received some very upsetting replies, which was uncalled for. Yes I forgot about getting a re entry stamp. I was sick and in a wheelchair through the airport, and I simply forgot about getting a re entry stamp! There was no need to add to my woes with derogatory comments!

I have read all of your replies. My passport is still with immigration. The agent that I use phoned me yesterday telling me that I have to go back to the bank with them on Tuesday, and something about getting my passport back on Thursday with a 90 day extension of my voa. They didn't mention the non o retirement visa. And no, I am not inept. I was sick and in a wheelchair, and I simply forgot about getting a re entry stamp. What Dr Jack 54 has said may be true, and my agent will get me a 90 day extension, followed later with a non o retirement visa stamp for 1 year. I hope! When I got my original retirement visa it was all done in 1 go (90 day extension and a retirement visa stamp, basically 15 months, followed by annual extensions after that). I will answer canadasam. I have extensively researched my current health issues, and the medication to treat my condition is NOT available in Thailand. That is why I went back to the UK. The NHS refused to help me in Manchester, because I was registered with my previous address in Blackpool. I went to Blackpool, but was told by the city council that there was no accommodation available, and I simply couldn't afford to pay for a hotel and taxi fares to go and see my previous gp or hospital. That is why I returned immediately back to Thailand. I will not say what my health problem is, so don't ask. I will wait and see what the visa agent says when I see them on Tuesday. All they have said so far is that there is a problem in jomtien immigration and it is something to do with the bank, and I have to go back to the bank again on Tuesday, and that I will get my passport back on Thursday, with only a 90 day extension of my voa. No mention of later getting a non o visa, but that may be just because they have not told me much? Thank you all for some of the positive replies. I will post an update when I know more.

Hi everyone. I fell ill and returned to the UK to try and get some help. I did have a non o retirement visa, but I totally forgot about getting a re entry stamp. I was actually only in the UK for 3 days, because social services and the NHS refused to help me. Upon my return, I was only given a 28 day voa. I immediately went to my visa agent, who told me that I need to apply again for a new non o retirement visa, so I paid them to do that. Today they told me jomtien immigration have refused the non o retirement visa, and will only give me a 90 day extension. I don't really know or understand the next steps, so I am asking for advice. From what I understand, I can get 2 more 90 day voa extensions, but what happens after that? As I understand it, I would have to leave Thailand for 3 months, before returning on another voa? And rinse and repeat for the rest of my life? I will add that when I returned from the very short and expensive and frustrating and fruitless few days in the UK, I did not have the 800,000 baht in the bank. The visa agent did do the usual thing, deposited 800,000 baht and withdrew it the same day, which had worked in the past, but it seems that jomtien immigration have tightened up, and not allowing that visa agent bypass to work anymore. What I don't is if a visa bounce still works, for example, 3 extensions, followed by a 1 day border run, and rinse and repeat? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, because the stress is almost too much for me to deal with in my current state of health. Thanks

Hi everyone. I have taken my car for a general painting, minor blemishes. I took it to what appeared to be a very good agent, with 2 paint booths with ovens, but the painting was terrible, with very bad orange peel. I refused to accept the car in that state. They have told me that they will fix the problem, but I very much doubt that it will be fixed. I used to be an ex bodywork specialist, so I know what to expect. So my question is what recourse action I can take? My options seem to be to refuse to pay, or call the police 1155. Any opinions grateful.

What choice do I have? The sinclair method will not help me. Lesser of 2 evils? I either lie to the AA, even if they could help me with my alcoholism or I end up living in the streets in the UK. I can't lie. Suicide is always an option. The psychiatrist always prescribe more than enough valium to do that. But I have tried that in the past, ans said my goodbye to my very few friends, and I did actually die in the ambulance once, but they revived me. Yes it tought me a lesson. But I have also learnt that the uk health system will not not help me. I am honestly at a complete loss what to do.

I really liked your reply. You are so right. I know a few people here who have been lucky in life to build a small fortune. I find it very offensive to see some of the replies on here from the hiso, ignominious people, who have no respect for people like me who have fallen on bad times. I asked a simple question, for guidance on returning to the uk, and not because I am an alcoholic. So Jack get of your high horse.

Thank you for posting your reply. An awful lot of people do not understand that is an illness and very difficult to break to break the addiction. From personal experience with my psychiatrist in Bangkok hospital, alcoholism is just a part of normal life in Thailand, and there is zero support.

Being agnostic, and pretending would be a sin. Enough said.

I believe in total honesty, and that has been my downfall all my life. I am too honest.

It is a sin to do something that you don't believe in.

I don't know how to pm you.

Hi I am sorry to hear that you are also in a similar situation. It does not look good! I received a reply today from the CAB, and I have basically been told that I will only be entitled to £56 a week, and advised that the council would not be able to offer me any accommodation, because even the shelter accommodation is full. They advised me to find covered shelter outside, preferably among a group of other homeless people. The only good news is that a local gp is obliged to prescribe any necessary medication, free of charge. Of course, I will also be entitled to free medical emergency healthcare. I am certainly not looking forward to my impending doom! 65 years old and sleeping rough in the streets in the UK does not appeal to me! I guess my life is almost over? And all because of Pacific Prime health insurance not paying for my heart operation, for the same reason as I read from another person on here, and that was accidentally not ticking 1 box on the questionnaire about an undiagnosed mental health issue. My heart condition was obviously not related to a mental health issue. Anyway. I am passing on this information, quoting the direct reply from the CAB, and using their online calculator to assess my entitlement. £50 a week is not a lot to live on in the UK! My options? Basically none. I live on the ground floor of the condo I stay in, so throwing myself off the balcony is not an option. Yes, it has come to that, seriously considering suicide. I will not be posting anymore. Goodbye my friends.