bgood

I renewed my pp yesterday. I went to Bangkok the day before and to the recommended photo shop to do my photos. I stayed the night in the Embassy Hotel beside the recommended photo shop. 700 baht/night, nothing special but it's okay. It's 18 minutes walk from the embassy. I had an appointment for 10 am but I arrived at 8 am. Security asked me why I was there. I showed my passport and explained I was early. They invited me to wait inside. At 8:30, opening time, I was called to the counter. I paid the fee of 10,160 baht with my Thai bank ATM card. The lady printed a receipt that said my pp would be delivered to me within 3 weeks. She told me it was usually sooner and I would get an email saying it was coming. The staff at the Oz embassy are friendly and really efficient.

Thanks for your reply swissie but I'm not sure I fully understand it. I suggested Inner post here. She has cleaned and cooked for me and I have no reluctance to recommend her as a carer.

Last year an elderly friend of mine was in desperate need of carer. I did the job myself because I could not find a reliable, thrustworthy carer to look after him. I cleaned him and his soiled bed. I fed him, took him to doctors and managed his finances. I wish I had found someone like Inner at the time to help me. That friend is now in a full care facility in Jomtien and I'm very happy with the way they are looking after him.

Some elderly people want to stay in their own home but need short or long term assistance to do so. Inner's request was genuine

If you dont really need the pension just forget about it,if you do,then organise to take your family back with you,if its possible.A 2 year sentence in australia is not so bad,i can think of worse places.

It sounds like you are considering doing a 2 year sentence, samuibeachcomber.

For me, it will be something I'll consider on or about my 63rd birthday (should I live so long). In these difficult financial times, it becomes extremely hard to plan future financial security.

I could always put most of my assets in my wife's and son's names, divorce my wife, and return to the country of my birth.

I heard this discussed on TOC this morning also but cannot find any mention of it on line.

On TOC they mentioned possible 100% foreign ownership of condos in a block and extending the max 30y lease on land to 90y.

Thanks for the reply, ubonjoe.

I'm not sure that I understand. Isn't the fee paid at the Myanmar immigration office at the border?

Bump!

Does anybody know how much Thais pay to cross the boarder for the day?

^usernanex, thanks for the informative post.

I have read somewhere that the fee for Thais to cross into Myanmar for the day is only 35 Baht. I was thinking of going across with my Thai wife and son so do you know if the 35 B fee for them is correct?

As you seem to know the place well, do you have any recommendations for accommodation in Mae Sot?

Good luck for your next visit to the office, Bengt. Remember to dress well, smile and treat the officers with respect. I have had the pleasure of teaching officers from this office in the past. They are kind hearted people who will be happy to help you.

The immigration police at Sriracha can speak English but remember English is not their first language. If you can't speak Thai and you are using English to communicate with them, they may have trouble with your accent; please speak slowly and be patient.

I have attached a scan of the copy given to me by immigration. It is double sided - one side Thai and the other in English.

Unfortunatly, it is out of date. There is no longer a requirement for a doctors certificate. It is also possible that other changes have occured in the last 2 months!

I would suggest visiting the office and asking for the lastest list of requirements.

I am suprized by your post, Bengt. I have been told by the Sriracha office before that a combination income/bank deposite is acceptable although I have always used the 800k. Could there be a communication problem?

The Sriracha office will supply you a written list of requirements for a retirement extension if asked politely.

I thought we were required to use the closest immigration office to where we live now, and I know that Sriracha ask if you live in the area, but I'm not sure if all immigration offices do this.

JT, I wrote a reply to you but after I read it, I sounded like a bitch. ( so i deleted it!)

I always enjoy your posts so please keep them coming.

I saw the movie. I hate to break this to you, but the film was a thinly veiled commentary on AMERICAN politics.

The roo does NOT represent Oz, but instead represents the right wing forces of ignorance and intolerance in American society.

So you DOWNLOADED it huh? You stole the movie and you are still complaining? OK then.

Yes, I'm sorry JT. It was just a little dig.

I downloaded and watched 'Horton hears a who' with my 8y/o son tonight. He loved it but, as an Oz citizen, I am concerned about the damage done to him.

The animation is good and the story well written; its not 'Animal Farm' but there are plenty of adult level themes in there to keep parents amused. Unfortunately, the use of the kangaroo, the Oz national symbol, to represent the forces of evil is clearly racist.

Thanks for the informativative post, Artisi.

I'm trying to be very careful with my reply as I don't want to appear to be flaming. Unfortunately, I find your final sentence a little annoying. In my case, I don't qualify currently under the assets/income test for a pension in Oz but I would like to think that should this situation change that Oz would provide a safty-net for me. I retired to Thailand at the age of 45 but left most of my assessets there and continued to pay high taxes. A few years ago I changed my status to non resident to reduce the tax. I continue to pay 10% flat on my income there. I assume I'd be classifed as a 'former resident'.

I don't remember ever making a decision to leave Oz 'for good' but I now think of Thailand as home. I received a university education at the Oz tax payers expense and I was supported by the Australian Council to estabilish my business in Oz. I'm very grateful for both. I spent many years working in Oz and paid a lot in tax. I hope that I never find myself in a situation where I need to ask but I do 'now feel they owe me a pension'(should I need it).

Please don't take this as an attack, Artisi. Because I choose to live in Thailand with my Thai wife and dual citizenship son, I don't see why I should be denied a safty-net income from Oz after all the tax I paid there.

I thought (-or 7 ) there were 13; I can't go through (-oo 8 ) them all though.

Quote Jingthing:

"To review this so that we don't get people not understanding this issue:

It is only about Jomtien office

It is only people going for SUBSEQUENT extensions based on retirement (not first time extenders)

It is only for people who are using the 800K baht in a Thai bank account to qualify (no pension letter)

It is only for people who can read (sorry!)"

A good thread. I symphthize and understand your frustration in the lack of response to your OP. I can only respond (off topic) that at Sriracha the 3 month rule is applied to subsequent extensions.

As you have had this thread running for almost a month and have had no actual cases reported of success or failure with top ups less than 3 months prior to application, should we be concluding that nobody has been game, or in the situation, to test the rule at Jomtien?

I found what I needed at Tuk.com Sriracha. 50 Baht each.

I didn't need a splitter (although a splitter would have done the job). I only needed filters to take the ADSL signal out of my extra phones around the house.

Thanks for all the replies I received.

I can't speak for every immigration office but the one at Sriracha, Chonburi told me the 800k must have been in the account for 3 months when applying for an extension for retirement.

Of course it's less if you have proof of income from a pension.

Quote: pgrin

"Photodude, Are you having a laugh?"

I don't think photojourn is big on humor. Perhaps he was just having a bad day.

'PS I have always found the staff in Sri Racha to be helpful and efficient."

A few years ago I had the pleasure of teaching many of the Sriracha immigration and costoms police and I can only agree with you.

astral, I think your comments are very much on-topic!

Thank you for your response.

Sorry to leave you bewildered, photojourn.

Quote: 'There were no problems and I received friendly and fast service.'

I praised their service. I just believe they might receive more honest responses if the survey was anonymous.

I applied for and received my annual retirement extension today at Sriracha, Chonburi. There were no problems and I received friendly and fast service, in and out in about 10 minutes.

I was asked, as were others there, to complete and sign a questionaire/survey about that immigration office. It required a grading from 'very good' to 'poor' on about 8 aspects of staff service. I had no hesitation in giving 'very good' for each. The officer at reception by the front door read each questionaire as it was returned to him.

If I was not satisfied with the service, I would have been very reluctant to express such an opinion on the survey. What do you think?

Thanks dotcom.

I'm sure they must have them but what do they call them?

Could someone please help with the Thai name for an ADSL filter to connect multiple phone lines in a house. One phone, connected to the splitter provided with the router is fine, but other phone jacks in the house are full of static.

With my limited Thai, I have conveyed the problem to the phone company and to other phone shops. They say they don't have any. I don't believe them.

The name written in Thai would be of great help to me if someone can provide it.