redpill17

15 minutes ago, Knocker33 said:

The app only works with a Thai ID

I use LINE Pay and TrueMoney to pay their bills, only customer no. is required.

3 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Add, if it's a small business then the credit card processing fees and bank commission fees the bank takes is a sizable %.

 

If the OP doesn't normally carry 20,000Baht in cash then go to an ATM on the way to the dental clinic. 

Yes, 3% or more if I'm not mistaken. But upmarket clinics like Grace usually don't charge extra for paying with card.

I too don't see a problem carrying 50k in Chiang Mai. Though personally I rarely have more than 1000-2000 ???? If I need something expensive, I pay with bank transfer. And many street vendors in CM have PromptPay (QR code).

2 hours ago, jackdd said:

This looks like a scam website.

Is there any evidence that this is legit?

Someone recommended it in the other thread.

I don't know if it's legit. Everyone is anonymous on this forum ????

shelter.global is the new IGLU replacement apparently.

You didn't indicate if your business if offshore and/or you have customers in Thailand.

If you're just a CEO (receiving only dividends, not salary!) managing his foreign company that has only foreign customers and no Thai bank accounts, then you don't need a business visa or WP (nor you qualify for them). In that case, it would be cheaper and easier to get Elite Visa.

45 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

Thailand doesn't make the top 10

The World's Cheapest, Safest Retirement Countries 

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/042116/worlds-cheapest-safest-retirement-countries.asp

"Cheapest countries to retire"

1. Austria

2. Australia

...

LOL

59 minutes ago, poohy said:

PKK is ok but he might die of boredom

seriously town is relatively busy in high season but after songkran to november its dead

Many nationalities here, biggest by far is i suppose german  then UK there's a few American i think (well i know of two)

Plenty of restaurants a few bars/ beer shops hospital is, well a local hospital, but many clinics dentists

 

Housing if you want it on beach if you can find any it would be horrendously expensive to rent or buy

Out of town a bit,  houses can be rented for less than 10k a month but some form of transport IMHO is more or less a necessity 

What about air quality in December-January? Is it much better than Hua Hin?

Pak Nam Pran town just south of Hua Hin is nice too, very quiet and beautiful scenery. Not sure if housing is cheap though.

I've lived in Baan Takiab area of HH, also much village-like but many new condos for reasonable price.

2 hours ago, justin case said:

some dude said: you can only apply 2x in your whole freaking life

Can someone confirm that?

4 hours ago, ardsong said:

Russians are just copying the Western , so called Free World.

People in the West are not locked in jail for reposting memes or throwing paper cups at police (yet). Putin is trying to copy China.

23 hours ago, ChiangMaiNomad said:

@MatthewMalone1985 There is a new Chiang Mai-based company similar to Iglu called Shelter  who can help get visas and work permits for digital professionals (I'm a software developer myself). Several of my friends and I received visas and work permits already.

 

The process around around 2 weeks and it was a lot cheaper than Iglu!

Do you know by chance how many % goes to their fees and taxes?

I believe Iglu charged 30% with $2500/mo minimal income (until they got busted).

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

You are also correct with the Lifetime Elite Visa: The S.E. entries are stamped for 90 days. Each 90 days I would have to go to Chaeng Wattana and pay 1900 baht for an extension of stay, at the same time filing a 90 day report. 

(its no issue for me as I’m never here for 90 days). 

Interesting. Me, I'd prefer lifetime 90-day entries too. I get bored to death staying in one place longer than 3 months ????

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Interesting.

Is this at Chaeng Wattana?

Who’s name would the Chanote have to be in? (I suppose I could write up a rental contract from the Wife in this case !)

I've never dealt with Bangkok immigration, sorry. But I got RC several times in Chiang Mai, no problem with <1 year rental agreement, except later they started requiring TM30 receipt also.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

I’ve also never filled out a TM30 as my interaction with Immigration is only ever in and out of the Airport where TM30 is never requested. 

If I have to make an extension of stay (i.e. at 90 days) then I would have to ensure I have a TM30 filed. 

That's what I find most appealing about EV - never deal with immigration except at airport VIP desk. Can do border runs (or proper trips) every 90 days and never visit Imm. office. The arrival queues are so horrendous lately that I'm always booking airport Fast Track anyways.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

ok Fairynuff, fair-enough....    Use a better effin’ emoticon next time, jaysus I wrote all that rubbish for nothin’ 

Not for nothing, was an interesting read ????

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

A 90 day report has to be filed before immigration (at Chaeng Wattana) will issue a Letter of Address.

 

I travel too frequently and am never in Thailand longer than 90 days.

So they require a 90-day report to be filed even though you didn't stay 90 days? Interesting.

And I've thought lifetime EV only allows 90-day entries or there are different kinds?

Chanote/Rent contract+TM30 is enough for SETV holders to get Residency Certificate.

39 minutes ago, baansgr said:

In hindsight, probably a lot of us wish we bought the same when you did....bargain for a lifetime of hassle free visa, plus the benefits of taxis and express immigration

You can still get these benefits with non-lifetime EVs. 

Thank you for detailed post richard_smith237. I've thought it's weird that some people were not able to get a 5-year DL with a 5+ year visa.

Only thing I don't understand is why would someone get Affirmation of Residence letter from the Embassy for 2600b when it's obtainable from Thai Immigration for 500-1000b. And the embassy will have your foreign address printed (if you still have one) instead of Thai address, or am I wrong?

11 minutes ago, Pib said:

The Transfersie fee structure is different....you will not make out better in terms of total money reaching your Thai bank acct, but they do indeed send via SWIFT...

Yes... SWIFT via TW can be cheaper (if the sending bank charges % fee) or the same. I did a USD transfer to EU country, cost me about 30 bucks + receiving fee. TransferWise doesn't do OUR (fee prepaid) transfers as I understood so it depends on correspondent banks in the chain.

I can confirm TransferWise now has instant deposits to major Thai banks. However, it's a local transfer. Not sure it will work for retirement extension. Also, I don't think "reason for transfer" appears anywhere on the statement.

There's a way to do international SWIFT transfer via TransferWise, but only in USD. I imagine it will work with FCD account or else you'll lose some money on FX spread when Thai bank converts it to THB.

On 1/21/2020 at 6:17 PM, rech said:

 

 

Wrong, it won't for Canada, since many years.

 

And very slow delivery also, because they are idiots:

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/canada-post-reveals-it-is-the-reason-for-lengthy-parcel-delays-1.3447438

 

Canada Post has since admitted to a delay in processing because of the glut of packages being mailed from Asia, often too small and hard to read for machines.

Jon Hamilton, a spokesperson for the agency, says parcels mailed from China are a low priority since the country doesn’t pay anything in shipping costs because of international postal treaties.

 

 

 

 

OK, I didn't know that. I've used Thai Post several times from different locations in Thailand. Registered mail delivered to my home country in 5-14 days and it's trackable. So local services are to blame in case of delays, not Thai Post.

Could be surge pricing, it's high season after all. Or they stopped subsidizing Grab in Chiang Mai - I'm not sure since I've not used it much lately. Anyway, if you want to save some money, you can choose a drop-off location other than CNX terminal - like Central Airport plaza or nearby cafe/gas station works too.

Registered mail should be trackable on both sides. It will show up on Canada Post website once processed by customs.

Colonel Company across the road from CM Immigration - just pay 1000 baht and pick up your Residency Certificate the next day. They can also speed up visa extension process if you value your time (personally, I'm now always using them instead of dealing with Imm. directly). They will make photos and copies for you, bring your rental contract. If you don't have TM30 slip, they can get it for you for only 300 baht. Last time they told me CM Immigration is not enforcing 24 hour after arrival reporting so should be fine if your landlord didn't do it.

If you want to get RC directly from Immigration, you'll need to queue up early in the morning before they run out of tickets (at least that was the case in old Promenada Imm. office). I'm not sure if you can still get it for 500 baht.

Also, you can open bank account at Krungsri or UOB - only passport is required.

Why can't you just take a flight? Lots of cheap options from KL. If it's only your second visa, you should't have problem clearing immigration at the airport.